Private Storm and Shadow

[Nyxira Valis]

The skies of Dromund Kaas screamed with their eternal storm, the lightning casting jagged streaks of light across the blackened clouds. The wind carried the faint metallic tang of rain that never quite seemed to fall. On one of the planet's shadowed paths, Nyxira walked beside Alina, their cloaks billowing in the restless air. The two Sith moved with purpose, their shared destination looming in their minds like the promise of power: Alina's old home, a place that supposedly housed a vault of immense value.

Nyxira's violet gaze flicked to her companion, studying Alina's profile as they walked. She was intrigued by this Sith Lord, one who had ruled once and now sought to carve a new path. Their strides were unhurried but deliberate, the weight of their intentions pressing against the atmosphere itself.

Breaking the silence, Nyxira tilted her head slightly toward Alina, her voice low and smooth, yet edged with curiosity. "This vault of yours — what treasures does it hold? Artifacts? Holocrons? Something else entirely?" She glanced ahead, the faint outline of the old estate visible through the haze of stormlight.

Nyxira's tone softened slightly, though her piercing gaze never wavered. "And what of you, Alina? What is it that drives you now?" Her words hung in the air, their weight deliberate. "You were a ruler once. Now you're walking this path, seeking knowledge, power... something more. Is it legacy you desire? Dominion? Or perhaps, revenge?"

She allowed a faint smirk to touch her lips as she looked back at Alina. "We all have our storms, Alina. I'm curious to know what fuels yours."

Alina Tremiru ​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Yes would be the appropriate answer in this case. The Tremiru were a small family considering the other nobilities here on Kaas, in part because of that vault. Holocrons, imbued items, even ancient souls, among other nick nacks, all stored within that vault. The Ashlan's broke it apart to get in the upper levels, but I never did check to see if they got in the inner sections. Grant it, I died so."

She shrugged nonchalantly. Quinn Varanin had brought her back, but that had it's own costs. Memories. Memories that had slowly trickled back. Even walking the surface of Kaas had brought so many back. Of her family, of her mother. Of the vault. It was Tremiru blood that was needed to open the inner most sections. Perhaps that's why they'd kept her niece?

"Kaas was once mine, that's true. I ruled it for a good time, I think, before Darth Carnifex's Uncle returned. Or did he return after I left? Can't remember. Death toyed with my memories for so, so long. It took a bit to sort it all out properly. I believe the death of my sworn brother at the hands of his own sworn brother rocked my thoughts back to focus."

Darth Strosius 's death certainly toyed with her mind. Visiting Darth Malum of House Marr shortly after helped the rest of the pieces click into place. Who Alina was, what her goal was. Who her enemies truly were.

She smiled a fanged smile as they stood in a field of grass, or what was the closest to grass Dromund Kaas had to offer. Nature had reclaimed what was left of her estate. The sprawling building it was, gone. Not even traces of the burned remains were here now. Someone would probably buy this place up, in time. Rebuild. Maybe she should?

Maybe she would.

A hand reached out, ripping up a section of dirt to reveal the half buried stair case down to the vault. "Here. Nothing alive, at least, awaits us. Though I wonder if some of those older droids woke up? Mm. We'll see when we head down, no?"

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira's smirk widened as she listened to Alina's words, her violet eyes gleaming faintly in the storm-lit haze. The revelation of the vault's treasures intrigued her — holocrons, imbued items, ancient souls. It was a wealth of power, a trove that spoke of an ambition and legacy deeply rooted in Alina's lineage. As Alina revealed the staircase hidden beneath the earth, Nyxira's gaze lingered on her companion, a glint of curiosity sharpening her expression.

"You've walked a path few could endure," Nyxira said, her voice smooth and edged with an almost reverent tone. "To rule, to fall, to rise again — and now to return here, to reclaim what was taken."

She descended the stairs beside Alina, her hand briefly brushing the stone wall as they entered the passage. The air grew cooler, thicker with the oppressive weight of lingering energies. The faint hum of dormant mechanisms whispered at the edges of her awareness, and the shadows seemed to press in closer with every step.

It was a thrilling sensation.

Nyxira's voice broke the silence, low and deliberate, as if the vault itself might be listening. "What do you intend to do with what we find here, Alina?" Her tone was measured, her words carrying the weight of genuine curiosity. "The power, the knowledge — it is more than just pieces of the past. These are tools that can shape the future. Tools that will demand a purpose."

Her violet eyes glanced toward her companion as they reached the base of the stairs, the faint outline of the vault's entrance visible ahead. "You've reclaimed your memories, pieced together the fragments of who you are. But where does that path lead now? Back to dominion? A reclamation of what was yours? Or does your ambition aim for something new?"

Alina Tremiru ​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"You realize that that's the path of the ruler you plan to dispose, yes? Rose, fell, rose again to reclaim what was once his." Alina chuckled lightly. Her very target were people of that line. Her expression softened though as they walked through the bowls of the Tremiru vault. Ransacked and ruined. It pained her heart to see it, but it also did not surprise her.

"There is power in being the one to supply it. It is a lesson my master has long been trying to teach me, but I failed to listen to. I will let the others fight their wars, and I will give them the aid they might need for it. And when the time comes, I will take claim to what is owed."

Nyxira Valis

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira's violet gaze lingered on Alina for a moment, the faint smirk on her lips softening into something more introspective. The storm of her presence seemed to dim slightly as if the weight of her thoughts had calmed its raging energy. She moved through the ruined depths of the Tremiru vault with deliberate steps, the sight of its ransacked halls a stark reminder of the costs of ambition.

"I do realize it," Nyxira said at last, her voice low but resonant, carrying a weight that spoke of unshakable conviction. "And I will fight it. The Kainites, their empire, their rotted dominion — they are a monument to stagnation, a mockery of the Sith's true purpose. Bringing them down will demand everything I have, and more."

She stopped for a moment, her hand brushing against the edge of a toppled shelf, her expression hardening. "I don't delude myself into thinking I will survive it. Their roots run deep, entwined with powers that even now refuse to wither. To unearth them completely will likely mean sacrificing my own life in the process."

Her gaze shifted to Alina, her violet eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "But my plan, my ambition — it isn't about me. It never has been."

Nyxira began to walk again, the echoes of her footsteps filling the hollow silence of the vault. "I look beyond my own achievements, beyond my own existence. What I seek to create is a legacy — a foundation strong enough to endure where I cannot. The storm I bring isn't meant to destroy for the sake of destruction; it is meant to clear the way, to prepare the ground for something stronger to grow and seize the Galaxy."

She gestured toward the broken remnants of the vault around them, her tone softening. "Power is fleeting. Thrones are fragile. But a legacy, an idea that transcends the individual — that is something that can endure. That is something worth dying for."

Nyxira paused at a large, broken door, its intricate carvings hinting at the treasures it once guarded. She turned to Alina, her expression sharpening once more. "I plan to leave this galaxy stronger than I found it. To pave the way for an heir — someone who will not only inherit my vision but surpass it. To wield the power I cannot, to succeed where I can only begin."

Her smirk returned, faint but resolute. "That is my final plan. To lay the foundation for a storm that will never die, one that will sweep through the rot and leave behind a galaxy shaped by strength and vision."

Alina Tremiru ​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"You seem to respect that path, though. Respect is important, though. The Kainites, the Eternals, even the Tsis Karr, they don't exist by chance. They exist by power, strength. A high, sturdy wall ever unmoving, unchanging. Legacy, though. There's nothing stronger, you won't find an argument from me. The Eternalists live off that legacy of the old Sith. The Kainites live off the Legacy of Darth Carnifex ."

She paused before the inner vault door. They were well underground now, and the runes carved into the steel of this door made it look more ethereal than solid metal. Alina raised a hand as red coalesced around it. Anima, naturally, was part of it, but it was her blood that was needed. She touched the center rune which started to glow, spread all throughout the others with that red, ominous glow.

"I like your plan. It's one I had before my whole death. Perhaps we truly can assist one another. I want the heads of this current leadership of Sith who keep the rest beneath them fighting for second to see just what would rise to the top in their absence."

Nyxira Valis

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira's smirk grew faintly sharper as she listened to Alina, the weight of her companion's words settling in the space between them like the charged air before a storm. Alina's acknowledgment of legacy, her ambition to topple the stagnant powers that held the Sith in their iron grip, resonated deeply with Nyxira's own vision. The glow of the runes on the vault door bathed them in an ominous light, a fitting prelude to the possibilities that lay ahead.

"We'll have their heads," Nyxira said, her voice low and resolute, her violet eyes glinting faintly in the dim light. "And when we do, what follows won't be chaos or ruin. It will be something beautiful. A galaxy stripped of the rot, forged anew, and constantly challenged to retain its strength."

She paused, her gaze briefly shifting to the shadows as if peering through the vault and beyond, her mind drawn to the delicate web she had begun to weave. The hunter, Eivii, was already moving to track who she needed, a Jedi whose capture could change everything. The thought of him stirred something complex in her — part intrigue, part purpose. If this step succeeded, it would bring her closer to unraveling the tangled threads of the Jedi's influence while also solidifying her storm's reach.

The faint flicker of lightning above ground echoed in her mind as she reflected on the risk, the stakes of setting such a plan in motion. A subtle smile curved her lips, but she quickly snapped from her reverie, refocusing on the task before them. The past and future would converge soon enough. For now, her attention was on the present.

Nyxira's glowing violet eyes returned to Alina, sharp and probing. "Are we close?" she asked, her tone edged with anticipation. Her gaze swept over the runes glowing faintly on the vault door. "I can feel it — the weight of something dormant, waiting."

Alina Tremiru ​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"It could burn to the ground with nothing left within it, so long as it's a new hand that lights that fire. I doubt that'll ever happen, the whole destruction thing, but I only care that the option is there." The vault door opened then, shifting and creaking from years of disuse. It wasn't that old, but it had been long enough. Immediately, the Dark oozed out from it's contents. Unlike the almost warehouse style the rest of the vault showed, this one was a room on display. The most powerful artifacts within the Tremiru vault, the most dangerous, kept under as much lock and key as possible.

Each had a display, a description of what it was. What it was known to do.

"The vault is big, but it's not that big. Don't worry. It's as untouched as I imagined, though. Good. Ask me about anything. I'm sure there's something that will help."

Nyxira Valis

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira's gaze lingered on the vault's interior as the door creaked open, revealing a treasure trove of dark artifacts steeped in power. The oppressive energy spilled out like an invisible tide, brushing against her senses and igniting a flicker of anticipation in her violet eyes. She took a deliberate step forward, her movements precise and reverent as if approaching a sacred altar.

"Impressive," Nyxira murmured, her tone carrying genuine admiration as she let her eyes sweep over the artifacts on display.

Turning her gaze back to Alina, Nyxira's smirk returned, sharp and calculating. "A collection like this isn't just dangerous; it's transformative. Every piece here is a tool, a weapon, or a gateway to something greater."

"Please, show me the way."

Alina Tremiru
​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"In the right hands. Or the wrong hands, depending." Alina chuckled as she walked towards the displays, her gaze shifting over them all. In truth, this wasn't a second she'd been in. It wasn't just blood that was needed to open the door. Her manipulation of her blood's anima gave her the access she'd been denied all her life. The Tremiru were Alchemists and Sorcerers all. And yet, Alina herself could barely use the Force as a human, and had no ability to tap into the darker arts.

She had no access to this vault.

Now she did, though. Her gaze shifted over the various displays. Armor, designed to take the shape of it's wearer and protect against influence of the Force. A dagger made specifically for blood binding rituals, the kind that had been used to both enhance and enslave the Tremiru's House Guard. Various other trinkets and devices. A stone, red as blood.

A philosopher stone, according to the mural. It reeked of the Dark, of Anima and other sources of power Alina couldn't exactly pinpoint.

"They really liked to hoard everything from prying eyes, it seems."

Nyxira Valis

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira stepped into the vault with a deliberate grace, her violet eyes glowing faintly in the dim, oppressive light emanating from the artifacts on display. The dark energy within the chamber seemed to hum in recognition of her presence, a palpable force that pressed against her senses like a wave. She welcomed it, drawing strength from the weight of it, her smirk sharpening as she let her gaze wander over the treasures within.

The faint glint of her violet eyes grew more intense as she moved deeper into the vault. This — this was exactly what she had been looking for. Tools and relics that could serve as cornerstones for her plans, each one humming with potential and danger.

Her attention was drawn to a dagger resting on a pedestal, its blade gleaming with a faint, malevolent light. Reaching out, she lifted it carefully, the weapon deceptively light in her hand. The intricate runes etched along its surface pulsed faintly, whispering promises of power and secrets to the attuned. Nyxira's smirk softened into something more introspective as she turned the blade, her finger brushing over its tip.

The sharp sting of the blade biting into her skin was immediate. A single droplet of blood welled at the tip of her finger, absorbed almost instantly into the blade as if it were feeding. The runes flared brighter for a moment before settling back into their faint glow.

"Fascinating," she murmured, her voice low and resonant, as if speaking to the dagger itself. Her smirk returned as she set the weapon back on its pedestal, her gaze moving to a large, imposing stone etched with carvings that seemed to shift when viewed out of the corner of her eye.

She paused before the stone, her hand hovering just above its surface. The energy radiating from it was far more ancient, more primal than the other artifacts. It felt like a fragment of something much greater, a piece of a puzzle she had only begun to assemble.

Nyxira turned her gaze to Alina, her expression sharp and calculating. "This collection is remarkable," she said, her tone measured but carrying a note of genuine admiration. "And it's exactly what I need to further my plans."

She took a step back from the stone, folding her arms as her violet eyes fixed on Alina. "What do you want in return for this? These artifacts are invaluable. But nothing comes without a price, does it?"

Alina Tremiru
​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"My family, when they were alive only a decade ago, made a name for themselves through Alchemy and Sorcery alike. They are not skills I hold. No amount of spellcraft or alchemical basin could give me the skills needed to use these items. They sit and rot in this vault, that I was only able to open because of my nature." She paused as she removed the gauntlet on her hand, holding it aloft. It was unassuming, and yet, flooded with the Dark.

"Things like this. I want more made. This one allows me to unleash Sith Lightning where I couldn't without it. I hate being a one trick pony."

Nyxira Valis

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira's smirk returned, sharp and knowing, as she listened to Alina's words. Her violet eyes flicked to the gauntlet in Alina's hand, the faint pulse of the Dark Side within it unmistakable. The idea of forging such items, of imbuing them with the essence of power, stirred something akin to satisfaction within her. This was the kind of ambition she admired — not a craving for dominance alone, but for the tools to wield it effectively.

"You have ambition," Nyxira said, her voice smooth and edged with approval. "And ambition deserves the means to thrive. What you ask for — items of power, forged with precision and imbued with the Dark Side's essence — is well within my abilities."

She took a deliberate step closer, her gaze lingering on the gauntlet as she extended a hand toward it, though she didn't touch it. Instead, her fingers hovered just above the surface, her presence amplifying the dark energy radiating from the item. A flicker of lightning arced between her fingers and the gauntlet, a subtle display of the skill she wielded.

"I have the knowledge to create and imbue artifacts, as well as the resources to refine them into tools worthy of a Sith," she continued, her smirk deepening. "And it would be a delight to see such items in capable hands."

Nyxira straightened, folding her arms as her glowing eyes locked onto Alina's. "Let me study the items in your vault, use them, learn from them as I see fit. And I will help you achieve your goals."

Nyxira's smile softened, but her violet gaze remained piercing. "What do you say, Alina? A fair trade, don't you think? Your ambitions fulfilled, and mine given the tools to reshape the galaxy."

Alina Tremiru
​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"That sounds quite agreeable. As I said, these would only serve as paperweights for me. Very fancy and very ominous paperweights, but paperweights none the less." Alina replaced the gauntlet, idly flexing her fingers as she did. There was a brief spark as she held it, but that as ever immediately charred her skin. It'd only remained charred for a moment longer before her natural regeneration took hold and returned it to the pale white skin she had. Cold and seemingly lifeless.

"Those at the top, those you've spoken of destroying, they're vastly powerful. What I want you to make will put that power in the hands of those who couldn't otherwise. They'll be useful in striking them down, and others who threaten the survival of the Sith."

Nyxira Valis

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira's smirk remained as she watched Alina flex her fingers, the faint spark from the gauntlet dancing briefly across her pale skin. The sight of Alina's regeneration, her flesh mending itself so effortlessly, was a reminder of the unique nature of her companion. It was a quality Nyxira found intriguing — strength tempered with resilience, a combination that was as rare as it was dangerous.

She stepped closer, her violet eyes glowing faintly in the oppressive light of the vault. Her voice was smooth but carried an undercurrent of caution as she spoke. "I can give you what you seek. I can create items that will grant power to those who might otherwise never grasp it. But there's a catch to items with such power."

"Power is seductive. It whispers promises of strength, of control, of freedom from fear and weakness. But not all who take it can wield it without succumbing to it. The Dark Side does not grant its gifts freely. It exacts a price — one that not all are prepared or capable to pay."

Her smirk softened into a more contemplative expression as her gaze met Alina's. "If you intend to arm others with these tools, ensure they are strong enough to endure what they demand. Otherwise, your efforts may sow chaos instead of strength."

It would be like offering a blaster rifle to a caveman.

Alina Tremiru
​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"On that I am quite aware, for better or worse. This piece belonged to a group called the Ascendant. They sought to replicate the Sith's prowess in the Force with technology. Did, in a lot of cases, before they were killed by the Sith as heretics and traitors." Alina looked over her hand much as if she was inspecting a manicure before a smile took over. She looked up to Nyxira before turning her gaze to the vault around them.

"Chaos isn't always a bad thing. If they fail to control themselves, then they bring their own ruin. They'll suffer their consequences." The blow back on her would be minimal, at that. She didn't intend to have anything large enough to be destabilized by a wayward soul thinking themselves god because of an item she gifted. If anything, it'd further along her own goals at the end of the day.

"When would you like to begin?"

Nyxira Valis

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira's smirk deepened, her glowing violet eyes narrowing as she regarded Alina. The Sangnir's words resonated with her in a way that few could manage — the balance between control and chaos, the willingness to allow ambition to fuel strength even if it meant others falling to their own weakness. It was a philosophy Nyxira could appreciate.

Her gaze swept over the artifacts in the vault, the dark energy pulsing faintly around them like the beat of an ancient heart. The possibilities that lay here were endless, each item a step toward realizing her ambitions. Turning back to Alina, her voice carried a note of anticipation.

"As for when to begin," Nyxira said, her smirk sharpening, "There's no time like the present. These artifacts hold power that could shift the scales, strengthen what we're building, and prepare us for the battles ahead. My next moves will demand more than what I currently wield. If these items can help bolster my storm, then I have no intention of delaying."

She stepped closer to Alina, her cloak trailing behind her like the shadow of the storm she embodied. "You've opened the vault, and I'll hold to our agreement. Guide me to what you believe will best serve our purposes, and I'll begin the work. Together, we'll see just how far this chaos can reach."

Empowering others through new artifacts would also gain her much-needed allies. There truly was no time to wait.

Her violet eyes flickered with a dangerous glint, the promise of what was to come heavy in the air. "Let's create something unforgettable."

Alina Tremiru
​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"No time like the present indeed."

Alina chuckled softly before she reached out towards the stone in particular, tapping it with one of her fingers. Something unforgettable? Alchemy, Sorcery, they were abilities beyond her reach despite her blood. It was a sign of the elite amongst the Sith more often than not, being able to manipulate life and cast dark sorcery. Perhaps that was something Nyx would be able to give her. Give more Sith.

Perhaps even give a normal person.

"Let's see just how far we can go."

Nyxira Valis

 

[Nyxira Valis]

Nyxira's violet eyes lingered on the ancient stone beneath Alina's fingertips, sensing the depth of its power, the potential that could be unlocked. But after a moment, she turned away, her dark cloak shifting with the movement as she cast one final glance over the array of artifacts. The hunger for knowledge, for power, burned in her veins — but she was patient.

She would return for these treasures.

For now, her storm would not be spent on relics of the past, but on forging something new.

"Tempting as it is to begin here, now," Nyxira said smoothly, her voice resonant in the dimly lit vault, "I'd rather return later to collect what I need. Power left to sit and decay is power wasted — but power applied at the right moment? That is how you shape the galaxy."

She turned back to Alina, her smirk widening ever so slightly. "So why wait? If we are to push the limits of what can be done, why not begin now?"

Her eyes gleamed with anticipation as she took a deliberate step forward. "Artifacts are tools — but the real test of power is in how they are used, how they reshape those who wield them. We need people — subjects — to see just how far we can take this."

A pause, then her smirk sharpened. "Shall we see what we can create together? Perhaps... a little hunt, to find someone suitable."

Alina Tremiru
​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"I could have a line of very willing test subjects whenever I want, in truth. But that's not a proper test. There are plenty in this galaxy that would pay to to have power. That's something we can use."

Paying for power was a cheat code far too many subscribed to in the cooperate world. There were far too many far too greedy without the power to actually do anything about it. They weren't fighting and killing to get what they needed. They weren't worthy of it, to say the least. They were, however, incredibly useful as tests. She chuckled lightly, looking back to the other artifacts.

"Where would you like to start?"

Nyxira Valis