K i n g
REQUIEM
Illyria ~ The Whispering Mountains
A focused mind had brought him to the mountains of his throneworld. A mind that needed hardening for the days and tasks that were to come. His eyes rose to see a single ziggurat formed from stone and ice laying before him. Were one to gaze at this structure for only a moment they may very well believe it to be a part of the mountainous range, however it had fine edges that were only carved to appear like a mountain. It was too neat, too well formed to be a product of nature. No, the King's amethyst eyes gazed at the sight with silent understanding. Whatever this massive structure had been in the past life, it practically seemed all but taken by the elements. A thick sheet of ice and snow was formed over metallic plates, only making the ziggurat even more hidden behind the winter landscape.
"The Kingdom of Winter." There had been such a thing upon Illyria at one time. Although it was never a planetary Kingdom, there was a faction that once managed to assert it's dominance over nearly a third of the world. This ancient Kingdom had stood for nearly three hundred years, before like all of the Crown's before it fell into the throws of war, never to be seen again.
So why had Adron decided to venture to the hidden capitol of this ancient Monarchy?
He did not know. He did not care to know. The Force had called out to him and this was where it led him, it was enough for him. Still, there was a hinderance in his path. There was a massive gateway which stood before him yet it was firmly blocked with a massive wall of ice. In fact, the only true reason that the Sith Lord even knew it was the entrance to the Winter Fortress was because of two stone statues rising up from either side of the threshold, gesturing inside with open hands. A silence fell over the landscape as Adron focused on what laid before him. The ice was too thick to cut through with his lightsaber. No, that would take hours, if not days. He could order his soldiers to bring the necessary materials to pierce the frozen prison? He considered this for a moment before taking a step back from the fortress, turning back the way he'd come.
"Is that how a King would do it?"
The voice stopped him. His boots seemed to freeze into the snow as the Sith Lord turned back towards the fortress. There was an expression of surprise painted upon his face. That voice...It was one he had not heard in years, no...decades. Yet, it came through as clear as the Winter winds that flowed over the land. The Sith Lord glanced around, his eyes narrowing as he delved deep into the Force, tethering himself to all that flowed and ebbed around him. Nothing. He was alone. Had the man not been so sure of his own sanity, he'd think he needed to have his head checked. A second look towards the citadel sparked a thought within the Sith Lord.
"The line of Kings never steps back, only forward." He muttered a passage from an old tome he'd read in his library. The Sith Lord stood before the citadel, pulling the cloak off of his shoulders so that it may fall into the snow behind him. In the next moment, he dug his knees into the frozen ground below, hands pressed firmly on the top of his thighs. Adron's raven black hair fell over his face as he bowed his head, seemingly submitting to the cold winds that flew around him. He closed his eyes, deepening his connection with the Dark Side of the Force. With his eyes closed, he was better able to tap into the emotions laid deep inside of him, emotions which could never be allowed to run free, but must be preserved as a source of his power. His mind flashed and he felt the Darkness surge through him.
Hatred. He recalled the death of his family and the destruction of his home on Serenno. Those who had struck so close to his heart in an attempt to bring him pain. This thought set forth a great inferno within him that begged to be released.
Love. His love for his wife,
Alessandra Creed
and their young child, Aries had always been a well of strength for the Sith Lord. It calmed him, yet brought his power to a point of focus. Fear. He was so afraid to lose that which he had created. Not just his throne, but his family and the safety that came within the falls of The Confederacy. This cemented the great wave of power within him.
Happiness. He had survived, he had created, and now his power was to a place where he could ensure the protection of his family and the destruction of all who dared to stand against him. This was the trigger.
The Dark Side of the Force lashed out of the Sith Lord, yet he kept his eyes closed, hidden from what laid before. The power of the Sith was at his fingertips and suddenly the warmth that spilled from his was immeasurable. It was like the rays of sunshine on a hot summer day. When finally the Sith Lord opened his eyes, he could see the ground around him was pure stone. The ice surrounding him had been cleanly melted away, with only a few stray streaks of cool water in the circle around him. His eyes were glowing vibrantly with the full presence of the Dark Side. As they looked up, they took in the sight of the citadel that laid before him. The massive sheets of ice were slick and wet with water. So much so that it seemed as if a thick rain was falling over the citadel. The sheets of ice began to slide off, leaving out massive echoes while Adron stepped towards the entrance. The wall of ice that was before him was now nothing more than a puddle, a few inches high, of cool water.
"Better."
There it was again. The voice that had called out to the Sith Lord when he was prepared to turn away from the citadel. Adron did not regard it as anxiously as he had the first time. Instead he focused on the familiar accent that came with the word. He made his way in through the citadel's main entrance, his eyes washing over the aged stone that he passed through. Although this ruin was thousands of years old, it seemed to actually be preserved by the ice that was surrounding it. However, now that Adron had destroyed the protective covering it may have to face a fair share of weathering. The stone that was used to craft the hall he stood in was not duracrete. It seemed to be a simpler compound, more akin to Ferrocrete. Adron's gloved hand ran along the wall as he moved down the corridor. The mouth at the end of the tunnel opened into a massive courtyard. The yard itself seemed as if it was once used as a kind of unofficial gathering area, as there was a stone dais in the side of the yard. However, it was what filled the yard that caused Adron's eyes to wander.
Stone statues. Each one was the likeness of a soldier, carrying ornate spears strapped to their backs. The rows and columns stretched on and only then did the King take notice that they extended up the stairs leading to the inner keep. There had to be hundreds here, at least. Still...he had never seen such soldiers described in the Illyrian texts. Not that he'd done a comprehensive study. He walked past the stone men, taking note of the form and shape of their armor. In the center of the column, one man stood alone in that his armor was notable thicker and his spear seemed a bit shorter than the rest.
The Commander. How interesting that he stands in the very center of their formation. The King mused, before placing a hand on the statue's shoulders. He allowed his thoughts to pass as he moved through, deeper into the column.
"The technique is faulty, but it has it's merits." The voice spoke once again, this time causing the King to narrow his gaze.
"I'm not overly fond of things toying around in my mind. Who are you?" He demanded. His tone was low, yet his eyes searched the rows of statues, turning to examine their helmets as he pulled the lightsaber from his waist. That was when a man stepped in-between two of the rows, revealing himself to Adron. He wore a rather impressive suit of white and gold and had shortly-hemmed black hair. His eyes were brilliantly blue as Adron's had once been and he held a strong, tight jawline. The man was familiar to Adron, yet his voice was somehow more familiar than his face. He had a smile about him, the kind of smile you showed a child when he asked an amusing question. This caused Adron to tighten the grip on his hilt. That was when the man gestured to the lightsaber. "I can assure you that is not necessary...nor will it be effective." He promised the Sith Lord. When Adron's guard did not lessen the man chuckled a bit, shaking his head. "Never did I imagine the child of Solara and Avius would turn from the path of the Jedi, even more remarkable is that you seem to have joined the Order of Sith Lords."
Adron was genuinely surprised to hear the names of his parents. He reached out with the Force, searching this being yet...He could not discern anything from the man's mind. The Dark Side of the Force was powerful with him...yet it was also silent, almost dormant. "The Force connects us, yet it will not betray me to you, Adron." The man said, opening his hands with a welcoming gesture. "I am afraid if you would like to learn more you will simply have to ask. I know you never were much of a talker, even as a young boy."
"Stop that." Adron said with a discontent tone.
"Stop what?" The man asked feigning curiosity.
"Stop speaking as if you know of me. I do not know you, do not test me." With those words Adron's lightsaber came to life with a snap-hiss. The vibrant amethyst blade shined brilliantly over the stone statues. The man did not even react to the King's threat, instead he merely shook his head in response. "Ah...I see your father's temper. I would think his death would have been a clear reminder to-"
A repulse of the Force screamed out. The stone statues before Adron were decimated, turned to nothing more than dust and rubble in the Sith Lord's wake. Adron's hand had instinctively come up, yet when he returned it to his side he could not help but scoff.
"Did you truly believe that would work or do you simply have a flair for the dramatic?" The voice called out, coming from behind Adron. This caused the King to turn and face the voice, sighing as realization donned upon him. "You are not tethered to this world." This caused the man to chuckle a bit, clapping at the King's words. "Well done, wise King. I see now that you are more perceptive than you seem." A closer look showed that the man had faint shimmers in his being, as if he was not entirely a creature of the physical world. His eyes were also darker than one would expect to see from a human, but it was all just slight enough that it could be easily missed.
"Who are you?" Adron demanded, his lightsaber extinguishing in his hand. The older man offered Adron a smile, a knowing smile that Adron often showed to others. "Asceriton. Former Count of the Serennoan Courts and your grandfather." Those words caused Adron to fall silent for some time. Yes. That is exactly how Adron remembered him. He was his Grandfather. The boy could only just barely recall the man who stood before him, yet there were only more questions to come from the man's answer. "How?" He asked, curiously. If memory served correctly, Asceriton had perished on Atrisia years ago. How could he possible he here now? The man clasped his hands before him, walking around the rubble and debris left from Adron's outburst. "This place. It is strong with the Force in a way I have never seen before. The bridge between worlds is quite weak here." He explained, hsi eyes taking to the skies above. "So much so that it allowed me to produce myself in the way you see now." He said.
"Although the connection itself is curious. Well, it was until I felt your presence in the Dark Side. It explains why I was drawn to you." This was met with silence as Adron's own confusion gave way to a small, small bit of clarity. "You are trained in the Dark Side." This was met with Asceriton's hand set upon Adron's shoulder. "Very good. So much sharper than my boys were. Avius raised you well. Yes, I practiced the Dark Arts not long after leaving Atrisia." This was something that confused the Sith Lord. "Father believed you died on Atrisia." Asceriton met the words with a nod. "Well, in so many ways, I did. However what was reborn was what stands before you." The man began to walk away from his grandson, taking even steps up towards the Main Hall's door. Adron slowly clipped his lightsaber to his waist, following after Asceriton up the stairs. "So, you are a Sith Lord as well?" He asked. Asceriton approached the doors, turning to his grandson with an interested expression. The door slowly slid open while Asceriton spoke. "A Sith Lord? Wouldn't that be interesting."
The two made their way into the Main Hall and were set upon two more rows of the statues. They gazed over the display that led towards a throne covered in a thick sheet of ice, sitting within it, a frozen skeleton. "A mighty line of Kings indeed." Asceriton stated, almost sarcastically. "I wished to be a King once. King of Serenno. It is why I married your grandmother, Force bring her peace...She was of the line of Dooku and to become King of Serenno you must have the blood of House Serenno." Adron turned his eyes to the skeletal throne, arching a brow at the being for a moment before turning to Asceriton. "So you planned to take Serenno?" He asked curiously.
"Of course I did. It was the only reason I was so committed in my Jedi training. I wished to defend my homeworld, same as you do now. The only difference is I just believed that was what I wanted. In hindsight I was merely looking to Master another venture, climb another mountain. It was not my passion as I believed." The man revealed. These words caused Adron to arch a curious brow at him as they moved closer to the throne. "What was your passion?" This was met with a silent gaze. Asceriton did not bother answering Adron's question because it was quite obvious what the answer was. The Force. So Asceriton had faked his death all to pursue the greater mysteries of the Force, seemingly the Dark Side? That was something the King could understand well. Once they reached the throne, Asceriton looked over the body with an unimpressed expression. "Well. I can only hope your line fares better...or our line, I suppose. After all, it is my legacy as much as yours, is it not?" He asked, looking to Adron. The Sith nodded silently before looking over the body with a silent expression. He imagined that the corpse would stink horridly if not for the ice surrounding the rotted bones.
"So tell me, have you finally realized the truth of the Dark Side?" Asceriton challenged, his tone shifting to one of significantly deeper meaning. Adron did not care to respond for a moment, however he did cast a meaningful gaze to his grandfather. "I am discovering it as we speak." To this Asceriton chuckled a bit before placing a hand upon his grandson's back. "Well spoken." The Force being spied the lightsaber that laid at his grandson's side and extended a hand out towards it, almost whimsically. "May I?" He asked. Adron did not hesitate in pulling the lightsaber from his waist and laying it in the hands of the man before him. Asceriton regarded the curved hilt with a slight smile. "A duelist. Balanced grip, yet incredibly light. You prefer fast-paced combat where you can whittle down your enemy, however you are no stranger to crafting a defensive line and allowing your enemy to tire themselves out. A Makashi trait." The man nodded before regarding the lightsaber curiously. "I sense a darkness...yet..." His hand released the lightsaber, causing the device to float in the air through the unseen hand of the Force. Asceriton blinked and the lightsaber disassembled itself, rolling in stasis until it was nothing more than a number of parts surrounding the two of them. What laid between them? A single crystal of amethyst. Asceriton made a tsking sound. "You have not properly bled your crystal, Grandson." This caused Adron's eyes to narrow. How could the man believe his crystal was not yet bled? The Dark Lord had seen to it himself the moment he claimed the title of Darth. As if sensing his Grandson's thoughts, Asceriton waved a hand. "To a modern Sith it would do, but you must deepen your connection to the Force with the crystal as your catalyst. It is far more than forcing the Dark Side to take the crystal, it is forcing the crystal to accept the Dark Side. Only then will its power be realized." Adron reached out, taking the crystal into his hands while looking to Asceriton curiously.
"How?" Adron asked, before Asceriton chuckled. That was when everything went dark.
It felt as if a knife slid into Adron's gut, slicing into him and draining him of his blood.
When the King's eyes came open once again, he was laying in the center of the room. The stone statues surrounded the King as if staged. Adron pushed himself to his knees, growling softly before looking up. The corpse that had sat on the throne was gone, only Asceriton sat upon the throne of ice with a smile upon his face. "Now then...let us begin." The Force fell upon Adron. It became heavy chains that made every movement a thing of difficulty and agony. Adron's lightsaber was nowhere to be found, yet the crystal floated in the air above him. The King's eyes gazed up at the small jewel before suddenly his chest grew hot and heavy. Adron's eyes opened wide as he glanced down. The head of a spear pierced his chest, causing his knees to go weak as Adron looked up to Asceriton. "Wh-" Another spear shattered Adron's shoulder, flooding him with pain. Thick pools of blood formed below the King.
The crystal which floated above Adron began to glow vibrantly. The Force spilled from it in thick masses, causing Adron's body to shiver in response. When the King looked to Asceriton he could not help but notice the please smile on the man's face. Had Adron been tricked? As he felt the Dark Side wrap over him, his head fell limp, the muscles in his neck no longer able to sustain him. Slowly...the Dark Lord felt himself slip into Oblivion.
