The Second Rising

[Vehanv Kiva]

A mysterious planet in Sith Space​

It was like a century long nap. She had gone to sleep in a stasis chamber, unaware of the goings on around her, and woken up unscathed. Some had broken into the chamber that was lined with her army, myriads of stone soldiers all lined up like dominoes. They had liberated those made of clay, flesh and bone. But not her.

She had failed.

Vehanv had never been trained thoroughly in the dark arts, only as a fighter for The Guardians. Those that were in the army that had been stolen from her. As it happened, this unfortunate gap in her arsenal meant she was victim to the ancient ways of The Sith. But, before she had returned to her unfortunate stasis, she had promised herself that she would learn them. She would learn them, and master them. That army would be hers once more.

For the time being, however, she was a shadow in the darkness. Contained in the same chamber that had been her coffin for centuries on a strange rocky planet; sucks to have to be reborn twice. When she rose for the second time in her slow-smouldering rage, she would be sure it would be the last time.

If she were awake to look at the desolation of the once filled cavernous space, her dark gaze would have been greeted by nothing but blackness and barrenness. The location was desolate, save for the tendrils of dust that rolled about the floor. Perhaps these bits of dust were an accumulation of the lost souls from her army, curling along the concrete to stay as alive in her mind as possible.

@[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Aboard the Phoenix

Words travel fast across the galaxy; secretive words even moreso, which meant that the discovery of an army buried and asleep for many years discovered was made the whisper of the week among the schemers and plotters of the world. His master could easily be regarded as such an individual, and so she now sent the Ashborn to investigate in her name. Staring out into the empty void of space, Thyrian stood upon the bridge of his personal vessel, fully staffed and functional with some of Kära's most loyal minions. "Lord Taral - we've found it", an officer proclaimed in his direction. The Ashborn, formally known as Darth Taral, made no notion of acknowledging the officer's words, who very carefully stepped closer to his master. "My Lord?" Still he did not make any movement, with only his deep voice sending a faint yet powerful: "Fine, lieutenant." Finally he turned his head towards the somewhat trembling man, several feet shorter than the Sith Knight like so many others, and made a polite nod. "I will go down by myself. Keep the ship in orbit around the rock - I will call upon you when I have found what we are looking for." With that Thyrian prepared to disembark upon the alleged burial site of a slumbering army.

Once on the rocky ground, the Ashborn began investigating the site, looking for anything his master could have use of. It seemed those that came before had been very thorough; all the sleeping pods appeared to be empty. With torch in hand he journeyed into the bowels of the chambers, where he eventually stumbled upon something of worth: an active pod, still intact after so long. Where this eerie and remote location got its power from was anyone's guess. Unable to see whether there was actually something inside of the pod, he decided to open it up just the same. "Ugh, people and their buttons..." he mumbled as he slowly figured out the almost archaic technology, which still proved somewhat challenging to the large man, who had spent little to no time familiarising himself with any sort of tech. A few button-presses later, and the pod made a hissing sound as it began to awaken whatever lay inside.

[member="Vehanv Kiva"]

 

[Vehanv Kiva]

Time had stopped since her last awakening. Nothing new had entered her mind, and at present her mind was a very dangerous place.
The air around her was heavy, as if it was what was holding her down. Essentially, it was was the oxidizing process that kept her down through the intoxicating and sedative gasses — but technicalities.
As soon as [member="Thyrian Ashborn"] began mussing with the controls, the coffin responded. The compression expanded and influxed around the seal, rushing about with an excited release and poured out the sides.

Now is when the unfortunate part started.

Since her last thought before her sedation had been pure malice, she woke with pure malice. Her veins were stiff, and muscles suddenly pumping with life — as if she hadn’t been asleep at all.

To be honest, it would have been a startling sight. She was far from what may would deem as a sleeping beauty, and was much closer to a sleeping scary. Her hair was twisted and tangled into dark spires, and her dark face was painted with warriors’ of history Quukufs. The only thing that was bright, was the angry passion in her black eyes; and that was only seen in an instant. With an angry RRAAGH! she sprung upward, reaching for whatever was nearest. Violet static danced along the exposed flesh of her palm as she made contact with some sort of fabric, and pulled herself up with it, looking to yank the owner of said clothing down.

If this person stole her army, she was going to steal his last breath.

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

The pod opened, and before he could react what lay inside it stormed out at him, clutching at his robes with a menacing growl. While at first stunned at what was going on, he showed little signs of shock or fear of the person's cry of rage. Rage, as it happened, was a feeling he was all too familiar with, and would never be able to invoke any sort of fear into him because of it. As such, her snarl fell on deaf ears, and instead of recoiling in surprise the Ashborn grabbed hold of her shoulders to settle her down, as well as keep her from leaping up at him. Her black hair currently a messy multitude of individual strands of chaos across her face, without a word he removed the hairs from her face just as their eyes met, his fiery gaze staring down her crimson.

Still without having said a word, or even made a sound of any sort at all, the Ashborn could see the pain in her, hidden deeply underneath the overwhelming rage she felt. Thyrian was not about to smack around a girl not even out of her teens, despite her attempting to do so to him, and so he did what he believed any elder should do to a child: the Sith Knight pulled her by her shoulders in close to him just as he put his arms around her and embraced her frantic shape. It was a somewhat awkward hug, since none of them had prepared themselves for one in the first place, but he'd keep her close to his person until she would let go of her panicked frenzy. The embrace also served as a means of protection; keeping her this close to him meant she would be unable to use anything against him, like a hidden blade or some-such.

[member="Vehanv Kiva"]

 

[Vehanv Kiva]

Not expected.

Vehanv’s snarl was soon shoved into cloth, and her nose crunched slightly at the impact — moreso at her doing than the Knight’s, considering it was her that was the one thrashing about. Her muscles were hot, and she was furious. Dark tendrils of electricity curled around her lower arms, which were now pinned to her sides in this strange embrace.

If she wasn’t so smothered, she’d likely have bit him like the wildling savage she was.

The strips of personal lightning licked up her arms with enough energy to prickle his senses; but not burn him to the core. It had been years since her powers had been summoned, and she only wanted him off her.

She shifted weight to her spine and pushed backwards, in effort to put some space between this strange discoverer and herself.

Unhand me. Came the deep, echoing voice. It was one that didn’t seem like it should belong to a youth, and yet, it did. At some point in her life, she had certainly been an instrument of the dark arts and it had affected her physical as well as her mental. As it came, the voice reverberated around the pathetically empty and cavernous room. Why? Well, it wasn't her voice at all. It was but a thought, a deep thought. Not that she was a mentalist, just a loud thinker. If he was open to interpretation, then he would hear it. If not, well....then there'd just be glaring silence.

Where did you take them. Where are they.

But he was not the woman of dark magic she had seen before. She was who was responsible for the loss of her brethren; not [member="Thyrian Ashborn"]. Who was he?

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Lightning began to shoot from her hands and travelled up her arms into Thyrian, who was taken aback at the shock to his senses. Even so, he made it clear he would not attack the young woman by keeping his guard at an all-time low. He had no choice but to let go of her, lest he'd be forced to take action against her. At any given time he could have struck her down, and he still could. But he wasn't about to murder a clearly confused child.

He still kept himself close to her, for he knew well the repercussions of cryogenic sleep; one would in most cases become exhausted the moment one stepped out of the pod, especially after having spent so long inside it. That is why he'd remain close-by should she suddenly collapse. His calm yet determined eyes kept contact with the girl as he finally broke silence. "Forgive me, but your friends are all gone. I know not where they are or who took them. You are all that's left in this place", he said in his deep, booming voice, fitting for a towering behemoth such as himself.

[member="Vehanv Kiva"]

 

[Vehanv Kiva]

[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]


Insurmountable anger flashed across her dark, scowling face. She remembered now. Darkness had come and swept away her army. That was why she was in such a foul mood. She wanted vengeance.

Forgive him? This one spoke gently, not boasting protection from a higher being as the others had. The corners of her lips twitched as if to speak, but her tongue stayed. There were no words that flicked from that pink muscle trapped behind teeth, there was nothing but stale silence. Which appropriately matched the décor.

Her chest was tight, and her breaths silent. The former warrior was obviously livid.

“The dark arts.” She finally spoke, “A demonic witch separated us.”
Unfortunately, Vehanv still had a thing or two to learn about respect — she was no longer in charge of an army. Or even herself, should she step out of her pod — even now the gasses were cooling around her ankles and causing pricks along her thick skin.

“What do you know of Sith Magics?”


Well. No beating around the bush with this one! Especially since her words were so few anyhow. Why waste her breath?

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

The use of the word 'witch' made for a sour memory within the mind of the Ashborn; the only witch he once knew of was the now infamous Circe, who was the first to speak with him upon his awakening so many years ago. Before his little girl-of-master came to free him from his chains once and for all. They had both grown much since then, even though he did not age until he was made a human only a few years ago. She was now a woman in her own right, and he was hers...

Slightly he shook his head. The time for reminiscence was not now, as the awakened girl posed with him a question. Thinking for a moment, he answered. "I am no witch, girl. I do not make with fancy tricks of the mind or illusions. I reserve that for people more cunning that one such as I. What I trust in is the sword and the flame", he said while keeping the same echoing tone throughout. Not that it was difficult to create echo in such a desolate place, but still.

"Tell me your name, or would you rather I just call you 'girl'?"

[member="Vehanv Kiva"]

 

[Vehanv Kiva]

Vehav may have looked like a simple girl, but she wasn't just a beast. Everything she had done up until this point was complicated. Her parents had been developers and scientists on Kiffu-- although it was a fairly primitive planet. Lightning was second nature to her. The dark arts, they were foreign to her, and therefore her meticulous mind churned to know more. When [member="Thyrian Ashborn"] said he knew nothing of these arts, she was wholly disappointed.

But not entirely.

"The flames?" She repeated. Was fire as to him as lightning was to her? Hmm. Perhaps he could be of use yet, when striking the Sith witch.

He then asked her name. She took another moment of silence. Girl was derogatory. "Vehanv of clan Kiva.

Who are you?"

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

After a moment of just looking at the young woman, who should be centuries old theoretically speaking, he spoke his name. "Ashborn", he said as his name carried across the empty spaces of the huge room. "Thyrian." Come to think of it, he had never once in his existance had to introduce himself to another before. It was always his master who spoke his name when in the company of her associates. Complete strangers, most of the time, so he didn't bother to get friendly with many of them.

A slight inclination of his head served as his way of greeting her. "Lady Vehanv." He made an effort to keep her head safe as he gestured for her to climb out of the pod. He would offer his hand for support once she decided to leave the pod, but he had a feeling she would not accept his help any more than what necessity demanded. Even so, he kept it at the ready should she require something to lean on.

[member="Vehanv Kiva"]

 

[Vehanv Kiva]

She was about to demand his name again, since he seemed deaf to her initial request, but then at last he answered her. But he didn’t answer about the flames.

Lady Vehanv, hmm? She could grow accustomed to that. She was used to respect, and [member="Thyrian Ashborn"]’s recognition of that served well. Not a bad way to be welcomed back (even if it was the second time) after centuries of stasis. It seemed time to step down from her coffin, and she did so. There was a rush that slammed against the front of her skull when she moved, and her eyes blackened for a moment — but the only falter was slamming her the heel of her palm against the rim of the chamber for support as she touched the ground.

The galaxy was a funny place. She would have killed him moments ago had he not been so calm. Perhaps she could learn a thing or two yet. After all, this galaxy was likely entirely different than the one she had left behind.

“Who do you fight for, Ashborn?” Vehanv asked. If he didn’t know magics, he had to know something to be confident enough to just hold her down. She glanced about the cathedral-like chasm. “The Sith were in here. That dark witch.

Which leads me to wonder who runs this galaxy."

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Studying her facial features as she spoke, Thyrian hesitated to let her know of his allegiance. "I know not of the Sith that strode here prior to my arrival. I was sent here to investigate this rock, and I found you entombed within, encased in time itself." That word she used - "witch". It triggered memories of old, back from when he was awakened on Dromund Kaas many years ago. They were not pleasant memories. "Witch...?" he grumbled, feeling the rage he'd felt back then spring to life even now at the mere mention of her. "The Witch was here?!"

He began pacing back and forth in an attempt at calming himself. The pains she inflicted on him while being her lab rat... Wiping the beads of sweat which formed on atop his brows from sheer frustration, Thyrian managed to compose himself, for now. "Her name is Circe. Circe Savan. She and I met a long time ago, in another lifetime. I was weak then - now I am strong, under the guidance of my Queen." Still he refused to speak her name, for he knew better than to utter the name of she who would remain in shadows rather than be known throughout the galaxy.

"The Sith Empire is defeated; scattered to the wind. The Republic and the Mandalorians along with many other factions remain to struggle for power in the galaxy. The Sith are in hiding, but not for long."

[member="Vehanv Kiva"]

 

[Vehanv Kiva]

She watched him pace. The name meant nothing to her. She didn't know who had come here, other than she had been powerful and backed by an entity beyond Vehanv's knowledge. She had crimson lips and skin of ivory -- and a control over the dark spirits like Vehanv only had known in stories told by a roaring flame.

"Those that struggle for power are not deserving." The lady of Kiva said simply. In her mind, power was swift and taken with due diligence -- there was nothing to hem-haw about. It didn't matter how it came about, just that the galaxy was in one's palm.

"Not for long. You know of their plans?" She was walking now, steadily regaining control of her motor skills after being dormant for some time. "This woman represented The Sith. I must find her, and with her will be my army." She gestured about the empty room. "My brothers and sisters. They will overcome the pitiful struggle of the galaxy -- I can promise that. And your Queen. She is powerful?"