Honoring The Ambitious

[Andraste]

To say that Andraste was disappointed was an understatement. She had known Malos since he had been Malthazar, and he had been by her side from the very beginning of when she sought to turn the Exiles into something better. That had been when she had been Alais, and before she had made a name for herself. Nayeli was a newer face, but she had proven herself time and time again and rapidly rose through the ranks of the Sith. Andraste wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised if she saw Nayeli on her council, as the woman had tremendous ambition and had built out her own little kingdom.

And now, they were both gone. The council seat remained empty and the Empire took a heavy blow with the loss of two elite members of the Order. Their bodies had been flown to Moraband, to the Valley of the Dark Lords. It was the highest honor offered to Sith, and both Nayeli and Malos had proven themselves enough to earn their place here. The sun was high and the sands were hot, and the valley stretched out before them.

Sith weren’t known for elaborate funerals like Jedi, but Andraste deemed these two worthy to attend their final resting. Their bodies would be buried into the catacombs here, and they would be commemorated for their life’s accomplishments within the Sith Order. Andraste wore a black, formal dress for the occasion and she invited anyone that would like to attend to join her as they bid their final farewell to two great names.

“May you forever live on within the Force, and may it forever guide you to your eternal freedom into a world unchained,” Andraste spoke fragments of the Sith Code as she watched the coffins being lowered into the spaces built for them. They would not be buried together by any means, but they had their individual plaques and tombs. It was a simple ceremony, and Andraste stood silently in mourning, giving them the respect and honor they deserved.

@Cazar @The Matt

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Evandrus wasn't really one for funerals.

He hadn't been interested in them when he was a Jedi and other Jedi had died - back then he wasn't supposed to feel bad because death was just the next step of becoming one with the Force. As a Jedi he wasn't supposed to feel sadness at the ending of a life because, at the end of the day, that would suggest attachment and he was supposed to avoid them like the plague. Still, he had ignored that rule rather thoroughly... and still didn't care when people died as Jedi.

As a Sith, he was supposed to believe that the strong would survive because they were strong, because they were cunning and because they deserved to live - to rule. By that logic? Malos and Nayeli were nothing but failures and shouldn't be mourned but that was obviously not the case. They had done much for the Empire and they deserved to be remembered as the titans that they had been.

So neither being a Jedi or Sith explained why he found himself so... apathetic during funerals.

He hadn't really known Malos much - save for their interactions when he was a Jedi but those had been brief and, admittedly, rather violent. As a Sith, he remembered that the other man had done decent work in both expanding the Empire and forming the Inquisition.

Nayeli? He had known her to be a strong warrior, a warrior who had come to the Sith as a warrior-only and had worked hard to become a commander, a leader. She had lead missions to expand the Empire and her ambition was to be applauded. What she meant to Xornoth (@Xorism ) was slightly unclear to Evandrus... but he knew his friend would be devastated.

He waited until his wife had finished speaking before speaking himself. He too was dressed in black,

"May you join with the Force and watch over the Empire for eternity." he declared firmly, "May we all benefit from your guidance in the days and years to come."

Turning, he addressed Malos' resting place.

"May we push past any failures in our past, form strong bonds and root out those who would do us harm. Thank you, Malos."

He turned to address Nayeli's resting place.

"May our martial prowess match our insatiable desire to improve ourselves, our subordinates and our Empire. Thank you, Nayeli."

He bowed his head slightly.

"Let them never be forgotten."

 

[The Eternal (Vex)]

Vex vehemently believed that the strong lived and the weak died. Yet at the same time she understood that the Empire took a great hit from the death of these two.

Both were valuable assets. Their prowess on the battle field was great. They expanded the empire. They deserved their own tombs.

Part of her also knew that she'd miss Nayeli regardless of everything she had been taught as a Sith; the pair shared more than just a friendship at one point in time. Something Vex would't have explored further but would never forget.

She stood far back outside of the crowd, tucked away in the shadows of an overhang, wearing her Away armor that was already black. Her helmet under her arm and crimson hair loose to the mercy of whatever wind might come. Her expression stoic for any onlookers that might catch a glimpse of her despite the whirlwind of emotions beneath it.

"Goodbye, Nayeli," she whispered to herself.

Though she wouldn't speak more, she wanted to be here to hear the others and show her respects.

 

[Camila Shan]

The news of Nayeli's passing struck Camila more heavily than she would admit. Despite never uttering the words to her, Cami had grown incredibly fond of her fellow Sith Master. They had done much together and she would regret their final words being an exchange of satisfied looks after they - with the help of a couple others - eviscerated several high ranking Jedi on Manaan.

She would not cry as she watched the coffins lowered into the ground, although her heart grew heavier with each inch descended as if it too wished to sink beneath the earth of Moraband. Camila stood close to her friend Andraste, the ever-present rock that held not only her but the entire Order together. At least she had that much.

Camila didn't know much about Malos outside of the intel she had begun to gather on him herself. It had never turned into much, mostly basic details that would have been fleshed out later - but it seemed later would never come. The Dark Council position the man had held was what Camila would have been after, though she wondered now if her fate would have been the same as Nayeli's should she have attempted to seize it sooner.

Lowering her head, Camila acknowledged Nayeli's resting place a final time, she would allow herself no more time to grieve after today's proceedings. She had learned from someone she could no longer remember that a warrior did not mourn her brothers and sisters until the war was won, and there was much to do. So much to do.

"Life always ends. That's what gives it value." Were the final words Cami would say, not addressing anyone in particular. The loss would calcify into determination in time, something Camila could use to make Nayeli proud and to make sure she never forgot her.

 

[Eisa Nimbus]

Well this was new! Not the concept of death, the now cyan haired teen was all to familiar with what death meant, how it could be brought about and even how to effectively and quickly snuff out the life of those who fell within her wake. But for all the times she had witnessed it first hand, she felt nothing. Completely devoid of ant emotion, remorse or even a conscious thought either way.

For the countless innocents who fell during her playtime rampages over Bakura, she felt nothing. For the countless enemies that stood in the way of her service to the empire, there was nothing. for her father who she ripped asunder with the Force in pure unadulterated rage, not even a tinge of emotion! But when news had reached that Darth Malos had died, the teens entire being was shaken to the core.

Initially she was stunned by the revelation that had spread through the empire. Darth Malos and Master Aeron, had fallen to each others blades. Something that had bewildered the teen beyond her limited comprehension, not quite fully understanding why two people on the same side would fight to the death. She knew that there would be squabbles and heated arguments, but to kill ? There were perhaps some aspects of the Empire that she was yet to someday come to understand.

All she knew was that two powerful and influential people had fallen, Master Aeron someone she admittedly couldn't recall having known beyond the odd passing here and there, but the reputation was known. Darth Malos on the other hand, well she had grown close to the venerable Sith lord.

Eisa, saw Darth Malos, not as a sith Lord but as Malthy! Viewing him more as a grandfather figure than anything, despite his being begrudgingly dragged into the affair of her consumption by the Dark Side. He had spent alot of time with the teen, mentoring her on how to control her emotions so she wouldn't be fully consumed by the dark corrupting powers that resided within her. Remembering that on the occasional time she would wake up after being sedated , he would be sitting here simply filling out a cross word puzzle.

For the child like mentality she possessed, it was somewhat natural to view those around her as a family of sorts. Having now lost a part of what she had learned to view as her home. It had hit her hard, she wants quite sure how it was to feel, but it was like a part of her had been ripped away that she could never get back. And she hated the feeling! It was far from her sense of wide eyed wonderment and chearful demeanour, it was the complete opposite. She felt cold and numb and unable to stop tears froming in her eyes as she watched the coffins lower into their final place of rest.

Standing alone, dressed in her black robes, and cloak. This now being perhaps the second time the teen had actually made an effort. "Bye Malthy.... Thank you..." being the only words the teen could shakily speak.

 

[Xornoth Sk'ar]

Perhaps it was fitting that the very first time that Xornoth had met Darth Malos had been attending a funeral for the Doctor and now the last time they would be meeting was at his own funeral. They had not been given many opportunities for working together and practically were unknown beyond the occasional interaction. Malos had stood atop Felucia as a conqueror and claimed the planet for the Sith in the early days alongside Xornoth, something that earned the Sith Lord that much respect from the Kaleesh.

The twilight of the past days was an unbearable pang of guilt and pain that bore deep within Xornoth after the passing of sweet Nayeli. Since their first days on Korriban, he had been there at her side but still so very far away as she kept him at arm's length, never being willing to break down who she was and let someone share the burden. So much time passed before their fates would align to bring them together, finally, the future that they both drew and the cost that it took on both had now begun to pay off. Like a burning star that shined too brightly, she was gone before her time was due.

Xornoth had prepared a small ruby carved into the shape of a heart to be held within her hand as Nayeli was laid to rest. Standing silently, he fought to hold onto his emotions in the presence of the others but it was of no use as they would easily be able to sense it.

Fate was cruel after all, waiting until her final moments before allowing the pair to come together at last, Xornoth crumbled under the guilt of not being able to protect his love despite knowing that he never could under the rules of the Kaggath that she was subject to. He had been love struck as they held each other just a few days past, but now he was just kriffed up watching her lying there cold and gone.

The Sith code called for a passion of which he had in droves, which in turn would turn to strength but in place of passion would instead be pain and heartache. Suffering became his new norm and would become the source of power and connection to the dark side of the force. Nayeli's legacy would live on through him as Xornoth was poised to rise up himself and take what was rightfully his, only now without her at his side.

Nayeli had spent her whole life trying to destroy the inner part of her that was still Jedi, she thought that denying everything and everyone and relying entirely on herself would be the path to do this, however, in the end, she was unable to save herself.

All we had is over now as you lay to rest my love, forever in my heart that I gave to you all that time ago.

It was after all the Jedi that had trained Nayeli to deprive herself of emotion and feeling, their training had pushed her away from him despite the bond they developed and the struggle that she underwent. The Jedi part of her remained all these years gnawing at her and pushed Nayeli to gouge it out of her completely. Xornoth was a ball of rage, grief, and violence although all were contained within his mind for now.

The Jedi teachings were to blame for his loss here today, they were responsible for the terrible cost. Xornoth would never forgive them for it, they would all burn for this. Every damn Jedi temple would burn to the ground and with it the stupid Jedi code would vanish forever.

He would do it for her.

 

[Wizu Kira]

Masters came, and masters went. Wizu had lived among the Sith long before the Exiles decided to make it their domain as well. She knew Nayeli well, to say the least. The Togruta woman was a mentor to the pureblood girl on how the outside saw the force and how to fight with a lightsaber. She would forever be in debt to her old master for these things. It was knowledge and power that allowed her to start a path among the foreigners to become a powerful Sith herself. Had the exiles never arrived she likely would have risen to the top or close to it, but things were different now. Wizu had a whole new culture to mix with her own and a wider galaxy to help conquer. Nayeli showed her this galaxy and taught her how to command. Her influence would be by Wizu's side forever... but now she was gone.

I miss you, Master. She thought to herself, projecting it to the corpse that would never be able to respond. But now, I will forge my own path.

There were no tears for Nayeli and especially would be none for Darth Malos. Wizu kept her emotions in check for the most part. The Red Sith spotted Xornoth in the group who seemed to be erupting with emotion. She approached him and put an arm on the big guy's shoulder. He was one that would truly miss her Master. Wizu never really got to know him, but she had at least approved of her Master's choice. Perhaps she would follow him for a time now to see if he took similar bold strides for the council. Losing his love might make him drastic.

"Xornoth," Wizu greeted quietly as her hand rested on him. "I grieve with you. She will be missed."

@Xorism

 

[Dax Rowan]

Nero stood watching silently as the caskets were lowered into the catacombs below. Nero had seen a lot of his fellow Sith fall in battle, but this time it was different. He had known Malthazar from when they were both Exiles and it hurt him deeply when he heard of his old friend's demise.

He did not know Nayeli but he had heard about her, and a Sith with that kind of reputation deserved respect, even though Malthazar's life was lost by her hand.

The Sith knight looked around to the others, most of them were unfamiliar to him. He wasn't around much, most of the time he was aiding in a mission or doing something to further his own cause. He noticed the Empress and several other Sith of note, he felt out of place. He was but a Sith Knight and it seemed to him he was surrounded by his superiors.

He diverted his attention back to the caskets and lowered his head and knelt down, his gaze still on the caskets. His hand feeling the ground, he grabbed a handful of dry dirt and let it run through his hand unto the ground again. "May your rest never be broken, goodbye Malthazar, you will be missed old friend."

 

[Kano Taes]

The Kaleesh abomination was standing silently, wearing a dark cloak, today was a day to grieve, two of the empire's greatest were now gone, their deaths, while tragic, worthless, the challenger didn't get to prove to be the strongest warrior, thus giving the Sith a better leadership, nor did the challenged prove himself once more, keeping up the good work. No, both died in a glorious duel that didn't amount to anything.

Kano didn't get to know Nayeli personally, but that didn't mean he didn't notice the sith master, she became a great warrior, made a name for herself and did a lot for the Sith Empire. While the Kaleesh abomination didn't know her, and therefore her death couldn't sadden him, Kano noticed his fellow Kaleesh and warden Xornoth's sorrow, he seemed to be very close to her, the Kaleesh abomination would let him grieve in peace, for there was someone else accompanying him already.

Malos' death, however? That hit close to home, Kano wasn't exactly close to Malthazar, they had only met a couple of times, but he was one of the Sith that Kano respected the most, Kano found it funny how the last time they met was at the Doctor's funeral, but it quickly sadden him instead, not only because of his death, but because of what it meant to his apprentice, Abigail, the Kaleesh abomination knew how close she was with Malthazar, he knew that this would break her heart once more.

Kano stepped forward, towards Malthazar's resting "At least now you have reunited with the Doctor" Kano said, letting a faint smile come out of his face "Rest easy, Malthazar, even if you are gone, Abigail will have someone to take care of her" Kano looked around him and noticed Eisa, Abigail's daughter, crying alone and grieving on her own. The Kaleesh moved towards her and placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her, he didn't say a word, for words weren't needed at the moment, he instead kept looking at Malos' resting place in silence, paying his respects once more.

 

[Cyzyn-Itza-Rus Xho'thal]

THEME
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Cyzyn-Itza-Rus was cold blooded. He was of the reptilian species known as the Tiss'shar and his physiology made him different than other members of the Sith Empire that were attending the memorial for Darth Malos and Sith Master Nayeli. He had been seperated from his own blood relatives, raised with strangers and in time killed them by his own hands. Still now he felt something somewhere deep within himself at the loss of Malthazar Dreadheart. It made him wonder with introspection at his own current state. In some ways that would be as close to brotherhood that Cyzyn-Itza-Rus had felt with any hint of positivity. But that was not saying much considering past events.

He stood, the same as always with his two meter tall body, silent in the back of the group. He was not here to make a scene. His spines poked out from his onyx cloak whiles still hiding his overall form. He was not here to comfort or offer his condolences to those close to the deceased. Cyzyn-Itza-Rus had just come to pay his own respects to the dead. He was the Dread Lord of Death afterall. But he was not a master of that aspect. None of them were. Darth Malos could have conquered the entire galaxy but he would have still succumbed to the ravages of time. Cyzyn-Itza-Rus was no different. They would all be conquered by death eventually. In that, he found some piece of mind.

Two dread lords had passed now since the founding of his clandestine group. First the Doctor, and now Darth Malos. Both were close to one another. Abigail was not anywhere to be seen but the serpentine eyes caught sight of her adopted daughter, Eisa. Plague and Conquest had to have their legacies continued and the large Sith knew the same was felt in regard to the vacant seat in the Sith Council. But that was not his department.

Funerals were meant to honor the dead and provide closure for the living. It was both their times it would seem. Not so much in the way that the Tiss'shar believed fate or destiny had anything to do with the ending of their life, but more so that just the chaotic inevitability that shaped the galaxy had come down to the two Sith that now lay cadavers beneath the surface.

He was not here just for Darth Malos. There was Nayeli as well whom he had not met in person. However he had heard mention of her here and there. Cyzyn-Itza-Rus understood the importance of weeding out the weak. All the same, he did not want infighting and civil war to break up the Sith Empire like it had over a century ago with the jedi. It was an easy path to slip down when it came to keeping what you killed. The cerulean eyed Sith would need to keep careful watch to keep that from happening, for the betterment of the dark side of the force. For the well being of the galaxy. But he had to respect them both even more for not giving into their enemy. They had still taken down one last opponent in their final moments. Cyzyn-Itza-Rus was not one to be called sentimental but he did find respect and honor in that aspect of their paired demise.

The spiked head of the reptilian Sith looked up and around to the architecture around him. The tomb and macabre landscape was appropriate for the time. But he thought of the colony Darth Malos had helped him found in the galactic south when they were just Jedi Exiles. It was thriving, people starting their first generations there. Cyzyn-Itza-Rus thought it appropriate to have a statue made of the man and put in the hall of Eskatos Castle. While he was gone he had played a pivotal role in the galaxy. That was all he had really asked of the man. He had played his part of Conquest well and for that Cyzyn-Itza-Rus respected him more than most other people in the galaxy, living or dead.