The Witching Hour

Dark child

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They had returned again.

Murmurs, whispers, and echoes. Such things were always there, in the back of her mind. They brought with them their anger, but also a feeling of security. Torn between the comfort of their embrace, and the constant fear that others more malicious would return, the young Sith was caught in a state of limbo. To be with the dead was better than to be alone, and Keket was alone indeed.

A soft breeze blew in through the open window, blowing the Sith's dark hair as she slept. Her body lay still, but her mind was racing.

The echoes faded to static. Horrible nothingness, a void of black, devoid of all sights and sounds. Her mind wished to return to it's former self, to be free of the darkness to which she was enslaved. Keket resisted. The Sith loved her masters. She adored them. Without them she had been nothing, without them she was nothing. She willed the void to vanish, praying that the murmurs would return to comfort her in her sleep, but the mind is cruel, and the dream shifted once more...

She was home.
Not the home where she was raised. That dwelling lay abandoned. Keket did not belong there, she was no longer the girl who had grown up within those walls, the memories of the house buried along with her old name.

In it's stead was the place where she belonged. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the long ornate hallway which stretched for some distance ahead of her, her bare feet felt the cold stone beneath them, filling her with joy. She felt no grains of sand underfoot as she walked, no paint had faded or chipped off the walls, both torches and red crystals gave off light, and guided her forward. She was on Moraband. Her Moraband. It existed in her mind just as it had thousands of years ago, and it was beautiful.

She reached the end of the corridor and turned left, knowing exactly where she wished to go. Hundreds of times she had walked this hallway without the light of the sun, the sand piled so high at the entrance that she had to crawl on her hands and knees to enter, but not now, not in her dream.

The temple's ceiling towered twenty feet above her, and the cold stone floor gave way to lavish carpets which felt wonderful beneath her feet. Brazers which seemed to be made of solid gold lined either side of the large room, the fires within them burned bright and hot, as if nothing could ever extinguish their flames. A lone woman stood at the center of the room, absorbed in thought and cloaked in robes of red, she looked into a rectangular well made of grey stone.

As Keket approached, the woman spoke.

"I have missed you."

Her words were full of sincerity, giving Keket a sensation of warmth.

The woman in red smiled as she turned around to greet Keket, her eyes golden and hair black, braided into an intricate design which continued down into four long braids down her back.

"You have brought a friend?"
The woman asked. Her gentle smile now more inquisitive.

Keket's expression changed from mutual pleasure to confusion. Someone was here with her?
She turned around to see whom the woman spoke of and was greeted by a familiar face. One which was not human.

"Nyph?"
Said Keket as she recognized the face of the feline, a black margay who strode right up to her leg, brushing against it just as Nyph had done countless times. Keket was tempted to pet the animal's soft fur, but thought it disrespectful to ignore the priestess who had greeted her.

She looked up, leaving the cat be for the time being. So many questions filled her thoughts, but she couldn't seem to find the words. Her mouth opened to speak, but as she did, she felt something wet touch her ankle, followed by pain.

Like needles slowly being pushed into her ankle and then slowly twisted, Keket felt the nerve endings in her leg flare up, her mouth agape, she gasped out of pain as she feel to her knees.

Before she could reach down to her ankle she was assaulted from behind and she cried out in pain. Claws dug into the flesh of her back, and another set of jaws clamped down on her left arm. Fur brushed against her skin, but the sensation now brought fear. Fear which gripped her mind as she felt her own body begin to be ripped apart by the savage margays. Each one of them a mockery of her beloved pet.

Her eyes filled with fear, Keket looked towards the priestess for help, pleading, begging, for an end to this agony. In desperation, she reached out towards the woman, her only source of salvation. Wrapped in gauze, she now saw her hand as it truly was, sickly, pale, and covered in decay her arm reached out towards the priestess in vain.

The woman in red did not move, her expression one of disappointment. The sound of ripping cloth, flesh, and sinew filled the air. Whiskers brushed against her cheek...





 
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Dark child

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In the darkness, a pair of yellow eyes snapped open, wide, and full of terror.

Keket had woken.

Her hands pushed against something restraining her, and she immediately wanted out. They touched the covers, yanking both sheets and blankets from her body as she struggled to separate reality from the dream. Her hands, now free of their prison, searched for something to grab on to, anything to anchor her to this distant place, so unfamiliar and utterly foreign. The only light entering the room came from the window, and it was sparse, doing nothing to combat the shadows it created, the ink black void of emptiness that had come to be within her room. Her eyes, saw only the blackness and the light of the moon, her hands, grasped nothing.

In desperation she crawled forward, feeling the sheets beneath her bandaged hands. Even now the sense of familiarity was there, as if she knew what this was. What any of this was.

In the shadows there lurked horrible things, things which she knew could not be there, yet still caused her to scramble on her hands and knees on the bed towards anything that would illuminate the room and show her the truth. Her haste causing her to overshoot the placement of her palm and crumple unto the unforgiving and cold stone floor, her shoulder taking the brunt of the hit. Still desperate to find a light to drive away the beasts, she hurriedly crawled until she could finally stand on her feet, and ran towards where she knew a torch would be. Seizing it from it's alcove, she pressed her palm against it's fuel soaked wick, and willed it to spark to life.

The instant relief which it's orange glow brought was enormous, and although the bandages on her palm had also caught fire when she lit the torch, she extinguished them immediately by clamping down her fingers tightly. A burn would remain there for a few days.

Torch now in hand, Keket waived it in every direction which the shadows remained, her bed empty in the moonlight, she breathed heavily while trying to regain composure. The mind now positive that this was indeed reality and not a shift in the dream.

Then, there was fur.
The same sensation as before. So soft, so real that Keket stumbled backwards, her body meeting the cold stone floor once more. The torch clattered some distance away, remaining lit and scattering small embers across the ground which immediately burnt out. Her heart pounded as she felt the sensation once more, even further up her leg this time. Unable to bear it any longer, she closed her eyes and prayed for this to end.

Something coarse as sandpaper and wet touched her cheek, followed by an inquisitive mew.
Nyph rubbed her face roughly against her master's.

Keket began to cry, unable to bear which was the truth she felt both relief and uncertainty. Tears streamed down the sides of her face, and she rolled over unto her side. Nyph was not discouraged by this, and after a brief moment had passed the margay strolled right up to the Sith and began to lick the salty droplets.

Calmed to some degree, Keket opened her eyes and slowly lifted herself up off the ground. She then made her way back over to the torch, trailed by the cat who, after recent events, the Sith couldn't bring herself to touch. The margay still insisted on rubbing against Keket's ankles as she walked which did not put her master at ease.

Keket walked over to an end table and removed her grey shawl from one of it's drawers. Donning it, and a faded cloak, she closed the heavy wooden door to her chambers behind her, shutting off Nyph's forlorn mews as she set off into the night. Making her way down the corridor, torch in hand.


 
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Dark child

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Shadows danced in the torchlight, bobbing and swaying with the rhythm of Keket's footsteps, only existing for a fleeting moment as the Sith passed inanimate objects and alcoves within the hallway. Traveling ever further away from her room, away from the dreams which plagued her mind, and sleep itself.


Exhaustion was an endless all consuming weight, forcing itself upon her shoulders. Rest brought no peace.
As the Sith walked, she could feel the bandages rubbing against her skin, itching, festering, demanding to be touched so that the infected flesh could be ripped away and begin anew. Her body lied to her just as everything else did, scratching would only bring more scabs, yet even now, as she walked towards the exit of the dimly lit hallway, her hand almost subconsciously, made it's way beneath her shall to scratch at the bandages on her left shoulder, providing a only a shred of relief. Her arm begged her to press deeper but she denied it the satisfaction.

This place, The Inquisition, did not feel welcoming. It's halls did not have the grandeur of those in her dreams. She had been accepted by Lord Cain, only to leave his service to embark on her own journey. Only now, after four years, had she returned to Korriban. Her questions, had remained unanswered, and her body, unhealed. Perhaps she had been wrong to leave, perhaps the Dark Side was punishing her for forsaking her brethren a second time, and now it was forcing her to let go of her own selfish thoughts of cleansing and fix the Sith Order itself. Only through unification could they spread their beliefs across the galaxy...

These thoughts ran through her head as she entered the courtyard. Thorny vines wrapped themselves around the pillars which supported a covered walkway overlooking the rocky desert opposite of the exit where she now stood. In the very center of the courtyard, was a garden. An alchemist's paradise. Twisted trees with interlocking limbs lay at the center. Obscuring the view of their trunks were plants of various nature. Each acclimated to the desert environment. Dead leaves of these cacti and succulents littered the ground, each a different shade of black and grey. Many of these black succulents secreted a harmful blue ooze, and around the bases of these plants, mushrooms thrived. So too did flowers of different ominous shades, each of them intoxicatingly beautiful and deadly.

A soft breeze blew through Keket's hair, and she breathed in the cold air of the night.
She had not come here to study the fauna, Keket only wished to escape the feelings of constriction that came with lying in a room for hours. Here, under the light of the moons, she hoped to relax...

....Yet as her eyes took in all the sights garden had to offer, she saw another, a lone figure standing on the far side of the courtyard beneath the covered walkway.

The night was growing old. Who would choose to wander the fortress at such a late hour?
Intrigued, she soon found herself walking towards the individual, who, as Keket drew nearer, revealed the individual's silhouette to be that of a woman's. One which was absorbed in thought, or had sensed Keket approaching and simply wished to remain unmoved.

Keket leaned against the railing overlooking the quiet desert valley. She did not look over towards the stranger as she spoke. Her cloak covered most of her body, hiding the deformities, but her ashen face and tattoos still stood out in the moonlight.

"They are beautiful are they not..."

Keket spoke, gazing upwards at Korriban's moons.

"Do you know what we called them, when we arrived?"







@Lord Zorrix
 

Lord Zorrix

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As the cool night air of Korriban kissed Akasha’s skin causing a shiver down her spine, her thoughts turned to the events of the past week. She has only just recently became a full fledged member of the Sith Brotherhood. The training and dark-side lore she received from her mother and sister were more then enough for her to become a Sith Priestess. When she first arrived on the dark side nexus that was the birth place of the Sith, the Brotherhood welcomed her with open arms and led her straight to the halls of the Inquisitions. She didn’t realize how common it was for her people to join the Sith. She had heard that while the Sith contained some of the greatest knowledge of the dark-side, the constant in-fighting prevents them from unifying the galaxy. Nightsisters are taught to not only be loyal to the Dark-Side of the force but to also be loyal to your fellow sisters witches. She quickly discovered that most of the baser Sith as she called them, were all to willing to betray one another for power and prestige. It was quite shocking to hear the whispers and rumors about Sith acolytes killing each other just to gain the attention of high ranking Sith. Sith outside the Inquisition behaved no differently then animals and as such she spent most of her time a safe distant away from them.


Yet even the short time among the Inquisition would prove troublesome. Akasha is touched by the spirits and as such can hear them at all time. When members of the priesthood heard that she is able to commune with the spirits, some of them treated her different. While they haven't turn away from her or mistreat her, they would become what she would consider cold. She had discovered from an elder priest that most members of the priesthood view shamanistic beliefs as anarchic and superstitious at best. Many people considered her to be backward with no true understanding of the dark-side. It was so frustrating having to deal with such closed minded people. You would think that those who studied the dark-side be different then the common rabble.


Yet she knew the truth, the young witch had a connection with the force that was stronger then most people here and that was all thanks to the spirits. Well in truth, it was do to one spirit in particular. To the Ihsmel Coven, it is known as Talthum Alazalam, the devouring darkness. It was thanks to this spirit that she was able to survive her father’s devastating attack and allowed her to gain a rare force ability. Yet this power didn’t come with out a price. Even now she can feel this powerful spirit slowly drain her life. She can feel a hollowness within her. The more powerful she becomes within the force, the more this spirit will drain her life and the deeper this hollowness, this wound will becomes. She knew from her research that if she doesn’t learn to master the devouring darkness, it will eventually consume her. There were ways to temporally satisfy this spirit. She could sue its power to feed on the life force of others yet that was difficult to do. She had just recently learned this ability and could use it willing. She could hear and feel this spirit within the dark reaches of her mind, whispering to her promises of power if she would only give in to it and allow it control yet she wasn’t so sure that was a good idea. Unlike the spirits that roamed this dark world, it didn’t scream in fits of rage and madness. No Talthum Alazalam was calm, patience and very seductive. It wanted her in ways that would make even her blush. Time means nothings to the darkness.


The now chilling wind broke her from her thoughts forcing her to wrap her shawl tighter around her body. That was another thing that she found troublesome. The weather of this world was too extreme for her taste. The days were too warm even for the traditional breathable garb of the Nightsister and the nights too cold. The shawl that she was wearing helped but she could still feel the cold. All she could do was just sigh and endure. One thing she did love was the courtyard she was standing in. The garden was a truly beautiful, wonderful and deadly place. The plants here thrived on a planet strong in the dark-side and intrinsically were very useful in the many Sith rituals, potions and poisons she had read about.


The hour was late and it was time for her to return to her quarters for another sleepless night. Before she could leave the shelter of the covered walkway Akasha felt the powerful tug of the spirits. Stretching out with the force, she sense the presents of another. Yet this person felt different in ways she couldn’t explain it. Curiously she stood where she was, waiting for this stranger to approach. She dropped the hood of her red robes allowing her pale-white face covered in distinctive markings and long snow white hair to glow in the twin light of the moons. She slightly turned her head, to take in the sight of the person next to her. The cloak this stranger wore hid most of her figure yet Akasha was able to see her face and tattoos that adored her form.


[color= purple] “Yes they truly are. I quite enjoy this time of night.” [/color] she spoke as her turn her glaze to the twin moons, a smile touching her features. She was surprised that this person would speak to her. The young witch figured that her shamanistic views would precede her.


“No, I do not what they are called. I have recently traveled here from my native world of Dathomir. I am called Akasha. Please tell me. I am interested in learning more about this world. There is only so much books and scrolls can tell you.” She answered as she moved slightly closer to her. There was something intriguing about this person speaking to her, something that was strange and yet familiar and Akasha wanted to know exactly what it was. All thoughts of returning to her room left her mind as she listened.
 

Dark child

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"History, can only be seen from the views of those who write it. Beyond the pages, the words...there are things which transcend time."

Keket's eyes drew away from the moons now, the light of the torch flickered across her face as she directed her attention to the new priestess.

"Here, some of these things can be felt."

The Sith extended the torch over the balcony, tiny embers dropped from the burning cloth towards the darkness of the valley below, and were soon snuffed out by the wind.

"Korriban is testament to the power of our past. From the moment the Sith first stepped foot on it's surface we strengthened it's natural connection. This planet is part of you, though you may not know it, Korriban is tied to us, and us to it."

Keket now looked at the Dathomirian more closely. Her yellow eyes, the eyes of a Sith, stared deeply into the silver of Akasha's. Torch still held over the abyss, their faces were illuminated only faintly by it's light, and the soft glow of the moons. They reminded Keket of so many of the plants in the garden, dangerous, and alluring. A small part of her even envied the Dathomirian, her perfect skin and chiseled face.

"We gazed up at the night sky and proclaimed ourselves the rulers of this world. The moons would be our protectors, our guardians. The darkness would be our realm, and under their light, we would remain safe forevermore."

"At least that is what my father used to tell me to get me to shut my eyes."
Keket's lips parted in a soft grin.

"So tell me, what are you looking to find here at the Inquisition?"







 

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Akasha couldn’t help but smile as she looked into the yellow eyes of the Sith before her. They were beautiful and deadly, a mark of a true Sith. she couldn't help but look deep into them and feel jealous. Because they use magicks to access the dark-side, it was almost impossible for a Nightsisters to gain the yellow eyes of the Sith. She has seen many of the priesthood with those yellow eyes and it made her feel out of place.

Yet as she continued to stare into her eyes, the witch had to admit that she found her new friend attractive. Those yellow Sith eyes seemed to match her ashen skin perfectly. The moonlight that kissed the Sith’s skin made her black tattoos stand out like glowing works of art. She loved how this courtyard looked under the twin moons of Korriban. Everything including the two of them seems to just glow, it was truly beautiful.

“Yes I can feel the strength of the dark-side on this world. It reminds me of my home world yet different. The dark-side presence here is like a bottomless ocean of darkness unlike Dathomir which is akin to that of a living, breathing creature. It was a bit over-whelming when I first stepped foot on this planet.” Akasha laughed quietly as she turned around to lean against the railing.

She looked over at the woman next to her and resisted the urge to move closer to her and trace her tattoos. That would be improper and she couldn’t help but laugh at her own foolishness.

[color= purple] “I like your description of what it means to be a Sith. It depicts us as the rulers of the dark-side and a heirs to the legacy of the original Sith. So you want to know what I’m looking to find with the Inquisition? My answer is most likely no different then anyone else here but here goes.”[/color] The young witch said before pausing.

“I am simple looking for knowledge and to learn the Sith philosophy when it comes to the dark-side. I am a Nightsister and we use Dathomiran magicks to command the dark-side yet there are secrets that can only be learned from the Sith. It is my desired to not gain mastery of the that magicks but of Sith Magic and Sith alchemy as well. I wish for true mastery of the Dark-Side and perhaps even save my life.” That last part Akasha said quietly as she unconsciously touched the mark on her chest. Shaking those thoughts from her head she continued her conversation with the Sith.

And what about you? What is it you hope to find with the Inquisition and how has your experience been with them so far.?”
 

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The faintest breeze tugged at the nightsister's garments, gently blowing through the creases. In the darkness, the cloth Akasha wore was not the deep red it appeared as during the day, instead, it was a blackened maroon, the night sapped away all it's vibrant color, leaving only the cloth's true undertones.

Keket admired the grey skinned woman.
Where Akasha hailed from impressed her greatly. For eons, the covens of Dathomir had maintained power, keeping their way of life alive despite all who had tried to snuff them out.

Akasha leaned against the railing, and Keket brought the torch closer to them. Trying to better read the Dathomirian's intentions. The answer Akasha had given was not surprising, yet it rang of truth, something that was rare within these halls.

The witch asked her the same question, in her own words, smile slightly fading as she touched her smooth fingers against the marking on her chest. It was hardly noticeably to most, but Keket paused as she did so, staring down at the visible half spiral before looking back into Akasha's eyes. The answer to the question was one she had known for quite some time, yet putting it into words was difficult.

"We have lost our faith. Each day I see us becoming divided. Groups within the Empire wish to seize power, but beyond that, our true enemy lies within us. Greed has destroyed the Sith countless times, I cannot allow it to be the end of everything we have built."

Keket's gaze shifted away from the valley, her yellow eyes looked upon the buildings around them. Disrepair and decay. Not splendor, but a bitter reminder of the past.

"I am young, at least in the eyes of most. I tell the horrible truth of what will come if we do not stand united against our enemies, but many do not listen."

Keket's bandaged fingers shifted their grip on the torch, half of her face bathed in it's light she extended her hand towards the witch of Dathomir, an offering.
"Knowledge is not always power. Everything that I know, does not protect me, but I can guide you towards the gifts you seek."


 
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Lord Zorrix

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A smile graced Askaha’s face in the orange light of the torch and the young witch gladly shook the her hand. She noticed that Keket’s hand was wrapped in bandages but she didn’t really think much about it. “I thank you for whatever guidance you can provide me on my journey of becoming a Sith. There must be somethingfor me to give you in return. Hmmmm.” she ponder.

There had to be something she could offer Keket. If she was dealing with a male, the young witch would just offer her body to him. Males were simply that way. Her new ally could be interested in her body but that seems completely opposite to how the Sith in front of her portrayed herself. Yet she couldn’t help but blush at that thought. Keket seems to value knowledge of the dark-side just as much as she did. So there was only one thing she could offer her new ally.

“There is only one thing I can offer to you and that is my knowledge of Nightsister magicks. Though I am just an initiate, I can taught you the ways of the Nightsisters and show you a different way of using the dark-side. Besides you don’t seem like the type that would accept special favors” she laughed as she hoped Keket caught on to what she was saying.

Letting go of her hand, Akasha stepped away from rails, breathing in the chilled air.

Yes I have heard of how divided the Sith are becoming. Some would argue that this in-fighting makes us stronger and there is some truth to that but, We are stronger unified then we are divided. The Jedi win not because they stronger or more powerful. No, they win because all they must do is survive long enough against our onslaught and wait for us to turn against each other.” She said turning back to Keket.

“The Nightsisters have a different approach to the dark-side. While we delve deep into the dark-side, we are taught to never lose ourselves to it. We are unified and are still able to become powerful with the force. It is this sisterhood that I value and would love to see the Sith use. The inquisition seems to be the only organization within the Sith that believe this. This belief is why I was more then willing to join and yet there is still division with in the group.

“You are the first person to even approach me and to talk to me. Everyone else has either treated me as a threat their status or as a country bumpkin that knows nothing about the force. It is so infuriating. I have spent my entire life steeped in the dark-side of the force. I have seen the force used in ways that they can never imagine.” Akasha said in a fit of anger, her normally gray scleras turned blood red. She could feel the spirits gathering begging for her to give in to her anger. The deep seductive laugh of the devouring darkness echoed within her mind. It took her a couple of minutes to gather her before she could continue her conversation.

“I apologize for that outburst…. So I would like to hear more about this horrible truth of yours. If you have the time. I know its pretty late but I don’t honesty have any plans on sleeping tonight.” The Nightsister said as her blood red eyes stared into Keket’s yellow ones.
 

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The young woman's hand was so much warmer than her own, Keket did not hesitate to let Akasha's fingers slide across her's as the nightsister stepped away from the edge, but part of her wished that she had not. To feel warmth again, and life, was something Keket did not admit to. The dead were comforting. Their voices eternally there for her. Her body however, craved different things. Things she had never known. The touch and embrace of others.

Perhaps Akasha had known this, the nightsister already preying upon her weakness, but as Keket listened, watching the faint shade of red disappear from Akasha's cheeks when she continued to talk about the home that she had left behind...Keket did not think it to be possible. Akasha was different, and although the Korriban raised Sith did not know much about Dathomirian culture, she was fairly certain that the nightsisters valued women. They were, just as Akasha had said, united. Keket lacked the understanding of what that truly meant and why Akasha's loyalties would always lie with her sisters no matter how endowed to the Sith she would become.

Akasha took a deep breath, perhaps reminiscing about home. As she did so, the Sith admired the way the witch's form captured the moonlight, reflecting off the Dathomirian's grey skin. Embers from the torch were once again caught in the chilly wind and swept upwards in a breeze. The witch continued to talk, and Keket continued to listen. Her words became more and more passionate. Keket felt the fury growing within Akasha and she loved it. Their anger for all things that they believed to be unjust blended together. Akasha's voice, which had began in such a somber tone, now rose as she vented everything within.

The cold wind of the night kicked up, gusts rose and fell around the witch. The flames from the torch rose higher as more oxygen reached the cloth wick beneath. Keket felt several loose bandages tug at the skin around her ankles as they whipped about in the updraft, but they slowly fell to her feet once more as the gust subsided.

For a passing moment, Akasha did not appear to move. Frozen within her mind. Still as the night.

When she finally did speak again, Keket realized that the nightsister did not truly grasp just how long Keket had searched for an answer to this disturbance. Delicately attempting to probe into Akash's mind to discover the secrets hidden beneath. The two of them standing so still the only movement was that of Akasha's flowing locks and Keket's once-beautiful black hair which had been reduced to brittle coarse strands, both blown by the soft breeze.

The Sith tried harder, not wishing to hurt Akasha, but utterly consumed by the need to figure out what had drawn this power to her. The confines of Akasha's mind remained impenetrable, and as Keket attempted to press further, her own skull throbbed in pain, causing her to real back briefly, raising her hand to cup her forehead as the displeasure subsided. Seconds after, Akasha regained full consciousness, and the Sith easily played off her search as simply brushing her hair to the side, adjusting her grip on the torch with the other hand.

As Keket looked into Akasha's eyes, which bore a change unlike anything she had ever seen before, she paused, but did not speak of what had happened.

"Then come..let us walk."

By way which the Sith spoke, it was not entirely clear just where they this walk would lead them, or if exploring the grounds was the idea at all.

"We must reach our destination before dawn. The desert does not have any kindness for those that travel by day."

Wrapped in gauze, Keket's bare feet moved without so much as a sound across the stones of the walkway ahead, only looking back once to make sure the nightsister had followed before continuing onwards down a series of steps carved out of the same dark stone. Steps which lead down the mountainside to the desert sands below.

The steps were worn, aged, beaten down through the years by many pairs of feet. They bore the imprints of those who had passed before, smooth concave indentations in the basalt. Yet cracks could be seen as well, and pitting on the surface, the result of exposure to the elements. Though the steps might have been of great importance centuries ago, it was clear that hardly anyone made use of them now.

"I've heard tales of many things haunting the forests of Dathomir. Tell me, are any of the stories true?"
Asked Keket, sensing that the witch was no more than a step or two behind her, quite close to catching up.

The torch flickered, on the mountainside, the wind was stronger but not overbearing, periods of stillness still existing between gusts.
 
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Akasha had a slight headache as she followed Keket out of the courtyard of the Inquisition. She wasn’t sure what had happened. It felt as though she had blacked out for a second or two. She could sense that the spirit within her was amused at something. She could hear him mummer, "You will have to try harder than that ashen one." She didn’t understand what he was talking about. She asked the darkness what it was talking about.

"Nothing that you need to worry about, my host. It seems as if you have found you a little friend on this blight of a planet. Do you seek to fill the void that is in your heart? Do you believe that she will give you the companionship that you desire? Only time will tell, my little witch.” Talthum Alazalam whispered in an almost laughing tone. She would have dismissed his comment if there wasn’t some truth to what he said. She did miss her sisters and felt loneliness in these cold hollow halls. The young witch was curious about where Keket was taking her. She couldn’t help but be a little guarded about where they was going. While her new friend hasn’t given her a reason to be suspicious of her motives and seem to be generously as friendly as a Sith could be, Keket was still a Sith. Akasha decided that she would just have to be cautious. The spirit inside of her purred in agreement and she couldn't help but sigh as she followed.

“ Yes you can say that the stories are true. There are said to be powerful spirits that protect the planet. No different then the spirits around us, yet they are not as crazy or ravenous as the Sith spirits here. If one has the talent, you can speak to the spirits and gain their wisdom. That knowledge doesn’t come without a price however. The spirits here seem so angry and hunger. It is a wonder that they haven’t killed everyone on the planet yet. I would have to say that the most dangerous creature we have is the Rancor. Powerful beast that is say to be able to slaughter entire armies. There is a tribe of Nightsisters that tame and ride those creatures into battle. I would very much like to tame one myself but that maybe easier said then done. Perhaps I should tame a smaller creature. Something that can protect me in battle. My dark magicks require my full attention and it would be nice to have a trusted companion.” The Witch said with a smile as she walked. She couldn’t but watch Keket’s form in the pale light of the twin moon and admire her graceful cat-like movement.

“So where exactly are we going?” Akasha asked as she caught up to Keket, her hands locked behind her back. Whenever there was space she would walk beside her new friend, enjoying the cool night air.
 

Dark child

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Ravenous

Such a word did seem fitting for this place.
Suppressed by the living, the spirits that walked the surface were mere echos. In their arrogance, new Sith forged their own paths. Dismissing the strength of the planet as nothing more than a source of power for them to draw upon whenever the urge to do so demanded it.

Through a haze of darkness, and time itself, the spirits had tried to call upon those who walked where they had long ago, yet none answered, because none listened. The Sith of old watched as a new Empire built itself atop their ruins. They gazed upon every betrayal, weeping a thousand tears mortal eyes would never see. They witnessed, every selfish act, and bore anger in their souls beyond which a body could contain. Great scars within the force, they became the void that all who stepped on Korriban felt. Darkness took the land, marring the planet on a separate plane, deepening it's connection to the Dark Side. Not ghosts, but wraiths, they still linger, power fading with each passing year that the living feed off their hatred.

Is it any wonder then that these spirits would lash out, in hunger, as it were, towards the very few that felt their presence? Each Sith lives within the eye of the storm, unaware that the hatred which drives them forward could consume them at any moment. All of course...except those who have already been hollowed out.

Keket's yellow eyes shimmered as they looked back at the witch, and her lips formed a soft smile.
"If what you say is true, then you are very brave."

Akasha caught up to the Inquisitor, and they now walked side by side, wind lessening as they made their way down the carved steps.
"Of all the things I trust in this world, animals are perhaps the highest. Their intentions are always made known. They are simple, and perhaps everything is better when it is simple."

Akasha acted so polite, so formal, Keket found it partially amusing. With her hands behind her back, the nightsister obviously respected the Inquisitor. On Korriban, respect was usually earned through demonstrations of power, subjects feared you or reveled in your might but never respected it. Keket liked the Dathomirian because of this.

"If the destination was so important to you, you would not have followed a stranger into the night."
Keket smiled once more.

"But if you must know, we are going to visit a place older than most of The Inquisition. It held many titles over the years and has served many purposes. It was built by slaves in the first age to honor their gods- the first Sith. What remains of that era has been mostly erased by fresh additions, but it's name has never changed. The name is difficult to speak in the native tongue, but it roughly translates to "Palace of the Exalted"."

In the light of the moons, the red sands of the desert appeared grey, all color washed out. The small grains felt cool between Keket's bare toes, and as they walked, imprints of footprints could be seen behind.

Soon, they reached the entrance to a dry stream bed, great canyon walls towered above the two beings. The desert sands poured into the stream for quite some distance, but gave way to cobbles and smaller rocks shaped by erosion further away from the entrance.

"This was once a road."
Keket's dark lips formed the words.

"A quarry from which many of the great monuments of Korriban were built."

"Does it trouble you that we are only here for an instant in time? Every Sith has dreams...aspirations. How do you want to be remembered?"
Dry river gravel crunched beneath their feet as they traveled downstream. There was a certain sadness to Keket's voice.

Before long, a change of scenery was noticeable. The red river stones underfoot gradually shifted to black. At first there were only several large black cobbles, then, the sand itself became darker, mixing with that of the desert. Their destination lay ahead- Carved out of the solid black cliff face was a temple. Two massive guardians stood watch eternally on either side, sculptures in the stone. They wore robes which shrouded their faces, and within their sand etched hands were swords taller than five times that of the two women, their cross guards had long since broken off, and taken further downstream with other debris. Great steps, shaped in an octagon, lead up to the temple's entrance, which lay empty and barren, leaving only darkness within.

"Are you prepared to follow me? Do you want to know what it means to truly become an Inquisitor?"
Keket's eyes beckoned the witch.
Once more ,her bandaged fingers extended outwards as an invitation for Akasha to accept.
Daybreak would arrive far sooner than Keket had hoped. The hourglass that existed within her mind was slowly trickling down. The Dathomirian had many secrets, and many strengths, all of which Keket planned on finding out..
 

Lord Zorrix

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Akasha couldn’t help but laugh at Keket’s comment about following a stranger into the night. “ Perhaps it because, I have such faith and trust in the force that I have nothing to fear or it maybe that perhaps I feel as though you are different then the Sith I have came across and that I can maybe trust you or at the very least know that your interest in me will stay your hand. Nightsisters are taught from a young age to trust in your fellow sisters.” she said with an amusing smile on her luscious lips, moving closer to the Sith next to her.

“And besides if you do lead me to my death, all that would mean is that I was weak and wasn’t deserving of the title of Sith.” Akasha said in a matter of fact tone.

As the young witch listened to Keket’s description of the Palace of the Exalted, she could feel a level of excitement growing within her. Since she was a young girl, Akasha had always had a love of archaeology and anthropology. This was a chance of a lifetime experience that Keket was offering to her and she couldn’t help that it was the will of the dark side that the two of them would met this night. Even if this place of emptied of any relics or murals of the ancient Sith, destroyed by the ravages of time or stole by Sith greed for more power, it would still be a learning experience which is always a good thing. She was so deep in the possibles of what they would find at the palace that she almost missed the question poised to her.

"Does the fact that I will die one day bother me…… No….. Not really…….. My mom taught me that while it is natural to fear death we should embrace it as what it truly is, a transition. I have heard that many Sith wish for…. immortality. To break the cycle of life and death. I do not care for such a foolish goal. No offense. When a night sister dies, we return to the realm of spirits of which we are born from, yet our knowledge isn’t lost. Dathomiran shamans are taught rituals that would allow them summon the spirits of our ancients to gain their wisdom and knowledge. My spirit will be remembered by my fellow sisters and if future generations are in need of my knowledge, it is a great comfort to know that even in death I will be there to guide them. What greater legacy is there but that?” She said with a sad smile. There was more that she wish to say, such as there is a possibility that her spirit may not be able to answer the call. That her soul could be devoured by the ravenous dark spirit within her as has many that has called on its power before her.

She watched in anticipation as the Grey scaled sands of Korriban to cobble stones and other types of that form a well paved ancient roadway. The Sith priestess traveling with seemed hear her thoughts and confirm them. The colors of the path in front of them turned as black as midnight and dark colored cliffs seem to spring up before them. As they moved closer to the cliff, the witch could see an ancient temple that appeared to be made out of granite. The temple was simply breath-taking. She has seen many different pictures of dark-side temples yet to see it in person was over-whelming. The temple’s entrance was blanketed in darkness…. A darkness that seemed to beckoned her to enter.

Akasha watched with a raised brow as Keket extended her hand toward her asking her to follow her into the darkness and learn what it meant to be an Inquisitor. Her alluring yellow eyes stared deeply into the witch's red eyes, almost as if she was gazing into her very soul. A blush colored the young witches cheeks as she gently grabbed hold of Keket’s hand. She could feel the roughness of the bandages and coolness of her ashen-ed skin. She could hear the dark spirit inside of her laugh in amusement at the sudden heat that filled her.

“ I am ready and will to follow you into the dark. There are many things I know you can taught me.” She answered as they walked into the temple’s entrance. As they crossed the threshold of the temple, they could both sense ancient magic. Braziers on both sides of the hallway lit up with blue flame, providing them with light. Even with the row of lit braziers, there was still an oppressive presence of darkness surrounding. They walked sided by side through the hall, the blue flames of the braziers casting light on what Akasha could only assume as depicting the glory of the Ancient Sith Empire and the acclimates of the one buried within.
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They walked for several more minute through many different rooms within the temple and Akasha realized that palace was a very accurate word to describe this place. There were so many different rooms and side passages that she was pretty such that if it wasn’t for Keket, she would have gotten lost several times over. Her attention was split between Keket telling her the history of the Palace of the Exalted and looking at every faded murals that they came across. She soaked up as much information as she could from her beautiful companion. Even though there were signs of this place being picked cleaned by followers of the dark-side and of entire rooms of the temple being closed off by debris, the young witch’s level of excitement never wavered. She felt as though something was still here but she didn’t know what. From what she had read, most tombs felt as if the dark-side was drained from the area. The dark-side was still powerful here and it felt just as strong if not stronger then the buildings that housed the Inquisition.

“Can you feel it? This place is different then what I felt at the Inquisition. The dark-side presence seems older and powerful. This presence seems emanate from the center of this place. It maybe from the legends I have read or my own excitement but I feel as though there is something of power still here. Whether it is an unopened tomb or items of power.” she whispered in Keket’s ear. There was another thing about this place that she had found interesting. She couldn’t sense any spirits around them. Akasha wasn’t sure if it was because of the over-whelming dark-side nexus point here of if there was some type of ancient magic that keep them away. She had to admit it was a little creepy not being able to see or feel them. “I don’t like this. I can’t sense any spirits here. This stillness feels…... unnatural.” she commented as they approached a set of stone doors twice as tall as they are.

They were open wide enough for the two of them to easily walk in side by side. She could make out a medium brazier in the middle of the room, the only source of light in the room. Akasha looked at her companion, a look of concern flashed across her face followed by a look of determination. The dark-side presence felt stronger in this room and her sense were on high alert as they stood at the threshold of the stone doors. Her left hand brush against the vibro-blade on her hip, unsure if it will be enough to protect her. She was decent with the blade and it was more of a last line of defense. The force was her weapon and her shield and for the young witch, her survival depends on just how fast she can summon the dark-side. Just to be safe she focused on her excitement, apprehension and fear that she felt, allowing the dark-side to fill her very being. As she open herself the dark-side, she could sense Keket doing the same thing. Yellow Sith eyes met her red and silver eyes for a brief second and Akasha knew that she was also ready for whatever they would face in the room.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, the brazier in the room extinguished and darkness washed over them as them. She could feel the presence of the spirits here stronger then what she felt within the hall of the Inquisition. They nibbled at her exposed skin and seemed to silently scream in her mind. Despite the heat of the dark-side within her, she shivered against the darkness, drawing Keket closer to her. She knew that they were in danger. She could feel the amassing spirits around them, ready to consume them. It she didn’t do anything fast they would be devoured. Already she could feel the warmth being slowly sucked out of her. There was a chill that seemed to settle within the room. As the temperature dropped, the spirits were able to become visible. They were mere shadows of their former, torn and ragged. Silent expressions of rage and horror were frozen on their faces. Some of them looked like Sith of old, while other were relatively human looking and not all of the wraiths looked ancient.

The wraiths swirled around them like a miniature cyclone, tightening like a noose. Letting go of Keket’s hand, she quickly drew her blade from the sheath and sliced opened her right palm. “Keket, you must get that brazier lite again. Its light seems to keep the spirits away. I will hold them at bay as along as I can.” the witch shouted as raised her bloody hand in front of them. Ancient words of power in her native Dathomiran language rolled off her tongue as she channeled the dark-side through her body. A small dome of transparent energy encased them as she slowly made her way to the brazier. The ravenous spirits attacked as soon as the dome appeared and she could feel them trying tear into her defenses. There were dozens of wraiths attacking them and she could sense more of them approaching, hungry for the warmth and blood of the living. For now her shield was holding but she wasn’t sure for how long. Already she could feel the strain as the intensity of the attacks increase. Akasha silently pleaded for her companion to hurry, unwilling to stop speaking her incantations.
 
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Dark child

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Keket took the Dathomirian's hand, answering the witch's smile with one of her own as bandaged fingers clasped around Akasha's, their gauze feeling rough compared to the smooth ivory skin they pressed against. Beneath her feet, Keket felt pieces of stone from both the carvings above and the black steps themselves. The two of them moved in unison and haste. Keket grasped the hand of her companion tighter as they reached the top of the cracked steps and looked into the darkness within.

All the while, Akasha's question filled her thoughts...like a memory that would not fade.

Unlike the others, Keket had seen the other side. She knew what awaited her beyond life's veil, and it frightened her deeply.
No words could describe the loneliness she had felt within the spirits on Moraband. The despair which pressed down like a crushing weight. An endless wave of anger and torment.

If she could brave the storm, if she could manage to sustain her spirit in the life that awaited her after she drew her last breath, then that would be her fate. To wander endlessly without a voice, consumed by anger, her words falling on deaf ears.

Though this would never come to pass, because of her frailty. Clinging to life even as the disease ate the flesh from her bones. She had not proven herself worthy of ascension. The Dark Side had given her a gift. Pain would be her absolution, and through it she would could overcome all obstacles and redeem herself in the eyes of the fallen. Yet she rejected it's gift. Demanding that she be free of this curse that inhibited her every action. The darkness then would take her after life and she would fade into the force...forgotten.

Immortality is what she sought above all. Not out of greed, but fear. Keket simply could not face the end.

The blue light of the brazers danced along the walls of the cavernous room, illuminating the faces of the two Sith with an eerie glow which bobbed and swayed across their skin as the flames flickered. Shadows danced along the floor as if conjured by the pale blue light.

Despite the illumination of the cravings on the walls, and the many statues that lined the room, Keket felt as though they had stepped into a pool of frigid water. The flames cast off no heat, ethereal and eternal.

Keket's mouth was agape at the sight, and, realizing this, she quickly closed it. At first she had believed that this was an illusion, another vision inside her head, but as she looked over at the young witch, she could see that Akasha was indeed just as captivated by the flames.

The pair of them moved deeper inside the ruin. Keket's footsteps became cautious and slower. She had never seen the Palace in such foreboding glory. All the other times she had visited, the brazers had remained unlit, and the light of her torch and spells barely cast enough light for her to see where she was going. The ceiling, which had been nothing but a void of shadow on her other visits, revealed itself to be a series of beautiful domes hollowed out into the rock, each with a blazer hanging down from it in addition to the ones on the ground. Dust and rubble still covered the floor, but on the walls she made out runes and depictions of battles, the warriors carved into the stone seemed to shift and follow her gaze.

One mural in particular caught her eye, and Keket let Akasha's hand slip out of her own as she walked over to it. Both the figures and the writing carved unto the surface of the dark stone had been burned and slashed with a saber, making any recognition of those depicted in it impossible.

Keket sensed the uneasiness in Akasha's voice. The room was getting colder, and as her glowing eyes scanned the other murals on the walls she could not deny that something was inside the temple with them.

"Past resentments have left much of our history in ruins. Perhaps some of that resentment still lingers."
Said Keket as she traced her fingers over the disfigured face of an unknown Sith carved into the stone.

"A ruler must not rely on fear to keep his subjects in check. For as soon as he dies all memory of him will be erased out of hatred. Generations will pass, and the only thing that will be remembered of his reign will be his tyranny."

Keket felt the silence as much as Ahasha, but dismissed it to be nothing more than the remnants of passed sorrows. Several dynasties had ended within the halls of the Palace, and buried with them in the crypts below the taint of their grief lingered.

Keket walked back over towards the witch, placing a hand around her waist and guiding her over towards another depiction of a battlefield carved into the opposite wall. Unlike the last, it was only cracked due to age, worn and faded through the centuries, the faces of the Sith were still visible.

At the center of the battlefield, one figure stood out amidst the rest. Half of his face had chipped away, but the horns on his head made it clear that he was of zabrak descent.

Keket thought she felt Akash's muscles tense slightly, though it was probably just her imagination, or the chill in the air. While the witch still paid attention to all that Keket had to say, every now and then her eyes would turn away from the mural, as if she was afraid she was being watched.

"Uarge the Relentless. He helped defend our people against an invasion of Mandalorians long ago."
Explained Keket, looking up towards the mural, a glint of respect in her eyes. All around the zabrak warrior, bodies wearing Mandalorian armor littered the ground, and his saber lay embedded in the chest of a Mandalorian pinned beneath his boot. Though his face was not visible, it was easy to imagine a stern and steeled look of dominance and leadership.

"My father told me my ancestors fought beside him to purge our lands of the invaders."

"Perhaps one day I will fight beside you."
Keket looked over towards her newfound friend with an assuring smile, but Akasha was not looking at the mural or towards the Sith at all. Her eyes were fixed on the shadows moving across the walls.

"What is it?"
Asked the Sith, who, in her delusion still did not sense the presence that hung around them as much as the witch did.

As if drawn towards whatever had caught her eye across the room, Akasha moved forward, and Keket followed her towards the massive stone doors. Her toe brushed against a piece of black stone which had fallen from the ceiling, and as she passed through the gap in the doors, her eyes lingered on one of the statues. Her hand instinctively grasped unto Akasha's as she felt the rush of cold air upon entering the chamber.

The room was plunged into darkness, only the light of Keket's torch remained, though even it was running low after having been burning for several hours.

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Then, Keket felt them. Darkness descended upon the two Sith, and in an instant, Keket's insignificant flame was snuffed out. She felt her throat tighten as the torrent of their emotions hit her. Paralyzed with fear and overwhelmed by the deafening wails with her mind, she froze, the extinguished torch fell from her limp hand, but she did not hear it clatter to the stone floor. Her heart pounded, her knees grew weak, with each passing second, she felt as though her body was becoming untethered, it's life force stripped away. The only point of contact which she could still sense was that of warmth in her right hand-that of Akasha's, who's fingers still held on to Keket.

The Dathomirian witch let go, and Keket now floated in an ocean of blackness. Spectral forms danced around her, and even beneath her. They swirled around her in utter chaos. Their language she understood, but their words were nothing but screams. They surrounded and engulfed her body beginning to take shape. Faces of indescribable torment passed through her body, and she grew cold and weary. Her eyes began to droop and as she blinked in and out of consciousness, Keket saw that her wrists were covered in heavy bracelets, adorned with jewels. Yet her hands were bare and eaten through to the bone by rot, made of the same spectral light that surrounded her.

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Keket's eyes opened once more and she inhaled sharply.

A green glow cast itself upon her bandaged body, but it was not the same as before, and as Keket began to regain herself, she saw that the light was coming from the hands of the witch just a few steps to her right. Blood dripped from the Dathomirian's hand, but the drops did not hit the floor, instead they seemed to evaporate into the same green light which surrounded the both of them, coming off in little streams which fed the bubble that protected them from the spirits.

Akasha was chanting furiously. Through her daze, Keket heard her call out for aid.

It was also then that Keket realized she had sunken to her knees when she was immobile. The Sith then stood once more, feeling nauseous.

Brazers. Fire. Those were the two words that came to mind when Keket tried to put everything together in her current state.

Her hand closed into a fist, and she dug her nails into the skin there until she felt them piercing her flesh. The pain brought her senses back, and as her fingers dripped blood, she cast her hands into the air.

Her mouth spat venomous words as well, but they were not incantations. Her lips moved with furious spite in the ancient tongue of the Sith. She cursed them and they wailed out of anger. She spoke of their rightful place as servants of the living, all the while her strength growing. Keket could feel power rising up in her stomach, and just as the spirits were about to descend and silence the being which dared to insult them in their own domain, Keket let fourth a blast of flame.

The massive ball of intense heat soared upwards, so hot that Keket immediately shielded her face with her arms to avoid it's scorching aura. Like a miniature sun, it illuminated the room for a brief moment before striking the massive brazer above both of their heads.

It struck with such force, the dome shaped structure shook violently as it's blue flames roared to life. The supports which held it to the ceiling cracked and one buckled under the weight. The entire brazer swung forward with a groan, and a loud clang emitted throughout the cavernous room as it collided with the brazer next to it, causing the fire to spread.

More supports gave way, and the first brazer hurtled towards the ground. Keket had to roll out of it's path as it smashed into the earth, blue embers thrown in all directions as the concave shape teetered wildly.

Above the two Sith, more of the blazers flared to life as the fire spread.

The bandages on Keket's forearms were singed and blackened, and as she further recovered, her eyes darted around the room, trying to find Akasha.

She spotted a red cloak, and rushed over to ensure that her new friend was safe.

 
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