Darth Caedis

Eradicated? That drew her attention and for a moment all she could do was stare. She thought that was a bit harsh, but perhaps there was more she wasn’t aware of. Who was she to question her Master? She only nodded in understanding, accepting his words without argument. She didn’t understand them at the moment, but she knew that in time she would. She trusted him not to lead her astray.

She watched in wonder, a smile splitting her features as she nodded. “Yes, Master,” she grinned, her excitement was as palpable as her earlier fear had been. Blue eyes shifted to his weapon, watching it as she turned in place to keep it in her line of sight. She had always heard the Force was powerful, but everything he had shown her thus far was rivaling everything she’d believed. Naturally, she’d heard the stories of the Jedi and their amazing capabilities, but she saw them as many likely did. Their power being unbelievable and scoffed at in private. No one truly believed the stories. They were used to keep children in line more than anything else.

She smiled, meeting his gaze again, nodding. “Yes, Master.”

The small hesitation in her reaction wasn’t the easiest to catch BUT he could sense it. She would learn. No, she would see for herself how right he was. Dagon had already convinced her of the lie they sold as peace, of the abilities they HID as they deemed them too dangerous. She was only new to this, learning what he could tell in the brief time they had spent together. The experiences he’s had, well, were different than her brief exposure to the galaxy. But she still nodded, knowing it would be best NOT to argue with him. If she did, well, then another lesson would be taught here.  

          ❝ so you felt it, too. ❞  rey stopped in her tracks. that rousing feeling, that reverberation far and wide or the force shaking itself to full strength after years of apparent imbalance, had reached out so far into the vastness of space to touch waiting, silent force users. he must have been waiting quite a long time. the hand on her saberstaff twitched, both in worry and anticipation. all those decades of communing with the call of whichever side of the force he chose had to have increased his strength tenfold. this sith was no joke. an anomaly, still.  ❝ if you’re here, then you’d be searching for an apprentice. unless you’ve already got one. ❞

          ELECTRICITY  PULSING  THROUGH  her veins, she could feel precious seconds seeping away, willing herself to move.  even the slightest, anything, just to move.  with damaged muscles in her core, even breathing sent shockwaves of pain dancing across her skin.  his words went unheeded at first, the young jedi fixated on forcing her limbs to move.  struggling on, she only managed to shove herself onto an elbow before the shock of a red blade lancing the air inches from her face sent her collapsing onto her back.

           chestnut gaze suddenly fastened on the looming figure above her, the whoosh of pounding blood in her ears, jaina swallowed against the lump growing in her throat.  half curled on the bare dirt, when had she ever felt this small?          ❝  lost cause?  ❞        for all the twins of panic and pain thrumming beneath her ribs, somehow she managed to sound halfway steady, almost as much quiet confusion as disdain filling her voice.         ❝  do you really think you can stop the vong any better?  ❞           this was the only conclusion she could draw from his words.  were the sith, wherever they’d come from, truly that insane?

           it’s madness, true madness, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, not out of fear but pure frustration.  all the sacrifices, all the death, and now hers would come not protecting those she loved from the end of the world, but as with the war unwon, with all them still in danger.  at least she wasn’t the last, left alone in the universe, all her family fallen before her.  all these swirling emotions filled her gaze as she met his gold eyes with a cold fury.           ❝  if you’re asking me to join the dark side, please do us all a favor and go kriff yourself with both your sabers.  ❞

This was NOW familiar territory for the Sith. The jedi bending to his power with no hope of finding their footing. The darkside flowed through him, growing stronger with each step. It was as if he was taking in the hate and of the galaxy around him the closer he got to her death. Dagon could FEEL her weakening, hell he could even see it. She was struggling to move, to keep up. That was how he saw his opening and struck, hard. It sent her falling to the ground as one should under such a MIGHTY strike from his twin blades powered by anger and hatred from years of build up and training. Not to mention his frustration that was boiling over during this little skirmish of their’s. 

He knelt down as one glade remained daringly close to her skull. His other blade moved to rest NEAR her throat. No matter which way she moved, she would find death. However, he knew jedi like her preferred it that way when in situations like this. He would do his best to keep her alive UNTIL she served her purpose. For one, he was curious as to how she even found him. There was no light left on this planet, he had snuffed it out until she appeared out of no where. BUT her mouth was really testing him, asking him to end her pitiful existence right then and there. But then she said something rather...unfamiliar. “Vong?” He asked with a small tilt of his head. “I do not know of these people, but if you fear them then I believe they will be better adversaries than YOU.” 

“Dangerous?” she scoffed. “What could be dangerous about teaching healers how to heal?” Though she wasn’t asking him directly, it was a rhetorical question. “All my life all I ever heard was that they’re guardians, peacekeepers, but… There’s so many people out there suffering needlessly and they do nothing…” They’d certainly done nothing for her and slavery was considered barbaric in many systems, yet the most powerful in the Galaxy did nothing to stop it beyond outlawing it. Not that such “laws” were ever upheld.

“They’re only interested in guarding their secrets and their position,” she concluded, her anger again rising to the surface. “The Force doesn’t will anything,” and she looked to his now healed wound. The Force hadn’t willed him to be healed. He’d done that with his own power. The Force was a tool, nothing more.

Again, her eyes found his and she watched in wonder at the change. “So many,” she admitted, smiling weakly as she wondered when he’d tire of her insatiable curiosity. “I want to know everything.”

Seeing her reach this level of frustration AND anger was ideal. It gave her something to hate more so than just her former masters. All Dagon did was stand there, arms crossed over his chest, as she seemed to go off on a rant. But she was seeing the truth, the lies the Jedi spread about themselves to make them APPEAR to be the ones meant to keep peace in the galaxy. However she was discovering peace was a lie, there was no such thing, only the illusion of it. His head only titled to the side as the unsettling smirk SHIFTED into a grin. Mainly because he as satisfied with how she was coming to the conclusions on her own, it meant he had found a very promising apprentice indeed. 

“So you see WHY they must be eradicated from the very galaxy.” There was emphasis on his words, enough to make it almost hit home as if she hadn’t come to that conclusion already. She had only seen a small portion of what he could do and if only this SMALL example of power had her this motivated? Then it only stood how determined she’d be to learn after she saw more. However, he wasn’t going to reveal all of what he could do through the dark side. That would be revealing his FULL deck of cards so to speak and his own master and even father taught him better than that. Taking several steps towards her, he uncrossed his arms and extended his hand out from his side and within moments his saber’s metallic hilt MET the palm of his hand. 

            ❝ the blood of vader flows through me, ❞ there is none stronger.

            ren let the challenge drip from the vents of his helm. he wasn’t some fool pup to think that his foe was a beastly lack of consequence. the knight could see clearly how the threads of the unseen twisted into metal briars that reinforced every atom of the elder with fathomless grit. this was no marauder of ren or crippled master or some heirloom-thieving scavenger. this was the closest the man would ever come to witnessing his grandfather’s might in the flesh.

            it wasn’t just the crown of pride that sat on his crooked heart that goaded, but a feral curiosity to see what ages long past could do. kylo had never met another sith, not like this. snoke was hardly a master of old. he was a teacher of the mind, not body. all the ravenous physicality ren wielded was self-inflicted.

            a fight here would become more than a duel, but the knight was eager to test himself against a fellow abyss. perhaps it would be a lesson or maybe his undoing. either way, ren’s curiosity would be satisfied.

So he had heard yet the name meant NOTHING to the sith. He had not been awake for the time of this Vader, having been born well beyond the sith lord’s time. Yet the name kept being tossed around with weight that even he was able to pick up on. Still, the expression remained to show the EXACT feeling of indifference he felt with the name that seemed to be so important to the masked figure in front of him. As far as the elder Sith was concerned, this Kylo had never encountered someone like him and if this challenge he was what HE wanted then it would be a swift lesson of respect that he would willingly teach. 

❝ YOU CAN’T JUST KILL PEOPLE LIKE THAT ! ❞ she was adamant, justice had to be done and by killing him it wouldn’t be delivered. Maybe the hybrid was a little too naive for her own good because she believed wholeheartedly in what her grandfather had taught her. But sometimes she questioned if she was doing the right thing, sometimes she wondered if maybe she needed a more violent approach ; but she always came back to square one. She would be, in her mind, the better person. ❝ Favour or not it wasn’t your call to make. ❞

            Eyes flickered to the ignited blades in his hands that he twirled menacingly and back again, everything about him gave her the creeps and without her teammates for backup she wasn’t sure how she would fare in a fight with someone who radiated evil. But she stood her ground, took a defensive stance, out of idiocy or bravery was anyone’s guess. Should she make the first move here ? She was never the hit first, ask questions later kind of person.

            ❝ How can you be so calm about this ? ❞

The outrage was expected, those who did NOT see his vision or thought as he did reacted to death in such a manner. That was a rather weak way of looking at things in his opinion. If there was a problem, why not end the source? To him this was justice, well not for whatever she had in mind. This was for his OWN satisfaction after given some false information. Dagon didn’t like being lied to and he had to set an example for any of his connections or those that happened to be watching. Word would TRAVEL and his name would return to the forefront of every being in the galaxy. They would tremble in fear like they once did at the thought of him arriving to their planet. “He wronged me, a lesson was LEARNED here to those involved with him.” He replied, still so unsettlingly calm. “And he wronged you, I see no issue here.” 

“I find I am nervous… and excited, all at once. There is so much I wish to do. Things to discover, and command.“ There were others he would like to kill, when the time was right. But storming the domain of the Jedi was a risky proposition. It would be better to find his former Jedi Master out in space, in a war zone. Somewhere he could control the flow of battle.

Ah, but dreaming of future conflicts was a luxury he couldn’t afford. There was more to be seen here, in the present. Nicholas’ ability of foresight had showed him the path here, but not much else of the matter. Nicholas knew the place, and means by which, he would die. It was set in stone. But that did not mean he couldn’t suffer. And in fact, he had. He had suffered more than any man had a right to. 

“I wonder if I will be able to do it. She is a fierce warrior, my mastery of the blade does not compare.“ Nicholas’ own knowledge of the force, and his magic, would certainly give him an edge. But cleverness was not always the key to victory. He hoped he wasn’t going to be expected to defeat her on his own.

It was slightly amusing to see the other’s emotions ALL over the place. Not that he would comment on it or even let his expression be known. So, instead he listened to what he had to say until he felt it was appropriate to speak up. “You WILL learn, do things the Jedi deem unwise or rather unwelcome.” He replied, looking the other over. He did seem more worried than anything else and Dagon wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t want to kill or was worried about being killed. Nonetheless, Dagon wasn’t the TYPE to storm in without a plan. That would lead to him dying and now in this new time, he had to learn what had changed. From there, they could formulate a plan together. 

For now he would be using the other to LEARN just what state the galaxy was in and what better time to do that then while traveling in his ship. A brow rose as they walked towards his ship, eyes changed by the dark side looked over at the younger figure beside him. “You will NOT be going into the fight as you are now.” Dagon spoke. “You will be trained to surpass your master, I cannot help you.” It was important to know, if he was going to JOIN him and the dark side then that meant killing his old jedi master on his own. Dagon could not take part for the other had to feel the anger and hate as he struck the killing blow. “I will teach you what I can of course.” He added, lowering the walkway that LED into the ship via the control panel near by. 

She knew all about being punished when disappointing others, yet she suspected he would do far more than beat her. Failing him meant death, she was certain. She nodded in understanding and acceptance; she accepted his terms without question. 

Again her eyes moved to the damage in his clothing to see unmarred skin beneath. “I was a nurse before being taken,” she explained softly, as though he might care about her past. “I’ve never heard of such a thing being possible, but… I suppose that’s by design,” she shrugged, meeting his gaze again. Why would the Jedi or anyone else share such valuable skills freely? Selfish bastards, she thought, anger flaring in her chest briefly. 

The Jedi were supposed to be the guardians of the weak, yet she’d never seen them lift a hand to help anyone in need. They seemed to be content to stand aside and let things play out as they would, only stepping in when it benefited them. They were no better than the slavers her Master had saved her from. She shook her head, pulling herself back to the present, clearly eager to begin learning from him.

“Is there anything the Force is incapable of?” she asked earnestly.

Kindness wasn’t something he KNEW, never having been shown it himself. When he showed disappointment it was rather...unpleasant. Death would be the reward for failure. But he didn’t need to say that, the fear of failure could be easily sensed through the force as it radiated off of her. However, this WASN’T the same fear as before. This was fear that seemed more motivating than before. She was self preservation earlier but now there was a hint of determination mingled in with survival. The FACT she understood so much already with his few words was promising enough. 

As he stood before her, almost towering over but that didn’t mean he didn’t MISS where her eyes wandering down to the exposed side of where the wound used to be. An unsettling smirk tugged at Dagon’s lips as he didn’t even bother to adjust himself to block the uncovered skin. “There are MANY abilities the force provides.” He replied now as she looked up to meet his eyes. They shifted slightly to a more unnatural look outside of the fact they already had the unmistakable LOOK of the dark side. The anger that accompanied the sigh that this, this was possible through the force caused the smirk to grow. “The Jedi refuse to teach methods they deem too dangerous, things that are outside the ‘will of the force’ as THEY say.”  

                              Anyio watched him, waiting for the lie or perhaps hesitation, anything that might mean he was not perhaps as willing as he was acting. But she found no fault in his words, no chink in the armor that might tell her not to trust him. She wasn’t surprised. She’d never felt the need before to have something secure. It had always been annoying actually. But here with him it felt…..felt good. She was starting to like some security. She knew he knew she lied but in her defense….she was still very confused and she didn’t want to commit to anything right now. As she nodded at his words, she knew he was telling her everything and that she could trust him. She believed him with everything she had. She couldn’t even say that about Fatama.

                              Her hand went to touch his cheek, her eyes still fixed on his, though it was mostly for comfort now more than anything. She gave herself a moment to feel her love for him, let it seep through their connection like ink on paper. She’d never hidden it from him, but she’d also never really pushed the feelings through. Well, they were past that point now. They were past the worries and hesitations. At least she was. She didn’t care what happened now. She knew what she felt and she knew he’d give her what he could. Anyio leaned into kiss him, pressing close and placing her hands on his chest softly when she did so. This was one thing she knew she was certain of. It was a brief kiss, but after it was over she remained close.                               “I think you’re going to have to rebuild some of the east wing. I’m pretty sure there’s cracks all over the place.”

It wasn’t something he was USED to, never even prepared for as a matter of fact. If anything this was well over his head and for the first time in his life he was unsure what to do outside of believing the child should be kept. There was no lie coming from the Sith, making sure that was well AND clear as best as he could without words. She always could pick up feelings through the force much better than he could. So, Dagon would use it to his advantage. But she should have known there would be no lie, he had never lied to her before so WHY would he start now? Of course she had a bit of a habit with it if only to make herself seem like she was okay, never meaning to do harm when it came down to it. Still, he wasn’t going to let her get away with that NOW. 

                                  For a terrible, horrible Sith, being held by him was incredibly soothing for her. It brought her back to the feeling of falling from a terrible height. It was like she was moments from crashing on the ground and he was the darkness around him. He was comforting and terrifying all at the same time. As she curled into his arms, hiding within his dark aura as if it might spare her the terror that responsibility and order threatened to take over her life. A child meant she’d need to slow down, that she’d need to focus on that and give her everything to them. Anyio wasn’t a monster, she would need to do it and she’d do it because she’d love that little chaotic being who came to sneak into her life and shake it up. The manner in which she got this tiny being was in theme of her favorite thing: chaos. As she looked up at Dagon, her hand went to gently rest on her stomach, the reality sinking in. A true representation of chaos, life in its purest form. She could never. She couldn’t stop life from doing what it wanted and to be honest, she would love this little terror. “I…I don’t know.” lie, she knew. “But….But I think I want it.” she was worried of expressing this desire because if he didn’t want the same thing it might cause a problem. Not that it mattered, she’d do as she wished, but she had a feeling he might want the same thing.

                                  Anyio watched him, not even bothering to hide her deep interest in his reaction and words. She was going to weigh everything he did and said until she was sure she had his authentic reaction and focus. Anyio needed to know and she needed to see the reaction first hand because…well it would tell her where he truly stood. She also didn’t hide that she was using their connection through the force to ensure he was honest with her. She needed to know if this was going to be an issue, because if it was, she had options. She was not the first Gray Jedi to become pregnant and she knew her Master would welcome her and the promise of a child home excitedly. Fatama adored children- well, children that weren’t her. Anyio was kind of more than a handful which meant that with Dagon’s dark side and Anyio’s chaotic nature, this kid was going to need a few villages to raise it. If Dagon didn’t want to be in that village, she needed to know.

She would be the ONLY one to see him like this, the only person who could bring this side out of the Sith. Not that he was ashamed of it, slowly growing more accustomed to it as time went on with her. As long as those under his command knew this soft spot was NEVER for them and he believed he was making that abundantly clear at this point. After all, he had already killed a general who had disappointed him. However, that was far from his mind at this point. The only thing that mattered was doing the BEST he could to keep her grounded. It was for her safety as well as his, knowing she could bring down the very walls around them should she fall deeper into a panic and letting the force unleash around them. So, Dagon held her close as his arms tightened enough around HER to a point that he believed was comfortable. Neither did he push for her answer, waiting for her to find the words that she WANTED to say. This was her decision and he would follow whatever she had decided. Never would he leave her side, he had decided that a long time ago. When her position shifted beneath his arms, he looked down at the smaller figure he held so gently as she moved to touch her OWN stomach. 

           ❝ the dark side doesn’t have anything that i want, trained jedi or not. ❞  best to get that out of the way posthaste, before this giant of a man got any ideas. though, the nature of the sith was never take no for an answer - or end any chance at a choice altogether. if her research to that end held any truth, rey supposed she’d find out soon enough.  ❝ especially if it trusts rumours so quickly. ❞  but a man who styled himself a darth and knew of the old republic because he’d been there, lived in it, had undoubtedly trusted in far more than hearsay to keep himself alive for so many centuries.  ❝ have you been in hiding, then? waiting for the right moment? ❞

Apprentice? He was taking her on as his apprentice? She smiled, the expression truly dazzling as she took his hand without any hesitation, getting to her feet. Any fear she’d previously harbored toward him was gone. Now she stood in awe of him, her greatest desire to learn all he had to offer and to prove she was worthy. She’d make him proud.

“I won’t, Master,” she promised, the title tumbling from her lips before she even realized it. The title felt appropriate and for the first time since being enslaved she didn’t hate hearing herself say it.

She was giddy with excitement, a stark contrast to her initial behavior. He’d never once divulged his intentions to her, but she supposed there was a reason for that. Had he told her outright what his plans were Melody wasn’t sure she would have agreed or even understood what he was offering. She’d had to learn and see for herself what she could become in order to fully grasp the power he was offering.

However, as she released his hand and her gaze shifted to his injured side, expression one of curiosity. “You were able to heal yourself?” she questioned, concerned for his well-being and also surprised such a thing was possible via the Force. Blue eyes met his once more, her innocence painfully obvious.

That was a smile he had HOPED to see, to encourage her fall into the darkness. It wasn’t hard, plucking her from a life he could build off of that hatred with. She wasn’t taught by the jedi, they never even found her. She was unbridled potential and she was all his. Of course, she could FAIL him and then she’d be made an example of for anyone else trying to seek him out. They would need to be worthy and she had to prove she had what it would take. 

Her reply made him grin, something that was unnerving to anyone else as it FUELED the darkness within. “Good, you would not like what happens if you disappoint me.” Dagon spoke back, glad to have opened her eyes the grand possibility in front of her. All was falling INTO place and once with a fully trained apprentice at his side, the jedi would stand no chance against such a force and the galaxy would fall to their knees as he stood supreme ABOVE them all. She would be by his side of course, if all went according to plan. Though when their hands released as she found proper footing, his brow arched at her expression.