All Fires Fade

[Sreeya]

The guards stepped aside, making way for the interiors of the palace. The prisoners had been bound and injected to fog their minds. The drugs would hinder their connection to the Force, making it difficult to have self control. Both the councilor and the Jedi Master were tightly chained, lead by the Sith Lord Thaed.

The Jedi were yanked and tugged along like cattle. And they very well might be, thought Thaed. He saw no reason for either of them to continue to live after the Emperor or Empress had exhausted use for them. The Zabrak cast a glance back at the councilor, peering at her with mild curiosity. The woman had been formidable on the battlefield. It was impressive how much pain she had endured till at last she gave in. The stump of her arm was a testament to how much she had lost, and he knew the pain had been excruciating. It would be a waste to see the councilor be executed, but Thaed knew at the end of the day she was a damn Jedi.

He paused before a set of double doors. He had already notified the Empress of the arrivals, though he doubted she had made any special arrangements for them. Thaed was still bloodied from battle, the wound on his back requiring medical attention. He had held off for some time, but he wanted nothing more now than to drop off the Jedi and return to his quarters.

The double doors opened and two Imperial guards ushered them inside. The scent of flowers assailed his senses, the entire chamber adorned with them. There were statues, a water fountain and slow jazz playing all around. Thaed raised an eyebrow, still not quite accustomed to Andraste’s strange habits. She could not be further opposite of the Emperor, who would never think to add decorations to his residence. The blindfolds were taken off the prisoners, as they were inside the chambers. If they left, they’d be blinded again.

Andraste was sitting across the large hall, the Chiss Imperator sitting in the adjacent couch. The two had often met in terms of the factions the two represented. Meetings helped keep the Imperium/Chiss alliance strong. The Chiss Sith Master Hazac was also present, though he was not directly involved in the discussion. A large tray of exotic appetizers and h’orderves was set on a table before them, along with empty glasses of wine and a half-filled bottle.

“Ah, our guests have arrived.”

Andraste turned to look at Thaed, who suddenly changed his posture and straightened up. He suddenly gave off a completely different vibe than what he had on the battle field. He lowered his gaze.

“Empress.”

Andraste looked from him to the prisoners. Her eyes were similar to that of Thaed’s, but her aura was far more difficult to read. Curiously enough, despite her Sith-like appearance, she did not give off the energy of someone completely immersed in the dark side of the Force. Andraste lifted a hand and beckoned forth the guards with a finger. Immediately, the guards shoved the two prisoners forward, forcing them to kneel before her.

For a moment, Andraste said nothing. Her attention was focused on the human woman. She could sense that it was a tremendously powerful Jedi. Andraste glanced up at Thaed, her eyes narrowing for a moment. The Zabrak grinned.

“Councilor, Empress. Their Sage Master.”

“As I had hoped.”

Andraste smiled, turning back to the woman. She snapped her fingers.

“Lock the Kaminoan away. Darth Silentius, you may remain or leave at your convenience.”

“Yes, Empress.”

Thaed bowed lightly, taking the remaining prisoner out of the hall after blindfolding her. She would be taken to a maximum security prison with Sith guards. It was close to Thaed’s quarters, which meant that he would be there to stop her if she attempted an escape. The double doors closed behind him as he left, happy to finally be out.

Andraste waited till Thaed had left before turning to the Jedi Councilor again. She reached down and grabbed a small appetizer, popping it in her mouth before straightening up in her seat. Andraste watched her with curiosity, noting the missing hand and the wounds across her body. She gestured to a couch on the side opposite of the Dorann.

“Please have a seat. The floor is no place for a woman of your status.”

The guards would step back slightly, allowing Ebberla to move if she pleased.

“We are amidst a war..but hospitality need not die. Tell me about yourself, councilor.”

 

[Dmitri]

Geist Weiss had been allowed to join the session between the two leaders and the 'Jedi guests'. After giving Andraste and the Grand Imperator greetings in a respectful manner they deserved, he proceeded to quietly walk to the side, where he remained silent.

His task was mainly observation, and maybe even keep track of the conversation, in case any useful information slipped during the session, in which Geist could later investigate.

In order to keep his identity masked, as few held metallic-clad faces, he used illusions to give the appearance of a normal Imperial Guard, though had done so after greeting the Chiss and Empress, making it obvious to them who this Imperial Guard was.

 

[Zach]

Dorann sat complacently on the couch across from the Empress, relaxing with a comfortable, but sturdy posture that he'd grown accustomed to. The Grand Imperator was present for the meeting per Andraste's request, journeying into Imperial Space not only for business, but a social call. He had to admit, the palace of Bastion had never failed to impress, and the Chiss never left without a good time - even after his first visit. Since then, the events had barely effected his or the Ascendancy's status. The slight differ of interests in the matter had since been resolved, and there was little to fear in their formal meeting. The conversation had begun with discussions of territorial expansion, ranging from the borders between their nations to possible joint operations between their allied military forces. Scheduled arrangements of trade and the supply of resources were already worked out regarding the recent outposts he'd put in place. One was stationed on the far side of the galaxy, crossing the entirety of Sith Space from the heart of Dorann's domain, while the other was placed near the center of the galaxy. Each were set up as heavily fortified fleets and checkpoint stations, and would serve their purpose easily.

Hazac, a Sith Master of Chiss blood, stood at the doorway stiffly, his eyes focused on the large doorway before them. He sensed a powerful presence approaching, flaring in the essence of the Dark Side as if he were in the heat of battle. It was the Force signature of a Sith Lord, emanating as he roamed the halls with his captive prisoners. Thaed, the chosen apprentice to the Dark Lord, burst through entrance with a pair of chains trailing behind him, attached to his most recent prize. They led to a pair of Jedi, ultimately subduing the pair as they could only watch and observe. The first, a Councilor of the Order, was notably injured. It was a wonder how she'd even survived the encounter against the pale Zabrak, but he'd known of her tenacity on Saleucami. She'd fought valiantly, but then too was overcome by the power of the Sith Lord. The other, a tall Kaminoan, was no more than a Jedi Master, the equivalent to Hazac's rank in the Sith caste. Hazac only grinned with amusement as he watched the entrance, folding his arms across his chest comfortably.

"Ah, the Jedi Councilor and Master from Ossuss," Dorann started, raising his chin slightly to their entrance. The Chiss shifted his eyes to the Sith Lord when Andraste finished her commands, ordering the Kaminoan to remain in custody. There was little emotion coming from her, likely suppressed to the bare minimum of her ability to remain aware. There was no emotion in her eyes, no sense of willpower to keep her afloat. In truth, Hazac hoped she would survive, and push through her weakness - to fall to the Dark Side, but Dorann sought otherwise. If she were to die, it would leave a heavy imprint upon the Alliance's morale. Yet another Councilor to fall, despite their recuperated leadership and central command. It was a pity that such a talented wielder of the Force would meet her end so quickly. "Your performance on Ossuss was most commendable, Lord Thaed. You are a talented duelist, to say the least. It would be a pleasure to test my own blade against yours one day," the Grand Imperator complimented, praising the Zabrak's skills. As the Chiss sensed around the room, he felt as though Thaed's presence differed drastically at times. At first, he'd appeared to be that of a raging chaos, but now; he was an obedient servant - to his Empress, as were all Sith... As was Dorann, in the depths of his mind.

Hazac watched the guards lead the Kaminoan Jedi from the room at the Empresses command, ushering her from their leader's presence quickly. All that remained was the one-handed Jedi, alone in the room with only users of the Dark Side. 'It's been too long since our last meeting, Lord Thaed. From what I'm told, your skills haven't dulled,' the Sith Master said telepathically. Hazac had long since learned how to control his thoughts telepathically from his time with the Celegian of their order. Oonoo, another representative of the Sith and Chiss, had helped perfect that technique. 'Has there been any word from the Warmaster? His absence seems to press ever longer,' he asked, allowing the slightest hint of a grin on his emotionless face. No one knew of the Chiss's recent en devours. Hazac had returned from his missions only days ago, meeting the Grand Imperator once he'd completed his meditation session with Nuru Krest. While the pair had concentrated together, Hazac took that window of opportunity to venture upon Rakata Prime - where he discovered Exilis, meeting face to face with the Grand Master of the New Jedi Order. It was on Lehon, in the ruins of the Rakatan Empire, where Hazac ended the Sith Lord's life. By right, the Chiss had earned the title and rank of Warmaster, yet held this secret to only himself. No one yet knew of his actions against the supposed traitor of the Imperium.

 

[GABA]

Ebberla struggled to stay focused, the drugs that were injected into her interrupted her connection, feeling the effects as she tried to keep her body from falling into shock from her injury. And though she was blindfolded, her Synesthesia echoed the sounds she heard with rainbows of color before her eyes. She was not used to it returning, her control she had practiced with the Force had suppressed it.

She felt Ayva with her, the Kaminoan’s presence in the Force was weak however, but there was no sign of the Knight that had accompanied them. The Sage Master feared the worse, but there would be a time to mourn, but the Jedi concluded now was not the time. She could only guess where she was as, nothing felt familiar, everything she touched with the Force had taint to it.

She could feel the Sith dragging them as their weak bodies tried to keep up. Occasionally she would give a toying tug back to remind him she still had a fight in her, but he would only pull harder. Her entire right arm throbbed greatly, making her stomach turn and anytime she had bumped it, it took great strength for the Councilor not to howler in agony. She wished she had a bottle of Corellian Whiskey about now.

The Zabrak had stopped and Ebberla nearly ran into him, slightly confused, her blindfolded eyes narrowed, her senses picked up great presences in the Force before them where they stood. Her focus snapped and her mental defenses sprung to life, her body trying to purge her body of the drugs injected. She heard doors open and her nostrils were tickled with the scent of flowers. Ebb’s mind was riddled with thoughts of confusion, she surely thought it was a cruel trick. There was a tug forward and a push from behind. Ebberla walked along with her weak Jedi colleague. The Sage Master focused, pushing pass the pain in hare arm, pass the toxins that clouded her mind and then the Jedi cocked an eyebrow, was that slow jazz she heard?

Her blindfold was removed and her mouth went agape to what she saw, it had reminded her of her private garden on Empress Teta. And for a moment being such a beautiful sight gave the Sage Master hope, and all her worries, her pains, her fears seemed to vanish for an instant until Thaed had addressed the woman as Empress.

What were the odds she would be in presence of the Empress, not only the Empress, but Andraste-

Blinding pain masked the thought, voiding its invasive presence as Ebberla was pushed to one knee. She had put out her hands to catch herself, however she was not familiar that she only had one hand. The Sage Master yelled in pain and annoyance as her stump skidded along the ground. She could feel all eyes on her as the Zabrak announce her title. Ebb didn’t lift her head as she gasped for a breath, her heart thumping loudly as she waited for the pain to subside.

Her eyes scanned along the ground, eventually falling on a red flower, the red dahlia and hit Ebberla hard as the thoughts of reminders lurked behind her mental barriers. She couldn’t risk it. It was an SOS defense for the young woman, but she knew she had to use it in order to protect the lives of others. The Force rippled unusually around the Sage Master, pushing pass her fatigue and her pain and leached behind her mental shields to be begin a devastating process. Her memories slowly began corroding away. The Force worked as an acid, eating away trigger thoughts and Ebb could not stop it. The process was slow, but thorough and the Corellian would need to buy herself some time before it would fully complete itself.

The Empress directed the Darth to leave with the Kaminoan, Ebb quickly glanced at Ayva, but Ayva did not look back at her. At the moment the door shut, the young woman’s eyes feel onto Andraste only to be taunted with mild confusion for the unexpected hospitality. Ebberla may have been ornery at times, but she wasn’t a rude individual and she stood from her spot cautiously.

She approached where Andraste sat, glancing at the Chiss diplomat before taking a seat in the directed spot.
“Well, my name is Ebberla Daw, Empress, “ begun the Corellian, “I am not a traditional Jedi, I wasn’t born and raised at one of the temples; I was much older than others when I had begun my training, only to prove myself time and time again, reaching Knight, and in a matter of a few years, Master, before I was appointed as the Order’s Sage Master.” She explained, trying to keep it slightly brief; she had known she was dubbed as the chatty councilor by some at the temples.

 

[Sreeya]

As Ebberla attempted to subjugate her memories, it took but a moment for Andraste to catch on. The essential bits she wanted to hide would have been destroyed, but the Empress wouldn't allow any further memories to fade. Ebberla would feel an outside force abruptly entering her mind, acting almost as if a tangible block within her thoughts to put a stop to her attempt. It was a crushing force, unlike anything she would have ever experienced before. The Force obeyed Andraste's commands, snaking into the councilor's mind to get between her and her control, as if Ebberla had been mentally disarmed. It was quick and abrupt. Outwardly, Andraste simply smiled, not letting on to anyone else what had just transpired.

She watched as Ebberla rose to stand, seating herself across from the Imperator. Andraste thought back to the shutting down Ebberla's attempts to wipe valuable information from her mind. It was then that she privately decided that it was a weapon she would have to take away from the woman. However, she showed no signs of it, extending the tray of h'orderves to the councilor. Andraste's eyes flashed to the others that were in the room, the others that weren't yet privy to what she planned. She turned to Ebberla once again.

"I too once trained as a Jedi. It was a curious experience."

She poured herself another glass of wine.

"How rude of me, let me introduce you. This is Dorann, the Chiss Imperator."

She would allow them to greet one another before turning to Ebberla again.

"It is quite unfortunate you've landed yourself in such a predicament. I hope you understand that you may never see your home or your brethren again. But of course, this is a war. And such.. inconveniences are often necessary.."

Andraste offered her a smile, casually taking a sip of her wine.

"..Of course, unless, you wish to make use of your talents to aid the Imperium."

 

[GABA]

Ebberla had winced to someone else in her head and it was obvious who it was, but the Corellian only wryly smiled knowing damage had been done, but to what, the Councilor could not recall.

She watched the Empress pour herself another glass of wine informing the Councilor she was once under the training of the Jedi too. She found this curious, mostly to the idea of what had caused her to fall; though a common story to hear a Jedi to trail of the path of Way, it wasn't all for the same reason. Ebberla declined the tray of h'orderves, her stomach from her pain would not allow her to keep it down. Her eyes fell on the Chiss across from her and she bowed her head respectfully to Dorann.

"A pleasure to meet you." she exchanged greetings with the Chiss Imperator.

Andraste begun speaking again and Ebberla listened carefully.

"My allegiance is with the Jedi, I will serve no others." she replied watching the Empress leisurely sip her drink, "You shouldn't believe I will never see my Jedi brethren again. I will. I am determined so," there was a short pause as the Jedi narrowed her hazel eyes accepting the challenge, "your Highness."

 

[Sreeya]

Andraste smiled at the words. She wouldn't have liked any other answer. The Empress reached down and ate yet another snack, sucking lightly on the tips of her fingers. As she did so, she once again subtly reached out with the Force. Ebberla's surroundings would abruptly flicker off and then back on, the reality jerking and blending into a surreal mesh, before growing sharp and vivid again. It was as if she were viewing a holovideo with static. The display was a complete bending of the reality and space around her, one that only she saw. The faces before her would begin to swirl, the flowers blending into an abstraction of red and pink.

The Force within Ebberla would suddenly begin to weigh heavily. Being the Sage Master meant it would suddenly feel as if a thousand pounds were suddenly crushing her. It was the weight of everything she had learned, the burden of her own choice, her own strength. It was suddenly working against her, as if a massive encumberance. Andraste kept her eyes on the wine in her glass, swishing the liquid around in a circle.

"I was not expecting you to cooperate. I must say, however..."

The Force within Ebberla began to contort and twist, churning as if alive. It grew thorns, spikes and began to treat her body, its vessel, as an outsider. It churned as if a heavy disease, viciously clawing at her from the inside. It was suddenly as a monster, struggling within her body. Andraste wasn't invading her mind anymore, but merely tugging on the invisible strings that controlled Ebberla's psyche, her connection to the Force. It was an exterior influence, one that expanded out throughout the entire hall. Andraste outwardly betrayed no signs of what she was doing, and she finally turned to gaze at Ebberla.

"...it is most unfortunate.."

As the last word left her lips, the Force within Ebberla would flare out as if it were fire, raging within her body, under her skin. The Force was betraying her, betraying the master that had nurtured it for so long, betraying the loyal servant that had cherished it, allowed it to grow. The Force was turning its back on that same figure, without regard, without remorse. That Force was twisting and turning, attacking Ebberla as if it were a cancer. It would be pain beyond anything she had experienced before, and it would be the Force, her Force invoking it.

Meanwhile, Andraste was mindful of the others in the room, occasionally glancing over to look at the others. As she did so, she grinned at them.

"Let us observe, gentlemen, what happens to those foolish enough to spit in the face of the courteous hospitality we offer."

Amused at the words, she turned back to Ebberla, continuing the onslaught. Andraste did not need to move a muscle for the effects to claw away at the councilor.

 

[GABA]

There were whispers in her ears, something was not right. Ebberla felt the Force shift around her and her vision faltered, her surroundings disrupted. She blinked several times, but it did nothing to cure her sight. She took a deep breath in, pulling the distorting Force to her, however, whatever assault that was about to be released on her, she was sure she just made it worse.

There was sudden crushing force to her body, as though a thousand rancors decided to strike her all at once. Her hazel eyes widened and she gasped clutching her chest. She pulled on the Force again and her body coursed with unimaginable pain. She thought she heard Andraste speak, but her ears went deaf as the assault advanced. Ebberla pulled harder on the Force, she cried in misery, and then she realized...

The Force had turned against her.

It was attacking her, every time she pulled on it, and even when she didn’t, every fiber of her being felt like it was being torn apart, pierced and crushed. She squeezed herself close; her injuries were minuscule to what she was feeling. She let out a terrible agonizing scream, her balance and focus disrupted and she fell onto the floor, crippled.

Tears started streaming down her eyes, she couldn’t even open then nor muttered a curse. All she could do was scream as she loss her control over her body and the Force. She begun pushing the Force away, but it would be useless, she was connected to it and it was connected to her.

The Sage Master tried gasping for breath, but the assault was relentless, it was going to kill her. She opened herself to it, letting its will be her own, but no avail, its will was to destroy her. Ebberla felt her her hope, her ambition, her determination dissolve. The Sage Master managed to open her eyes for only a moment, laying them upon the Empress as she grinned upon her accomplishment.

“Please make it stop!” she begged before letting out another scream, “Pleeeeasse!”

 

[Sreeya]

Andraste paid no heed to the woman's screams, which echoed off the walls all around them. Andraste shifted her focus from the Imperator and the other Sith in the room, honing in on Ebberla. The Empress did not set her wine down, the smile on her face still. The Force continued to churn through Ebberla, contorting, twisting and clawing. It was raking across her skin from the inside, burrowing into her joints, tainting her blood. It was acid that she couldn't get off, it was napalm, affecting her even more so because she was especially attuned to the Force.

"Make it stop?"

Andraste's eyebrows raised in mock surprise.

"My dear, we have barely just begun. Sing for me a bit more..it goes well with the jazz."

There was a subtle flick of her wrist and Ebberla was thrown from her seat, suddenly raised into the air before them all. She was suspended in mid air, hovering before them. Andraste remained in her seat, taking another sip of wine, savoring the sweet liquid. In the meantime, the Force began to push Ebberla to physically contort before them. It would begin to make her arch back, a sick crunch erupting as she continued bending back. However, it wasn't enough to break any bones.

"..You are so bound to the Force. To take it away from you would be...a travesty. It would be a fate worse than death. Surely that is not what you wish for."

The mockery remained in her voice. She knew exactly the amount of pain she was inflicting upon the Jedi. Andraste turned Ebberla towards her so she faced her with her head upside down, the rest of her body still awkwardly bent backwards. The Empress tilted her head to look up at her, her eyes brighter than ever. There was no humanity in her eyes, no remorse, no regret. It was lust, a bloodlust. The screams were exquisite, and Ebberla's agony resounded like a sweet symphony.

As the pain came, so would the memories. Abrupt moments and flashes from her life would suddenly explode within her mind all at once. Her sensory perceptions would be elevated. She would smell too much, see too much, taste too much, feel too much all at once. It would be an explosion to her senses, her mind feeling as if a thousand nails were raking across it. The Force showed no mercy, begging to join its true commander, its true master, the Empress.

"Is this not what you cherish, Sage Master?"

As she asked the question, the energy within Ebberla began to compress all her organs. She would have trouble breathing, blood rushing to her head from being tilted upside down. Andraste kept strict control of everything she was doing, approaching the threshold but keeping it there as to not grant Ebberla the mercy of death.

---​

Thaed motioned for Hazac to walk with him as Ayva was taken to her cell. He scowled at the Kaminoan. Personally he simply wanted her dead and have one less headache to worry about. However, ignoring orders from upstairs always meant death, and he wasn't in the mood to die over the idiot woman. The Sith Lord grinned at Hazac.

"You know, sometimes I have trouble recognizing whether you're Chiss or Sith."

He chuckled quietly, pulling out a cigarra to light it. If nothing else, it helped ease the pain. Thaed watched as Ayva was shoved into her cell, injected once again to ensure she was unconscious for now. She would be bound even more in that state, so when she awoke there would be no means for her to move much. Thaed quirked an eyebrow at Hazac's inquiry about the Warmaster.

"As I recall, curiously enough your time of absence matches up with his."

He grinned at the Chiss. Thaed didn't know any details, nor did he care. All he knew was that Sith killing Sith was a common phenomenon and it was often worn as a badge of pride. If Hazac had been somehow involved, Thaed wondered why he didn't broadcast it. Of course, he was only making guesses. The Zabrak blew a plume of smoke from his lips, watching as the cell door shut, leaving Ayva in a dank, dark dungeon.

"I hope to see you alongside me in battle one day. Ossus was quite thrilling. It had been a while since I faced a Jedi. The damn bitch nicked me bad too."

He twisted around to show the large cut that stretched across his back.

"I just wonder-"

He was cut off when a shrill scream pierced the corridors, coming from the hall they had just left. Thaed turned to Hazac, looking at him curiously.

"What do you suppose is going on in there?"

He absentmindedly began to walk back towards the hall. It was a massive disturbance in the Force, as if it were being bent beyond its limits. It was a very alien feeling, one that caused dread to involuntarily rise up within Thaed's chest. What could possibly be happening in there? He had never felt nervous like this before, as he quietly approached the slightly open doors, peering in. He turned to Hazac.

"This...may be interesting."

 

[Demiurge]

A frigid chill seethed the air of the main hall, like a bitter front beaconing forth from the long corridor behind the way of the massive double doors of the palace's inner chambers. A luring presence resonated from the halls, growing nearer and nearer as the faint echo of clanking, metal against metal, drew closer, ever louder.It was an ominous foreboding, but not an unfamiliar one. Not to the Sith, nor to the Chiss at least. But to the Jedi, it would be as foreign and antithetical as light was against the darkness. Without a moment's haste, the royal guards within the room knelt down and bowed their heads in unison, as if they were on one mind and body together, presenting themselves at the doorway for the coming Emperor.

The first thing seen were the eight glowing red lights, the optic receptors of his mask's interface, piercing through the dark halls... or what formerly were darkened hallways. Near the doorways of the entrance, the Dark Lord stared annoyingly as he saw his Sith Lord Thaed and Sith Master Hazeen spying through the cracks of the doors like undignified voyeurs. With a passing sneer, the Dark Lord telekinetically opened the doors, exposing them as he walked past them. Darth Exodeus entered into the main hall standing in place as he looked around, dismally as he was annoyed. Between the water fountains and decor to the sculptures and statues and... jazz musicians, who also had knelt down at his entrance. The Dark Lord had silently exhaled behind the soundproofed seal of his mask, then suddenly turned his glare to Thaed, as if blaming him for being responsible for all this.

"You've been busy." he said, looking at Andraste before turning his attention to the woman in agony. The resonance of Andraste's power coursed through her, that much was certain to who was inducing it. The Dark Lord narrowed his gaze as he peered at the woman, feeling her intense and honed connection to the Force... as he did her connection to the Light.

"A Jedi, is it?"

Exodeus moved across the room eerily patiently. By now, he was almost used to Andraste bringing back captive Jedi for play things. Ignoring the other in attendance, the Emperor stood by where Andraste sat, keeping his eyes fixated on the Lightsider.

"So then, who is this one, whom you are now so interested in?"

 

[GABA]

The Sage Master’s body floated into the air as the Empress commanded. Her bones and joints popped and cracked over the cries of her screams. She could hear Andraste’s words in between her cries of pain, there was an obvious underlying mockery to them. Ebb was at her mercy, and there was no mercy being granted to her.

The beast that was the Force continued to rage, feral in its actions, bound to break free from the woman by all means necessary. Her blood was like fire, her bones felt as though they shattered, her senses were beyond exploding, she could feel everything and anything. No word to any language she knew described what she was feeling.

It was eating her away, it couldn’t escape her and she couldn’t escape it. The Empress was correct.

The Force was her most trusted ally, her guardian, and her guide. It had protected her as a child, until she could fight on her own, until she reached the Jedi. She had learned and grew with it, it was intertwined with her memories of past, present, and even the future. She had listened to its will and in return it had given her the ability to command its strength.

But now as she listened to its will as she tried to reason with it, her efforts failed. She had been betrayed.

Her body overcame now with a piecing cold; it threw her into a new agony as the fires of the Force ripped through her, and the ice of another presence attacked from the outside. Her body begun to panic and it had every right so as the energy begun crushing her lungs, her organs feeling like balloons ready to pop beneath the pressure.

The Force spoke inside her, threatening to free itself if she didn’t. Why would it do such a thing to her? Why would it follow such commands and not hers when she so willingly gave herself to it? Ebb could only ask herself: why?

New emotion overtook the Sage Master accompanied with her agonizing pain: aggravation and annoyance. Caused not only by what was being done to her by the betrayal of the Force, but also the mockery she had developed into in front of an audience.

Her arms wrapped tightly around her, the nails of her left hand dug deeply into her shoulder as she would bellow, “LEAVE ME!” crying out in demand.

 

[Zach]

(Fell asleep sooner than I meant to. Bear with me, I'm writing this as I read through it :D)

Dorann raised his glass of wine to his blue lips casually, his eyes focused on the cruel moment before him. Dorann could only pity the Jedi as she was metaphorically dragged by the hair through Andraste's mansion halls, nothing more than a firefly within her jar. Andraste was a woman of emotionless cruelty - that was not to say she was emotionless, but her wrath and power was not something to be underestimated. Dorann himself knew of the power the Dark Lord possessed... It would be foolish to expect any less from his apprentice - and wife. The Chiss could only fathom the possibilities in which controlled through the Force, but knew of only one punishment that she would see fitting. It was the most horrendous sentence to a fallen Jedi, or to those falling prey beneath the fist of a Sith. Dorann could only watch and wait to see how the Councillor would handle the situation.

As she came forward, Dorann could feel a presence in the Force, one that had not been shown upon the Jedi's initial arrival. No, it was not a sense of utter disorientation and defeat, but the power and will of a fighter. However, she couldn't have meant to fight off the Empress, Grand Imperator, Shadow Hand, and Sith Master at once... No, what this Councillor had in mind was much more... destructive, in the sense of its purpose. Again, Dorann felt a sense of pity, but could respect her intentions. She meant to take away whatever benefit the Sith could take a hold of, while accepting defeat. It was admirable in its way, but only a disgrace in the eyes of others. To admit defeat and simply die away was nothing more than a cowards act of subjugating yourself to an enemy. If you fight for something, fight for it. Both arguments had valid points, but in the end, she was only a little girl, trapped with little other option. She knew wasn't likely to emerge alive from this meeting - physically or in the Force.

Ebberla Daw glanced to the Imperator as she cautiously approached, taking a seat on the couch on the opposite side of the room. She was trapped between them, retreating her back to the wall defensively, but foolishly trapping herself. Even if she intended to fight back, to call upon her will of the Force to break free, she would be cornered and surrounded. Hazac lightly raised an eyebrow at her chosen seat and lightly stepped away from the door, walking towards Thaed. The Chiss Sith Master paused for a moment and turned back to the doomed Jedi and met his eyes with hers. There was a solid moment of understanding and sympathy for the woman's situation, but in the end, it was only inevitable. He lightly inclined is head to her, keeping that solid gaze. 'For what it's worth... you will be remembered. Your tombstone will bear the mark of Andraste's wrath - as an example to the galaxy, for what is yet to come,' he told her calmly, relaying his words telepathically. She would hear his words no sooner than their gaze broke, hearing his thoughts as sudden knowledge, rather than a means of communication. At that, the Chiss retreated from the meeting and adjourned with the awaiting Sith Lord.

"Well, my name is Ebberla Daw, Empress, “ the Councillor began. "I am not a traditional Jedi, I wasn’t born and raised at one of the temples; I was much older than others when I had begun my training, only to prove myself time and time again, reaching Knight, and in a matter of a few years, Master, before I was appointed as the Order’s Sage Master," she continued, reflecting on her short time within the Order compared to those who had lived as Jedi for centuries. It wasn't long until Dorann could feel Andraste's mind in the Force, reaching out and penetrating Ebberla's defenses. Of course, the Councillor's mental meltdown was immediately put to a stop, although he could tell some of her memory had already been wiped. Dorann narrowed his eyes for a moment, wondering exactly everything she'd lost, wondering if through enough effort, they could be retrieved. It would be a note he kept in mind for later, upon speculating with the Empress upon drawing back memories or visions through the Force.

The Empress offered the Jedi with the platter of snacks on the center table, flashing her eyes to each of her guests. As she relaxed back in her seat, she focused back to Ebberla. "I too once trained as a Jedi. It was a curious experience," she responded casually. Dorann wasn't sure if she meant to relate her past with Ebberla's experience, but he personally believed that Andraste was no more Jedi than Exodeus himself. She may have been raised under the tutelage of the old Grand Master, but it meant nothing to her sense of destiny. Dorann was not a man of believing such undetermined events, but there was always a choice in destiny. Her place as the Imperium's Empress was proof enough of her significance in these galactic matters. It would only be a matter of time until these great forces clashed together, turning the Force for better or worse. Only time would tell what Andraste's role would entail.

She poured herself another glass of wine before continuing, introducing the Councillor to the Chiss. "How rude of me, let me introduce you. This is Dorann, the Chiss Imperator." Dorann inclined his head respectfully to Ebberla as Andraste introduced his informal name, appreciative of the fact. His name was not exactly hidden, but it was a matter of decency and appropriate usage. In this matter, Ebberla Daw was not a diplomat or equal of authority. She was a prisoner, and nothing more in this moment. Andraste held the Jedi upon strings, manipulating the civil meeting with a sophisticated professionalism. Kodo'ran'nuruodo's formal name, however, was something reserved outside of mock-formalities, such as meetings of representation or honor - not the introduction of a woman doomed to emptiness, if not insanity.

"A pleasure to meet you," she greeted formally.

"And you, Ebberla Daw," Dorann replied, exchanging his reply equally as formally. He chose these words because there was a chance she could still see reason. Andraste would give her only a single chance to serve her and the Dark Lord, no differently than she serves the stagnation of the Grand Master. He knew she would decline, but it was truly a shame. She could have been great in the Sith - and closely tied with Chiss, of no doubt.

"It is quite unfortunate you've landed yourself in such a predicament. I hope you understand that you may never see your home or your brethren again. But of course, this is a war. And such.. inconveniences are often necessary.." Andraste began after she and the Grand Imperator had greeted each other.

The Empress bore a light smile across her lips, elegantly crossing from either cheek with an intricate beauty. "..Of course, unless, you wish to make use of your talents to aid the Imperium." Her gaze was one of cruelty, but offered a true hand of sovereignty Dorann had no doubt she would take Ebberla into the Sith if the Councillor accepted, but it not be an easy road to success. She was still a Jedi, and would need to be broken in. Andraste only held that devilish smile as she casually took a sip of wine, swirling the liquid in the glass lightly.

It was only a moment before Ebberla replied, inevitably declining the offer of sanctity. "My allegiance is with the Jedi, I will serve no others," she stated right off the bat. Dorann narrowed his eyes slightly as she spoke, disappointed, but not surprised at her answer. "You shouldn't believe I will never see my Jedi brethren again. I will. I am determined so," she continued, holding her sense of will. Her efforts in the Force had been halted by the Empress, but her spirit was not stifled. Still, she held a sense of hope, in a place of utter darkness, surrounded by some of the most powerful beings in the galaxy. "your Highness," she added, maintaining the formality of their meeting.

"I was not expecting you to cooperate," Andraste replied coldly. "I must say, however...it is most unfortunate... Let us observe, gentlemen, what happens to those foolish enough to spit in the face of the courteous hospitality we offer," the Empress concluded, forcing out her will upon the Jedi Councillor. Her body moved not an inch, flourishing the poor woman's psyche with a continuous wave of pressure. Andraste moved mind throughout Ebberla's, eating away at her connection to the Force and turning it against her. The side of the Light was a powerful tool to call upon, but it stood for nothing against being engulfed by Darkness, drowning out its call with a vacant echo of emptiness. It was that wrench of the Force that would leave Daw crippled, sudden ripped from everything that was known to her reality. It would be as if her very insides were nothing more than a foreign entity. "Please make it stop! "Pleeeeasse!" she screamed, contorting in pain as her body convulsed. The pain must have been excruciating to bear. Sitting so close, observing what happened before him, Dorann could sense the power and pain each were experiencing, focusing in a slight meditation on the cried emotions through the Force.

Andraste continued to focus her power on the Jedi, dissolving her essence and control over the Force. Her screams filled the chamber, echoing from the halls outside their meeting. Make it stop?" she questioned, raising her eyebrows almost as though she were surprised. "My dear, we have barely just begun. Sing for me a bit more..it goes well with the jazz," she continued, tensing her wrist with only a fraction of her power to fling the Jedi into the air. Ebberla's body literally folded backward, erupting in a series of crunches as the joints popped and shifted, although not breaking. In a sick way, the woman's spine seemed to almost snake around through Andraste's control, so as to shift and turn as needed without snapping. That was not to say it was without pain, however. "... You are so bound to the Force. To take it away from you would be... a travesty. It would be a fate worse than death. Surely that is not what you wish for," she continued, nearly taunting the Jedi as she basked in the dominance she exerted. It wasn't just the emotion, it wasn't just the Force... it was the Dark Side. The seductive lure of its power was every sense of the word addiction, drawing in those who succumbed to its ecstasy. Even Dorann had to admit that it was an intense feeling above almost all others. "Is this not what you cherish, Sage Master?" she taunted, slamming down the immense amount of knowledge on her mind - the very knowledge she wished to destroy.

-------​

Hazac followed Thaed's motion and accompanied him through the doors with the Kaminoan prisoner. She drifted along as absently as she had since arriving, pacing like nothing more than a corpse on autopilot. "You know, sometimes I have trouble recognizing whether you're Chiss or Sith," the Zabrak joked lightly, shoving the Jedi Master along. Hazac flashed a roguish grin to the Dark Lord's apprentice and turned back to their drugged captive. He reach out a hand and flicked the air with his middle finger, sending a light telekinetic spike to erupt underneath the Jedi's falling step. The Kaminoan stumbled for a moment before continuing on, apparently unaware of the Chiss's poke at fun.

"Oh, benevolent Shadow Hand, I am, as always, an ever-loyal servant of the Dark Lord," he replied mockingly, grabbing a corner of his robe and dipping in a sarcastic curtsey. He gave a light huff in amusement before raising and catching up to Thaed, turning his head to speak seriously. "I may be born a Chiss in a blood - but I am Sith since childhood. My power, I owe to the Order. You know where my loyalties lie, my Lord," he assured casually, stating his stance as though it were common knowledge, and meaningless discussion. Hazac came to a halt as he watched the guards transfer the Kaminoan into the top-security prison cell, securing that she would remain in her detained state. Thaed pulled out a cigarra and flicked a light to inhale the smoke it, shifting uncomfortably as he did so.

"As I recall, curiously enough your time of absence matches up with his," the Zabarak replied, raising an eyebrow in mild interest. Hazac knew Thaed wasn't stupid. He could put two and two together, but he knew better than to make reckless assumptions. As a Chiss, he could respect the Zabrak's neutral approach to the situation, and he gave the Sith Lord a light smile in turn. He exhaled a breath of smoke as the pair turned from the cell, making their way back through the dark corridors of Bastion's palace.

"The Force guides us all in the direction of our paths at certain times," he replied cryptically, glancing at Thaed from the corner of his eyes with an amused grin. "Even at the same time, you emerge victorious from Ossuss, with a pair of prizes at your belt. I should have known you'd upstage me in the score boards," he replied playfully. Hazac had only lightly hinted at his victory over Exilis, suggesting that Thaed had more 'points,' and upstaging Hazac by an undefined amount. The Chiss found a particular humor in his ambiguous demeanor, finding it amusing to see how long the two could bounce back and forth.

"I hope to see you alongside me in battle one day. Ossus was quite thrilling. It had been a while since I faced a Jedi. The damn bitch nicked me bad too," Thaed continued, looking forward to the day they fought alongside each other. Even Hazac had to admit that testing his skills in comparison to the Shadow Hand would have been momentous, to say the least. His skill with a blade and expertise in duels, alongside Hazac's finesse with the Force and command over military troops would form a combined fighting force of dominating proportions. The Zabarak turned over and revealed the gaping slash across the length of his back, turning his body to show each tip of the cut. "I just wonder-" Thaed was cut off by a shrill scream as the cries filled the hall. Hazac turned to Thaed just as he looked to him, each instantly curious as to the events happening beyond those doors. "What do you suppose is going on in there?" he asked curiously.

"I'm surprised she got you so well. Another inch, and it might have severed your shoulder ligaments," the Chiss noted at first glance. It wasn't an incredibly deep wound, but if the Zabrak had been the slightest bit more sloppy, it could have been fatal. When Thaed asked about the events in the room, the Chiss isntantly turned his attention and focused more sternly on the meeting they'd just left.

The pair walked toward the chamber, almost driven instinctively to approach with anticipation. Already was Hazac reaching out with the Force, sensing his surroundings an asking in the raw energy in the air. He could feel the presence of the Dark Side in the palace walls, pulsating with the emanating power that approached. The Chiss felt the energy of the Dark Lord, joining his wife in the attendance of the Grand Imperator to witness the powerful display of wrath upon the Jedi. These emotions, filled with rage and pain, darkened in a twisted blur by hatred and sorrow, only cried out louder, enhanced by Bastion's natural connection to the Dark Side. Today, a Councillor would be ripped apart... Whether something came born anew, to form a new power the galaxy had not yet witnessed, or to fade away as dust in the pages of history, was yet untold.

"This... may be interesting," the Zabrak suggested.

"Indeed..." the Chiss concurred.

Just then, Hazac felt the Force signature of the very one who imposed that dark presence upon their heads... only feet behind the crouching pair as they observed the ongoing events. Darth Exodeus, Dark Lord of the Sith, strode forward, sneering at the pair as Hazac replied with an unashamed smile across his lips. He gave the Emperor the largest of grins, bowing his head as respectfully as possible, an as elegantly as his Chiss face could allow. He was, and always would be a Sith, but Hazac could not deny the bedazzling and devilish smurf genes - they were a blessing, and who better to honor with its glory than the Emperor himself? It would be a sight that left a trace in his memory for all time, as that spectacular scene of his charismatic smile. Had an artist been present, it would have been depicted as the Dark Lord's ever-loyal Emperor's Hound, kneeling guard with his deceptive and devious demeanor, as his master made way to meet with his betrothed.

The Dark Lord entered and approached coldly, his presence flowing throughout the room as a voided essence. Dorann still felt the words indescribable, but he meditated long on their first encounter. Reliving the experience time and time again, the Chiss had grown accustomed to the Dark Lord's presence, but only enough so as not to shudder or revolt in the shear darkness of its magnitude. It was merely, a way to comprehend and grasp its reality, rather than disbelief in power. At the same time, Dorann truly believed that Andraste held an equal, if not more intense hold over the Force, and her depth in the Dark Side of the Force under his teachings - their love, in the twisted view of the word. It was an undeniable relation and connection of mentalities, but it would never truly be a concept anyone but those two could fully comprehend. Even as Exodeus approached, Dorann could feel their presences intertwining in a slight way, instinctively melding as the sole being they had become in merging in unison upon marriage.

"You've been busy."


"A Jedi, is it?"


"So then, who is this one, whom you are now so interested in?"​

Dorann only paused at the sudden calamity of the Dark Lord's voice, almost surprised at how impressing the Emperor's voice was. He vividly remembered the intensity of the intrusion upon his mind, but feeling Exodeus's voice in the air for the second time was almost completely different. It was, in a way, something that only the privileged few were allowed to experience - the privileges few allowed that live to meet for a second time.

The Jedi continued to thrive and convulse in pain, unaffected by either the Dark Lord's appearance or the revealed sight of his Sith underlings. Dorann lightly noticed that Hazac and Thaed were by the doors, creeping by and observing in curiosity, only chuckling lightly to himself in his head. They were but children, so interested and amused by the events behind closed doors. It was a true delight to actually witness the Empress in action, watching as she called upon the Force in such an extreme way. Dorann shifted his gaze back to the Councillor just as she began to scream for a final time, calling out in agony. Her arms clutched around her body and sunk her nails to her sink, clawing in an uncontrolled outrage. "LEAVE ME!" Ebberla Daw shrieked.

 

[Sreeya]

Andraste felt Exodeus’ presence as he strode into the hall, opening the double doors to reveal Thaed and Hazac. However, she paid no heed to them, her eyes focused on Ebberla. The woman was in pure agony, yet there was life in her yet. She was a spectacle, a form of entertainment for them all. Andraste did not glance up as Exodeus spoke, noting that the captive for the day was a Jedi. The Empress did not look up, an amused grin gracing her features.

“What gave it away, darling?”

As he inquired the second question, Andraste slowly spun Ebberla around so she faced Exodeus in that awkward upside down angle.

“We are accompanied here today by none other than the Sage Master of the Jedi Order Ebberla Daw. Ebberla Daw, this is my husband Darth Exodeus. Terribly rude of me not to introduce you earlier..”

As she spoke, she toyed with Ebberla even more, nudging her with the Force as if to nod towards Exodeus in a twisted greeting. However, Ebberla finally screamed out to the Force to abandon her. Her ally had completely turned on her, working to explode from her, shatter her bones and burst through her skin. It would be a gruesome display, and one Andraste could have enacted before them. However, she had other plans in mind. Once again, she slowly turned Ebberla so she turned to face her.

“Do you wish for it to stop?”

As she asked the question, the agony grew worse, the Force almost physically pushing outwards. Her skin had visible ripples on it, as if a creature were traveling through her flesh and crawling right under the most superficial layer of skin. It was a sick display, and it traveled through her entire body, making her look slightly distorted. It was a trick of the Force, a testament to how alive it was, how it breathed and consumed.

“Do you wish for me to end it?”

Her voice grew louder. Andraste could feel the screams echoing all throughout the hall. The Force itself began to expand out of her, pooling through the room. It would seep into all those present, as if a cold bucket of water had been washed over them. They were mere droplets from the vast ocean of chaos whirling within Andraste, yet it was all chained and under her precise command.

Andraste slowly rose to her feet, letting Ebberla gaze upon her yellow eyes. She would see beyond those eyes, and see into an exalted plane of being. She would see an ethereal monster, one wrought of the Force. It was raging within Andraste, slowly rising and dipping into the stream of the Force that connected the two women. Only Ebberla would be able to see it, the terrifying beast that slowly began to advance towards her. It was a phantom, a chaotic abomination of the Force in a semi transparent form. Ebberla would be placed at the borders of reality and the surreal, her surroundings blending together so she saw only through the realm of the Force. It was a realm only the two saw, two masters of the Force.

The Empress stepped closer, the beast still visible to Ebberla, the hunger clear in its eyes. It fed off the energy, consumed fear and Ebberla was a feast. Andraste came to stand closer to Ebberla, letting the Jedi feel the chills of her icy presence.

“Then so be it..”

Andraste reached over and placed a hand on Ebberla’s forehead. As soon as the connection happened, Ebberla’s mind would explode with everything she had ever known. She would see the faces of everyone she had met, everyone she had come to care for, everyone she had looked up to. She would see padawans, laughing and playing, making a mistake, chasing one another, reciting the code. She would see other Councilors in disagreement, their faces all vivid, as they looked upon her for her thoughts.

She would see battlefields. She would see Saleucami. She would see Ossus. She would see everyone she had faced in combat. She would feel the heat of the sabers against her face, the memories shockingly vivid. She would smell the grass, the dirt, the trees, hear the birds and feel the crisp cold air. She would feel the light brush of someone bumping into her along the corridor in the temple. She would see the hallways, the classrooms, the training sabers.

Ebberla would be hit with multiple points of memory in her life, and would be hit with memories of her training. She would feel semblances of that Force that obeyed her, the Force that she had devoted herself to. She would feel it empower her, enrich her, form a symbiotic relationship with her. And then she would see it blossom, grow and envelop her. It would soon begin to suffocate her and choke her, clinging on too harshly.

And finally she would spot the beast, the chaotic monster that would descend down with its jaws parted. It would clamp down upon the Force Ebberla had nurtured for so long, and it would begin to rip away at it as an animal feasting upon a carcass. She would feel the agony of the Force being torn away bit by bit, as flesh yanked from bone. Her mind would explode with chaotic cries that were not her own, that could very well be the call of the Force that had existed within her.

Outwardly, Andraste slowly began to retract her hand, her eyes turning from yellow to a glowing white. She was immersed in the Force, drinking and devouring Ebberla’s Force energy. As she retracted her hand, tendrils of the Force came with it, as if she had dug her fingers in and pulled out the contents. The entire hall began to tremble from the terrible onslaught, windows vibrating and thin cracks forming along the glass. The wine bottle and glasses tipped over, the concussive ripples in the Force from such a powerful maneuver washing over the entire room.

The Empress continued to dig out the Force from within Ebberla, pulling in her memories, her thoughts, her entire life. With the Force, an ally that had been with Ebberla since the day she was born, came everything she stood for. All of it was being torn out as if a tumor being removed. Andraste did not stop, the beast clawing and ripping away at Ebberla’s Force, consuming it and tearing it to shreds.

After what seemed like an eternity, Andraste abruptly yanked her hand back. At the same instant, Ebberla would fall to the ground. The Empress turned away, closing her eyes, fousing all the newfound information and energies she had just ripped away from Ebberla. After moments, she slowly opened her eyes, the white fading into yellow once more. Andraste stood as a being exalted beyond Sith, beyond Jedi, beyond anything. For a moment, it was as if she had crossed beyond the physical realm and into an astral plane, her aura difficult to read.

Behind her, Ebberla would feel nothing for a moment. Her entire mind would be black, her vision blinded, her ears deaf, and she would not feel anything. For a long moment it remained as such, solace in total silence. It was as if she had died for a moment. When she awoke from it, she would feel nothing beyond what was physically was around her. To her, Jedi and Sith now meant nothing. To her, the Force meant nothing. To her, the Force no longer existed.

 

[GABA]

The Jedi forced her eyes to open as Andraste turned her to face Exodus, her body a puppet to the Empress’s control as she mocked. She could feel everyone in the room and more, a spectacle of a sight for them to behold. Her skin rippled from the beast inside her as she herself tried to bargain with it, telling it to leave her. She could feel its strings tightened as the Empress’s own power swelled, the Sage Master felt in and around her, it only angered the Force inside her, mutilating her.

She could hear Andraste speak over her screams, she opened her eyes to meet the yellow gaze of the woman, except the Corellian wouldn’t just see the eyes of the Empress, what she saw was more sinister, beyond fear, beyond horror, created with the Force itself. She couldn’t pull herself away, she was trapped within its gaze, she could feel its hunger as it had grew while playing with the Sage Master, the Force inside her knew what it was as it struggled to free itself from the Jedi. The beast would lurch on the Empress’s last words as she placed her hand on Ebberla’s forehead.

The Jedi was engulfed in darkness, the candle that still burned inside her flickered dangerously. She felt the world around her fade away only returning to her childhood; the happiness, the anger, the sadness she felt growing up, her short life as a slave and her exotic adventures while smuggling. She saw everyone she ever passed, their faces as clear as day. She found herself in the firefights, in the smoke filled meeting room of a Hutt, drinking Zeltrons unconscious. She walked once more through the halls of the temple on Tython, her stomach turning as she faced the Council, turning to look behind her, seeing her Master.

The hum of her blade reverberated in her ears, she saw herself on Chalacta, then in the archives, exploring the galaxy, the knowledge she had attained through the guidance of the Force. She was pulled through the battlefields, through lost hopes and dreams only to be renewed by the strength and inspiration of the Force. It was always there, she listened to its instruction, she followed it through the darkest regions of herself and the galaxy. She became an inspiration to padawans, a wise advisor, and an ally to her Jedi. Padawans and younglings, Masters and Councilors, the Sith and to the Jedi, soldiers and civilians, she was connected with them and them to her.

Everything went black again and she found herself face to face with the beast, she wanted to scream, but no sound came. Its jaws closed on her, tearing the Force away savagely. Pain exploded from the Corellian, the cries of the Force resonated inside her as it was being ripped apart. She felt helpless, the light inside her fading. The Force begged for Ebberla to release it, to let the monster have its meal, to remember her teachings. The Jedi protested, there was always another way.

Not today, this is the way it has to be.

And through its last testament, giving meaning to what it meant to be a Jedi, she followed its will and let go.

The Force howled in her ears as it was consumed, the fire inside her flicked out, leaving her to stand alone in the darkness. Her signature extinguished from the Force.

Ebberla fell to the floor with a thud, she didn’t move, not a breath escaped her lips, her eyes starred beyond from what they fell upon. A silence settled in the room.

The Sage Master closed her eyes and opened them slowly, her hazel eyes had lost their brightness. Everything was cold, the ground, the room, the air, even her body as she felt it falling into shock, the throbbing of her am returned. The room remained silent, she heard the trickling of water from the fountain and before her eyes was a subtle display of an off blue color pattern dancing in her sight. The Corellian took a slow breath in, her lungs ached, instinctively Ebberla reached out to the Force. Nothing.

“No.” she whispered, her eyes widening, her body refused to move as she tried to jerk herself to her feet. Her energy was sapped, she reached out again. Nothing.

A tear streamed down from an eye, “No.” she whispered a little louder, she felt her heart picking up beats until she heard them in her ears. Adrenaline rushed through her body, her muscles cried as she rolled herself to her knees. Tears began to fall to the realization of what had happened. Panic and angst threatened her thoughts; she reached out again to calm them. And once again, nothing.

She shut her eyes tightly, the pressure sending fireworks of color to her darkened sight. She tried to calm herself, recalling a lesson learned from past, only something wasn’t right either. She couldn’t remember. Her memories were shattered, fractured, she caught glimpses of unfamiliar scenarios but they made no sense to what she was looking for.

She sat on her knees, hunched over, her left hand pressed hard against her forehead as she tried to recall. Not only was the Force gone from her, but everything she had attached it to, it was taken as well.

Ebberla Daw screamed.

She screamed out in despair; her left hand formed a fist as she slammed it down on the ground in anger, sadness, and in grief. She felt her hand throb with pain, her own voice exploding in colored patterns before her eyes. What she’d known her entire life was gone, she had lost more than a friend, more than a mentor, a parent, a guide, she had lost a part of herself. Ebberla let out another scream as she brought her fist down again and again, until her body refused to supply with the energy to raise it. Her head slumped in defeat, one more quiet 'no' left her lips.

 

[Demiurge]

The Sage Master, was it? Exodeus had heard Andraste speaking, but more often than not he paid little to any attention to it, bar her answer to what he truly wished to know. For over a thousand generations, the Jedi had been the antitheses of the Sith, to which end they've sought the each other's destruction. But to him, to the Emperor, the Jedi were not simply the target for scourging, for genocide. They, their entire philosophy and way of being - everything that they were, that they represented, was as a blight that was destined utterly destroyed, annihilated in the utmost sense possible. And yet, for all of his contempt and malice, the Jedi Order was as ancient as time itself. They had survive, prevailed, as long as any Sith since their first conflicts. It was a truth even the galactic powers could not lay claim to. For their endurance through time alone, he had to oblige a certain respect for that.

Nonetheless, Exodeus could not help but feel a certain hinge of amusement and interest, glancing at Andraste as she took delight in the tormenting. The Jedi's screams of protest, weeping out in solemn grievance, was almost ethereal. It was not like that of a simply victory of strength, from one combatant in the Force against another, it was a dominance of wills, beyond the crudeness of martial might. This, was where the true war was waged, has always been waged. The Emperor had his eyes firmly locked upon the Sage Master, Ebberla. Watching her strength erode, her determination and will sapped away until all that was left in the recesses were a void as empty as the darkness of space. And as her head fell in despair, a hopeless gesture of her shattered state, the Dark Lord glanced to Andraste. Few things kept his interest long enough for him to take note, but this was a special case, this was different. And for this, even he would look on in anticipation for what was to come.

 

[Zach]

Dorann watched as the Councillor writhed in agony, her body twitching as the Empress bent Ebberla's body to her will. The Chiss could feel the Jedi's pain radiating in the Force, echoing as a stricken cry that only those who were closely connected would feel. In the depths of Bastion's palace, Ebberla Daw was alone, abandoned by the Force as she begged the Empress to strip her from it. Her Force signature seemed to flutter at first, fading in strength as though one was teetering on the edge of death itself. Now, the Grand Imperator felt the all but subtle reach of Andraste's mind, wrapping her power around the very bonds which Ebberla tried to repulse form her body. It was the chaotic rage of the Force within her, burning her very existence in the truest sense of the manner. It was for that reason that Andraste obliged the doomed Jedi, wrenching it from the Sage Master as though closing a book she was vastly interested in. "A memorable spectacle, Empress. I'm honored you requested my attendance for such a rare occasion to witness a display of justice and power to the Jedi," Dorann began, leaning slightly on the couch as he swirled his glass of wine. The Chiss took a sip as he brought the liquid to his blue lips, eying the pair of Imperial monarchs.

It was as though her presence merely vanished, suddenly gone in the blink of an eye, dissipating as nothing more than an echoing cry through the Force. Across the galaxy, stretching from the heart of the Sith Imperium's territory to the Jedi temple of Tython, one Jedi Padawan would hear his master's cry, sense her pain. Serg Hitaru, a Jedi who'd completed his training under the Sage Master before her ascension to the council, held his ties to his former master. It was his own choice to remain a Padawan, as he never truly felt like he deserved the title, but the Force Bond which tied them as master and student bound them even through the heart of darkness. From the surface of the planet, Serg paused in mid conversation with another Padawan, exchanging mild words about their progressive training sessions. The ex-soldier turned his eyes to the windows of the training chamber and made his way through the halls, using the Force to enhance his speed with every step. Serg came to an opening and looked upward to the skies, narrowing his eyes as he focused between a patch of clouds.

Straight beyond the planet's atmosphere, the surrounding orbit, across the stars and nebulae that led to the upper-most part of the galaxy, lied Hitaru's former master. He could feel her agony crying out, writhing in pain as Ebberla was tortured and beaten, beginning to enter a meditative state. He closed his eyes an reach out with his mind, just as Ebberla taught him when they first met. 'Master?' he called out desperately, reaching out through the Force Bond they shared. 'Master Daw?' Serg called again, more urgently than the last as he grasped at the mental strings he could barely feel. All of a sudden, the Jedi Padawan felt his master's presence disappear entirely, abruptly fading into the emptiness of a void. Her Force signature simply ceased to exist, shorting out with only an echo across the galaxy from her last moments of agony. "Master Ebberla!" he shouted out, his eyes flaring open, stricken as the sudden panic kicked in. She... she was gone, and he'd felt nothing from her...

Serg had only just realized that he'd shouted Ebberla's name aloud around him as he called out telepathically, drawing the attention of a number of Jedi students. Serg could only stare straight ahead, his mouth slightly agape as his brow furrowed. He couldn't feel anything from his master, but... the Padawan felt a sense of hope, for his master's sake. Although he felt nothing of her now, he knew that she would become one wit the Force upon her passing. She would never truly be gone, but... He had to hope that she was still somehow out there, alive. Serg brought his brows together to form a confident expression as he looked back to the skies, promising himself that he would do his master justice - whether he found and brought her back to the Order, or gave her a proper Jedi burial, Serg would honor his former teacher.