Ask Korriban Another Return

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze watched the interaction between the two. He kept a cool resolve, detached from the setting as always. He seldom had impulse reactions to things. In this case he observed the open defiance the cultist showed despite Malicia giving him a command. Raze did nothing to the cultist, though he did find it curious that the normally rigid Sith Lord let the transgression slide. Perhaps she favored this particular man.

He turned his attention instead to Malicia, paying the cultist no heed. The cultist was her property and Raze had little desire to do her disciplining for her, “Likely he asked for only the two of us. We will want to position sentries nonetheless but have them give us a wide berth. The King can overwhelm anyone he pleases so we won’t want to cross him.”

Raze could hear the cultist hissing and muttering some words but his patience was wearing thin. The Sith Lord strode past both the others to make his way back to camp. He had a lot to meditate on, but at least he was in a far more satisfied mood now.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia listened to Raze, noting the warning about the King being dangerous. Clearly he was ready to get back to work, but she wasn't. Regardless of that she nodded and answered, "I'll meet you back at camp" while he walked off. Yellow eyes drifted over to her cultist after. She was not deaf, she could hear the muttering. The moment he saw her displeased look his head bowed.

She considered killing him for continuing on, but she was not in the mood and she needed time to think. Her cultists being overprotective of her was a problem that may need more addressing than simply punishing a single cultist. "Serve him until I'm back," she commanded.

Punishment enough, for now. She sensed a spike of anger in the man. That anger was not something she hadn't sensed before so Malicia grabbed the rest of her clothing. When she picked up her belt by one of the pockets, she felt the container with the black rose in it, and it made her look back up at Raze for a moment while he walked away. But, she turned and started towards her ship.

After a moment of watching his goddess, the cultist turned and followed after Raze. Something snapped in his mind while he was staring at the man, and the cultist started to let some distance grow between himself and the Sith Lord. Very few seconds passed while he grabbed a DL-18 blaster from his belt. He did not pause in hesitation after he had the weapon clutched in his hand. He raised the blaster and fired a shot at the back of Raze.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze was always cautious and suspicious by nature, but even then he had placed a small measure of faith in Malicia. That was clearly misplaced as the cultist was entirely out of her control. Keen ears picked up some movement, but he was not exactly superhuman to be able to react quick enough. He pivoted abruptly, but the bolt still hit. It didn’t get him square in the back, but it shot against his shoulder, grazing off. It was enough to leave a horrible burn that smoked and singed into his skin, sending excruciating waves of pain.

The Sith Lord completed his turn and whirled around to face the cultist. He said nothing, pouring his rage and anger in as the Force gripped around the man’s arm and snapped the limb abruptly. The gun fell from his hand and he wasn’t given the chance to scream before the Force coiled around his neck. Raze took his time, each joint in the man’s body breaking and snapping, shards of bone piercing through skin. His eyes were wide and bulging and he was caught in a silent scream as blood drenched his clothing.

Blood began to pour from the man’s nostrils, mouth, ears and eyes as Raze continued his assault. His entire demeanor changed and he was very much the monster that lay dormant most of the time. It took a while longer for the man to die, and he felt his body shatter and fall apart before he did.

Raze watched the heap of a man left behind, the pain pulsating through his shoulder. He turned and continued the path towards the camp, saberhilts flying to his hands. He walked with a single, deadly purpose.

If Malicia wouldn’t discipline her cultists, he would.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

A blaster bolt rang through the air. Malicia turned, frowning. She could sense deep anger and followed that feeling back to Raze. Her cultist hung in the air, bones snapping, dying. A blaster was nestled in the sand below him. It didn't take her more than a few seconds to connect the dots.

When the cultist hit the ground, she hadn't expected for the anger to last. Seeing Raze move towards the camp forced her to dress in what she could. Her steps brought her near Raze. Both the smell of burning and the mark from the bolt itself catch her attention at first. Something about seeing him hurt triggered something in her. Guilt, mixed with anger. She tried to push the emotions to the side. She couldn't be attached to him.

"This is my problem to take care of," she said, even if she suspected his temper might mirror her own and he might not listen. Still, to her it sounded like something he'd say and agree with. "I've run this cult alone, for years, since I've seized it. I can deal with one wayward cultist and..." Her yellow eyes lingered on the bolt mark, flicking away after. "The issue with overprotectiveness."

Per usual, a cultist saw the Sith Lords approaching camp, and he started towards Malicia right away. She didn't care about his approach however, her mind was on Raze.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze fixated on what his mind decided. Nothing would deter him from that. The Sith Lord kept walking even as Malicia spoke to him, barely hearing her words. If she chose to attack him, he would react accordingly. For now, a deathly chill trailed in his wake and a sense of dread would twist and knot the innards of any that stood near him. He had a singular focus and he would not come back from this until his cause was fulfilled.

No words were exchanged as he saw the first cultist arrive. Before he could approach Malicia, the cultist was bodily thrown and flung against the side of a mountain with a sick crunch. The head had cracked open, blood spilling out as the body fell with a thud. Raze was keenly aware of his surroundings, prepared for anything Malicia may throw at him. He was prepared to fight anyone that stood in his way to the death.

Raze showed no mercy. Raze did not forgive. Raze did not forget. Raze was not Emryc.

The purebloods at the camp had respect for him and they stood aside. The cultists began to come out then, concerned for Malicia. There were a few cultists sitting around a campfire. That was when Raze displayed the Force in a way he had kept largely dormant - something he had mastered from the holocron of Kravos. The fire abruptly whirled and raged, spiraling like an inferno as it enveloped the cultists sitting around it. The shrieks of agony was music to his ears and he pressed with the flames until their skins melted and bubbled. The stench of cooked human flesh permeated through the air as the entire camp teemed with sudden alarm. It became clear who the targets were and the purebloods gave this a wide berth. His sabers would soon whirl with their red fury, his rage and anger pouring into his deliberate and methodical ways of laying waste to those that stood in his way.

This had stopped being Malicia’s problem to address. She would see exactly how it needed to be addressed. Today the cultists would learn what it meant to know raw, unadulterated fear.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia did not step in his way as he methodically began to snuff the life out of her cultists. She could feel each death, and it bugged her that it stirred her hunger because it was distracting. Its desires didn't belong in this moment.

She understood Raze's rage. That didn't mean she was pleased with being taught by him in such a manner. She dealt with her business alone. She bowed to no one and now she was following this Lord around and allowing him to discipline her cult... and somehow understanding it?

It was not surprising that he didn't answer. It shouldn't upset her.

It upset her.

A pair of cultists at the side of a tent began backing away. Fear dripped off of them so greatly that no Sith could ever miss it, even if they were untrained. Malicia was certain they were the last ones since they only had a small team at the pop up base they started at. Something grabbed hold of her just then.

"I CAN deal with this!" she shouted, feeling the bite of her own anger. She moved quickly towards the lasts cultists, moving past Raze and raising both her hands. Pouring her frustration out into the form of lightning. Blinding bolts swallowed the two men whole, devouring them like her hunger. Their bodies were flung and writhed in unimaginable ways until they stopped. When they stopped, she didn't look back at Raze. She stood silently in place. She was upset and it was muddied by everything else she felt towards the Lord.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze prepared to ignore Malicia’s words once again and slay the remaining cultists. He would leave one alive to spread the word. However, Malicia unleashed lightning to reduce them both to nothing. After that there were no more screams, no more agony and the torturous deaths. Every last cultist had been exterminated from the camp.

There was a deathly silence across the entire camp. An icy chill still hung off him. The purebloods surrounded them, hints of fear in them as well. However, none interjected or spoke up. After a moment, they all returned back to what they were doing, giving the two Sith Lords a wide berth.

It was a while before the twin sabers in Raze’s hands finally switched off, the red blades retracting with a hiss. The helmet slowly turned to regard Malicia. No words were said, but she would feel the searing gaze nonetheless. There was rage there still, and it was unclear how much of it was directed at her specifically. This day was long overdue, and it was inevitable.

Raze turned away from her and began to make his way back towards his tent. He made a point of letting her see the extent of his injury as he walked, the fabric of his clothing torn off. His back was revealed with the severe burn that throbbed angrily. She would also see glimpses of the countless old welts there from his self flagellation.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Nothing made her move. Nothing until she felt Raze's gaze on her. She almost didn't want to look. In fact she didn't, not really. Not directly until he started to walk away.

What she saw when she raised her eyes forced another, much stronger pang of guilt and she looked away again. She hated she had this within her. She was mad at him and yet she could still feel guilt and concern. The blaster shot was bad. And there were... other injuries she didn't understand, near the injury. Clearly some had been below it.

Against her better judgment she followed him. If he didn't stop her, she'd go straight into his tent whether he went in or not. She looked around with purpose. Her yellows only stopping once she found what she wanted. She moved towards it, still without saying anything, snatching up the medpack roughly.

She pulled out a packet from it. Roughly. Still saying nothing as she ripped it open. Roughly. "I'm so mad at you that I don't know how to properly put it into words," she finally spoke, pulling a cloth soaked in kolto out of the packet. Roughly. She didn't care if he ignored her, this was the only way she felt she could vent at him.

"How," she growled, her hand tightened around the cloth instinctively, enough that some of the kolto squeezed out. It only frustrated her further that it was wasted on the floor. "How did you get all those injuries..." she trailed off, still speaking to herself.

If he didn't stop her, she'd turn around and walk back to him, avoiding looking at his helmet while placing the Kolto soaked cloth on his blaster shot.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze didn’t stop her from following. His mind was difficult to read, the teachings from Kravos having created it into a fortress. It was near impossible to delve into his thoughts, and those that tried would find themselves under an excruciating mental attack. It was a gift Raze prized above all, and it was especially necessary in order to keep his dual personas going.

He was inside his tent and Malicia had entered behind him, and he still didn’t stop or address her. He took a seat as he caught onto what she was doing, hearing the familiar snap of a medpack opening and contents being shuffled. Raze heard her words, and he remained silent. He had little care for the ire he drew from others. He was unapologetic in who he was.

Her next question also drew silence for a moment. Raze felt the bacta against his injury, the gel soothing against the angry wound. Pain was not new to him, and he hardly reacted even when the antiseptics would be applied. Raze kept his gaze forward, allowing her to work on the injury.

“They are self inflicted to remind me to stay disciplined,” He said curtly after a while. Raze was more tense than before, still wary of her despite allowing her to apply the bacta. His perception had changed since the cultist incident and he would observe her closely now.

“Your cultists will never step a toe out of line again,” Raze said flatly. It was a promise against the cultist indicating that he would execute on that promise if Malicia didn't. What he had done today was only a glimpse into what happened when he was crossed.

The rage from earlier subsided as the pain eased away and he was patched up. The question of why she had followed and done what she had began to nag at him. He turned around and raised a hand to grasp her wrist to pause her from what she was doing. The steely helmet gazed up at her, “Why are you here?”

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Self-inflicted? Malicia hadn't heard of such a practice before. "Why do you need this type of reminder?" she muttered. She didn't expect an answer considering he dodged most, so she quietly continued to listen to him.

He was right. She'd utilize what he gave her but that didnt change her mood. "Yes, but this is the first time I saw such blantant disobedience. He must have lost his mind when he ...saw what he saw," she grunted, now unsure about the choice she made. "Killing him was your right. Figuring out how to deal with the larger issue I allowed to fester wasn't. Even if it was an...effective response. Their protectiveness was mostly to my benefit until now..."

His hand around her wrist suprised her, and so did his question. She pulled away from his grip right away. Allowing herself to get close caused this and all the conflicting emotions. "Dealing with your wound," she answered his last question, unwilling to look at him. He never needed to know the rest of the truth "After I'm going back to my ship and then I'll help arrange our visit to the king," she said, referring to placing men close enough to respond if they had to.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze’s grip released just as easily as she yanked her wrist back. He looked forward again until she was done, listening to her words. He first addressed her question about his back, “They are permanent,” He said simply, not bothering to elaborate beyond that. Raze heard the tone of frustration seep through as she continued speaking, dictating what right he did and didn’t have. He sat patiently in silence till she was done speaking.

He shifted at last after a while, moving to stand to his full height. Raze turned to look down at her, his frame towering over hers, “I will solve any problem that becomes mine and I will not apologize for it,” He said simply, the visor drilling into her with its unwavering gaze. Raze stepped back slightly, rolling his shoulder back to see how it felt, pleased at the lessened pain. He stretched and cracked various parts of his body, stiff muscles rippling and roiling beneath armor.

“Unless you wish to stay for round two,” Raze’s gaze flicked over casually to the table in the tent that held war maps before looking back towards Malicia, “I suggest you leave.”

His tone was curt and matter of fact. He stepped away from Malicia, reaching up to unclasp plates of his armor to take them off. They fell with heavy thuds as he focused on unwinding for the day.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

She stared at him while he said his part, resisting the natural urge to raise her eyebrow at his first reply. As a creature who kept mostly to herself, she would not pry into his personal business but it was a clear dodge.

There was nothing she could think to reply with when he stated he'd take care of problems that became "his". The answer gave her the ability to disconnect again, realizing that this could become a problem. Though, she was unsure exactly what type of problem. He had fixed something for her, just without her permission.

When he mocked her at the end, her gaze did not linger. She turned and left his tent. No cultists greeted her outside it, something that threw her off slightly. Even if it felt somewhat freeing it was overwhelmed by her sour mood. She kept going, past the purebloods that gave her a very wide birth and all the way back to her ship.

--------- Hours Later ---------​

At least she smelled good, she thought. Her armour was washed. She was washed. Her hair was clean, brushed and pulled back into a flawless bun. Not a single hair was out of place on her head. Every item on her belt was cleaned and put back into their proper place, except the rose because she had to disconnect. She felt much better. While she walked through the camp, she noticed the cultists bodies were all gone. Likely moved into a pile away from the camp.

The small Lord stopped near Raze's tent, deciding not to go into it this time. "Are you ready?" she asked, eyes lingering on the entrance. They were back to what they were before, empty and disconnected. Having spent so much time methodically—and possibly, beyond that into obsessively— grooming herself had helped her relax and return to where she felt most comfortable.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze emerged a moment later after coming out of deep meditation. He was far too alert to truly sleep when he was out here. As always, he smelled of expensive offworld cologne. Smelling great was a trait that both Raze and Emryc shared, though he was cautious enough to use different scents for his personas.

He caught how well put together Malicia was. He said nothing to her question, the visor taking in sight of her silently, “It appears you have misplaced your rose,” He said flatly, “Perhaps I will acquire you a new one,” He said simply as he stepped forth and strode past her, the sun rising above the horizon.

The pureblood generals were already up and preparing food. The soldiers looked over curiously as the two Sith Lords walked amongst their ranks. Raze could spot a group of purebloods ahead that would likely lead the way to the king. He cast a sideways glance at Malicia.

“You have positioned lanvarok sentries along the cliffs?” It was more of a confirmation than a real question. They needed ranged support to minimize the chances of an ambush.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

How was it possible? How did literally two sentences break through her defences she'd spent hours building back up? How? They'd spent hours in conversation for him to achieve a crack before. Her face warmed almost instantly, though she stayed back so that he didn't see. The most shocking part was he knew she carried the rose around. The fact he even knew she still had it was enough to frazzle her.

And... another flower? She couldn't and pushed the thought away.

After the initial shock she was able to pull herself together, though there were cracks in her metaphorical armour she hoped to fix as the day went on. His question at least brought her back and she, without thinking, reached up to her face in hope the warmth was gone before answering, "They're on route to their positions."

The smell of food caught her attention, something that usually only happened after many, many days without eating. She stepped towards a table, which caused the purebloods around it to step back. She was wearing her mask, so she'd have to wait until they started to travel to start eating. Regardless the small Darth took a bowl, pouring her own meal since the purebloods had vacated to make room for her.

"Raze..." she said quietly, her voice was mixed with the sound of liquid being poured into the small bowl. "No more flowers please..." she requested. She couldn't remain steadfast in the face of something like that, and Raze seemed the type to listen to a simple request.

With both her hands clutched around her bowl, she avoided Raze's gaze and moved towards the purebloods that'd lead the way to the palace.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze kept walking, pausing only when Malicia stopped to approach the food. He had found his own food earlier. This was some sort of meat stew that didn’t align with his primarily vegetarian diet. Raze decided to continue walking, expecting Malicia to join him when she was able.

His thoughts were back on the battle when Malicia joined him and spoke up. It took him a moment to gear shift to that topic of conversation. Raze cast her a sideways glance, “Very well,” He said curtly before he looked ahead again, “Perhaps you will find the old one again.”

Raze gazed around as they walked, keen eyes on the lookout for any scouts. He had a vague idea of what the King could want, and he knew it would test the Sith Lords. Korriban and the purebloods were both deeply entrenched in tradition. If anyone wanted to have any kind of footing on this planet, they needed to follow the rules of old.

The icy chill and the rage that had been there the night before was gone entirely from Raze’s demeanor. However, the stoic persona always remained. That was a constant whether he was Raze or Emryc.

They had a bit of a ways to go still, but Raze could spot a sentry here and there from the King’s side. They silently stood above on the cliffs, watching as the small group walked into their lands. Raze could already tell each soldier was from a different tribe, suggesting that the king had at least been successful in uniting many of them under one banner.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

At this point she was glad she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes instead shifted to the bowl of food and they watched the contents move around. After that moment she decided not to answer.

The rose held deep meaning to her. There were no gifts in the Cadre facility. It was the first she ever received, and it was intimately connected to Raze. Part of her knew she'd carry it around again. It was part of her, but she wasn't sure how she felt about carrying it around right now, even if she understood the Lords outburst.

While they walked she finally pulled down her mask enough to eat. Lithe, pale fingers grasped the spoon that'd almost fallen all the way into the soup. She scooped up some of the meat and ate, uncaring about the lack of flavour. It was subsistence. As they walked she remained quiet for a time, allowing her thoughts to wander further. Uncaring about the purebloods that watched them from the cliffs.

"It's odd," she said absentmindedly, "Not having my men around to serve." Most of her needs and desires were fulfilled by them. Even the small things such as pouring her soup. The thought was somewhat fleeting when they crested a hill and the city around the palace came into view.

The city was a spectacular architectural show-case. Even Malicia, who very rarely cared about the beauty of the many worlds she'd travelled to, felt her head tip and gaze wander. A stunning mix of old and new. Scars of history marked the land and the cities buildings itself. It was clear that disasters befell the ancient city in the past, though it had recovered each time since it was clearly thriving.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze didn’t look over to know that she was eating while walking. It was a bizarre practice, but he supposed it was efficient. His gaze remained on the sentries in the distance, watching their every move. He half expected an ambush, but he doubted the king would test them so easily. The purebloods were a proud people and the king assassinating potential rivals would lose him a few tribes.

He didn’t look at Malicia when she spoke, though he did address her, “Would you have them feed you your meal right now?” He asked flatly, his tone difficult to discern whether he was entertained or genuinely asking. He kept casually looking around to take in the scenery and the soldiers in the distance.

Empty lands gave way to a city with tall spires and pyramids. Everything was made from stone and every bit was handcrafted. To Raze, this was far more impressive than any of the tall and ornate buildings in the Core worlds.

They finally arrived near a large pyramid shaped structure with giant doors. A high staircase led up to it and there was a massive open area in front of it. Raze recognized it as the very space where Andraste stood to give her first address as Empress. There was a rush that went through him that he couldn’t control and it would almost be tangible through the Force.

“History was made there,” He said before he could stop himself. He doubted Malicia would care, but the excitement was difficult to keep from his voice.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia blinked once and looked at her bowl again when Raze asked his question. She considered it for a moment "No," she said after, "That sounds awkward." Even if she'd have them pour her food she rarely ate in front of them. It helped give an edge to their view of her.

The small Lord's attention on her food faded. Taken by the beauty of walking through the city. Raze's voice finally brought her yellow gaze to him. Excitement spiked and swirled in the Force, and even if it didn't she could clearly hear it in his voice. It surprised her and she curiously tipped her head, studying him a moment despite not being able to see past the helmet.

For a time she'd forgotten he was an avid historian. She had no clue what history was made here, though his excitement did make her curious. It also made her consider something.

"We make history here too," she pointed out. Many purebloods stared at them from afar. "Your name will be etched into this planet forever." She was unsure if that mattered to him as much as the history before. Still, something about him being so excited about history and making history in the exact same breath felt somehow poetic.

If he told her what the history of the place was she'd listen quietly, though she tossed her empty bowl to a random pureblood they passed. Her steps needed to be wider than Raze's to get up the stairwell. Before they even reached the top, the massive doors whined widely open. At the top, once they entered, Malicia stopped a second.

"Who's that?" she asked, not pointing but looking. There were several smaller statues that lined the edges of the large hall, but placed squarely in the middle as a centre piece was a statue of a female Sith who's features were strongly carved. That was what Malicia stared at. The woman's statue was the largest and the name on the bottom was etched in high Sith so Malicia couldn't read it. It loomed over the halls and the two Sith.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Raze’s head turned slightly in her direction when she mentioned that his name would be etched into the planet. He didn’t voice his opinions on that, though she did pique his curiosity. His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer as they walked.

He scaled the stairs easily, his tall frame and long legs easily adjusting to the steps modified for the larger Massassi purebloods. However, he was not impolite and he paced himself to walk alongside Malicia. His eyes remained ahead to take in sight of the statues that emerged closer.

Raze didn’t react initially when Malicia asked about the statue. His head tilted up to take in sight of the magnificent architecture. Did Malicia truly know so little of Sith history? Raze stared at the statue for a moment.

“Someone that was much smaller and more dainty than you,” Raze said simply, amusement in his tone as he looked at the larger than life statue. In case Malicia ever doubted herself for any reason, she simply needed to look at the statue. The Sith Lord didn’t elaborate beyond that, his focus trained ahead.

A very tall figure emerged to lead them in. Raze followed the Massassi and was led inside the very path Andraste had walked directly after her coronation. His eyes narrowed beneath the helmet as he gazed at the throne at the of the path that had a man sitting on it.

The man sitting there was a Feeorin. He slowly turned to regard Raze and then Malicia.

“Why have you come to stir up trouble on my planet?”

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia stared at him a moment when he gave his answer. Her expression changed enough to convey confusion. She didn't understand his answer, or why he hadn't simply given her a name. However a pureblood emerged because of their current business and she choose to remain quiet despite her confusion. She lingered, though, turning her yellow gaze to stare a little longer at the statue even while Raze began to follow the Massassi.

Like the pillar, Malicia stepped forward and placed her hand on the statue at its base. Perhaps it was forbidden, though Malicia felt and followed the desire regardless.

Nothing happened. It only felt like stone but it was satisfying still. Being here, placing her hand on a statue of an honored woman, it only reminded her she was in the right place. She felt it in her bones. Even if this King somehow overpowered them and she was walking towards death, there was no other path she desired but this one.

Malicia stopped by Raze, eyeing the king with a curious tip of her head. Raze likely knew the proper way to speak to the man, though he had paused and so she spoke freely, "To take your throne," she said simply, like the bludgeon hammer she was when it came to conversation outside of Serrenno.

She went on to explain, "I have lead the Sith back to this part of space," she added, pausing as her small frame stood straight and her chin raised slightly to make sure her eyes were locked with the Kings. "And Korriban will be part of the Empire we build here."

@Sreeya