Moving On

[Proleptic]

Location: Moraband; Sith Tombs
​

Standing before the pristine casket, Maliel could think only of herself. All of her characteristic empathy was gone, transformed into an all-consuming narcissism that reared its ugly head in the face of inconvenience. Tears welled up in her eyes, fighting gravity with a stubbornness she would normally be proud of. "You'd think I would feel sorry for you, but I really just wish you'd get back to being a raging, heartless bitch."

She chuckled a little at that, imagining how proud Kira would be of being called a bitch. As much as she hated to admit it, she still cared for Kira, and even loved her in some ways. "I wish you'd just come bother me."

A tear finally fell. Maliel had held off on visiting the crypt for week, convinced it be a waste of time. She had spent the last few weeks convincing herself that she didn't care, and even managed to attend the funeral with a nonchalant attitude about her. She finally had to let go, as she realized sitting in her quarters in denial wasn't moving on.

"I guess I'm here because I care about you." she said slowly. "I guess it's safe to say that I wasn't as angry with you as I thought. Apparently I'm just too forgiving, even if you did ruin my life." Maliel put her head into her hands, massaging her temples and wiping tears from her eyes. "Dammit, why am I even talking to you?"

Like many well-trained masters, Maliel knew all about force ghosts. That didn't mean Kira would become one. If anything Kira would be rejected by the force, as far as Maliel was aware. She had never heard of any Sith creating a soul remnant in the force. When Kira first died, her thoughts turned to the legends, only to be disappointed in the extreme.

Kira was gone, and Maliel was left with no one.

 

[Prudence]

"It would be your style to insult the dead, you did always have to have the last words." The soft voice sounded a bit hollow and distant. Behind Maliel had come to life the glowing image of a figure from her past, the woman who had been known as Kira Elan, Darth Solum, and Darth Vanus. She bore the appearance that she had when she was 27, when she had first met Maliel - and her eyes were brown once more, lacking the sickly yellow that they had adopted upon her ascension to the seat of Dark Lord of the Sith. She was dressed in black robes, like a shadow of the ones she had once worn as a Jedi.

"It truly is good to see you again Maliel..." Kira frowned as she looked upon her, her face a mask of shame and guilt. She had committed so many atrocities during her time as a Sith Lord, including burning entire planets. She had split her personality at the time, the pure evil nature of her alter ego so pervasive that it manifested itself seperate of her own consciousness. When she had been killed that persona had lost the strength to hold Kira down, and she was left to face her actions. Not Solum's actions, not Vanus's actions, hers. She had chosen to join the Sith, she had become evil independant of Solum... hell she had created Solum.

"What are you doing here? You're too pure for an evil place like this Maliel." She had been buried on Moraband, an evil hot world, among her fellow Dark Lords. She could commune with them now, the evil spirits that had preceded her. The true irony was that all of the former Dark Lords present, Darth Cipher wasn't among them as she hadn't buried him.

 

[Proleptic]

A light breeze rolled through the chamber, pulling Maliel's hair ever so slightly into her face. Brushing the hair away, Maliel lowered herself to the floor, sitting before the casket pensively. She drew shapes in the dust idly while she got lost in an onslaught of memories. The ethereal glow that sprung to life behind her went unnoticed, despite the dim lighting in the room.

"It would be your style to insult the dead. You did always have to have the last words." Maliel smiled a little bit, but didn't turn around, nor did she give any indication that she had heard Kira's voice. To her this was all within her head. "It truly is good to see you again, Maliel..." Kira said, her voice echoing about the crypt eerily. Maliel started, the last touches of Kira's voice echoing throughout the room.

"Kira?" Maliel whispered timidly. The room stood in utter silence for a moment. Maliel's eyes roamed around the room, ending on the casket in front of her. She frowned sadly when nothing showed. She was still stuck in the depressing reality she had come to call home.

"What are you doing here? You're too pure for an evil place like this, Maliel." Maliel yelped as she heard the voice behind her, and she spun and backpedaled away from the noise, knocking her head on the casket as she shot up.

"Dammit!" She cried, hands flying to the spot where she was struck. She whimpered girlishly for a moment, eyes watering at the sensation. No matter how hardened a warrior, anyone would get watery eyes from bumping their head, right?

As her eyes blinked open, the ethereal light of Kira's astral body was cast upon her. Maliel's eyes widened, brimming with tears, as details leaked into her mind. The woman she had loved and hated stood before her, free of the misery she had been weighted with in real life. "Kira?"

Maliel stalked slowly towards the figure, the pain in her head forgotten. She reached her hand out, trying to touch the Kira's cheek, only to have her hand plunge without resistance through her ghostly form. "This can't be real." Maliel said, stepping back, wringing her fingers in her hands. Tears rolled slowly down her face as she glared at Kira's form.

"You can't be here. You were a Sith." She said spitefully. "Whatever Sith bullshit this is, it needs to stop."

 

[Prudence]

It was honestly sad to watch the poor young girl fumble around the crypt. Kira frowned as she watched Maliel practically jump, falling onto Kira's own casket. I wonder how they dressed me when they buried me. I better have looked nice for this. She pushed the vain thoughts aside for a moment, and focused on the girl before her. In life the two of them had been great friends, even possibly more than that. Kira had led the poor girl away from the Jedi, and caused her to commit murder in order to rescue Kira. She had essentially ruined her life, but there was a chance she could undo such things.

"I would say in the flesh, but I suppose that's not entirely accurate."

Kira gave a sad smile as Maliel's hand passed through her cheek, and she stepped back once more. She was crying now, and Kira wanted more than anything to reach over and wipe the tears from the girl's eyes, but she couldn't. Instead Kira's smile just turned even sadder as she met Maliel's eyes,

"It is real Maliel, it's me. This planet is entrenched in the Dark Side, all the way to its core. When a Sith is buried here they are able to manifest, much like Jedi. There is a way for us to reach the rest of the Force, but i was unable to unlock its secrets when I was still with the Empire."

She stepped forward towards her, "Maliel I can feel the conflict within you, let me help you."