Ask Umbara My Al-Chemical Romance

[Nevizkas]

Spoiler

It was always so damn cold, leaving the scorching sands of Korriban behind and returning to the galaxy at large. The whispers on the wind suggested that a certain pureblood had returned to his roost, fresh of victory and vigor of a high only success provides.

A master of potions, she called him the last time they met, much to his amusement. The look in his eye remained in the back of her mind. How times had changed for the both of them, and yet somehow, some things stayed the same.

Wearing something casual, the pureblood slipped through the academy grounds in a quiet, meandering stroll. In the dim light, she clutched a small vial between her fingers with its potency withdrawn in its un-configured state. Coming to a stop just outside the classroom, she had been told he would be in soon, Cyutadakyr turned a light on before taking a seat near the back.

"You remain in exile?" her question point blankly asked once he did arrive, in their native tongue and reminiscing back to the first time they had met with her own little twist.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Office hours were something he found infuriating, and yet it was ‘strongly advised’ that he hold them. In his opinion, if students couldn’t get what they needed during a class, they were too stupid for it anyway and were destined to fail. Umbara was far more academic than what he was used to on Korriban, but it was necessary for new recruits to be educated on more than just waving lightsabers around. With his particular curriculum now including alchemy, several students struggled through it.

The pureblood strode into his classroom, noting that someone was already there. He cast a sideways glance, spotting a familiar face there. Azar gave her a faint grin at her question, “You know nothing,” He quipped back in response, crossing his arms over his chest.

“This class is for acolytes. Do you require remedial lessons?” He asked with a teasing grin. It was a playful throwback from their earlier days of meeting and their banter. They had gone on to have several adventures of their own since and were likely different people now.

@Xorism

 

[Nevizkas]

His perfect response, tone and expression elicited a framed smirk from Cyu. His follow-up question, likewise, was received well. It was a certain kind of strange, seeing the once Acolyte who was once so far removed from the galaxy come into himself and thrive. It was proof, in another kind of way, that while Korriban needed the purebloods, they did not necessarily need the former to thrive.

"Perhaps, so long as there are no mountains to scale, Champion Kressh." She mused aloud. Even though they had briefly spoken before her meeting with the Dark Lord, it felt like forever since she had spent any significant time with Azar. Not only a familiar face, but one that shared her love of alchemy and the Dark Side itself.

"In my travels I have discovered wonders and the discarded. Knowledge and questions, of which the former always leads to the latter." She continued to ply with the one of the familiar capsules that he'd supplied her that night of the fight. "I desire to unlock the secrets of war forging, to create my very own Sith Sword." But her research had hit a dead end, and who better to speak with than another alchemist, and a pureblood at that.

A lightsaber was one thing, a symbol of the Sith Empire past but wielding a genuine Sith Sword among their people would still mean something more to some. "Korriban will collect its debts, Azar, and I cannot remain idle."

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar smirked at her quip about scaling mountains. He had been a petulant child back then. So were the rest of them. Where was Kaldar these days? And their Sith Master had vanished without a trace? Cyu’s admission about wanting to forge a Sith Sword both surprised him and didn’t. The purbelood was silent for a moment, considering her words. He didn’t miss that she still had the poison vial with her, and he recalled his own suggestions of building a powerbase outside of the Order.

“As you wish,” He said calmly, studying her, “May I ask what you intend to do with it?” Azar wouldn’t push if she didn’t want to volunteer information. He knew Korriban was in complete disarray these days even though he hadn’t returned for years. Their people were as predictable as Mandalorians - leave them without some larger governing body and they resorted to in-fighting and clan wars. If Cyu wanted to unite them under her banner, she had a long and difficult journey ahead of her.

@Xorism

 

[Nevizkas]

She tried to imagine the types of questions and absurdity that might be hurled about this very room. As a former Acolytes, they had of course made their fair share but now? Things were different. The choices they made in their youth were silly, probably harmless or only minorly so.

But now? As champions their decisions shaped worlds, shaped the order and defined themselves. Who they became as Masters and beyond would be guided by their actions now and the beliefs coaxed by their desires.

"Mount it on the wall, obviously." She teased. Azar was no fool and even if her words were masked in humor, the subcontext was more fun kept vague. Continuing, she smiled. "I do not wish to be in your debt, as fun as that sounds." Assuming his assistance resulted the breakthrough she needed, of course.

Cyutadakyr held her breath half expecting to hear a random request, or perhaps something impossible. But it was only fair to offer but neither could the pureblood accept being in perpetual debt to another. "Name it and if it is within my means, it shall be done."

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar considered her words, an amused glint in his eye. It was almost as if she was intimidated by him. When he first arrived at the Order, she hadn’t considered him a threat. Something about him changed that perception since, and the thought entertained him greatly. In truth, he had no real desire to act against her - there was a kinship there he couldn’t deny.

“Take me to Korriban with you as your guest,” He said quietly. Azar had been exiled by his own clan, but other houses could override it if someone was welcomed as a guest. It would allow him to set foot upon the planet again.

“There are forges there that can be used to craft worthy blades,” He mused aloud, wanting a new one for himself. He missed shaping those weapons in the fires of Korriban, “One that will serve the purpose you seek,” Azar gave her a faint, knowing grin.

@Xorism

 

[Nevizkas]

Of all the trinkets and knowledge, the experiences and desires, that swirled around in that big galaxy they shared, Cyutadakyr was not remotely prepared for the emotional toll that his answer laid bare.

The sinews of her heart strung a chord, memories of her own self-imposed exile flooded and overflowed the dykes. The eyes of her twin staring through hers, a bleak realisation of pain, a crippling coil as she destroyed one piece of her soul that night. Though in victory, she wept. A triumph of misery and success, yes.

She gained, yes, but at what cost?. Existence forever pained.

She knew this suffering, a love of home that went unrequited. She couldn't even look Azar in the eye as tears began to form, awash in the corner of her eyes.

Why couldn't he have just asked her to kill someone important, to find something mundane, she groaned internally. Fighting back the emotional tidal wave that she was simply too embarrassed to share, Cyu dragged her sleeves under her eyes.

"I shall take you, Azar of the Kressh."

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar had been raised to associate a lot of things with weakness. It was part of the Sith creed old and since the Drastian laws. And yet, even he couldn’t fault Cyu for the reaction she had. As the tears flowed from her eyes, he could smell the dusty and sandy air of Korriban. As she shuddered a breath, he could hear the brush of sands across the dunes. As he saw her sitting there, he could vividly picture her among their own kin, a sea of red. Few people, proud warriors, all standing together and confident in their identity. It was almost enough to break him as well.

He said nothing, walking over to rest a hand on her shoulder. Azar gazed ahead at the opposite wall at the board where he had written ur-Kittat phrases, “Do not let others see you like this,” He reminded her calmly with a squeeze to the shoulder, “Always remember you are not home,” Azar said before giving her a respectful and knowing nod.

@Xorism

 

[Nevizkas]

In these circumstances, Cyutadakyr could only force these emotions down, bottled and hidden away from the surface of prying eyes. Nodding, she glanced up towards the words of affirmation that he had placed all around. There was always a friendly warmth about ur-Kittat that one could never contextualise, never properly enunciate.

Their language weren't just words, but a symbol. Power laced within them, spoken into life and beyond. Something that outsiders would never know, or ever really understand about them and their connection to the Dark Side.

The normally coy and powerful pureblood sat there, uncertain of his motivations and desires. An uncomfortable silence followed as Cyu collected her thoughts, piecing herself back together after his words had rocked her.

Glancing back toward Azar and looking up into his eyes, she finally smiled. "You will make a potent teacher, Azar." She paused to emphasise her point, placing her hand over his. "But first, home." Raising quietly, and assuming their conversation ended, Cyu would make her way back to her shuttle, awaiting his imminent arrival once he had packed himself.

Sitting in her seat, she shuddered. A quiet recollection of her thoughts was due, and she would, but for now she was determined to show strength.

She had to.

@Sreeya