Shrewdness

[Vinny]

There were very few things that could set off Darth Cain's temper. He prided himself on being cool headed, using his passions and emotions to draw power at the most opportune time. Some called him a coward, he preferred the term 'sane'. Yet as he strode down the narrow path that stretched like an extended blade between monoliths of glossy black stone, he was furious, and he made no effort to hide his loss of temperament. A scowl shattered his normally well kept good looks and his eyes glowed with unspeakable deeds as of yet not committed.

The promenade that he walked made up the entry way to the Basilica of Tund, the very core of his precious Inquisition and the place where he found his greatest solace. He stopped at the impressive gates, carefully designed to appear as part of the walls themselves, only to thrust his hand forward. An eruption of energy threw the mighty doors open and he strode through them as the Basilica security moved to intercept. Cain tilted his head, looking each of them in the eye as they moved into position, confusion plastered on their faces. One of them lowered his weapon.

"M-my lord? What are-" He was not given an opportunity to pose his question.

"Die." Cain ordered, forcing his will upon those present. His mind blasted through their own, grasping at their will, their hearts, their emotions and drawing them all down into the pits of absolute despair. They cried out in grief that they did not understand-and never would-as they threw themselves onto their own weapons. Acrid steam rose from their corpses as Cain strode past. He raised his voice.

"Cardamon!" Cain roared. Silence gripped the basilica as he called out the name of the high priest again, and again, and again. Each time he thrust his will out into the force, grasping at columns and throwing them to the ground. Power danced around him like a hurricane, teeth of raw force power ripping through the flesh of any who dared approach him. Cain let out another empowered shout, pushing through the doors into the sanctuary.

Standing at the altar, High Priest Cardamon turned on his heel, a smile playing on his lips.

"My Lord, Darth Cain! It is an honor t-" He froze, clawing at his throat. Cain raised a hand cupped in a pinching gesture. He squeezed down on the man's trachea. Cardamon struggled, trying to use his own power to push off Cain's grip, but to no avail. Cain stormed up the steps and physically grabbed the man by the throat, squeezing him until he stopped resisting.

"Cardamon... you imbecile. You ordered that assault?" Cain bellowed into his face. The man gasped, trying to speak, his fear tasting to Cain like fine wine. "Do you think I am a fool? Do you think my Grand Inquisitor a fool?" He demanded, squeezing harder now, his fingers digging into the man's flesh as if he wanted to physically puncture it with them. The man gagged and tried to shake his head, tried to plead his case.

"You think, that because I like to have a little fun now and then that I am not a being capable of upholding my station?! What do you take me for?!" He snarled, lifting him bodily by one hand and casting him down to the steps. Cardamon tumbled, striking each step as he fell to the base of the podium. Cain rounded on him, stalking in his direction. Cardamon coughed, trying to get to his feet.

"M-my Lord! I-I-I would never!" Cardamon pleaded, dropping to his knees. His bewilderment palpable; and his embarrassment complete. Dozens of young acolytes stood in the sanctuary around them, watching as their Dark Lord rained judgment upon a sinner. "T-they were heretics, my lord! Heretics!" Cain threw out his hand and flames lept from his fingertips, coating Cardamon. Cardamon screamed, writhing in agony as the flames began to consume him.

"They were a weapon of the Empire! They were a resource! Property of the Emperor!" Cain cried, throwing out his other hand. "And you! You have outlived your usefulness to this Empire! Your wasteful disregard for my will has cost the Empire dearly! You will pay for it with your life." Cain hissed as the man fell silent beneath the blanket of flames. Cain ended his onslaught, whipping his hands down and turning to the crowd.

"Where is the highest ranking Inquisitor here? SPEAK!" He bellowed.

@EmilyHuene

 

[EmilyHuene]

What was happening before her would terrify anyone. It wasn't often that fear gripped Ashlyn Sera, but today she remembered what that feeling was. There were three sources that a Sith drew his power from, one being fear. The other was hatred. Anger and pain did little for the woman who called herself The Confessor. Lastly, zeal. Belief through faith was a Sith's truest and greatest weapons. This is what brought her to Tund today. Why today of all days was a mystery to her and frankly she feared the Darkness was trying to kill her off. A twinge of fear struck at her heart while Lord Cain went on a rampage and killed off the High Priest overseeing the Basilica.

"Where is the highest ranking Inquisitor here? SPEAK!"

Suddenly he was calling for another. What his purpose was had yet to be discovered. Ashlyn stepped forward and quickly took a bow to her master. She had kept her cloak drawn over her head which hid her face, but Lord Cain would know who she was without seeing her actual face. She was The Confessor. One of the first priestesses to bow before him back before the Inquisition took off. It was he that bound this girl's soul to another priestess as a lesson to them both. Ever since she had continued to persevere under his lessons and torment, never questioning him or his power. She was a loyal servant to the Dark side and thus to him.

While she didn't know if she was the highest ranking officer present, she wasn't about to take a poll to determine rank, "My Lord. Is there something I might assist you with?"

 

[Vinny]

The pungent stench of baked human flesh rose in the room like rose incense. A fresh cloud of smoke wafted from the corpse sizzling at the base of the steps up to the altar. Cain stood in silence as fear gripped those present. None knew what his intentions were for the next who approached him. He smiled, good, it was not the Sith way to resist fear. Feel it, embrace it, learn from it, and use it to hone their Zeal. That is the way. His lips curled into a smile as one finally overcame their fear.

Ashlyn Sera.

Cain looked down at the woman, his arms crossed behind his back. While there was no clear hierarchy among those present, most of them were of equal rank, that was the point of his question. Who among you has the gall to take charge? Is what he really asked. His lip curled and he straightened his back and looked into the crowd one more time. None had the same willful courage it seemed. Each of those faces stared at him in grim shock, none of them paled though, none of them shied away from the sight.

Cain took in a deep breath of the sickly sweet odor. Braziers around him flickering in the presence of his power.

"Ashlyn Sera, the Confessor. My, how the times have changed you." Cain hissed, stepping down from where he stood. His approach was slow, his muscles tensing beneath his body like that of a coiled snake. He took another step and loomed over her. "I do hope you do not make the same mistakes of your predecessor, High Priestess." He strode down and past her before whipping his hand in the direction of the corpse.

"You can leave that thing there. It makes for good incense." He said, his tone dripping with malice. He made his way to the door before glancing back in Ashlyn's direction. "Coming, High Priestess?"

 

[EmilyHuene]

"Ashlyn Sera, the Confessor. My, how the times have changed you. I do hope you do not make the same mistakes of your predecessor, High Priestess."

Wait....what did he just say? The Dark Lord stood over her with his frightful presence. Ashlyn tried not to let the fear control her. She stood by her faith. Faith was everything. If Lord Cain was going to kill her she would hope it was the will of the Dark side. But would she fight back? Irrelevant now. He was now walking past her and left her kneeling before him. She stood with confusion and pulled back her hood to show as such, not that he would care to look back.

"You can leave that thing there. It makes for good incense. Coming, High Priestess?"

"Right away, my Lord."

Ashlyn quickly stepped after him making double the effort to follow after the towering thing that he was. Her faith and fervor had been rewarded. All her hard work and pain had come to give her a new opportunity. She would not fail him. This was the challenge the Dark side had given her: a new post and new responsibilities that came with it.

"I live to serve the Dark, my Lord. You, as its steward command me as you please. What may I do for you?"

 

[Vinny]

"Dispense with the pleasantries, High Priestess, they do you no credit at this point." Cain intoned as he strode to the right and up the steps toward the upper levels of the Basilica. Already the corpses of those he had ended in his pursuit of Cardamon had been removed. He clicked his tongue; they should have known better than to get in his way. Crossing his arms behind his back he made his way up the sheer ebony steps.

"Your faith proceeds you, though. You have come a long way from that fateful day out on the promenade." He said, heavy boots clicking against the hard surface beneath him. He made a sharp right when they reached the zenith; making way toward his private chambers.

"But you have much to learn." He growled, stopping before the doors to his sanctum. He turned on his heel and faced her. "Prayer and self-study will only take you so far, Ashlyn Sera. You must anoint yourself with the knowledge of those who came before you. I made a mistake in allowing Cardamon to see to his own growth and self-direction in his teachings. I will not make the same mistake with you..."

He raised a hand and the doors opened behind him. Cold seeped out, cold as the surface of Hoth, a chill that clung to bone and brought joints to ache. A single flame burned in the blackness beyond the doors; a fireplace lit with barely an ember. He turned from her and strode through the doors. "Come along, High Priestess."

The room was surprisingly small, given his station, a simple square room with a cot and desk set off to one side. An altar stood in the middle of the room that was decorated with only a book and a goblet. Four columns interposed themselves in a square around the center of the room. A bookshelf near the fireplace was filled not with tomes and scrolls but with small boxes that seemed to radiate the dark side.

 

[EmilyHuene]

"Dispense with the pleasantries, High Priestess, they do you no credit at this point."

"Forgive me, my lord," she would reply under her breath. She just couldn't stop herself.

The two would then begin walking up the large stone stairs leading high into the church. Ashlyn followed closely behind Lord Cain as she'd walked these stairs a thousand times over. Yet, she still used the Force to paint her a picture in her mind just in case something had been moved or was in her way. This, along with her over-sensitive hearing and sense of smell, allowed her to see a world far larger than her peers. Ashlyn saw things like a world on fire, if you will.

"Your faith proceeds you, though. You have come a long way from that fateful day out on the promenade. But you have much to learn."

"I have read every book, my Lord. Every piece of knowledge I can get my hands on I have studied."

"Prayer and self-study will only take you so far, Ashlyn Sera. You must anoint yourself with the knowledge of those who came before you. I made a mistake in allowing Cardamon to see to his own growth and self-direction in his teachings. I will not make the same mistake with you..."

The doors behind him opened and Ashlyn was hit by a wind so cold it gave her chill bumps. She shuddered for a moment, only a moment, before letting the cold wrap over her and embrace her. The Dark was her friend. Cold was no stranger to her. The two walked into the darkness which wasn't all that different for Ashlyn due to her special sight. Still, she was nervous to enter her. Out of all the places she could travel to in their Priesthood this room remained a mystery to her. Until now.

The room screamed of evil. Darkness unlike anything else. She relished in it. The Dark side was her true master and she would preach that song to the end of her days. Her aura gently examined the room and let it form a visual image for her and she couldn't help but get curious as to what was in those boxes. It made her think of her own artifact and she would lift the chain necklace out from between her bosoms. A medallion hung from the chain and inside it a black Kyber crystal she'd sculpted herself using a liquid source that had a high affinity for the Dark side.

 

[Vinny]

The Dark Lord, as if triggered by the very curiosity that bubbled within her mind, moved toward that very shelf where the small boxes resided. He ran his fingers over the side of one of them before reaching up and taking it in his hands. He turned and walked back to the altar before opening the box and revealing the crystalline pyramid inside. It's cool glassy surface called out to her, a dark voice inside urging her to reach out and take what was buried within. Cain simply admired the holocron as he removed it from its velvety confines and placed it on the altar, moving the box aside.

"I took many of these with me after I purged the academy on Korriban," Cain said thoughtfully, stroking the artifact as if it were a beloved pet. "This one, in particular, gave me access to some... unique insights," He glanced up at her. "The owner was one Jeth Bakraa, a sychophant of Darth Andeddu's." Cain stepped aside and gestured to the pyramid.

"Open it."

 

[EmilyHuene]

Ashlyn could not hold back her excitement. Lord Cain was showing her a holocron. He was reading her mind it seemed and brought one over to her. She could feel it calling her. She wanted to open it. She wanted to learn its power. It was like a direct bible to the Dark side and "seeing" it here in person made her feel like she'd gotten her hands on the Holy Grail. Which wasn't too far from the truth it seemed.

"I took many of these with me after I purged the academy on Korriban. This one, in particular, gave me access to some... unique insights. The owner was one Jeth Bakraa, a sychophant of Darth Andeddu's. Open it."

"Darth Andeddu?" she gasped. "The Immortal God-King?" Ashlyn moved forward, hesitantly reaching for the holocron. Her fingers touched the cold metal and she'd gasp again a raspy breathy shudder. Such power. Who knew what knowledge it held. "I've heard rumors....Rumors of being able to transfer his essence into another lifeform."

This was it. She had to learn. Placing both hands around the pyramid she embraced it within her mind. Her cold, black aura stretched out from her and touched the secrets within. It began to lift from her hands as she attuned herself to the aura it held of its own. Evil thoughts of greed resided in the holocron and she picked up on those. She wanted to be greedy too. She'd never asked for anything from Cain. Now was her time to shine. She prayed to the gods and to the Force itself to allow her to open the holocron and her wish would be granted. The folds unlocked as she solved the puzzle in her mind. She willed it to open and reveal all that it had in store.

 

[Vinny]

The Dark Lord laughed, shaking his head;

"You think I would allow you to peruse the wisdom of Andeddu himself? Your thoughts betray you, my student. As I said before this is nothing but one of his supplicants, one who studied at his feet." Darth Cain said, waving his hand dismissively.

His voice fell as she set to work, determination setting her presence in the force. He smiled, tilting his head and watching the flow of power as it steadily poured out of her and into the object. Her will was... tremendous. The Holocron shone with an inner light, bathing the room in a red glow. The temperature dropped further as a flickering light began to rise from the surface of the device. Until finally the projection of a male sith in wrappings that covered every inch of skin save for his eyes stood before them.

"I am Jeth Bakraa, servant of my master, Andeddu. You stand at the gateway of my knowledge." The Gatekeeper intoned, his gaze shifting from the young woman's to the face of Darth Cain. The figure stiffened. "It has been some time since we last spoke, Steward of the Dark Side." The gatekeeper said, inclining his head in greeting. "Who is it that you have brought before me?" He said, turning his gaze back to Ashlyn, his eyes twitching with disapproval. Cain smiled.

"I do not speak for her. She is on her own." The Dark Lord hissed, rising to his feet. The Gatekeeper tilted his head in confusion before nodding in understanding.

"Speak your name, woman."

 

[EmilyHuene]

"You think I would allow you to peruse the wisdom of Andeddu himself? Your thoughts betray you, my student. As I said before this is nothing but one of his supplicants, one who studied at his feet."

"Of course," she said trying to stay humble even though his words felt like he was teasing her. The embarrassment inside her grew slightly as she was humiliating herself in front of the Lord.

She set into her work until the prism opened and it produced the hologram of the essence inside it. While she couldn't see the image she still felt the touch of his Force aura from which he'd placed into the holocron. Here was the wisdom she sought. The servant spoke to Cain as he once again was called upon only to be turned toward her instead. This was her journey.

"Speak your name, woman."

"I am Ashlyn Sera," she spoke with authority. "New High Priestess of Tund. Share with me your knowledge so that I may better myself in the Dark Truth known as the Force."