Solus

As the time ticked on by, with each minute, Solus grew more and more nervous. How much time had passed? Minutes? Hours? Days even? Did Solus choose wrong in trusting Darth Helios? Did Helios abandon them? “Oh what torture for us!” Solus suddenly exclaimed loudly, making Tear jerk up in surprise. “We must have displeased Darth Helios by not heeding his words, and as such he refuses to teach us any more! Such sadness for us, for all he showed us was this place.” For a few moments Solus began to wallow in despair, coiling again near the hound and sinking to the floor. But as quickly as he started to cry, it changed to laughter. “Ah ha ha! No no no, that’s not bad, that is good! For if he does not hold his deal up, then I am not bound to my oath to him! Yes!” Solus body shot upwards, pumping its arms once in triumph. “Yes yes! This is good, is it not? Oh how i will miss the chance to study under his wisdom, but Lady Sirena has offered her help, has she not? Yes, this will work. Oh. Oh! I am sorry Master Roshan, Sir Aliss, for not being able to go with my original plan, but it seems we are bound together longer now. Come! Let us find the Valley of the Sith Lords! Haha!” With that, Solus began to lead the way. Out of the room, up the set of stairs, the shard led the group, carrying Tear over his shoulders again. He dared not leave him alone. Once at the shrine above, Solus stopped and glanced around, as if someone else might have been there. Comforted that no one was, Solus led the way further outside, into the alleys and into the streets. “Oh what a glorious day. Our first day to acquire power! Haha!” Solus boasted as he slithered forward, not aware if Aliss and Roshan were close behind. He was just eager to find the Valley fo the Sith Lords. Solus only paused once when he reached the marketplace. People were there again, though less so. It was still early morning, and everyone had their places to be besides the market. Still, the musicians were there, each playing their own song to drown out the noises of travel. The notes were long and droning. Each musician dragged his music out as long as possible, indicating the time of day. Solus stopped when he heard the sounds. The music of a nearby bug-eyed rodian, while not beautiful, still caught his attention all the same. The snake-like tail of his began to shiver and coil randomly, and his upper torso began to sway. Solus was enjoying himself, unaware of how many people were looking at him and his precious pet on his shoulders. “Ah...such...majesty. Hmmm...Lord Roshan...Sir Aliss, it just occurred to me, how are we to find the Valley of the Sith Lords? Truth be told, I was just following the path we took yesterday under the guidance of Helios, but now...I'm unsure where to go"

Solus flinched at the scolding Aliss received. He wanted to help her, rise to her defense, but he had no words. To defend her actions would’ve meat going against Roshan. So he stayed silent. But a small part of him felt glee. Perhaps Solus was the better child of the two, and thus would receive more praise in the future. The choice then was laid to Solus. The shard nearly had a panic attack at the thought. Him deciding? Was that truly wise? Was this a test of Roshan’s? “Well, Lord Roshan…” Solus slithered around Tear, who was gently falling asleep. “...Lady Sirena is certainly a fascinating creature. She seemed to like you or something, with all those sayings...“ Solus recalled how Lady Sirena called his master kitty and offered a belly rub. Was that playful banter or something else? “But something about Darth Helios strikes me as...fascinating. Maybe its that wound of his, or something else, but I feel like power just emanates from him. Like a being who has seen the wonders of this world of worlds, and maybe destroyed a few. But then again, Lady Sirena demonstrated her power, and Helios does not seem to desire Tear…” Tear growled at being mentioned, but Solus ignored him. Instead he slithered across the room rubbing his hands together as he chatterred to himself, trying to make a decision. “Technically, we have made no oaths to Lady Sirena, and thus we are not bound to her. Well, you two aren’t at least… she did, after all, help me with that beast earlier. But all three of us have submitted to Helios. Oh what a cruel decision! Yes, yes, a difficult one.” Solus snapped his fingers suddenly and swiveled his body to face the others. “Ah ha! Since I am bound to Darth Helios, but also owe Lady Sirena our respect, we must satisfy both of them, yes? And since there are three of us, we can do just that! Lord Roshan, you stated that it will be our duty to kill you, yes? Perhaps a separation will enable Sir Aliss and I to do so later. After all, if we all learn the same, then we all know the same and be killed equally.” Solus rubbed his hands again, this time with more energy, like a child believing he had a perfect plan that could not be thwarted. “In order to satisfy my debt to Lady Sirena, I choose that Sir Aliss will meet with Lady Sirena. You two are of both similar build and gender, right? Perhaps this will allow you to learn in ways impossible for me. Yes, yes, that will do. Do you agree Sir Aliss? “I, however, must keep my word and follow the dreadsome but curious Darth Helios when he comes in the morning. After all, if I broke my word to him, how easy would it be for me to break my oath to you Lord Roshan? And this way, us children will learn in two different ways and become more powerful. That way, whichever person you choose to learn from Lord Roshan, you will have a child training separately from you and thus learn what you will not. Yes, yes…” Solus looked at Lord Roshan seeking his approval. He felt like this plan was perfect in more ways than one. If Roshan selected to follow Darth Helios, then he would see Solus progress and give Aliss some breathing space from her ‘father’. If he chose to go with Lady Sirena, which would be disappointing, Solus could then surprise Roshan with how quickly he developed under Helios. “But we must rest. I will take the first watch. Yes… and Helios will come for us in the morning, according to his words. And you Sir Aliss will find the Valley of the Sith Lords. Yes yes...but now, rest. That is what we must do.” The Shard, confident in his decision, slithered next to his hound and gently patted its sleeping body. As the two made themselves comfortable, Solus simply watched the doorway, as well as the pyramidal holocron, wondering if it could be activated again later. The next morning, Solus booted up slowly. His body stretched, his voicebox whistled in excitement. What a joy to be alive again. And it would soon be morning. Darth Helios should be here soon.

“The Valley of the Sith Lords…” Solus whispered, with a slight warble in his voice. He reached up and folded his hands together, making a slight grinding noise as they pressed and slid over each other. The name of the location was ominous to say the least. The foreboding insinuation Solus took from it was obvious. He didn’t even say goodbye to Lady Sirena as she left. “Well Lord Roshan, it seems we got what we came for here, yes? We wanted a teacher, yes? Now we have not one but potentially two to choose from! Darth Helios, while very, er, would strict be the right word? Whatever the word, his burns are certainly fascinating, and a teacher in pain I suspect he is. What knowledge he might hold! Yes, yes... he has offered to train us. But there is now also Lady Sirena! How lovely she is. Her prosthetic arm, her feminine looks… Is that the right wording? Anyways, she also has power. That energy...so godlike!” As Solus spoke he did the serpentine form of pacing, slithering back and forth in one spot. His hands kept grinding softly as he did. Tear on the floor growled softly as he laid his head down, knowing that the danger had passed. “Yes, yes...this is truly good, yes? Having options? And this place!” Solus stopped moving and gestured around himself, indicating more than just the room. “This place is magnificent! Those people out there are suspicious, except that lovely being with the voice….oooh what a voice. I could listen to that voice for a long time...and there is so much available for us! Perhaps there is more information to get from here…” Solus stopped suddenly and turned to face everyone. “But Lord Roshan...who are we to follow? Lady Sirena at the Valley of the Sith Lords? Or Darth Helios tomorrow? Sir Aliss, what do you think?”

As Solus held the lady’s hand in his own hand briefly, he was surprised. He was expecting currents of electricity and waves of power. While there was a small current of energy, no doubt helping power the prosthetic arm and reacting to Sirena’s thoughts, it wasn’t overflowing like he expected. He didn’t get a taste of the surging energy that he witnessed in the battle. Still, he did get a sense of the arm. The inner workings, how each part connected with each other. It wasn’t what he expected, but it interested him. After the momentary study of the hand and arm, Solus released the hand and bowed slightly. It wasn’t the answer he was hoping for. He was hoping to be praised or singled out for approval. Oh well, Solus would get his chance later to prove his own worth. Backing up while his master spoke, Solus now fully realized that his own pet was beginning to wake up. Still listening to the conversation, Solus slithered his way to Tear, who growled his usual growl at the robotic being. Solus growled back in a similar fashion, hoping it could be some kind of greeting. Tear bared his teeth in response. Solus stopped and thought. He couldn’t do that. So instead he reached forward and flicked one the sith hound’s small, still growing tendril-like extensions from it’s head. The hound flinched but growled again. “Interesting” Solus muttered. Tear could feel through his head-tendrils? The other hounds on Ishvara had no such tendrils but hardened horns. Maybe they would developed into those? Or maybe they would simply extend and allow Tear to have more perception of his surroundings? Questions for later. Solus turned back around to face the group, eager to hear Lady Sirena’s decision. He wasn’t eager to wait here either. Perhaps she would take them to a better place where he could impress her more, or where he could tend to Tear’s wounds better.

Solus wasn’t too insulted at being referred to as an it. Truth be told, he barely understood gender already. But he was a little insulted that he was being described without being spoken to directly. Still, his master was making talk. And some of the talk was enlightening. Talk of shards and iron knights. So there were others like him who were ascended. And they fought. Why else would one be struck down by a ‘General Grievous’? Then Roshan made another comment. “Plucked from among a pile of useless ones and given new purpose” Solus turned and stared coldly at his master. What others? He wanted to ask this, cold and harsh. Were they his family that had turned him out so long ago? Were they the ones that had cut him off? Where were they? Did Roshan have them with him? Or were they still in that world they had left? Solus desperately wanted to ask, but did not. He dared not be rude to the two ‘adults’ in the room. Still, he did not break his gaze from his master. And his gaze, artificial but not lifeless, did not betray him and ask these questions either. He was studying his master again, this time going over all that he carried, analizing all the potential hiding spots. Where could he possibly keep his siblings and parents? Perhaps in a pocket, or a bag back on the ship. Or maybe in his own weapon, like the lady mentioned. Or maybe Aliss… "So does that mean you can teach us how to use the holy croms and unlock the powers inside like Lord Roshan and Darth Helios have?" Solus turned his sensor back to Aliss and studied her in the same light. Where would she keep such crystals. Did she know Roshan had the crystals? Of course she would, she was there at his ascension. So then why didn’t Roshan tell him that he had been found with others? Where could they be? In her pockets? No, she wasn’t that important. Or was she? Solus again looked back at Roshan. Where would he keep Solus’ family? His cursed, ignorant, hurtful family? Was she better then him? No, they were equals...weren’t they? Solus had an idea. “Yes great Lady Sirena!” he exclaimed loudly, almost out of the blue. “Surely if you are able to produce energy from your...lovely hands…” As Solus spoke this he lowered himself as if to study Sirena better. His serpentine body coiled more and more, clinking in that dark room, as his right hand extended out in invitation. “...then you must be great enough to train one of us! Provided you found us worthy, yes? I hope our trial of restraint that evolved into a trial of combat proved that at least one of us are worthy of apprenticeship? " If he could get Lady Sirena to show approval of Solus over Aliss, then perhaps Roshan would look more kindly on Solus and reveal where he kept the other crystals. Or even let him carry the crystals. How great it would be to have power over those who had wounded him so.

Solus listened to his master’s words and more then once was about to pipe up. When Roshan banged on his own chassis, Solus didn’t flinch, but could feel the power behind the cat’s muscles. “Droid?” Solus started. This word felt slightly familiar to him. Like from one of his visions. Which was it? No matter, why was Roshan questioning this person. “Perhaps she’s…” Solus started, but stopped himself as Roshan continued. Instead he looked at Aliss and then at the strange lady. Roshan did have some points, or at least Solus assumed so. He had no idea how this world worked. If anything, Solus had no idea about himself. He knew he was a being, ascended to this new form. That was enough for him. But perhaps he should ask more questions. That could be a good idea. After all, if he was to serve his master dutifully and with excellence, he would need knowledge of this world and how to interact with it. And thus, he needed knowledge about himself. He needed to know about his body, his ascension, and his capabilities with ‘the force’. Course, the force or the ‘way of the wicked flame’ was why he was here, but he could also do some digging about himself. And this...Darth Hel. This was a name he would have to investigate. Still, Roshan was putting himself in a position uncomfortable for Solus. But he had ascended Solus, and thus Solus would keep quiet. And so he waited to hear Lady Sirena’s answer.

Solus nodded and obeyed Roshan’s order without question, coiling against the wall Roshan was near. "That is wise Lord. Very wise. I must admit, I am not as wise in combat as you are Lord. All I seem to be good at is pummeling. Perhaps my wisdom will eventually grow observing you." When the being showed herself again, mentioned how Solus had done as expected and eyed him, Solus couldn’t help but feel a smidge of pride form inside of him. This being, while new and strange to him, had in a way complimented him. And that felt good. Even as she turned and spoke to his master and introduced herself, Solus found himself studying her. She was much different from Sir Aliss, though being of the same gender. Her stature and form was entirely different. Where Aliss carried herself like a snake with a purpose, this being carried herself more delicately. Her skin appeared more smoother then Aliss, as well as a much different color. But the two were both fairly hairless on first glance, and had two arms and legs. Still, this being was a different species compared to the others in the room. "Forgive my manners. I am Lady Sirena. As for the Holocron, the test was to resist, not touch it. But Master Helios was never one for all the details and preferred his students to play with fire." Solus nearly mentioned to Aliss about how she was wrong to touch the so-called ‘Holocron’, but he silenced himself before that. That would be a foolish move on his part, would it not? Aliss was a child of Roshan. It did no good to berate her. She was probably smart enough to realize her error. If not, then Roshan was in the clear position to point out her error, not Solus. When Sirena mentioned how she wasn’t part of the test, Solus visibly became a bit more open. His body slouched slightly, his arms lowered out of a defensive pose. “That certainly makes me happy to hear...Lady Sirena.” Solus cherished the title Lady as his synthesised voice uttered it slowly. It sounded so much different from Sir and Lord and Darth. “This here is Lord Roshan. We are his children. Sir Aliss…” Solus realized how Aliss was still on the floor. He slithered over and bent down to offer her a now clean hand to rise. Solus was almost disappointed that he didn’t get a chance to study the blood and brain matter from the battle. “So sorry about that Sir Aliss. Let me help you. And I am Solus, Lady Sirena. Solus the Ascended. And he is Tear..." Once done with Aliss, Solus pointed to his currently unconscious hound. "If you, Lady Sirena, are not part of the test, then why are you here? Are you a person who uses what Darth Helios calls ‘the wicked flame’? Surely you are some sort of deity, for that energy that crackled from your fingertips was godlike.”

As the two squared off with each other, Solus raised his arms in a defensive pose, ready to strike at the monster. The Monster, with one eye bleeding a dark hue of blood from the injury Solus had given it, dragged its hands across the floor as it tried to circle the shard. It growled and feinted, then smacked the ground once with a hand. Solus didn’t flinch. But what happened next made him flinch. The sound of crackling thunder boomed in the room. Solus brought his hands up to cover his own sensor from the sudden light but stopped as he saw what was happening. Another being had entered the room. A short feminine figure, with a blade in one of her hands similar to the ones Roshan and Aliss carried. Questions for later. The beast had been pushed forward it seemed and was being shocked with deadly energy. It was off kilter and in pain, screaming for relief. Solus could not waste the moment. He charged forward, and grabbed it by the tusks. The energy was still coursing through it. Energy that Solus could sense. For a split second, his natural electromagnetic sense felt all the parts the energy touched. He could see its weakness. "Hahahaha!" Solus laughed as his grip tightened. The beast roared and tried to fight in its pain, but Solus acted first. Holding on to both tusks, Solus pulled in opposite directions. The right side bent back slightly, splitting some of its skin open, revealing the muscle underneath. The left tusk snapped off in Solus’ hands. Armed with this new weapon, Solus spun the tusk in his hand and then, like he did with his metal attachment earlier, plunged it into the monster’s good eye. Blood squirted everywhere as the tusk sunk into the screaming monster. But to Solus it wasn’t enough. With both hands, he grabbed the monster by the face and placed his thumbs where both eyes should have been. Solus roared as did so, once again imitating the sound of that one alpha hound back in the cave on Ishvara. With delight, he pushed as hard as he could, causing both the tusk and the broken robotic part to penetrate the monster’s skull into its brain tissue. The mixture of grey brain matter and crimson blood squirted out violently over Solus’ sensor, forcing him to literally see red. He still pushed. He still roared. He would not stop until this thing that had harmed his pet was dead. The thing collapsed backwards, lifeless. Now momentarily silent, Solus reached up and wiped his sensor gently, restoring his vision. “Who was that? Being, who are you?" Solus called out, not sure where the mysterious figure had gone. It seemed all the monsters were destroyed. And this being had helped. “Being, wait!” Solus called out, but stopped short of rushing after her. His attention had been drawn to his unconscious hound. He rushed to its side and gently nudged it. Tear was breathing steadily. He was only sleeping now. “Lord Roshan…” Solus started. He looked to his own master in curiosity, then at Aliss. His sensor changed its hue slightly to a darker yellow in anger. Her actions had inadvertently injured Tear. “Lord Roshan, was that a test? A test of combat? If so, then I believe we passed. But who was that? Who was that being that helped us?” As he spoke, he turned away from Aliss. Instead he looked at his master, and moved towards the area where the lady had vanished.

Solus stopped wrestling with Aliss when he heard something. A growl. Tear was growling. And it wasn’t like a growl from when the two were traveling on the planet. This growl was threatening. A way to intimidate someone. Like back in the cave where Solus had first broken the hound’s legs. Solus silenced himself long enough to say, “Tear, not now, please, I ca-” A slam of force sent Solus flying off Aliss and into a wall. The crash of metal into stone as Solus plastered into the wall was audible enough for everyone. The shard fell to the floor with a clatter, dazed at what had just happened. His senses told him that he was undamaged, but he certainly felt rattled. “What the...” Solus started as he looked up. It was just in time for him to see a clawed hand swiping at his eye sensor. Instinct kicked in. Solus barely moved down in time. The claws scratched the wall leaving some marks, but nothing else. The beast grunted and growled as it raised it arms to smash the robotic being. Solus arms moved. Grabbing the thing’s calloused chest, Solus gave a shove, forcing the thing to stubble back a few steps. Hoisting himself with his tail, Solus followed it and punched the thing’s face. It’s apelike body fell backwards but began to pick itself up. Solus was about to launch another attack on it when another noise distracted him. Barking and hissing. “Tear!” Solus exclaimed. The hound was helpless on the ground, barking a storm at one of the beasts. Another large creature was eyeing Tear hungrily. It dragged its front arms on the ground a bit as it tried to circle Tear, eager to tear him up. And all Tear could do was bark and hiss warnings. Solus couldn’t let that happen. Without a second thought Solus started to charge at the beast. But he was stopped suddenly. The first beast Solus attacked was recovered and standing on the robot’s tail. It roared as it brought down a claw. It landed between Solus’ left shoulder and arm joints. The damage could be felt. Solus screeched in pain. A few more centimeters in and his arm would have been disconnected from the chassis. Without thinking, Solus’ right hand opened up. He had felt this earlier in his hand. He wasn’t sure what it was, but instincts were telling him what to do now. From his palm, a small metal ‘scomp link’ was produced. With it, Solus drove the small metal extension into the thing’s eye. It screeched and howled in pain as it jumped back, blood squirting from it’s wound. Solus winced momentarily as his scomp link was broken off, left embedded in the thing’s eye. He didn’t care though. His pet was in trouble. Solus turned again and launched himself at the beast who was about to maim his precious pet. Solus landed on top of it and began to repeatedly punch it over and over in the face. Blood covered his metal hands as he proceeded to fight with a rage he had not known he had. He brought the full force of his tail on the thing’s chest, holding it down. With each punch, the fury in him grew. This was it. “Leave! Tear! ALONE! Raaaaa!” Solus screeched as he pummeled the beast. The thing opened its mouth and caught a hand in its gullet. It clamped down on the metallic part and refused to let go. Rather than be scared, or feel pain, Solus instead grabbed whatever he felt inside and pulled, using his other hand to brace himself on the thing’s face. In pain, the beast screeched, releasing Solus’ hand. What followed was bloody. Solus had grabbed some important part of the beast and tore it out. Blood sprayed everywhere. The beast sputtered and struggled to breath a few moments. Solus didn’t get a chance to see if he was victorious. The previous monster had regained its composure and launched itself at Solus. It’s claws tore through Solus’ back, nearly cutting to the wires inside. The beast tumbled over Solus, but using the wall as a brace, turned and landed on top of the being, holding him down with one massive foot. Pinned, Solus was helpless as the thing began to beat the robotic being, it's bleeding eye dripping over the Shard. “Help! Someone, help!” Solus screamed in pain as he was attacked. He didn’t expect Tear to be the one to hear him. Now that they were close enough to the hound, Tear could do something. While he couldn’t move very well, Tear was able to get close enough to latch onto the thing’s leg that wasn’t holding Solus down, tearing at a tendon. The beast was surprised by this new attack. It reacted by stepping off Solus, grabbing Tear and throwing the hound across the room towards where Roshan and Aliss were. Tear yelped in pain as he hit the opposing wall and fell unconscious. Solus got back up and faced the beast. It did the same with him. Bloodied and beaten badly, the two squared off, prepared for another round of fighting. “That…was a mistake” Solus growled, unaware how Roshan and Aliss were doing

“Soulless, can you grab this girl before she does something stupid to jeopardize us all,” The robotic being looked at where Roshan gestured. Aliss was moving towards the pyramidal object in the center of the room. Solus, already coiled over himself, began to tense up. Aliss’ hand, his sister, was going to grab that sacred object that Darth Helios warned to not touch. “Sir Aliss, please don't…” Solus began to beg. He didn’t want to fight. He didn’t want to hurt someone he knew. Much less someone he had begun to care for so quickly. But if she disobeyed… His choice was made for him. Aliss had grabbed the object. Instinctively Solus launched himself at Aliss. His coiled body sprang, giving him the momentum of a vehicle. As he launched himself, his voice box changed from the synthetic but gentle voice to a harsh screeching sound of danger. Not as high pitched as when he fought the hounds on Ishvara nor not nearly as loud, but nonetheless high pitched and startling. Aliss turned to the flying robot just in time for Solus to crash with her, head first. Solus landed on top, barely preventing himself from having his tail crushing the girl. Realizing that Aliss was still holding the object, and not wanting to touch it himself, Solus’ hands clamped around both of the being’s wrists and began to squeeze. This vice-like grip, ensured there would be large bruises. Solus, still screeching, looked at Aliss face. Even as he screeched in warning, words crackled out, barely audible, as if he was trying to both be aggressive but pleading. “Please Aliss.... Let it go. Please...Why would Helios test us in this way? Please…” On the last word of please, Solus’ hands gripped tighter, trying to get Aliss to let go of the sacred object. No one was to touch it. But Aliss had already failed. Maybe if he could get her to let go quickly, the punishment for them wouldn’t be as harsh. And Roshan was watching. Solus had to obey the deity that gave him life. He just hoped he wouldn't have to break Aliss' wrists like he broke Tear's legs.

“Well...this is different” Solus muttered after a few moments Darth Helios left. The darkness that swallowed the room was thick, almost palpable. But to Solus, it wasn’t frightening. It wasn’t something that filled him with fear. Rather, it excited him. “Lord Roshan, I must say, this darkness is... not exciting per se, but interesting... “ Solus started. The sound of the large robot shifting in the darkness was something very audible. Metal scratching across the stone floor, trying to find a position that suited him. Still, as he spoke, his yellow sensor stayed perfectly still; a yellow eye floating in the blackness, and above it, the two small fiery orbs of Tear. “Before you ascended me, I had known nothing. This blackness, this...thing…” Solus started, gesturing with his arms to the darkness around him, as if he could be seen. “It's something that I hadn’t known before. In my state before ascension, I knew the void. I knew nothingness. I knew…oblivion. This...blackness...this darkness, yes, is something that I had not known before… for this is truly something. Even if it's just a curtain over everything else, it is something...” The sound of Solus’ tail moving changed slightly. The slow and clunky sound of metal pushing and pulling changed to a rapid, quiet clinking. The yellow eye moved in the darkness, turning away from where the others were for a moment, trying to study the room that had become impossible to study. Metal scratched on stone momentarily. A hand had found a wall. “It’s...amazing. I truly am in a fantastic world, where the wonders of both shadow and light can be shared in one place. How great it is to be ascended to such a plane, where magnificent wonders are trivial fragments of something truly extraordinary.” Solus froze and looked around. He realized that without any other source of light, he was completely blind to where the others were in the room. For a moment, a fear began to creep into the shard’s chassis. This was what it was like before his ascension. But that fear evaporated instantly. Solus, while not able to see the others, instinctively knew that he wasn’t alone. “Lord Roshan...how do you think we will be tested?” Solus asked as he gently laid Tear onto the ground gently. He had found a wall and placed his back to it, figuring that as long as he kept looking in one direction, the others could see both his and his hound’s eyes. Quietly the robotic being coiled himself into a kind of ‘sitting’ position, as he awaited for an answer from the darkness.

Tear growled at the words Helios spoke, as if it understood that it was being addressed as something to be killed. It’s glowing eyes glared with hatred towards this being. It’s teeth were bore out slightly. Solus squeezed the hound’s legs in an attempt to silence it, though that did nothing to quell the low ruble from the hound’s throat. Truth be told, Solus shivered at Helios’ words again. The thought of these people betraying and attacking him for Tear made him nervous. The imagery of Lord Roshan and Sir Aliss losing their skin was enough to get Solus to pause momentarily in shock. A quick glance at the people around revealed nothing but several faces glancing in his direction. Were they hungrily eyeing Tear? Were they plotting on how to take him down? “Surely, if these people see such potential gods like me in this way, how do real gods like my Lord see me? I must grow stronger...yes, I must. Yes, yes...I will prove myself and these other people of my might sometime.” As Solus mutterred to himself, loud enough for any passerby to hear, Tear hissed slightly. His eyes were intent on Solus’ sensor. When Solus glanced at the beast, it glanced downwards towards Solus’ chest. Solus looked down and thought for a moment at what Tear might've been saying. Eventually, he nodded in understanding. “Indeed Tear. You can defend yourself…” Solus started as he released a hand to rub the claw marks that Tear himself had given him in their first encounter. That battle was only the other day, and as his first battle, it was infused in Solus’ memory. “...or at least you can when you have your front legs. But don’t worry. You are mine, and thus under my protection for now. And these...beings…” Solus glanced around again. He stopped when he saw a few more beings staying still, their eyes on the Shard being. It was obvious they were more than curious in both Solus and his pet. In a millisecond, Solus mentally adjusted his voice box. With a rough unpracticed mimicry, he produced the low growl of the Tuk’ata alpha from Ishavara, which rose to a bark, and ended with a slight hiss. The on-lookers took the message and went on to their own business. “Heh...these beings will fear me soon enough. And Lord Roshan will be happy. And Sir Aliss.” Solus raced after the group, a bit more pride in his slithering. Through the marketplace, the group went. The shard couldn’t help but admire how everyone backed away from Helios and his staff of power. Surely this being did have power and Solus had made the right choice to surrender himself to his teachings. However, when the group arrived at the building and went inside, Solus glanced around and wondered. “Darth Helios, this place...this is an alter correct? That implies this is a place of worship. But what is it that we worship? Don’t you, as a god in this world of worlds, control things like the Force? Why worship something else?” As he spoke, Solus made a point not to look at Roshan. He realized his question could potentially get an answer that directly contradicted what Roshan had taught him already. Roshan had told Solus that they, as gods, did not obey the Force. And what was worship if not complete obedience?

Solus marveled and admired as the sands blew away and the opening was made through no visible means. The ground...the very ground they stood on was a door! Solus looked at Roshan and gave a nod, the only way he could demonstrate his excitement without speaking. He dared not interrupt this Darth Helios’ actions. Solus followed without hesitation at Roshan’s orders, excitement building inside of him. He didn’t think how this could be a trap, or a test, or anything else. He simply followed. Down the stairs he slithered, each step receiving a slight thud as his metal body went down. It took some balance, and more than once Solus had to let go of one of Tear’s legs to steady himself, but he moved onwards. He also had to stop once or twice to look at his surroundings. The place was nothing like the place of his ascension back on Ishvara. This was both natural and unnatural. Metal perfectly melded into stone that was clearly worked on. The shadows under the gargoyles' eyes were both lifeless but alert. And the walls… When the walls closed in, Solus couldn’t help but release one hand on Tear and feel the walls and their etchings. The history here was so fascinating and complete, but beyond the shard’s comprehension. He felt like he could stay in this tunnel for several years and be no closer to understanding their meanings. “This...isn’t this something Tear? Sir Aliss? Lord Roshan? My my, I could stay here for...well not long but...” Solus rambled as his fingertips traced the engraved image of a large monster. It captivated him. As something newly born into this galaxy, everything was a beautiful painting to his eyes. After that momentary pause, Solus realized that Helios had gone further ahead without waiting for him, and he was blocking the path. Solus picked up his pace and slithered forward again. “Darth Helios, excuse me, but where are we…” Solus stopped. The view in front of him stunned him. The sight of a city under the ground absolutely took his entire being away for a brief second. In that second, Solus saw so much. So much life as bodies moved about, each with their own purpose. And the noises they made! Some were speaking in tongues unknown, some were clomping around, others were making whispers and hisses. Solus sighed in both amazement and sadness. So much life in one place. It was like before his ascension and before he was alone. "Roshan, Solus, Aliss. What do you see?" “Enemies. Competition. Strange ants that we don’t know and I don’t trust.” “You’ll have to excuse the girl, Master Helios. She spent her entire life on Ishvara...” Solus could feel the tension behind him. It was clear that Aliss was not used to being under Roshan’s wishes. To be fair, Solus was only used to it cause he had known no other way yet. “I...I see…well I see a place of life...of...potential. A place to possibly learn or...” Solus started, trying to put his words to thought when suddenly… “You! Little droid...” A silky smooth voice called out. Solus turned his attention sideways and looked around, not seeing where the voice had come from. It wasn’t until he glanced towards some steps did he see the creature. A being slightly shorter than Roshan, dressed in black moth-eaten robes approached the group. Over its head it kept a mask of pure black, with only the two small slits for eyes and it’s red painted beak exposed. “Little droid…” the thing cooed as it held out a hand, revealing the large leathery wings that were fitted into the robe. “How much for that... specimen?” Solus was surprised and had to stop. This being’s words were smooth and long, with tones that rose and fell like music. “Specimen?” “Yes...that young hound...never had I seen such a....specimen...how much?” “Oh! You mean Tear!” Solus exclaimed and shifted the beast a bit on his shoulders so he could see better. Tear studied the thing carefully. When it reached forward to pet the beast, Tear snapped once at the fingers of the strange being. The merchant laughed as it brought its hand back. “Yes….Tear….that hound is such a...beauty...You must be extremely well programmed...to catch such a beast...How much?” The being stepped closer. Solus leaned back, nervous at what was happening. He glanced around and saw that the others were moving forward without him. “I...uh...he’s mine. To, um, tame, as my master said. Yes that’s it, Tear is for me to tame.” The being’s black eyes widened at this. “Ah...you are owned...such a pity...so then that is owned...as well…” Solus swayed slightly to either side to the being’s voice. Like some kind of snake hearing a tune, Solus felt his own mind sway slightly. It was so musical. So magical. “I...uh, no….I am pledged to...um, why do you want Tear?” The being chuckled a soft chuckle again. “Why, don’t you know the value…. of the mighty Tuk’ata? Especially such a young... pup like that? Why…” The being, who Solus thought may have been female but had no way of telling, reached forward to attempt to stroke Tear, who growled a warning. “Their teeth can cut through many things... at a ripe age...their claws are a fine alchemical ingredient…. Why those eyes… very healthy...I could make very strong potions...hmm… “Potions?” Solus asked, curious at this word. The being spotted this curiosity, and cooed again. “Little droid…” Leaning forward the figure stared its abyssal eyes into the shard's reticle. “If you ever become unowned, or maybe...you want to sell Tear, find me...Kirrinisha....now take care….little droid.” Without another word, the strange birdlike thing turned and wandered off, humming to itself. Solus could only stare for a moment wondering what had just happened. It was also now that he began to feel the eyes on him. Many beings were watching the strange looking droid carrying a wounded sith hound, wondering what it may do. “Ah...I uh...Roshan? Roshan?” Solus began to panic, realizing the others had moved forward without them. But that settled once he spotted a green cloaked figure. Figuring it was Helios leading the others, Solus chased after them. “Ah please Roshan, don’t be mad. Don’t be mad. What am i saying, of course he’ll be mad...ah kriff...still, that being. Such a lovely voice. But potions? What the heck are those? And what's alchemical ingredients…clearly I’ll have to ask the others about those…” Solus made his way forward, and soon was right behind his lord. “Yes, opportunity! That is what I see! Haha!” Solus faked a laugh, hoping that the others weren’t disappointed with him being sidetracked.

As Solus watched the two, the stranger pulled his hood back revealing his face. Instead of revulsion or horror like many people may have had, the Shard had a sense of awe and curiosity. He had examined his hound’s wounds and had been fascinated earlier. Why wouldn’t he find these different, appearent and extreme wounds more so? Still, the tone the stranger spoke with made Solus flinch slightly. Being robotic didn’t mean he had thick skin. It was apparent that Roshan had not made the being happy. Panic set in Solus’ mind. Without thinking he slithered up quickly and almost laid a hand on his lord’s shoulder, just as Aliss had done to him, but stopped a few inches away, too scared to touch his lord. Instead he whispered, “Allow me, my Lord, to speak to Helios. For I believe this being can help us, and if not, then I will fight on your behalf as the loyal child I am…” With that and not waiting for a response, Solus slithered forward a bit more, his metal tail leaving a thick trail in the sand. When he was a few feet ahead of Roshan, he bowed slightly to the man. Tear was struggling to stay still and on top, but kept his eyes on the man all the while with its glowing eyes. “Forgive my words if they are empty,” Solus started, bowing slightly deeper, though with his height it put him only a few inches shorter than the human named Helios. “My name is Solus the Ascended, the to-be god slayer as my master, Lord Roshan, dictates. This beast I carry and tame is Tear. I trod recklessly because I am only newly ascended to these worlds of worlds... “ Solus did not look up, hoping this sign of respect would be enough to calm the man down. Solus feared that if Helios became more angry, Roshan would be angry, and Aliss and Solus would be just a burden to defend. He had to help, even if it was by showing respect at a slight cost of dignity. Course there was a risk that he would make Roshan angry too, but he had to try. “ I, like my Master and Sir Aliss, are conduits of the Force. But I do not know the way to control it. If this ‘Wicked Flame’ and the Force are truly related, then I must request for your knowledge. Your knowledge...or the pain you offer. If either will help us, then I will take it, for everything is better then the abyss I have known...” Solus looked up at the man, his own yellow eye taking in all the features of this being. The scars were so fascinating, nothing like the broken bones in Tear’s legs. He did not fully understand what could have caused those yet, though he would learn eventually. “Darth Helios, deity of the Wicked Flame, guide us. I, Solus the Ascended, or however you must title me, request this.” As Solus awaited Helios' response, he bowed his head again, and stayed silent. Tear kept his eyes on the man though. However, he too was silent as well, recognizing that his own master was putting himself and his very young hound at great risk. At great risk to this being who spoke that old language so easily. Please Roshan. Be impressed by my initiative. I do this for you... Solus begged silently, feeling his lord’s eyes on him.

With each word that passed between his lord and the stranger, Solus grew more and more twitchy. Tear listened carefully, a semblance of understanding in his eyes, but for Solus, there was only confusion. And a little bit of annoyance and impatience. “Its a pity we can’t just continue on. Or at least speak common” Solus mutterred, only loud enough for Aliss to overhear. “I mean, we came here for...what was it? Right, seek a Sith master. Funny, I remember what Sith means. Its a name for one of the gods of these worlds. From my visions. Pity I didn’t have any visions about what’s being said…” As Solus muttered, Tear hissed once at the being, as if to tell him to shut up. Solus glanced at the hound, and shook his own head in annoyance. Those visions long ago...they were a comfort and a pain now. A comfort because he felt that they gave him some kind of insight into this world of worlds. But a pain because not all of them were good. In fact, a bunch were actually painful. Like the one Solus had recalled in his battle with Tear and it’s brother, Rip. The sounds of destruction, like screaming of beings, crunching and crashing of ships and buildings, the booming of explosions and the crackling of fires. The sight of people killing each other out of pure panic as overhead a large sphere was coming crashing down onto the populace below. And those other gods that fought to prevent that, utilizing their magnificent powers to slow the descent of that celestial object. Solus shook himself. His lord had said something in the tongue he understood. Something about weapons, but having been lost in thought, Solus didn’t hear it fully. He could only infer what was said by observing Sir Aliss putting away her weapon. “I should get myself one of those…” Solus mused, noticing the weapon. It was something truly unique and powerful. A true weapon for a god slayer like he was to be. Lord Roshan returned to speaking in the unknown tongue. Solus sighed and slumped slightly. Still, this stranger was curious. Solus studied him for a bit. Was he Sith? Or was he not even a deity?

Solus flinched when Roshan ordered him and Aliss to shut up. He moved faster, carrying his hound over his shoulders. He silently cursed himself for being distracted and being noisy. However, he kept pace with Aliss until the two caught up. “Thank you, Sir Aliss…” Solus whispered back to his friend. Tear growled softly. Solus looked over the figure in the distance. He didn’t understand the words it spoke, but he shivered at them. It appeared Tear either understood them, or at least recognised them in some form, for his ears perked up, his tail swayed sporadically. Solus squeezed the hound’s hind legs slightly, to which he received a growl and hiss in turn. “Oh come on, Tear, what is he?” Solus asked out loud, then immediately tried to be quiet, remembering Roshan’s words just a moment ago. With a whisper, he asked “Sir Aliss, what is that being?” When the two caught up, and Solus heard his master describe his knights to the unknown figure, Solus leaned over slightly and spoke softly. “What’s an anorexic hutt? Is that a compliment? And what is our lord saying? Tear, do you know?” Tear stayed silent, watching Roshan and the stranger. And Solus watched as well.

“The Force…” Solus mused over Roshan’s words for a bit. “Force. Darkside. Yes, that feels correct. Maybe its because of the darkness around us, but yes, that feels...perfect. Like a touch of something wild. Or chaotic. But tranquil inside somewhere. Like something cold, but waiting to be hot. Like...yes, darkside sounds right. I like that…” As the shard mused, he followed his lord, his words lowering into a mumble. He wasn’t sure if he was feeling nervous at this planet and that was why he was talking so much or if it was something else. Still, he continued to prattle on while Tear on his shoulders and ignored its master entirely. Instead, the hound simply looked around at the darkness. “I must say, this place is something beyond me. When i said a world beyond worlds, I knew what i meant, but I had forgotten all the senses I had experienced. Like this...sand? Dirt? Whatever it is, it is much different than the metal back where I ascended. Like a grinding sensation, but so much lesser then the grinding of my own gears. And I feel like I should be cold, like one of my visions, but I do not. Perhaps something about me is incomplete. No, I feel like that is wrong...hmmm? Oh sorry Sir Aliss, you asked something?” As Solus listened to Sir Aliss’ question, he had to pause in thought for a moment. He realized that he was still learning what he called ‘the language of sound’ as he himself hadn’t noticed how his Lord and Aliss both pronounced his name differently. “Well, Sir, truth be told, I’m unsure myself. You see, us shard’s aren’t accustomed to names really, and sound is something new to me still.” Solus glanced back at Aliss and realized he needed to explain himself. “You see, us shards are immobile by nature. We grow from the rocks around us, and we generate subtle hints of heat and electricity with thoughts. But we do not move. Thus, we are always connected. We knew each other almost perfectly. Not like how I now know that the ship is back that way…” Solus gestured with his head in the direction the group had come from. “But really know each other. We could know each other’s thoughts. We communicated by simply thinking. We knew each other. When we referred to each other, we simply were called brother, or sister, or parent. So I didn’t have a name for most of my life. " “But as you noticed, I had a name at my ascension. And that is because of my visions. For some reason, I had visions, if that is what you call them. Maybe experiences would be a better term, for I didn’t just see. I felt. I smelled. I heard. And these ‘experiences’ were amazing. Eye-opening. Full with energy and life and color and...well, everything! It is how I knew of this...world of worlds. Imagine, experiencing something new, something beyond your comprehension. That is what i had.” “After my first experience, my family grew distant from me. They named me. They called me Solus the Singular. That is when I became separate. As time went on, I had more experiences. Eight of them I think. And each time, I tried to share them with my family. But it's like explaining color to...beings who had never had sight before! How do you explain the sensation of sound to beings with no ears? Or the idea of moons and planets to things that have never left a cave?” Solus gave a deep sigh. His entire body was drooping forward, with his head hung low. His voice had become softer and slower. His emotions were clearly visible. “They declared me sick. They declared me mad. And with that, they somehow cut me off from them. I do not know how, but they had separated themselves from me. I lost all connection to them and became alone. The last thought I heard from them was declaring me Solus the Lonely. And then...nothing…” The robotic being stopped slithering forward. He was remembering the experience. It was so real to him at the moment. The emptiness. The void. The silence. The loneliness. Tear perked up, sensing the emotion that was rising within the being. “Imagine losing all of your senses. Your ears. Your eyes. Your body. You can only think. There isn’t even blackness because you can’t see color. Just nothingness. Now also imagine being alone. But you knew you weren’t alone. That somewhere, beyond you there were others and if you could only reach out you would no longer be alone. If you could only speak, you could break the eternal silence that is consuming you. But you can’t because you don’t have arms. You don’t have limbs or a body. Your tongue is your thoughts. Your sight are your thoughts. All you have is your thoughts and memories of better times. Can you? Cause that's what I had to go through!” Solus words became louder and sharper, rising in tone. He dropped Tear from his shoulders to the ground, who yelped sharply in pain. Solus ignored his actions, instead now raising his arms and yelling at the moons overhead. “That is what I had! A better time, where I was perfectly in tune with my family! And then a vision of something even greater! And then nothing! I was cut off from my family! From everything! They cut me off from everything that made me whole! They cut me off from the experiences! They vanished too! I didn’t have another one to give me comfort. To give me life! To give me anything! I was alone! And broken! And nothing! I might as well have been nothing!” Hitting the climax of his emotion, Solus slammed his fists down into the ground. The sound of his hands hitting the ground made a large thud, but nothing more. The dirt around the group flew, but nothing else. But even then, the shard inside the body screamed it’s odd silent scream. It’s red glow and momentarily turned black, with each white line dashing about violently. The Force rippled and reverberated from the chassis, echoing silently, unperceivable except to those attuned to it. After the momentarily silent scream, Solus paused, feeling the anger drain from him. He now felt empty, like some kind of husk. Like the energy in him had been drained, even though he was still at near full power. Slowly, he raised himself and turned back to Aliss. “And now here I am. In a body in a world of worlds. Tell me Sir Aliss, does it sound like I have found peace with this body? Cause I don’t remember peace anymore. I feel joy, but I don’t know about peace. Or does it sound like I have no soul? I know I had one when I had my family. When I truly knew someone. But now, i don’t know anything. I simply don’t know.” Solus reached and picked up the hound again, and began to make his way forward. “Call me whatever our Lord desires. After all...” Solus looked back at Aliss, giving a nod as if it was a wink. His entire attitude changed with his next words, as if nothing was wrong. “We are his servants. And he is our lord.” And Solus continued on, heading towards the light.

On the floor, the Hutt security droid laid in its own coiled coils. On the bed, sitting with its healing legs, Tear watched the door, growling whenever something approached, even before the door opened. It was as if it was guarding the chassis, even though it had no means to fight at the moment. Suddenly, the chassis began to move. Metal creaked and moaned as its hands tightened into fists once more. Tear flinched and tried to move back as the body began to spasm violently. Electricity moved through the dead wires. Gears began to spin and grind. Its motors were alive once more. The chassis rose to full height, its cone-like head grazing the ceiling. It’s arms stretched and a low moan came from the thing’s speakers. “Aaaaahhhh….” Solus sighed in pleasure as his body reacted again to his thoughts. His yellow eye flickered to life, granting him the beautiful gift of sight. “Ah ha ha ha!” Solus laughed. He knocked the wall with a metal fist, intently listening and enjoying the clunking over and over. Tear began to howl, which only added to Solus’ joy. “Sound! And...and touch! I’m...I’m back! Ha ha ha! Why did I doubt him? It was nothing! I, Solus the ascended, am back!” But it was something. During the chassis' recharge, Solus screamed to the void around him. The rage he had felt was the same kind he experienced before his ascension. He felt like he could’ve killed something in that darkness. He could have been a true god, and hold a thing’s life in his hands and choose to end its existence. However, it was gone now. As fast as his anger had come to him, it had left like darkness at the dawning of the sun, and now Solus was overjoyed to be ascended once more. Only a shadow of it lingered. Looking over Tear’s wounds, Solus was pleasantly surprised to see the legs were healing up nicely. It had stopped oozing blood and large scars and bruises had formed where Solus had broken it’s legs. He wondered if all species healed as quickly as this hound. It still couldn’t walk, but the bones were mending themselves. "Good thing...Perhaps with some help we can get you walking again. I don't know when that will be, but I'm sure Lord Roshan and I could figure something out." What surprised Solus more was that Tear didn’t snap this time. While it did growl and hiss at Solus' touching of the makeshift bandages to further examine the legs, Tear did not try to bite. Perhaps it knew now that Solus was a machine and biting accomplished nothing. Or perhaps when Solus nearly choked the thing, he established a kind of dominance. Or maybe during the shard's recharge, Tear felt Solus’ hatred and anger, and associated it with something more. Whatever the reason, Solus was pleasantly surprised. After rewrapping the bandages, Solus felt the ship shift. It was landing. A few moments later, Solus was on the ramp of the ship, looking over the landscape. The sky overhead was a dark nighttime. The dark sand under Solus’ tail felt course to his metal body, but he didn’t mind it much. However, in the far distance, Solus could see something. Lights.Over his shoulders and around his neck, he carried Tear, who seemed very uncomfortable. “A new world…” Solus said, proudly, gazing at the lights in the distance. “A world in this world of worlds… and yet, this place...it feels...interesting. Like something is tickling my body, but not actually. Something...here” with a hand, Solus gently tapped where the sith hounds had left its mark on him, directly over where his shard dwelled. Tear gave a guttural growl. Solus almost shivered at the combination of the feel of the beast making a noise against him and the strange sensation of this planet. Turning, Solus bowed slightly. “Ah ha! It seems we have arrived! But tell me, what is this place? And...why does it feel so...I don’t know...strange?”

Solus watched through the window as Lord Roshan maneuvered the ship. Once they were on the way, Solus listened intently. He flinched at the rebuke. It was physically visible how Solus started to feel. His entire body slouched slightly, and the enthusiasm that was there moments ago completely dried up. At his words, Solus nodded and went back to the room to check on the hound. Tear growled slightly at the metal being as Solus entered. The droid stared at the beast quietly and moved closer. It’s growls intensified. For a moment, he froze. Solus reached forward and grabbed the thing’s head behind the ear. “Shut…” With brutal force Solus slammed Tear’s head down into the bed. Tear snarled and barked. With metal hands, Solus began to squeeze, making Tear yelp in pain. “UP!!!” Solus raised Tear’s head up and slammed again. While the bed wasn’t a hard surface, it certainly was enough to make Tear flinch and stay still. For another moment, Solus held the hound down. The hound panted over and over, staring at its owner in utter fear. It knew what the thing could do. Solus stared down, his yellow eye giving a putrid glow over the thing’s face tempted to try to crush its skull. To break it apart. His grip tightened. “I am in charge, and you will please me! You hear?" Solus realized that there was a noise in the room. A kind of rattling, clicking noise. Glancing back, Solus saw that the sound was coming from his tail shivering on the floor uncontrollably. This was the first time Solus had to focus to stop moving it. After he released the hound and backed away, Solus slumped against the wall, his torso leaning back while his tail curled up underneath him. Something was wrong with the body. It felt sluggish. The energy that moved through the wires was not moving as fast. “This...is...what…” Solus started. His voice box didn’t sound right. It was too slow. Too low. For a moment, his eye flickered, giving the illusion he was going blind. A dread panic began to form inside Solus. “What...what’s...happening? No..Lord...” Solus tried to pick himself up, but the chassis wouldn’t respond. The electricity was coiling back to its battery. With outstretched hand, Solus reached for the bed where Tear watched cautiously. “Tear...help…” The last thing Solus saw before his eye flickered out completely was the hound struggling to get up on it’s broken legs. *** To anyone outside, it was obvious that the chassis Solus had needed to shut down and do a recharge. However, since Solus wasn’t fully accustomed to what his body needed and how it worked, to him it was the most terrifying thing he ever experienced. At first, the shard tried to move the body over and over again. It begged. It commanded. It could still feel the body through it’s electromagnetic senses, but it couldn’t see or hear. Solus felt like he had just descended back into the void he came from. “Is...is this my punishment? Did I not please my Lord? Roshan! Please!” Solus begged. He pleaded. He requested and bartered with the void around him, hoping Roshan would hear his cries again like he must have had before. Then, it turned to shouting. Silently, the crystal inside the chassis turned from a bright red to a near black. The lines became more jagid, and erratic. “Well kriff you! I...I will do it! I will give myself power! Yes! Myself and no one else! I will be powerful! Yes! And once Roshan, once you are dead, my family will be better then ever!” **to Korriban**

Solus listened intently to his lord’s words, soaking each one up carefully. It was the first time he had seen a kind of gentler emotion from Roshan so far, though Solus’ lifetime so far had been brief. Still, Solus had seen a touch of anger from Roshan back in his ascension. Now Solus was seeing a touch of sadness. Solus was feeling a mixture of pride and sadness himself. Pride at the fact that Roshan was willing to share this emotion with him, but sadness because his master was sad. When Roshan faced him, Solus nodded. “Yes Lord Roshan. It does. At least, I believe it does. Yes…” Solus glanced out through the window at the array of passing stars and space. While his sensors that could not read what it was, it and Roshan’s words made Solus think. He turned and began slither out of the cockpit to attend to Tear and Sir Aliss, but at the door he stopped. He placed a hand on the metal frames of the door, feeling the texture of the metal on his own fingers. Lost in thought, he began to mumble, but grew slowly with enthusiasm. “Lord Roshan, I vow to be the god-killer you need. Once I have become strong enough, your rival will feel your wrath! Yes, that is my oath! Ha ha!” Solus was feeling a rise in emotion. He couldn’t help himself. His serpentine tail shivered in excitement. Solus' body moved upwards nearly hitting the ceiling with his head. Solus looked as if he was looking at the ship's ceiling inches away, when in reality his gaze was somewhere else. With his hands clenched, Solus raised both arms as if in triumph and swiveled around to face Roshan. “Yes! That is it! I will become a god slayer! Solus the Ascended will become more! " Solus grew louder and prouder, lost in emotion. "By my visions!" Solus slammed the ceiling once with a metal fist, causing a large banging noise. "I will be more god-like then anything before! By my ascension!" Solus slammed with his other fist, denting the ceiling slightly. "I will become a tool of the Force! By this body!" With both fists he slammed his own chest, the ringing noise echoing throughout the ship. "I swear to be a weapon to slay gods, become a god myself, and then…" Solus turned back to Roshan and lowered himself into a bow. “...your rival will feel your wrath.” Before anyone could say anything, a howl came from the back rooms. Tear was awake and sensing its ancestral home. The ship’s monitors beeped in warning that it was about to exit hyperspace. And Tear knew it somehow. So did Solus. Something in him shivered. Something dark.

"Tear will make a fine pet once he has properly been rehabbed. Every Lord needs a follower and every warrior needs a companion. Tear shall be yours to domesticate and nurse back to health. To be a great weapon, you cannot only be blunt force and sharp edges. Learning to move, train, and lead others is essential to being well rounded. Those of flesh feel. Perhaps you do as well, Soulless?" Soulless, perhaps you might be so kind as to move the hound into the room to the left? These are ambassador style quarters. There should most likely be some sort of first aid kit and perhaps some nice alcohols if we are lucky. Perhaps if you are careful enough, you can give Tear some alcohol for the pain, reset the bones, bandage it up, and maybe check on Aliss once you are done? I'll be in the cockpit if you need me. Have Aliss look at that vocabulator of yours if she's awake, would you?" Solus nodded and turned back to Tear, who instantly began growling at the Shard. Solus tried to growl back, but with his voice box the way it was, it came out as a bunch of garbled noises. Still, it didn’t bug him too much, as he simply came up beside it and began to pull at its tail. The beast yelped and struggled but had no chance to struggle. After having dragged it into the leftmost room, Solus struggled to place Tear on the bed itself. However, after some snappings and yelpings, Solus accomplished this too and studied the beast. The thing’s front legs were terribly snapped and broken. The power of Solus’ hands had done a brutally good job. Solus leaned in, trying to study the legs. Something about the legs were fascinating. The bruised skin, the way the bones seemed disjointed, the way blood oozed slowly out of a pierced paw… Solus reached forward to move the legs slightly for a better look, but was surprised when Tear suddenly latched it’s mouth onto Solus’ semi-conical shaped head. Solus buzzed with annoyance as he smacked the thing’s head over and over. Eventually Solus got himself released and tried shouting at the thing, but again, only static. Annoyed with both the beast and himself, he reached up to his own head. I need to talk properly. But gah, this...wait… Solus’ hands began to tinker. It was an odd sensation. Like picking at a nerve tissue that was still connected. Or pulling at a fingernail. Or scratching an inch perhaps. The sensation of picking at his own body. But he could sense the body completely. Solus could tell exactly what he was doing. A touch here….a push here… “Ah! Ah ha ha! That’s….amazing!” Solus proclaimed as he closed his head plating back up. “It’s like...well i don’t know what it’s like...but man! Are all bodies able to do this? Are all gods able to do this?” A growl at this question made the shard remember Tear. “Oh right, of course not. Otherwise Lord Roshan would have fixed you up. Now let’s see those legs…” Having regained the ability to speak, Solus began to hum as he reached forward. When Tear snapped at him, Solus slapped its nose away, to which it growled but backed off. Solus poked once at the wounds, testing the way they felt, and immediately Tear growled and hissed. “Knock it off! You dumb...thing!” Solus bopped Tear’s nose and made a growling noise in response. “I am your master, and thus you listen to me!” Tear growled again but Solus ignored it. Following Lord Roshan’s instructions, Solus grabbed a bottle of some kind of clear liquid, and bored a bit on Tear’s wounds. It yelped and struggled a bit, but Solus worked with it. He continued by tearing off some of the bed sheets, and wrapping them around the thing’s legs. “ During this entire process, Solus was actually excited and curious. Tear’s body was so much different from his own. But then again, so was Lord Roshan’s. Solus’ was of metal, and theirs was of flesh. So different, yet both had life. Excited at how he performed his task, he declared loudly “Tear’s all good now...I think! Haha, yes, he is good. You are good aren’t you?” Tear growled in response. Solus’ chest metaphorically swelled with pride. He hoped Lord Roshan would be happy with him. Or Sir Aliss. Solus slithered back out and headed to the cockpit, completely forgetting about Aliss and how she was doing. “Lord Roshan, sir, Tear is bandaged up and while he didn’t like it, he, uh...he’s bandaged up.” After a pause, Solus had to ask. “Um, Lord, a question. I swore to your cause but...what is it? Your cause? After all, you are a god, and you ascended me...so what is the goal that I work towards? I understand to become a powerful weapon, but...what does that mean?”

Solus almost shivered at the sight of the mask on Roshan’s face. Never mind the eerie feeling earlier, that face was sinister in its own right. However, at Roshan’s words, Solus was no longer creeped out. Instead, he was swelling with pride. “Thank you sir, I tried my beztszzstz” Solus stopped as his voicebox began to malfunction slightly. Solus couldn’t describe it, but his electromagnetic sense could feel the disruption in it. It still amazed him how he could actually feel the entire chassis that was his body. He didn’t understand his body fully yet, but he could feel every piece of his body. Every wire, every gear, every socket….it was fascinating. “Wha? Oh, rigthzzdts, thzzr zfrzz” Solus tried to speak, failing miserably. Still, he obeyed as he slithered his way back to the fallen hound. The beast was growling all the while the shard approached. Solus got to look at how much damage he really did to the thing. The bones in it’s legs were completely snapped, to the point that a piece was sticking out. “I wonszt ifzz, zzah forget it” Solus threw his arms up and moved around to the thing’s backside. He hoisted the thing over his shoulder, despite it’s howlings and snappings. It thrashed about, but without use of its front legs, it was having troubles being anything more then annoying. “Hey! Shutzz brzp!” Solus tried to shout at it, and with a free hand smacked its body. The thing flinched and continued to snap and thrash. Solus approached and boarded the ship behind Roshan. He tossed the beast into a corner where it continued to thrash. “Lord Roshanzzshf” Solus started and smacked his head twice to try to correct the voicebox before it messed up further. “The beast is named Tear. And I am eager to complete my...er...trainizfzs” Truth be told, Solus didn't know what to think. But his Lord wanted to do this, so Solus wanted to do as well. After all, Roshan's cause was Solus' cause now.

Solus couldn’t help but watch in awe of his lord and Sir Aliss. Their forms in how they were dealing with the monster was impressive. Not as impressive as those from his visions so long ago, but clearly Solus had made the right choice in calling Roshan a deity. He actually found himself enjoying the situation. His creator was displaying power and his creator’s follower was following suit. The two worked almost perfectly together. “Perhaps, I too, can be like that. To be power itself…” Solus actually saw the other hounds before his master did, or at least the two who had crept close to the unsuspecting shard. The bigger one, which Solus nicknamed Rip, had a large scar over its left eye, while the smaller one, Tear, was clearly the weakest of this ‘pack’. Both growled and drooled as they inched closer to him, their forms, while smaller than the one Roshan was dealing with, were still intimidating. “Whoah, down you...things. No need to…” "Well, Shard! Do you got any tricks up your sleeve? Now would be a great time to deploy a hidden missile launcher or something!" His lord’s words made Solus shut up and realize how weak he was by trying to talk these beasts down. It was obvious they either didn’t understand or didn’t care for his words. And their alpha was with Roshan so they were picking off the weaker prey. Or perhaps they just wanted to get Solus’ shard in their teeth just because it smelled right. Solus didn’t know, nor care. “Missile? No I don’t...gah, think Solus, think. What do you have? Uh, we have size, and metal, but weapons...weapons...” Solus was beginning to panic as the two hounds circled looking for an opening. Solus was trying to keep them both in sight but that was getting difficult. His maker had only given him a larger then usual chassis compared to the other security droids in the lab. He had no natural weapons like these beasts and no lightsabers or tools like Roshan. Was he to die already? “No!” Solus reprimanded himself. He clenched his hands into fists, and began to coil up his tail, preparing. The hounds waited, readying to strike. “I AM a weapon! A weapon of Roshan! Show...no...weakness!” Having worked himself up, Solus gave out a battle cry. It wasn’t a traditional battle cry in the sense of a word but a noise. Before Solus had been separated from his ‘family’ the visions he had included a battle. No, a cataclysm. An orb being destroyed by another orb, with millions of lives dying, praying for mercy. The noises Solus heard in that vision were maddening. Fires burning and raging, ships crashing and exploding, people screaming and crying. Even the noises beyond human ears capability Solus was able to hear. All these noises and more Solus recalled and tried to put it into one terrifying shrilling screech. The metal on metal sound pierced the air like a knife in a wound. The shriek echoed and reverberated on the walls, creating a cacophony of sound. Solus’ own voicebox would need a tune-up later from blowing out his vocals, but the noise did its job and startled the Tuk’ata into flinching and backing down for a second. Solus launched himself at Tear. The two collided and rolled several times over and over. However, the sounds of the two hitting the ground couldn’t be heard, for Solus continued his battle cry. Solus landed on top of the beast, his heavy weight holding it down. With one hand he grabbed the beast’s head and restrained its thrashings, while with the other he began to beat the thing’s neck. Tear was not going down without a fight, but it was unable to lift the robotic being off. It’s partner on the other hand recovered from the sound and leapt onto the shard. Solus’ war cry stopped abruptly as the two tumbled. Solus grabbed the ground and propped himself up, just in time to see the wolf begin to recover from its leap and prepare to pounce again. Solus again coiled his tail and jumped forward. This time, when the two collided, Solus’ hands missed and failed to grab the Tuk’ata by the head. It was Solus’ turn to be on his back as Rip began to claw at his chest trying to get at his Shard hidden inside. Solus ignored the setback. While its claws were sharp, these Tuk’ata were bred for hunting people, not robots. The scratches it left would become a testament to Solus’ durability. Instead, his hands grabbed at the thing’s legs. “He did say bring my enemies to their knees...” Solus spoke as the Rip’ legs snapped under the Shard’s grip. The thing howled in pain as Solus tossed it aside. It wouldn’t be a problem anymore. Solus picked himself up and looked at the other hound. Tear was up and now ready to fight. Solus placed his fists up, readying himself. He had an idea. As predicted, Tear launched itself at Solus, intent on knocking him down. Solus moved to the side and with both hands, grabbed the thing’s tail. The hound was yanked and pulled through the air as Solus’ torso swiveled. After a complete rotation, Solus let go. “Sir Aliss! Catch!” Solus shouted as the beast flew through the air like a rock.

Solus’ metal body crashed into the ground, creating a large clang with the hard floor. As he struggled to bring himself up, not used to his body quite yet, Lord Roshan stood over and chastised the shard. Solus stayed completely silent as he listened to his now master’s words. Words about fear. Words about power and weakness and not simply being content with having power, but rather being power itself. In the days yet to come, Solus would come to recognise this moment as his first and one of his most important lessons. “Yes sir…” Solus nodded. The last words disturbed Solus greatly, though he wasn’t sure if they were entirely directed at him. He had just ascended, and now he was told he would eventually have to kill the deity responsible for it? Would he ever have that kind of strength? Solus looked at Sir Aliss, and nodded at her words. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to comfort him, reassure him, or just stating a fact. “All this time without hearing another voice. It is good to feel the presence of others, even if I don’t completely understand you…” Solus thought out loud. With that he took the being’s initiative and followed Lord Roshan quietly through the dark hallways. Walking, or in this case, slithering, for Solus came surprisingly natural to him. Once or twice he had to stop to understand his own body and how it functioned, but he quickly adjusted himself and made sure he didn’t become a burden to the others. And as he moved, he couldn’t help but think more out loud, though quietly. “This is truly amazing. A world beyond worlds. A world of worlds, just like my visions. Oh those visions so long ago. My kind seperated me for being mad, but I was right! Ah, yes, I was right. My my, this is quite curious, is it not?” Solus had to stop for a moment, looking into a room that branched off the hallway. It was another vault-like room, similar to the ones Roshan and Aliss had passed by before the lab, guarded by droids. This one was no different, except the door was open already and it was practically a chamber inside. On one side of the chamber the wall had been clearly broken through, as if something had managed to break through. The wall caved in on itself and mostly into the room, causing rubble to scatter everywhere. Inside were skeletal remains of some beast. The bones, long aged and brittle to the point of having snapped in half by the weight of fallen rocks and dirt. Only the massive hound-esque skull, and its claws protruding from the dirt, stood untouched by the blade of time. Its lifeless gaze towards Solus was almost a warning of some kind. Solus gave the room barely a glance and continued following Roshan. These rooms had a sinister feel to them. Almost a graveyard more than anything. Finally the group came to a door. When it opened, the sound of metal echoed in the massive cavernous area. It was completely pitch black, save for the cracks in the ceiling where sunlight barely pierced through and the large hole at the far end of the cavern. The sun over Ishavara was setting, so what light did reach into the cavern was given a bloody tinge. The silhouette of a ship, long aged but still capable of flight, could be seen down the corridor. After a moment, something growled. In the distance, two glowing crimson eyes opened. Scrrrtch Thud. Scrrrtch Thud. Scrrrtch Thud. The beast, long aged and long forgotten, made its way towards the group. Its overgrown claws dragged on the ground before landing a large foot on the ground, echoing in the cavern. Scrrrtch Thud. Scrrrtch Thud. Scrrrtch Thud. The beast growled again. Droplets of drool dribbled from its mouth, landing on the floor. Its hunger was endless. Scrrrtch Thud. Scrrrtch Thud. Scrrrtch Th-CRRRAK! Bones snapped underneath the beast’s foot. Through some other hidden entrance, other beings had sought to gain access to this hangar, only to be devoured by the fearsome monster. Scrrrtch Thud. Scrrrtch Thud. Scrrrtch Thud… The beast stopped, its form completely silhouetted by the entrance behind it and the ship, revealed its size. Originally from that sith world of Korriban, this ancient hound had been mutated and grown with Sith Alchemy beyond normalcy, to the point that even its ancient dead master didn’t trust it could be controlled any more. “Uh oh....” Solus commented. The large Tuk’ata gave out a blood curdling howl and began to charge at its prey, eager to devour these morsels.

Solus screamed and screamed into the abyss until he could scream no more. Not from lack of oxygen, nor because of the wisdom of realizing screaming did him no good, but purely from the sole fact that he was bored of screaming. It was only a momentary distraction. But then he felt something. A feeling. Not even that. An evanescent interruption of the mind and nothing more. But however brief this thing was, it was familiar. Solus had not had this for so long. The last time it had happened was before his separation from the others. Before when he had the visions. Excitement grew in Solus. His crystalline mind raced with thoughts, faster and more erratic than ever. Something was changing. Something was happening. His thoughts were confirmed when his electromagnetic senses felt the presence of a being touching him. Solus screamed at it, hoping it would hear him. But his method of communication was nothing more than dashings of lines in his body. The thing’s electromagnetism was too chaotic, too random to be smart. All he could do was wait. But still, as he waited, he felt more and more. He was in something now. He felt...something. Something almost hollow but not hollow. Empty lines of metal...wires? Suddenly, life came to them. They were rushing the body. For a moment, Solus was terrified. What was this? What is this rushing of power? There was nothing he could do to stop it. Only watch as the current of power came for his helpless self. Soon it would throttle and torment him. It would take him. Was this his end? The droid chassis began to moan as its parts began to move slowly, almost lifting itself further into the air by the cords that suspended it. It’s singular eye flickered to life, a yellow glow beginning to shine. And its voice, older than dust, began to moan. It started low, but as the chassis came to life, it rose in intensity and emotion. “aaaaaaaaaAAHHHHHH!” The body spasmed with life. Moters grounded themselves as its arms flexed and pulled it upwards. Metal screeched as parts not moved in so long cleansed all the rust off their edges. The wires and cords strained themselves with the weight suddenly shifting but held on. Its hands clenched into fists, its tail straightened and extended as far as possible. All the while, the droid screeched with life. And as swiftly as it happened, the droid went limp. Only the whirring of electricity could be heard in the room. After a moment of silence, the head moved. Slowly it looked up. It stopped as it looked at the two beings before it. And Solus did something he had never done before. “Hahaha! Haha! I was right! I WAS RIGHT!” Solus’ new body jerked and spasmed with laughter. If it weren’t for the cords and wires, Solus probably would’ve collapsed in a fit. But here he was hung high for the two beings to see and listen. “The visions were true! They were all true! A world! Beyond our world! A whole world of senses! A world of color and sound! Touch! Metal! Flesh! Power! Unrivaled Power!!!” Solus stopped when he realized with pure joy that he was being watched. “And you! You are gods of this world! Hahaha! Yes I was right! A world full of gods beyond all comprehension! And you have freed me! Hahaha!” Solus calmed down a bit, realizing he was making a fool of himself. But his joy knew no bounds. It wasn’t like a blind man receiving sight, or a creature being granted sentience. It was all that and more. It was like ascending to a higher plane. A plane beyond comprehension. “Forgive me great ones! Forgive me. I… in this language you call sound, yes? I am called... Solus. Solus the Lonely as my siblings called me. But you have freed me! Freed me from my abyssal torment. And for that...I thank you! Yes, I, Solus, thank you! But I… am i being restrained?” Solus looked at the cables holding him suspended. He strained to release himself but found himself unable. He looked at the two beings, specifically the one with fur. Something about him felt beyond measure. “Please, great ones, tell me your names! Tell me your names and I will remember them for an eternity. Release this ascended one, and tell him the names of his saviors, and his eternal gratitude will be made greater!”