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Visually, a flicker of pseudomotion and the slight glint of the sun glistening off the surface of a metallic object were the only things that marked the arrival of a small, nondescript vessel. It was like so many others in a galaxy full of sentients, and Almas hardly had the population to worry about a new arrival. Visually, it was impossible to tell anything about the pilot, his motives for coming to this out-of-the-way world, or his time frame for his tasks here and when he was planning to leave.

 

Vision was such a limited sense.

 

If a Force adept were to witness the arrival of this visually meaningless vessel, they would suddenly know a great deal. Aboard was not just another citizen of a busy galaxy, but a Master of the dark side of the Force. He had a presence so chilling, so mechanically cold and logical and yet so twisted, that few could comprehend its malevolence. This pilot may not have the history for mass murder as Vladimir Faust, but in his own way, he was just as cruel.

 

Haphaestus had returned to Almas. Presently he was reaching out with his less limited senses, easily detecting the location of the presence he associated with Lord Nurgle, in many ways his creator, but now under a different name. Darth Dominus, he was called now, but although the title was that of a Sith, he was so much more. Neither the Sith nor the Jedi had truely grasped the nature of the Force, as Dominus and Haphaestus had.

 

When the ship landed near Dominus' location, a tall being emerged from the cockpit, dressed in dark clothing and wearing a dark cloak with a hood pulled up. His face was clad in a metallic mask, as cold as his Force presence, and on his back was a six-foot staff of a heavy black metal strong enough to tangle with a lightsaber and so heavy that no weightless blade could match it in melee. It was a pragmatic choice made by one that relished the chance to destroy Jedi Knights and had done so in the past.

 

Now he strode up to Dominus wordlessly. When he drew near, he bowed. "Greetings," he said, his voice dark and sounding mechanical, filtered through his mask.

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Dominus wanted to greet his old apprentice. But his mind could not escape the prison that had been constructed around it. Instead, it was Nothing that looked upon this creature it could not even recognize as its own creation. In some ways, its own son.

 

"Hello," Nothing said. He started to walk away, but some part of Dominus that still remained in control rooted him in place. Dominus shouted and pushed and pounded his thoughts into the dull creature that his shattered mind had turned into. For Nothing, all of it sounded like barely a whisper. Yet still . . . Nothing listened to the suggestion of the strange whisper and spoke,

 

"Are you here to help me?"

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"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Haphaestus paused at Dominus' manner. His intuition, a purely biological concept, told him that something wasn't right here. His logic, driven by mechanical pathways, probability-based arithmetic, and an intensive application of memory data, agreed. Dominus would not address him in such a way. Haphaestus had the means to begin a mental investigation of what was wrong and make an inference using either of these methods--intuition or logic. But for him, these things weren't so different anymore.

 

He logically relied on his intuition. It had an excellent track record. With the Force he probed this being that he had mistaken for Dominus. He found passivity, but under the passivity, the serenity that he had encountered, there was something very broken. Shards of some entity that was pushing against the being that stood before him. Shards that had drawn him here expecting to find Nurgle.

 

When the eidolon posed its question, Haphaestus got the distinct sense that the inquiry hailed from a different source than the first, dismissive word. Haphaestus realized that Dominus should be dead, but only by his extreme power did he continue to exist.

 

"Yes," he said at last. "Tell me how." His second sentence was uttered firmly, as a command. His intuitive theory was that such a command could evoke a response from the eidolon and thus require less from the fractured Dominus himself.

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Nothing looked at Haphaestus. Though Dominus still was not in control, the Force bond with his student gave him the strength to regain enough of his senses to speak. He could not tell Haphaestus directly what to do. Instead he told him a story,

 

"The people of Almas live on that planet only thanks to Darth Rivan. It was Rivan who planted the kaluthin that destroyed enough of the planet's poison gas to allow life to exist. Still, it was a half-life. There were large pockets where the air remained deadly to breath. Odorless and invisible, these pockets claim many unwary citizens of Almas. But the people here do not blame Darth Rivan. They blame the Jedi for not allowing Rivan to fulfill his promise and make the entire planet pure. They wait now for his successor. Rivan will always be their Master.

 

To illustrate this point, there is a myth on Almas, the truth of which no one today knows. Once there was a man on Almas who believed himself to be the descendant of Darth Rivan. This man joined the Jedi and trained under their tutelage, all the while plotting to overthrow those who had killed his ancestor. Slowly, the Jedi showed him the error of his quest for vengeance. It was difficult and the man had to endure many trials to rid himself of the dark side. In the end, he rejected Almas, and he was celebrated by the Jedi as the wisest of the young knights. The man returned to Almas with a ship large enough to rescue the members of his village. He went immediately to the village where he had grown up, the village in the shadow of Rivan's ruined castle, and the village that believed itself closer to Rivan than any other settlement on Almas. There he spoke to the Elder and told him of all he had learned.

 

'Come with me,' he begged, 'And escape this poisoned planet.'

 

Never before had the Elder hated someone as much as he hated the young Jedi before him. There was violence in his eyes. Because this was not the way of the peaceful Almas people, the Elder turned from the Jedi, showing him his back. The Jedi was shunned. No one would speak or look upon them, though he tried to tell them of the ship and of Darth Rivan's wickedness.

 

Rage filled the Jedi. All of the dark emotions he had struggled to control were unleashed. With his lightsaber, he slew every member of his old village. Even to the last, they would not turn to look upon him.

 

What happened to the Jedi was never clear. Some say the spirit of Darth Rivan dragged him to the lake of lava beneath the castle. It is said it is a place of truth. In the darkness beneath the castle, the enemies of Rivan are destroyed, and his true followers are made whole."

 

Dominus lost control again upon the ending of his story. Nothing looked around in confusion.

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"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Haphaestus' memory banks filled in some of the story that was not explained. The kaluthin that was mentioned was the grass upon which he now stood, responsible for cleaning the planet almost entirely. But Almas would never be truly pure. Of course, more important than the grass was this Darth Rivan himself. Weilder of the Darkstaff. Founder of the Alcazarin as he knew them. Haphaestus' path became clear.

 

In the darkness beneath the castle, the enemies of Rivan are destroyed, and his true followers are made whole. Darth Dominus and Haphaestus were true followers of Darth Rivan, but Dominus was fractured, encased with only limited control over his husk of a body.

 

"Come with me," he commanded the eidolon. He was prepared to use force if the thing did not comply. "It is essential that we journey to Rivan's fortress." He turned to lead the way, watching the shell carefully to see if it complied, or if he was going to have to force it to come. Either way would not be a problem.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Betrayal is the nature of the Sith. But not the way of the Alcazarin. The Alcazarins are brothers and sisters out of the same living Force, who obey the will of the Force, whether the will leads them toward darkness or light. So it was that the spirit of Rivan stirred again on Almas. His vision still had a chance to come to fruition. Rivan knew though what his task would be. Temptation. Haphaestus, a creature of two worlds could not be a creature of two hearts. Was he a Sith or a true disciple of the Alcazarins?

 

Nothing followed Haphaestus, his dulled mind easily led. He could neither hear nor feel the presence that now whispered to Haphaestus as they entered the Dark Dome. The voice was there as they entered through the secret passage, left open for them. It was there as they stood on the ledge overlooking the Black Lava Lake. The voice spoke clearly at last.

 

"This is your opportunity. Slay Dominus with your saber, and you will gain untold power."

 

This was no trick. The path of the Alcazarin would be closed to Haphaestus but by killing his old Master Haphaestus would become one of the most powerful Force users in the galaxy.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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It was convenient that the shell had chosen to follow Haphaestus, but in a way force would have been more entertaining. Still, he led the way quickly and silently into the castle, to that familiar location where he had built his darkstaff and, at times, suits of armor that he no longer wore. Armor, he had decided, was only necessary for those that lacked the ability to defend themselves in its absence. He missed the factor of intimidation that it had granted him, but he had never found himself unable to intimidate his enemies.

 

There he was presented with a choice, one that was in its own way amusing. "The pathway to power is not through betrayal," he said, laying on a tone of condescension to make it clear that the concept seemed childish to him. "Together with Dominus, I will achieve much more than if I am myself granted power."

 

But not only was the principle childish, as he had explained, but so were the specifics. Long ago, Haphaestus has sworn loyalty to Nurgle, an oath that extended to Dominus. He was machine enough that his word was never broken. He may practice the Dark Side, but that did not make him an idiot that cared for power above all other things like so many Sith were.

 

"Here Rivan's true followers are made whole," he said. "Dominus is such." This time his tone was somewhat impatient. Of course, the emotion was just put on. He did feel emotion, but over the years he had come very close to completely mastering them. For the moment, it served his purposes to sound impatient, so he did so.

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Nothing was compelled. Every part of him resisted, but still his legs moved forward. Inexorably, he drew himself toward the ledge of the obsidian pool, until he began to descend into the black fire itself. He screamed. It was a genuine cry of pure agony. His flesh burned, and cracked as he fell forward, enveloped in the molten rock. Haphaestus was left alone in the darkness.

 

Then Dominus began to rise. It was not his flesh that had been burned away. It was Abaddon's Curse. It was the walls that jailed his mind. No longer was his mind trapped in that hellish limbo. The fire cascaded off of his body as he took back control of the half-wraith form he had created. His Darkstaff, having returned to the place of its birth, came with him, clutched in his iron grip. Dominus stepped back onto dry land. The last bits of melted rock dripped from his body, hardening as they struck the ground.

 

A faceless droid wrapped Dominus in his dark robe.

 

"It is good to see you brother."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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The emotion of satisfaction rushed through Haphaestus' biological components. It was, of course, satisfaction tinted by darkness, for he knew that he had restored something so powerful that much of what was considered by some to be good would lament. Haphaestus did not blindly seek personal power at the expense of all else like a Sith, but ultimately power was desirable, and the best means he had to it was through this man, Dominus.

 

Now he bowed respectfully. "Master," he acknowledged before straightening. "I trust that there are no lasting ill effects of your imprisonment?" He wanted to know for certain that Dominus was at full strength. As much potential as Dominus could provide, Haphaestus was hardly interested in nursing a weakened dark sider back to health. He would do it if he had to, but he preferred not to.

 

And there was one really good way to know for sure, even better than expected an honest answer. Haphaestus pulled his heavy staff off his back. "You have been sleeping for some time. Perhaps some exercise will help you remember your old strength." There was a hint of challenge in his tone. Haphaestus had grown in the time that had passed since their last meeting.

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Dominus smiled,

 

"The only lasting effect is shame. It was I who allowed Abaddon to curse me. Though I suppose it is some measure of luck he did not choose to simply end my life."

 

Dominus clutched his Darkstaff. He didn't believe there was a finer warrior amongst the Sith than the droid he had given flesh to. Haphaestus was loyal, believed in Rivan, and would die with Dominus if the Sith Master and Alcazarin Prophet asked him to. And that is the only way Dominus would ever make such a request; if he was willing to lay down his own life beside his old apprentice's. This was the nature of the Force bond that connected the Alcazarins.

 

"Sparring will be difficult considering we cannot harm each other. I think though that as long as we do not inflict serious injury the Force bond will not damage us."

 

The Defel wraith motioned for his apprentice to begin. In the darkness, the droid would likely see as well as a wraith. But no creature was strengthened by the absence of light more than a Defel Sith.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Haphaestus was unconcerned. Although he did wish to some extent to demonstrate his prowess, he did not require the breaking of Dominus' frail bones in order to do so. And even that was of secondary importance to actually making sure that he that was once Nurgle was actually back in fighting form. Presently he studied Dominus, calling to mind what he knew about how the man fought and analyzing his surroundings at the same time. It was somewhat dark, which would make it difficult for some species to see, but Haphaestus' photoreceptors could view light well into the ultraviolet and infrared ranges, making vision not an issue... for him. Dominus was only part Defel, however, which could make his vision less than perfect in these circumstances.

 

Shrouded in a dark cloak and weilding a black metal weapon, Haphaestus struck with the suddenness of lightning and with less warning. The staff whipped around his head as he spun on his feet, crossing the distance between him and the old god in a matter of picoseconds and aiming to deliver his blow with bone-shattering force.

 

Dominus was mere flesh and bone, but where there was weakness in that, Haphaestus was solid metal with only a covering of flesh. Insetad of having mere muscles, which had to be carefully worked up and maintained, he had motors of the finest construction that allowed him greater speed and power than most biologicals could comprehend. Haphaestus had never understood why Dominus had created something so perfect and yet never sought to perfect his own limitations. In almost every way, he had created something superior to himself. He had been uncertain that the creation had remained loyal, and so he had created what could be a threat to him. Or perhaps he did know that I would be loyal, Haphaestus thought.

 

At any rate, when such a machine swung a heavy metal staff (far superior to a lightsaber in this aspect), it was probably the best idea to get out of the way. Trouble was, the attack was so fast that it was scarcely an option.

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Men of science sought to be gods. The quest to understand the universe was present in all who were interested in the empirical arts. Some though, like Dominus sought to undersand and to change, to manipulate, to improve. Haphaestus was one more step on Dominus' quest to build perfection. It was the nature of such creations to often turn against their masters. Dominus knew this. He wondered if that was part of the reason he had made the Alcazarins permanently bonded through the Force. Did he secretly fear his monster would rise up, as in some poorly made holofilm? Dominus doubted this, but deep down he knew the melding of his science with his sorcery could destroy him. Men who sought knowledge and power together usually found oblivion. Hadn't this been the fate of Rivan?

 

What am I talking about?

 

This was a strange train of thought to be taking in the middle of a battle. Dominus knew immediately he had let his mind drift, and snagged onto some fragment of thought emanating from Haphaestus. The Force bond could do this if one did not keep their mind sharp. Dominus raised his staff in time to clash against Haphaestus' darkweapon. The blow reverbated through his bones, sending Dominus backward into the wall. He felt the pain keenly. It was a sharp reminder he needed to take this bout seriously. Dominus felt on some level he was being tested. A warrior like Haphaestus expected those he was loyal to, to be equally skilled in the art of battle.

 

Dominus focused his mind. The Alcazarin knew he had no hope of defeating Haphaestus in straight combat. Dominus had engineered his body to be a perfect physical specimen. The wraith blood within him added to his strength and agility. But a strong man was still a mere man. Haphaestus could easily crush every bone in Dominus' body with a simple bear hug. He could move before Dominus could even form a thought.

 

Dominus knew the only way he would attain victory is through sorcery. Dominus was no match for Haphaestus physically. But he knew he was the stronger Force-user.

 

The heat of the black lava bubbled around them, and Dominus began to sweat. He concentrated, allowing the heat to flow through him in the Alcazarin way. Haphaestus would not be bothered, but if Dominus did not keep his concentration up, the heat here would kill him.

 

Yet Haphaestus is also flesh.

 

Dominus knew then how to turn the environment against his old apprentice. The flesh of Haphaestus, the place where he drew his Force power from, was vulnerable. Extending his staff, it took only a moment of concentration to send a Force push toward Haphaestus with the impact of several beams of durasteel. A paltry challenge to one such as Haphaestus. The true nature of the attack did not reveal itself until it had almost reach Haphaestus. Dominus had concentrated as much of the heat in the room as he could into the attack. A pocket of boiling air blasted toward the reverse cyborg.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Haphaestus was satisfied by the result of his first attack. He had caught Dominus not fully prepared, perhaps lost in thought. That was precisely the purpose behind this exercise--to bring him out of his past and into his present, where his precience was critical before they could take strides together into the future.

 

Dominus gave ground when he reunited his mind with the fact that he had created something so strong that he couldn't hope to match it physically. Haphaestus knew that what would come next was Force manipulation, and his immediate impulse was to close the distance again to limit Dominus' ability to focus and aim such a power in a limited time. However, he was more interested in seeing what Dominus would cook up.

 

It was a turn of phrase that turned out to be closer to the truth than seemed likely. Half a second later, Dominus had conjured up what would have seemed like a Force push to someone that wasn't Haphaestus. However, he could tell through the Force that Dominus was pulling heat from around him, and once the blast was underway, his infrared vision quickly revealed that the attack was so hot that the very water in the air was boiling.

 

Impressive, Haphaestus thought as his body reacted at the speed of light, throwing himself to the side to get clear of the blast. He wasn't entirely fast enough--the penalty for waiting to see what Dominus would conjure--and his cloak got partially caught in the blast. It immediately ignited, but as Haphaestus hit the ground, he rolled just so that the flame was denied oxygen just long enough to be extinguished.

 

Milliseconds later, he was on his feet again. Sorcery you have taught me, Nurgle, he thought, calling on one of his favorite conjurations. Dark side lightning leapt forth from his extended left hand, though only a short burst. Lightsaber-wielding opponents would have little trouble catching such an attack on their weapon, but Dominus' weapon was a metal staff, nothing short of a conductor.

 

Counting on at least a moment of distraction as Dominus dealt with the attack, Haphaestus turned the momentum of his dodge into a speed boost as he dashed after his lightning, taking a wide swing at his Master's kneecaps which could easily be followed with a high thrust after a brief spin. A simple combo attack that would ensure a simple leap could not clear both blows.

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Dominus had to react quickly. The Darkstaff was a natural conductor, but it was a Force imbued weapon designed to absorb. The power of the attack was so intense that Dominus had to concentrate with intensity to activate the abosption powers of the darkmetal. His body tingled as the energy flowed through his staff.

 

This is a simple training excercise. Haphaestus is trying to help me. But there's no doubt the master always wants to prove himself stronger than the pupil, and the pupil always wants to prove himself stronger than the master. We are brothers now, equals. This will be the last moment we regard each other as anything else.

 

Haphaestus was a vicious combatant. Dominus was powerful in many ways, but dueling, he had to acknowledge, was not where his strength lay. Dominus was adept at sorcery, and science. Haphaestus was an analytical machine, willing to kill without a second thought. They complimented each other nicely.

 

That didn't change the fact though that Haphaestus was currently trying to break Dominus' leg. By the time he had dissipated the thunderous attack, Haphaestus had resumed his melee. Dominus had no hope of dodging as quickly as Haphaestus could strike. He had to choose which part of himself he would allow Haphaestus to attack. Wisely, Dominus chose to keep his knees intact. The end of his staff blocked Haphaestus as he struck at Dominus' leg. Haphaestus moved quickly, Force speed and droid processing combining in a blur of movement. In seconds, Haphaestus thrust the end of his staff. Dominus had enough time to do a half dodge before the staff struck him in the face. His blood, a strange bluish color, streaked onto the edge of the staff.

 

Now Haphaestus was close, wheeling around for another blow. Dominus needed space. He knew a close quarters battle was deadly for him. He released the energy from his staff. At this range, electricity arced in all directions striking both men, and throwing them in opposite directions. Dominus accepted the pain as he rolled away. He needed to concentrate quickly. Haphaestus droid brain was highly perceptive, and the advantage being a wraith ensured was currently a non-factor. To mask Haphaestus' heat vision, Dominus increased the temperature in the cavern to a level that was almost unbearable to himself. Sweat poured from his face.

 

Dominus skin turned the same black color as the cave wall. As he tried to absorb the intense heat he had created, Dominus prepared an attack for his blinded foe.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Haphaestus was fast, but the Force allowed Dominus to react well before his attacks met. Still, the limitations of a mortal body powered only by muscles fuelled by oxygen meant that Haphaestus' mix of speed and power could not be beaten by being directly challenged. When he smashed Dominus' nose, he felt the pain reverberate through the bond and steeled himself against it--it was still a relatively new sensation to him, and one that he had avoided by attempting to perfect his combat art. However, in this case, it was his success that exposed him to the sense.

 

He wasn't sure at first how he had forgotten that a darkstaff absorbed Force energy, but then he realized that it was emotion that was clouding his otherwise perfect judgment and recall. Nurgle's gift of flesh had made him more powerful than he could have before imagined--giving him access to the Force and to the emotions that would empower it. But it had come with a terrible price. He was affected negatively by emotions and sensations like pain that he had never known before.

 

Haphaestus hated the draw on his effectiveness. He swore never to let go of that hatred, for even now he reached deep into it and used it to pull the Force through himself at a faster rate than he could without it, harvesting its power and directing its current to serve him. Faster, stronger, more deadly.

 

The lightning Dominus had turned against him washed over him and he stumbled back, more pain feeding more anger, feeding his power. The room became hot, and Haphaestus filtered the heat out of his vision, which was probably exactly what Dominus intended. Without that option, his perception was limited to the EM and so-called visible spectrums. This meant that when Dominus camouflaged himself, he ceased to be visible.

 

No problem, Haphaestus' organic mind thought. Dominus had used their bond against him, and he could do the same. Expanding himself in the Force, he easily picked out the other dark sider's position in the energy field. His body was still tingling with the electric aftershock of Dominus' previous attack, but he drew on that energy to power a tight-compacted Force push, like an invisible spear lancing out at Dominus' location that could conceivably impale his creator. Of course, he fully expected that Dominus would be able to counter the attack, or else he wouldn't have made it, especially given the repercussions he would face through the bond if the attack were successful.

 

That was why he didn't follow the move up with something more deadly he had in mind, though he did again close for melee, where he was clearly the strongest....

 

((We can finish this up whenever you're ready.))

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Dominus outstretched his staff again, prepared to absorb the attack, or at least make the attempt. This was one of the most difficult duels he had ever participated in. Even harder than his battle with Abaddon, considering that had never been fully settled. Haphaestus and Dominus knew exactly how the other would react to every attack. If this had been genuine, Dominus truly believed they would have killed each other.

 

Dominus readied his staff, shaking off the confusion as Haphaestus' thoughts continued to leak into his mind. Then nothing. For a moment, Dominus panicked. Unexpectedly blackness crossed his vision at the last moment. Was this Abaddon's Curse renewed? His night vision was gone, blotted by some mysterious force. Indeed, he could not even feel the ground under his feet. But Dominus calmed quickly. He still felt the presence of his old apprentice, and Haphaestus could hardly be trapped in Dominus' mind.

 

Then he felt it. Rivan.

 

Time passed, and neither man was harmed. Rivan's words were an earth shattering whisper in the silence.

 

Dominus is healed now, and back to himself. This fight is over. Now you must begin reconstructing my vision. I will show you what needs to be done.

 

Dominus showed them then, what they must do. A vision of the Sith and Jedi, some Dominus recognized, joining the ranks of the Alcazarins flooded the mind of Dominus and Haphaestus. It was the destiny of the Alcazarins to be the bridge between the two Force philosophies. Dominus had known this much already, and assumed the vision was for the benefit of Haphaestus. He hoped his old apprentice appreciated that Rivan had shown himself to them both, where before only Dominus had been privy to Rivan's will.

 

Another vision followed. One of great panic in the streets of Coruscant as a shadow came over the planet's sun, plunging them into eternal night. Above at all, stood the Alcazarins.

 

How can we be expected to gain power over a star?

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"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Haphaestus immediately halted in place when Rivan called an end to the fight. For the first time he perceived the ancient Sith Lord and his goal for the future; before he had only taken Dominus' word. But for Haphaestus, Dominus' word had always been enough. Direct interaction with Rivan's will was in a way a transition for Haphaestus from putting faith in Rivan to actually having proof of his existence. This may have been a big step for biologicals, but for him, it changed nothing. He simply let himself view the vision as though it was a computer interface displaying a help screen.

 

When it was finished, he experienced the same emotion that would have a human cock an eyebrow. Slight analytical curiosity. The blocking out of a sun was an impressive feat. Haphaestus doubted very much that it could be done with the Force unless there were ten thousand Alcazarins orbiting it to harvest its heat. This fit with Rivan's call for recruitment, but that was not Haphaestus' interpretation of the vision.

 

He felt Dominus' doubt through the bond and would have smirked, where his facial features capable of producing such an expression. The emotion transmitted through the Force just fine, though. "Not with the Force," he answered aloud, "but no one has to know that."

 

The vision was a means for recruitment, not an end result.

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No man has power over the planets, let alone the stars. Not even Rivan himself. Dominus was stunned by what was to be required of them. Their united powers could not hope to blot the sun of any planet without simply destroying the star. Destruction was easy after all. What Rivan was asking was very nearly impossible, even if the greatest Sith and Jedi Masters had been gathered together.

 

Dominus blanched at his own blasphemy. Then he blanched at Haphaetus's as the bond leaked the droid's thoughts. At first Dominus was angered. Rivan was not a trickster. Then he realized his own foolishness. Rivan had not said how they were to bring this vision to fruition. In the end, bringing forth the vision was all that was important. The means did not matter.

 

"Yes Haphaestus," was all Dominus said in reply to the reverse cyborg's declaration. "It will be difficult, but we will find a way."

 

The vision of Rivan had faded now, and the two were left alone.

 

"I need time to rebuild my laboratory. But we need to reassemble Haphaestus. Will you gather our lost brethren?"

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ah, yes, Hapahestus thought. The others. He did not think particularly much of some of the others that Dominus had attracted in the days before he had disappeared. They were mostly Sith, still in need of real doctrine. Many of them had been either too eager to please Dominus or so blindly individualistic that they let the less intelligent characteristics of many dark side users affect how they interacted with their brethren. The truth was that the Sith Order had in the past destroyed itself, and even if now it was again large, it was difficult for them to commit to the brotherhood that the Alcazarins represented.

 

However, that appraisal was not universal. Haphaestus, too, had once considered himself a Sith Master, and he had learned to change his perspective. Ki Vastor, too, had been an adequate companion. This time around, any others would have to prove their intentions very quickly for Haphaestus to be satisfied with them. He understood the strength that came from having more members, but there was also the inherent weakness that as more members joined, it became more difficult to know that each of them was loyal.

 

He understood that Dominus was somewhat privy to his thoughts, but he did not shield them mentally. Verbally, however, he simply said, "I will, Master. Do you know of their whereabouts, or am I to locate them?"

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"You will find Oni and Ki through Force bond. The connection has been weakened by my imprisonment, but it is still there. You will bring with you someone new as well. Five is the core number we must maintain to effectively utilize our powers. I trust your judgment on that point. By showing himself to you, Rivan has indicated you are to be his instrument as well. Whatever powers of perception I have in regard's to Rivan's will, you now possess."

 

Dominus ordered a faceless droid to prepare his ship. He knew he could not hide his true feelings from Haphaestus. There no jealousy in his heart. But there was disappointment. The Sith Master wondered if Rivan had not chosen to reveal himself to Haphaestus because he lacked confidence in Dominus.

 

"I too will be departing. I must maintain our connections to the Sith. I will be taking on an apprentice. But don't be concerned. He will not be brought into the Alcazarins unless Rivan wills it. I will be training him on Vjun. Remember, only members of the Alcazarins may know of Almas and set foot here."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Haphaestus nodded. "Very well," he said. "I shall begin my search immediately." As he did so, he turned around and started to head out of the castle and back towards his ship. He stretched out with the Force, expanding his awareness not just meters or kilometers, but across the galaxy, looking for those that he had once called his allies.

 

And he sensed them. It was difficult to move on with life after being in the service to Lord Nurgle and then no longer being so. But neither could he have expected each of these followers to curl up and die in Nurgle's absence. It would be interesting, he decided, to see them now, to examine how quickly they renewed their pledges to Dominus and Rivan.

 

Boarding his craft, he soon left Almas, heading for the closest of the followers.

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With Haphaestus gone, Dominus nearly fell to the ground. Only his Darkstaff kept him upright. He had hidden his weakness well from his old apprentice. The truth was Dominus' mind had been damaged greatly by the fracturing and then the reunion. Dominus knew however how important it was to hide this until he had recovered.

 

Why is it important? Are you actually afraid Haphaestus will usurp you?

 

No, that couldn't be it. Dominus could not believe he would harbor such fears.

 

Then why did it bother you that Rivan chose to revealoklol himself to Haphaestus?

 

Dominus' mind was quiet for a time, as if he expected Rivan himself to answer this question. There was only silence in the superheated cavern. The answer was obvious, even if it did not come from their Master. Rivan lacked full confidence in Dominus. He was hedging his bets. This angered the Sith Master.

 

But it was a needless jealousy, and he hated that about it. It was his Sith training. If Dominus was honest, raising Haphaestus' status was good for the Alcazarins and it reinforced their notions of equality. That logic did not help. His mind was a jumble of emotions he needed to control.

 

Dominus moved slowly to his ship. The New Sun waited for him. As he took off into hyperspace, Dominus feared what was to come if he did not control his darkside impulses.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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  • 2 weeks later...

The sky parts momentarily as ShadowFalcon streaks across Almas' atmosphere, the Sith Lord aboard the vessel sighing a big breath of relief as he gazes below upon it's surface. It's appearance had remained unchanged for the last three years of his absence, as if he had never left. Taking a swig from the flask, Oni chuckles briefly. It was indeed a sight for sore eyes. Beginning his descent, Oni draws upon the atmosphere surrounding him, feeling so familiar, like the scents of home. He may have not been born from Almas, but Almas was his true home.

 

By the time he had landed, Oni had drew enough energy to sustain himself as he made the long trek to the Fortress. Most would need the protection of a rebreather, but not Oni. He had spent enough concentration on Breath Control to never again need one. And even though Almas' atmosphere held enough oxygen to sustain life, it held other gases that could just as easily take it. One wrong step and an untrained being would be no more.

 

As Oni makes his approach inside, he opens himself up fully, searching for Dominus' presence and touching Rivan's legacy with an understanding no outsider could comprehend. But Dominus was absent, his presence no longer found upon this demonic world. With a smile, Oni acknowledges Dominus' return to Vjun, before stepping into the dome's underbelly- the place where all foresaw their destiny as Alcazarins.

 

Indeed, Oni had return home.

 

Edit: (08/09/10)

 

When Oni awoke, he realized he had spent many days in meditation. Before him sat an orb of Darkmetal, reformed from the very breastplate he wore for so long. Below his position sat the boiling lake, the colors of ember and blood swirling below in it's heated current. So long since his first visit, it felt only right to choose this as sanctuary while on Almas.Gathering the Orb, Oni exited and removed his axe, shutting the wall behind him. He felt Dominus' call.

 

It wouldn't be long before he departed, first sealing the orb within the lockbox aboard his ship. Rivan had shown him his own vision and the orb played a pivotal role in it. But for now, Oni was to rejoin his brethren.

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  • 4 months later...

Dominus exited hyperspace. He immediately sent the codes to the surface that prevented the Dark Dome from automatically destroying his ship from the surface. The Darkstaff at Dominus' side pulsed with power as they approached the surface. Dominus landed near Rivan's ancient fortress.

 

"Bring him. And follow me carefully," Dominus said. He guided the droids through the pockets of deadly gas, keeping to the breathable areas so Lucifer would not be harmed. More droids were waiting for him, and they opened the gates of the fortress. Dominus injected Lucifer's slumbering form with the antidote to the sedative. He waited for the Sith Lord to come around.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Lucifer slowly roused from what seemed like lifetime of sleep. A little groggy he awoke to a unknown location, surrounded by what appeared to be more faceless droids and Dominus himself.

 

Feeling the area through the force he was fully woken, the darkside was truly strong here wherever here was.

 

The kiffar spoke rubbing his head a little somehow having the feeling he had a somewhat long journey less he would not have been out quite so long, the only drawback of it he could fathom was that his newly acquired ship was nowhere in sight less he had to make his own way out of wherever he was and to another destination...however he worked out in the end the positives outweighed the risk by far.

 

''I take it we have arrived. I can feel the darkside coursing through here, wherever here is.''

https://jedirp.net/topic/4851-trodai-narat-iv-adas-darth-akheron/

Akheron.jpg

 

 "Only in my pain, did I find my will. Only in my chaos, did I learn to be still. Only in my fear, did I find my might. Only in my darkness, did I see my light." - Darth Akheron

 

I survived the Great JNet Outage of 2012

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"It is not the dark side that you feel, not truly," Dominus said. He did not elaborate. There would be plenty of time for explanation later. Instead, he beckoned for Lucifer to follow him. They moved through several chambers until they reached the center of the Fortress. Here, the room was open, extending all the way to an obsidian dome that obscured the sky. In the center of this room, was a dais. Dominus carefully placed his Darkstaff into a slot made for the weapon. A familiar passage appeared descending into perfect darkness. Intense heat emanated from within. Here was where he had trained Oni, and Haphaestus. Here he had trained Ki Vastor. And now Lucifer would be initiated.

 

"Here you must stay close. Use the Force to sense your surroundings. There is death if you stray from the path," Dominus said. He made his way into the blackness. It was all encompassing, heavy in the air. Dominus felt its embrace combined with the warmth of the room, and he was comforted. What Lucifer could not know is that they were surrounded by black lava. Rivers of it flowed beneath the fortress, though here it was just a trickle. The amount of lava grew the farther they advanced, increasing the heat.

 

"We must stop here," Dominus said. The heat was intense. Dominus did not feel it, because he was an Alcazarin. To Lucifer however, it would be painful. "This is where you learn, in the blaze of necessity. Are you ready?" Dominus asked the question, not to hear the answer, but to hear any sort of response from Lucifer. To make certain he was still lucid.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Lucifer listened as they descened intot he fortress bowels....if it was not the darkside then what was this feeling he felt, strange it seemed he was find a whole new side to the force he never knew existed---all he had known was that there were two sides never another more potent form of it as was the case here.

 

As he followed the kiffar continued to listen and acted accordingly. Latching outwards with the force he felt his way avoiding the black death that was the lava around them. As they moved further in the heat increased until it became almost unbearable and would have killed him had he not been trained to resist such pain.

 

Hearing the question Lucifer answered.

 

''I am ready for whatever awaits me--if this be another test I shall do what is necessary.''

 

The sith lord's conviction was absolute, he had come far and faced himself---he would not falter now, not when so close.

https://jedirp.net/topic/4851-trodai-narat-iv-adas-darth-akheron/

Akheron.jpg

 

 "Only in my pain, did I find my will. Only in my chaos, did I learn to be still. Only in my fear, did I find my might. Only in my darkness, did I see my light." - Darth Akheron

 

I survived the Great JNet Outage of 2012

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They continued at Lucifer's word. The temperature had reached near lethal levels. No doubt it was beginning to affect Lucifer's mind. Lucifer was being cooked alive. It would be essential that he overcome this and focus on Dominus' teachings.

 

"Everything you have learned about the Force is a lie. Force power, true power, comes not from within, but from the world around you."

 

Dominus could feel Lucifer slipping. If the Sith lost consciousness, he would die.

 

"Stay with me! And listen. You need to concentrate. Feel the Force around you. Do not focus on what is inside you, but what is outside. Feel the Force in the air itself. You must do this quickly."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Lucifer was fading in and out despite his efforts the heat was beginning to affect his mind. Hullicinations starting appearing before Dominus snapped him out of it again and the kiffar sith lord despite this listened not deterred by the heat.

 

He could literally feel his skin blister slightly on his right side as the smell of lightly seered flesh filled the air. Listening Lucifer's mind was opened to another revelation, one he took in---it seemed much that he thought that was, was not true but yet another falsehood.

 

Focusing within the force Lucifer let go of all perception as he knew it of the force instead listening and doing as asked...focusing outwards instead of inside himself, literally focusing within the air around him until it became a almost intoxicating liqour, a new brand of alcaholic beverage. Doing it quickly as he was instructed the kiffar found that what was once seering heat became as nothing as he found a new release from the world around him, the air became part of him as he became part of it, he truly began to understand the force, not as he knew it before, this time it was different, stronger even until the pain became as nothing and he did not succumb to the hullucinations as before but instead his mind was clear.

 

Everything was changing for the sith lord, all he knew was gone and replaced with something greater, the misguided view of before was as nothing.

https://jedirp.net/topic/4851-trodai-narat-iv-adas-darth-akheron/

Akheron.jpg

 

 "Only in my pain, did I find my will. Only in my chaos, did I learn to be still. Only in my fear, did I find my might. Only in my darkness, did I see my light." - Darth Akheron

 

I survived the Great JNet Outage of 2012

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"Do not mistake delirium for epiphany," Dominus warned. Lucifer's mind was being affected by the pressure cooker they stood in. The pain was also a distraction as his skin began to burn. Dominus switched now, speaking into Lucifer's mind, to ensure his voice would not be lost to Lucifer.

 

You feel it now, I can sense it. The next step is to absorb its energy. There is a buffer between your Force energy and the energy of the heat in his room. That is what causes harm. If you absorb that heat, you can let it flow through you rather than affect you.

 

If Lucifer was successful, he would come back to himself and be as comfortable here as Dominus was.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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