Hey you guys! It's Valkyrie again. This will be up after Chapter 13 of TTP is up, but I'm glad you're here to see it anyhow! I'm always a big fan of Star Wars (I root for the Sith. Sue me, right?) and I play Star Wars right alongside Fallout (I love Nexus so much). I recently just got back into Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) and after replaying Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR) I threw caution to the wind and started typing. This is the story of clashing ideologies and the fall of a Jedi, something I know I love seeing in a story and I hope you will love it too. The first chapter is probably going to suck (kinda like TTP's first chapter) but I promise you it will get better (like TTP [unless you think that story sucks too]). Without further ado, here is the first chapter of an all new saga!

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.

There is no emotion, there is peace.

Through passion, I gain strength.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

Through strength, I gain power.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

Through power, I gain victory.

There is no chaos, there is harmony.

Through victory, my chains are broken.

There is no death, there is the Force.

The Force shall free me.

The mind is a fragile thing. A child is born with a brain that needs to be filled with knowledge, with values, with morals to guide their life. They need direction. Influence. It's hard to believe, but the infant years we spent screeching like howler monkeys and spouting more gibberish than a man who just chugged Everclear are actually the defining times of our life. If your parents were religious zealots and read you the texts of their beliefs before you slept you most likely were instilled with those values and defended them vehemently. Nobody likes to be wrong, especially about lifetime facets of your personality. The thing is that if (or when) said children later refute those values because they find them to be against things that they believe in, they often become some of the strongest opponents of their former beliefs. Such was the case with a young human from Rishi by the name of Vhexra Nivix.

Vhexra was the child of two prominent Jedi Masters who were adherents to Revan's philosophy about love as a tool of the light, not a pawn of darkness. Her father was one of the greatest Jedi tacticians of the century and one of the few human Jedi at the time to master the ability of predicting thoughts. Her mother was a Miraluka Jedi seer, born without eyes but gaining a higher affinity with the Force, allowing her to "see" life as it was meant to be seen. Vhexra was born with her mother's curiosity and her father's shrewd cunning, not to mention the Force sensitivity that the trio now shared. They knew this when at the age of three she had a temper tantrum that led to the Jedi Academy day care banning any toys that were created with over an ounce of plasteel.

Needless to say, when they found out their daughter was Sensitive, they were overjoyed. They began training Vhexra personally, but her headstrong attitude and minimal attention span led to them handing her over to the Coruscanti Academy at the age of seven. Vhexra progressed through the trials rapidly, earning the title of Initiate in six months when it usually took years. There seemed to be no end to what she could accomplish. But under every happy story there lies a great evil, a combatant to vilify, an antagonist. This story is no different. The year was 3662 BBY, and the Jedi were at war. The very same evil that had made a redeemed Revan leave Bastila and their unborn child over a thousand years ago had not been extinguished. The Sith Emperor and the reformed Empire had revealed themselves to the galaxy twenty years before, using their massive fleet to strike the Republic from the Unknown Regions.

Planet after planet fell to the armada's onslaught. First, it was Korriban. Then it was Ziost. Then Orion. Balmorra. Quesh. All the dominoes began to fall, and piece by piece the Empire began to rebuild. It created a massive army of both soldiers and Force users in an attempt to rival the Republic's military advantage, it created an entire system of government based on the ideals of Sith that were long forgotten. Vhexra was barely fourteen years old, serving as a Padawan to the rising Jedi Knight Persis Valzes, an expert duelist. She trained under him for multiple years before finally reaching the rank of Knight at the age of twenty four, and everything seemed to be aligned for Ms. Nivix, at least until that fateful day. The year is 3653 BBY, and this is where our story begins.

3653 BBY, Coruscant. Jedi Temple Archives. Vhexra Nivix.

-Vhexra-

My rapid footsteps resonated throughout the long, empty corridor. The bronzium plates on the doors flashed past, each one proclaiming a new section. My eyes trained on those very same headings as the area grew more familiar, more recognizable. I skidded to a halt in front of a towering archway, my destination gleaming in front of me. The Combat Information Archive loomed over my figure, not an easy feat due to my height of 5'10 (1.778 meters) and my almost impeccable posture. The smell of dusty holocrons wafted out of the room, encouraging me to take a deep breath in through my nose, the dust tickling my nasal cavity. I smirked, putting my hands on my hips. "Ah… the smell of knowledge. Nothing like it."

I slowly trudged through the darkened Archive, my Miraluka blood alerting me that the Force presence of what I was seeking rested nearby. I took a few more steps and went to the next row of shelves to my left, scanning the platforms until I could find my target. And there it was: the holocron. I raised the square and activated the sequencer, watching as the holocron burst into life. Files shot forward containing training documents and videos on dozens of Forms ranging from Shii-Cho to forms that were so obscure that I was coming into contact with them for the first time. I smiled broadly, knowing my mission was almost complete. "All I have to do now is bring this holocron back to Master Quae and he'll teach me some more advanced Forms. Maybe then I can finally get a Padawan and make…"

I grasped my head in terrible pain, a wave of dark energy slamming into me like a punch in the gut. My vision began to blur; arms went limp, my mind struggled to clean the taint that had entered her body. "Can't… move…" I choked. Soon after, I began to pull myself up, clinging to the railing as I attempted to pinpoint the origin of the dark energy that had just wrestled for control of my body. It appeared to have emanated from the Wing of Forbidden Knowledge, the home of all the dark artefacts that the Jedi have taken into their possession. Calling upon the power of the Force, I managed to limp toward the Wing, curiosity overtaking my survival instinct.

As I entered the Wing of Forbidden Knowledge, I received yet another dose of dark energy. This time, however, I used the darkness to nourish myself and heal some of my wounds. I knew that if any of the Council members found out that I did what I just did I would get the longest lecture in Academy history. The dark energy, however, gave me the strength to stand upright, which in turn let me concentrate my full power to determining the location of the origin of this massive bastion of dark power in the heart of the Temple. My task was a daunting one, not only because of the huge amount of dark energy, but also due to the fact that many of the artefacts in the Wing that weren't holocrons but machines that were designed to kill.

I soon found the hotspot of dark energy. It was a holocron, obviously far older than most, if not all of the other artefacts in the collection. Then I got an idea. I looked around quickly, making sure nobody was around to see me. My hand flew toward the activation switch, casting a blue light in the air. Seconds later a figure appeared wearing armor that covered everything but the figures head. I immediately recognized the armor as the battle armor of the founders of the original Sith Empire, the Dark Jedi that were exiled to the farthest reaches of space. Apparently it had not been far enough. "How did this lady get armor that kriffing old?" I wondered, confused as to the true identity of the figure. She had long, flowing black hair and murky yellow eyes. She began to speak, her voice clear as the sparkling rivers of Alderaan.

"My name is Sorzus Syn," the figure began, staring directly into my eyes. It was almost as if she was watching me. "I am one of the founders of the Order that will finally defeat the Jedi and make them regret not embracing the dark side when they had the chance." The figure seemed angry, spiteful. "It is our order of Sith. Ajunta tasked me with documenting the history of our trek and our arrival into this land rich with the dark side, not to mention a sentient species that is perfect for inbreeding and advanced beyond the primitives in the Outer Rim. At least that's an advantage." The figure seemed to realize she was droning on, and she cleared her throat yet again. "Our story began when the revolt against the outdated Jedi and their miserable Order failed. The fools had us exiled into deep space, oblivious to the fact that we would soon find a world on which to build an empire…"

I listened to Syn with abject fascination as she told her the story of the discovery of the Sith species to the rise of their new empire. I listened very closely, enthralled by the things Syn was saying. I had only heard this sort of talk from the teachers at the Academy, and when I heard it from them it was more of a cautionary tale than a tale of inspiration, drastically different from the version portrayed in Syn's memoirs. The only thing that snapped me out of my trance was the loudest explosion I've ever heard. "It came from the entrance!" I exclaimed, shocked. Tucking the holocron into my tunic, I ran to see the commotion. When I turned my head and peeked out into the lobby, I regretted my choice almost instantly.

The Sith had invaded Coruscant. I saw countless Sith warriors, and there seemed to be a few commanders. For a split second, however, I could have sworn I saw a familiar visage. "Could it be…?" I shook my head, clearing those thoughts and unsheathing my lightsaber, completely tearing away from my thoughts and turning to the area in which the Temple Panic Bunker was located. As I turned and prepared to run, I ran smack dab into a looming figure above me.

Standing before me like a mountain, the hulking man turned his gaze down to my head. His head was pale, an advanced breathing apparatus rasping his words. This was Darth Malgus, Lord of the Sith and soon-to-be Breaker of Coruscant. The man glared down at me, igniting his saber as the cue for me to start backing away finally kicked in. Malgus slowly walked toward me, eyes narrowing as he went. "Jedi…" he rasped. "You fashioned yourself impenetrable? Today we prove you wrong."

I put my hands up, slowly backing away, head darting around the room. I could barely let out a small whistle, but I had to do something. I forced out words, any words, something, dammit! "Please… Please don't kill me."

Malgus laughed. "All things die, little Knight. Embrace it and strike at me, defy the destiny of fate."

I continued walking backwards until I tripped over a downed pillar in the Council lobby. Out clanked the holocron, and Malgus immediately recognized it. I attempted to retrieve it, afraid at what would happen if any of the Jedi saw me with the holocron of one of the first Sith. "Get back!" I ignited my saber. "Just… hand me the holocron, Sith."

Malgus seemed intrigued. He picked up the triangular holocron, his eyes closing in a blissful state as the dark energy flowed through him. He looked back at me, his blade dissipating into nothing. "Now, I highly doubt that your masters know what you're reading. Would I be correct?" I glared at him, refusing to respond. "You do realize that this isn't the path of a Jedi, correct? This is a powerful relic of the dark side. Jedi are not fit to possess something of as much power as this has." I continued to glare at the man. Malgus laughed. "Well then, it seems that I've got all the information I need. You'll be coming with us, little Jedi." Malgus shot out his hand, twisting the fluids in my brain and sending me into shock.

The last things I saw before I went unconscious were the piercing yellow eyes of Darth Malgus.

3652 BBY, Darth Malgus's Flagship, Harrower Class. Holding Cells. Vhexra & Malgus

For a moment I thought I was dead. One of the last things I remembered was Malgus preparing to bring his saber down onto my body. Then everything flooded back. The holocron… Syn's holocron… had saved my life. Knowing what the Sith do to prisoners, however, I guessed that I would soon wish that Malgus had struck me down right then and there. When I opened my eyes I found myself in a room that was almost as large as the Padawan dorm I had lived in when I was in the Temple. Even though I was in the heart of the Sith invasion fleet, believe it or not, my first thought was one of desperation. Escape.

I closed my eyes, channeling the Force around me into a great ball of pressurized air that, if successful, would break me out. About a second later, I received a shock through a collar on my neck, causing me to break my channeling and cry out in pain. After the shock had passed, I began to seethe. "So that's what that collar was for…" I spat. Just then, the door slid open and my head flung to where the noise had emitted.

-Malgus-

The doors slid open and in I walked, the smoke still rising from the collar on her neck. I restrained myself, stopping the laugh that almost came out of my mouth. She had already tried to break out. How quaint. The young Jedi girl quivered in fear and anger when she saw me enter, a typical response when a Darth enters your prison cell. She attempted to put up a visage of bravery, but I knew that deep down she was anything but courageous in this situation. I pulled a chair under my legs, resting my weary appendages. I raised my head and looked the girl straight in the eyes. "Jedi, do you know why I spared you?" I rasped, patiently awaiting a response.

The girl stared me in the eyes, almost tearing up. "N… no, Sith. I almost wish you didn't."

I pulled out Syn's holocron, grinning involuntarily. "Well, not only did you deliver the holocron of Soruz Syn to us, but you also didn't run to assist your Jedi fellows in combat, which leads me to believe that you don't hold a great love for your Order; or, perhaps more probable, you don't love it as much as others do." Under my respirator I smirked, sensing I had hit close to the mark. I continued, my voice varied and cocky. "We have your file, Ms. Nivix. Extraordinary connection to the Force, part Miraluka and born to Jedi, if the file is correct. Your short temper and the circumstances of your birth made the Jedi afraid to move you forward, keeping you as a Padawan until last year. Tell me, Jedi, how does it feel to become a Knight at age twenty-four? To watch your friends increase in rank as you stayed the same. Makes you mad, doesn't it?"

Vhexra snapped at me, anger in her voice. "So what? They held me back because I needed to master my emotions before I moved forward in the ranks!"

I chuckled, amazed at her naivete. "And you believed that steady stream of lies that they fed you? They feared you, Jedi. The Jedi Council feared what you could become if you touched the dark side and its power!"

The girl faltered, and for a moment I felt her being prodded closer toward the edge. Then she stopped. In fact, everything stopped. Not as in she stopped thinking, but as in she blocked my probing attempts into her mind. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't break her firewall. "Your mental abilities are exceptional, Ms. Nivix. No doubt you will prove a valuable asset when you finally crack." I uttered, breath heavy. The girl refused to meet my gaze, instead casting her eyes to the ground. I scoffed, turning toward the door and saying my final piece. "You will be leaving the ship soon, Jedi."

Her hopes rose and she spoke to me with anticipation. "Am I being traded in some sort of prisoner swap?"

I chuckled, always loving the hope that came before the fall. "Quite the contrary. Darth Boros offered to take you off my plate. His personal flagship will be here shortly to escort you to Dromund Kaas. What happens there is no longer my concern." I couldn't help but add a final sentence before I left, basically blurting it out. "You've heard of him, haven't you?" I laughed as the prison door slammed shut behind me.

-Vhexra-

I shivered in fear. I knew who Boros was; hell, I'd co-authored the report on the man! She remembered it to this day, from the first line to the final ink blot. I began reciting it to myself, trying to prepare myself mentally for what I was about to endure.

"Darth Boros, birth name unknown, is one of the most unusual Sith of our age. Born on Dromund Kaas in 3678 BBY, his rise to power is one that will be taught in their academies as the ideal way to wrest control from others. Born into debt, Boros was raised by his father, a miner. Only known family is a brother who was killed in service to the Imperial Fleet. Mother died in childbirth. Boros was sold into slavery at age nine, reportedly adding on to his supposedly 'introverted' personality. He was discovered to be Sensitive at age eleven and he was an apprentice by age fifteen. By age seventeen he had killed his first master, becoming a Lord at age eighteen.

After showing prowess while in the tutelage of the Sith Sphere of Mysteries, he was assigned to said Sphere, becoming a trusted apprentice to Darth Helar, apprentice to Darth Rictus, the man in charge of the Sphere. Our spies report that he challenged Helar to a duel when he found out that he had fabricated artefacts. Unknown to most people, Boros had gained the unwavering loyalty of a Moff and his fleet who had sworn allegiance to him, using it to cut off any means of escape for Helar, who fell to Boros with a saber through the heart. At age twenty-seven he killed Darth Rictus, becoming the youngest Dark Councillor to date.

Spies report that his personality is introverted, mainly focusing his loyalty and attention on a close circle of companions. Boros is considered armed and the Jedi High Council has given him the threat level of Omega-Solaris-Bindo, a typical designation for a Dark Councillor. No further information is known about Darth Boros, but he is considered a threat to the Jedi Council and to the Galaxy. Extreme caution advised."

I sighed, the memories flooding back. Would I ever again see the skies of Coruscant? Smell the breeze on Tython? Those feelings… They seemed too distant now. I heard a knock on the door and in walked two Imperial Honor Guards, clad in full red body armor and wielding saber staffs. They stood at attention inside the cell, backs to the wall, staring straight forward. One man entered after, looking for all the world like a tree. He wore a tight fitting tunic along with an intimidating piece of headgear and black cortosis-infused gloves. Even though I had never seen the man, I knew him almost instantly. "Darth Boros." I spat, spite dripping from my words.

-Boros-

I had only received Malgus's transmission an hour ago, but his voice told me that it was important. Apparently this Knight had one of the most amazing artefact hauls of the decade. I had seen Coruscant from low orbit and it made me want to vomit. I could feel the destruction of the Jedi Archives even now, thousands of miles above the surface. It made me sick to watch it. Indeed, one might say I felt indebted to this Jedi for her actions. When I entered her cell, however, the greeting I received was anything but warm.

"Darth Boros," she had begun. That name always frazzled me. The only time I heard it was during Council meetings and from troops, but I did most of my talking with companions who knew my name. I stayed silent, letting her continue. "What do you want from me? Information? I would sooner die than betray the Jedi."

I chuckled, my electronically rendered voice making the girl shiver. "I've heard that one before. A Padawan, so young and oh so loyal to her Order. Do you know where she is now, Vhexra?"

Vhexra's skin bristled, her mind slowly tearing down the firewall. "Where?" she asked, curiosity taking over once again.

I laughed softly, my expression devious. "Korriban, I believe. She's almost a Lord now." She turned away at that one. It was obvious that to even attempt to convert her I needed her trust. I decided that the best course of action was to stop toying with her and get to the point. "I hear that you have something for me, Jedi. Would you be interested in sharing that piece of information?"

-Vhexra-

I shivered as he spoke, his voice dripping with the very evil I had been warned about. To even… presume that I would consider join his little abomination of the Force! True, I've had trouble managing my emotions, but I would never join the Sith! Preposterous, that's what it was. My only comfort seemed to be that as long as I maintained calm the Sith couldn't break down my firewall. Persis had always told me that my powers over the mind were boggling.

I smiled. He had taught me everything I knew. He was a brother to me, the sibling and the friend that I never had. I began to wonder if he had survived. That thought was immediately shoved aside. Of course he was alive! No Sith could take him down! How could they? He was a Master now; granted, he was new, but his combat skills had always been exemplary! He was almost invincible!

I then realized the facts. If he was alive, how was he feeling right now? Did he think I was dead? What about Mom and Dad? Were they alright? Were they safe? So many concerns flashed through my head, so many thoughts and ideas. It began to overwhelm me, to break down the firewall on its own. I couldn't take it anymore! My anxiety was leading to fear and the fear lead to anger and all of them began to stack!

Red hot power, raw power, began coursing through my veins. The shocks from the collar that had once dissuaded me from using my abilities were now only mild stings that served to only fortify my rage. I began to scream, feeling the built-up power explode outwards, draining my body. "ENOUGH!" I roared, a burning sensation the last thing I felt before passing out.

-Boros-

I sensed that I may have pushed too far. As I sat in silence, I felt her firewall begin to crash down. It was my chance to glimpse into her mind! Finally, I'm able to… then I sensed it. Her rage was building up to volatile levels, high enough so that if she released it she would kill everyone in this room. I grabbed the mysterious holocron and clutched my Honor Guard. "Get back!" I yelled, throwing them out of the room and into relative safety before I propelled myself out of the cell and out of the range of Vhexra's overload.

It couldn't have been timed better. Seconds later the cell room imploded, burning a hole through three decks in either direction and obliterating the cell. Alarms began to blare throughout the interior of the ship, causing droids to deploy on all decks. As an officer next to me frantically surveyed the injuries I had sustained I ignored him, walking into the chaos and destruction.

There, curled up into a ball on the ruined floor, skin burned, clothes in tatters and hair singed, was Vhexra. I stared at the girl in shock. I had known she was gifted in the ways of the Force but I had no idea of the amount of anger and power that she had locked away in her mind. She was more powerful than any of my initial calculations could have ever foreseen. I stared at her, my mouth slowly turning upwards into a smile. Converting her would be far easier than I had previously assumed. I unlocked my damaged mask, the metal slowly "chink"-ing into squares and folding into my pocket. I pulled up my hood, picked up the unconscious form of Vhexra while simultaneously projecting a shield around my form to keep us safe from the fires while we walked out.

Her practically naked form still felt warm, and I sensed a heartbeat, small but present. I breathed a sigh of relief, wordlessly gesturing to my Honor Guards, who, to their sake, quickly rushed over and slowly lifted the girl from my grasp, resting her in between their combined arms, forming a sort of bridge while they carried Vhexra back to my docked flagship. I slowly followed them, speaking into my comlink and setting up a medical bay suited for her conditions. I would make the mysterious little Jedi a vessel in which I could impart my powers, a vessel to use against the Order that she had once been so loyal to. It would be quite, quite fun.