Chapter 58: The Apprentice
"Avaryss stop! You…you can't do this?!"
The dark lord grinned from ear to ear, a cruel smile…a predator's smile.
"Oh…really," she asked, "And why ever not?"
Darth Sadi began to back up, her guards shifting position around her, trying to stay between her and rival.
Avaryss could not stop the giddy giggle that escape her.
I've waited a long time for this, she thought, far too long.
She was looking forward to ending this shutta once and for all.
Meanwhile, Sadi was still trying to use her powers on her, Avaryss could feel the other dark lord's will reaching out through the Force, trying to influence her, to bend her mind to Sadi's will.
She wastes her time, Avaryss thought.
Once the dark lord had been a house divided, her great strength split between two personalities, and now…that battle was over. Darth Avaryss had full control over her powers.
She could feel the effect of Sadi's power, but there was nothing left within her to latch onto and twist, not anymore.
Avaryss understood now, the emptiness of the Sith, the strength of being free of hope, and giving herself complete to the darkness.
She was free, there was nothing that Darth Sadi could offer her, only the other Sith's life would satisfy her now.
Darth Avaryss was eager to claim it.
The rest of Sadi's conspirators watched what was happening, Bael had moved close to Talitha while Mya Lylos' spirit continued to swirl in the shadows above the now vacant stone throne.
Avaryss did not expect them to intervene, from her mother's reaction, she was guessing that the spirit had secretly wanted this, hoped that her daughter would take that extra step. If so, she would not be disappointed.
Avaryss had her own reason to want to end this witch.
"You don't want to do this, Avaryss," Sadi said quickly, "Think! Are you really thinking clearly? Your brother told me about your condition, I know that you are sick, can you say for certain that you have thought this through? Are you certain that your illness is not pushing you to make a choice that you really don't want to make?"
Avaryss considered that…briefly, but in the end, it didn't matter.
Sadi had turned Beric against her, she had had him shoot her in the stomach, twice, TWICE!
Such an insult needed to be answered, blood cried out for blood.
Avaryss would not be denied.
"Even if I wasn't sick, I would still do this, my lord," she replied, stepping down from the throne. "I've worked too hard and come too far to stop now, especially, when it is clear that this moment is what your allies have been building to…they have wanted to see us face off."
Avaryss chuckled mirthlessly.
"It is yet another test, that I must pass. The spirit wishes to see if I have what it takes."
Avaryss twirled her lightsaber in a gentle and lazy arc. Sadi and her guard continued to back up, the marauders stood between the dark lord and her prey. She could feel their rage, and their desire to protect their master.
Marauders, Avaryss thought with a sneer.
If Sadi had been smart she would have chosen Sith assassins as her bodyguards, marauders were decent enough canon fodder, but they lacked the coldness to truly focus on slaying their prey.
Plus, she could feel the four men's desire, they wanted to please Sadi, they wanted her gratitude, and her affection.
Avaryss shook her head.
They would never be able to match her now. Their hope to please Sadi limited them. They would never be as free as she was now, and they could no longer match her power.
They were hammers and clubs, she was now a laser scalpel.
She would cut them away; they were diseased tissue on the body of the Empire.
She would enjoy doing it.
She grinned at the four guards.
"Are you sure that you want to do this?" she asked them, "Your leader is going to die. Are you sure that you want to share her fate?"
Sadi's eyes darted around the chamber, looking for allies, or perhaps a way out, her lightsaber was out and lit, but Avaryss didn't think she was ready for what was about to happen.
It was depressing in its way.
She had been hoping for a real fight.
How did this woman ever become a full Sith, much less a Darth?
Avaryss could feel her power, but was that all she was? If so…it was a great disappointment.
Maybe Sadi had never truly been in a real fight. Her mental powers always saving her from a chance of truly testing her skills, of testing her will.
Avaryss knew her strength. She had walked through shadow, and pain. She had faced her master's rage and petty cruelties, she had had no defense against them, but to endure. She had suffered and been left wallowing in pain and defeat at Lord Feer's feet. She had needed to pick herself up and prove to her master that she was strong enough to remain at his side. She had struggled and fought for everything she now possessed.
What had Sadi done but flatter and deceive?
Avaryss was determined to find out.
"You will not talk your way out of this one, my lord," Avaryss growled, "So step out from behind your guards. It is time to show just how strong you actually are. Prove to all that you deserve to be called…master."
Sadi glared at her.
"I've nothing to prove to you girl. I've earned my title."
She shot a desperate look up at the throne, at the Force ghost hidden in the shadows above.
"I've done everything you have asked, Mya. I've supported your little ruse. Would you turn your back on me now?
Sadi hissed angrily.
"You promised you would stand with me when I challenged Darth Feer. You said you would aid me in taking his place."
Avaryss rolled her eyes.
"If she needs your aid, then she has no use for you, mother," Avaryss called out, "I know Darth Feer. I've trained at his feet, and I know that I can defeat him."
She shook her head.
"Why seek out an inferior when you can have a true Sith Master at your side? I will not need your aid in defeating Feer, all I need is the opportunity."
She looked up and smiled.
"Let me prove my superiority, you don't need this one anymore." She said pointing at Sadi.
"I'm the one that will bring you victory."
The spirit remained silent, yet it continued to watch the confrontation happening below.
"Bael," Sadi snarled, "Fight with your master, today we will kill your father's pet cur."
Avaryss looked back and forth between Sadi and Bael Feer, between master and apprentice, she had assumed that Bael was completely under the other woman's spell, perhaps that was not the case.
The boy laughed and rested his head on Talitha's shoulder.
"You have been a good teacher, master, but I must confess, I've always enjoyed watching Avaryss here fight…"
The boy grinned hungrily.
"It will be good to see if you can defeat her, she seems to have grown quite…formidable."
Bael laughed.
"As Avaryss said, prove yourself, just as you have asked me to do so many times."
Sadi's face fell, she was starting to realize that what she had wanted, and what her allies had wanted were two entirely different things.
She should have realized from the very beginning…
…Never trust a Sith.
Darth Sadi, Dark Lord of the Sith, and master of the Itae system growled at Darth Feer's apprentice.
Avaryss shrugged.
Well, she thought.
Your move.
"It seems that I have no choice," she said shaking her head.
"Nope," Avaryss agreed with another lazy twirl of her crimson blade.
"Let us begin."
"Yes," Sadi said, her pretty mouth twisted into a pout, she raised her lightsaber and…
"GUARDS!" she shouted.
"KILL HER!"
Avaryss rolled her eyes.
"I should have known."
Four lightsabers ignited, and all four marauders plunged towards Avaryss their blades flashing, their faces hidden behind mirrored faceplates, but even that could not entirely muffle the enraged roar that escaped their mouths.
Avaryss quickly backpedaled, falling into her Soresu rhythm, the dark side sang within her as her saber flashed as it met her opponents, blade upon blade.
She was pushed back, but she was not afraid.
They are all fire, she thought, they are almost tripping over each other, trying to get to me, to prove their worth to their shutta of a master.
As always the defender style served her well, she wove a wall of light between herself and her enemies, in time they would be able to wear down her defenses, but they were not that patient, two of the marauders broke away from the pack, broke away, and tried to get behind her.
Avaryss didn't let them.
She called on the dark side, and let her full power flow free for the first time.
She felt…invincible!
In that moment she realized just how much Avy and Keera's fighting had limited this body. How much it had taken away.
She was astounded!
She moved with a speed undreamed of. She had managed short bursts of speed before, but never enough to slow another Force user, now…
…she had become something far more than what she had been.
She had become something better.
The marauders slowed down to a crawl, she could have simply opened their throats were her blade, but she chose not to. She literally pirouetted between their strikes and slashes, delivering humiliating slaps and backhands; blows that both staggered and embarrassed Sadi's guards.
She laughed, but felt their growing frustration, frustration that would soon turn to fury.
Enough playing around, she thought…
…Time to show off.
She closed the distance between herself and the guards, got inside their defenses.
She began the killing in earnest.
The first marauder she beheaded. The second she Force pushed away, while she seized the third by the arm, stopping his lightsaber mid-swing, she used her metal fingers to slash his throat, her crystal nails more than a match for the leather of his gamberson. She used the dying Sith as a shield, letting his fourth ally finish the deed; his blade carving the man in three nice pieces.
She pirouetted around him, and chopped him in the neck with her left hand, the metal easily breaking bone.
As the man slumped down, she was forced to spin around, a warning from the dark side.
Two of the royal guard had left their posts, they were firing on her.
She used Shien to send those bolts back, but the guards' armor held, she was likely not the first Force-user they had faced.
The distraction was all the two remaining marauders needed the one she had thrown back had recovered and was now in her face, his lightsaber spinning wildly, his roar filling her ears, enraged by the death of his two comrades.
The two royal guards took up position in front of Darth Sadi, their force pikes in their off hands, their blasters pointed at her, and at the ready. Avaryss noticed that their two brethren had not moved, neither had Bael, nor Talitha.
Sadi must have gotten to them too, she realized, the Emperor would have been disappointed to know how easily his chosen had been manipulated.
No matter, they would not survive much longer.
She spun around the marauders and dashed straight at the guards dodging their blaster bolts as she went. Had these guards been young men they might have been fast enough to raise their force pikes and stop her charge.
Sadly, they were not young men, they had spent their lives here, defending this temple.
Avaryss bisected one with her lightsaber, the blade cutting him from shoulder to waist. She whirled around and drove the point of her blade through the eye slit of the second guard, his blaster firing wildly as her saber impaled his brain.
Sadi tried to take advantage of her brief distraction and blast her rival with lightning. Avaryss caught the attack on her saber, while she used the Force to yank the dying guard's blaster from his spasming fingers. Again, the marauders were there, their blades slashing down trying to either impale or dissect her. They were now too close to dodge anything.
BLAM!
BLAM!
The blaster Avaryss wielded barked twice, leaving scorched flesh where the helmet met the neck on both Sith Marauders.
Both men gurgled and fell to their knees their weapons falling from their hands.
Avaryss grinned as she dropped the blaster, it was not the most civilized way of dealing with a foe, but civility was for fools and Jedi.
She was no fool, and never would be again.
Almost as an afterthought she beheaded the two warriors, their gasps and gurgles cut short by the flash of her crimson blade.
No more guards, Avaryss thought, no more tricks, it was just her and Darth Sadi now…
…now they would see who deserved to face Darth Feer.
Darth Sadi roared as she unleased a maelstrom of Force lightning from her hands, her fear turning to rage, giving the dark lord more than enough power to match, Avaryss' shield.
Avaryss cried out as the lightning found her, burning her flesh, she gritted her teeth and tried to fight through, but Sadi did not give her a chance.
The Lord of Itae leapt at Avaryss attacking viciously, her mastery of the one-handed variant of Makashi showing through.
Sadi was a whirlwind, her blade seemed to be in three places at once. Avaryss was hard pressed to meet the attack, both her skill with the dark side, and her knowledge of the defender's style was being put to the test.
So, she isn't all talk after all, Avaryss thought, good.
She wanted this battle to be interesting; if nothing else.
"I'VE WORKED TOO HARD FOR THIS!" the other woman shouted.
"I will not have everything I've won stolen by the likes of you!"
Her words amused Avaryss.
"You've been a pawn since the very beginning, Sadi," Avaryss growled, "Mya Lylos, Talitha, even Bael. They used you from the very start.
She shook her head.
"What has happened here was never about you, it was about me, and my family. They wanted me back here, and to lure Darth Feer away from the safety that Dromund Kaas offered him. You've played your part perfectly, but now the plan must move into its next stage."
Avaryss chuckled as she parried the other Sith's blows.
"That plan no longer requires your presence. You have been replaced!"
Sadi didn't seem to like hearing that at all, her pretty face twisted into something ugly, she howled like an angry Tukata.
Avaryss' oversensitivity to sound again came into play; the dark lord's head rang from the shear force of the other dark lord's scream.
Sadi kicked her and sent her sprawling, she barely struggled to her feet as the other lord's curved handled lightsaber came down and nearly bisected her.
Avaryss shook her head, trying to clear it, to get back into the fight. She tasted blood on her lips…her nose was bleeding again.
She looked up, seeing double, two Sadi's closed the distance between them.
Avaryss closed her eyes; and trusted in the Force.
She managed to dodge the lord's heavy strike, and even managed to parry a second blow aimed at her head.
Slowly, Avaryss began to be pushed back, Sadi's fury, her desire to punish her treacherous allies were now driving her blade.
So, the lord was not all talk after all, Avaryss realized.
At least her instructors had not been completely inadept, they had…
WHOA!
She barely dodged a chop at her head, only to spin around and be blasted by Force lightning, flinging her back, Avaryss turned her fall into backward roll, and once again found her feet.
She was panting now, her rage and desire to slay Sadi remained, buffering her strength, but the other Darth was not the fop she had pretended to be.
She was strong…in her own way, but was she strong enough?
Avaryss would need to find out.
Darth Sadi stood before her, equally out of breath, her pretty face was not so pretty anymore; her eyes glowed the golden color of a Sith, her face showing the signs of dark side necrosis.
Had she hidden the change behind a glamour, Avaryss wondered, or was she finally pushing herself for the first time?
I didn't want it to be this way," Sadi whined, "I wanted us to be allies Avaryss; I want us…to be friends."
"You wanted me to be your pawn," the dark lord snarled back.
Sadi gave her a cruel smile.
"It is the same thing."
Again, she lunged forward, her blade flashing out before her, and again Avaryss met the attack with Soresu, the defender's style doing its job. She continued to try and work Makashi strikes into her sequences but Sadi seemed to be anticipating those moves.
Avaryss felt the kiss of Sadi's blade on her left side, not enough to seriously wound, but it did set her robe on fire. The young dark lord spun away slapping at the flames, putting them out quickly.
Sadi leapt at her again, abandoning the caution of her early attacks, looking to take advantage and end this duel quickly.
Avaryss raised her mechanical hand, Sadi started to bring her blade down, likely hoping to sever the young dark lord's limb, just as Darth Terrog had done.
That did not happen.
Avaryss had learned from that loss.
Sadi's blade struck metal, cortosis weave, the plates of her rival's arm stopped the blade, given a second or two she might have recovered, and been back on the attack.
Avaryss did not give her that chance.
A blast of pure dark side energy flashed from the crystal built into Avaryss' palm.
Sadi's Oridannan gown caught fire as she was thrown back. She shrieked as she slapped at the flames, and tried to put them out, unused to the fire burning her pretty flesh.
It gave her rival a few seconds, but that was all that Avaryss needed.
Now, she went on the attack.
She switched to Makashi and drove the other Sith back. Sadi attempted another Force scream, but Avaryss slashed at her arm, turning her cry into a hiss of pain.
The two women continued to spin, strike and parry, neither one willing to give an inch.
Avaryss fought through the pain, not letting it distract her, if anything she was drawing strength from it. Her head throbbed painfully. Whether it was her sickness or some trick that Sadi was trying she could not say.
It didn't matter…not in the end.
She was going to kill Darth Sadi, end of story.
It was the end.
The lord of the Itae system, perhaps sensing the end was drawing closer, tried to flee, she began to back up towards the exit, seeking to leave the chamber.
Avaryss used the Force to fling debris at her, even parts of the bodies of her fallen guards. Sadi used the Force to push them back, but in doing so she left herself open to her rival. Twice Avaryss' blade kissed the other lord's flesh.
Sadi lashed out, but it was no longer with pure rage, panic was starting to work its way into the dark lord's actions. It was slowing her down, she was no longer feeding off the pure strata of the dark side.
Avaryss drank in her fear, it was as sweet as Oridannan spring wine.
"It doesn't have to end this way," Sadi shouted, "We can still be friends, we can do this together, Feer would not be able to stand against the two of us!"
"I don't need you to defeat my master," she spat back.
"You don't get it do you, Avaryss," Sadi said shaking her head, "Your brother is my creature now, and he has orders."
She laughed, she tried to make it sound superior, but Avaryss could still hear the desperation in it.
"He and I have already prepared a package for Lord Feer, proof that you were behind the rebellion from the very beginning, that you sought to use the trouble that has happened here to feather your own nest, and our master will believe it because it is coming from you own dear brother."
"Feer is not the sympathetic sort," Avaryss said with a shrug, "he will recognize the lie."
"But will he care, he would not mind an excuse to remove you and yours. You House will be named a cell of rogue Sith, Darth Feer and the traditionalist on the council will exterminate your allies, from the highest apprentice, to the lowest slave."
Sadi laughed fatalistically.
"You will lose everything, Avaryss. You and your sister will both be criminals, you will be hunted down like vermin. You should have realized that I would never have involved myself in this without arranging some type of insurance policy."
Sadi struck back, but her swings were not as crisp as they had been, Force exhaustion was starting to settle in.
It was almost over.
"But we can turn it around, my friend," Sadi promised, "We can pin the blame on Darth Feer, Bael will confess to that, that he discovered that his father created the rebellion to tighten his grip on Oridanna, and use it as spring board to take the Emperor's vacant throne."
Sadi grinned.
"We can stop it Avaryss, you and me."
Avaryss halted her attack. She was out of breath, but her purple eyes were glowing, blood flowing freely from her nose and mouth.
"Yes," Avaryss said in a dreamy voice, lowering her sword.
"We could do it," she agreed, smiling.
"We could do it, together!"
Avaryss' sword began to drop.
Sadi's eyes flashed.
She spun, almost too fast to see, too fast for anyone but another dark lord anyway.
She moved to decapitate her enemy.
KISH!
Avaryss' blade came up again blocking the other Sith's attack.
Sadi was shocked, she thought she had had Avaryss under her spell!
She was so shocked that she hesitated, just for a moment, a few seconds only…
It was enough.
Avaryss whirled around just as quickly.
Darth Sadi, Lord of the Itae system, gasped.
Avaryss snarled in excitement, enjoying the sound of her lightsaber as it cut through cloth and flesh.
She had impaled the other Sith, her blade buried to the hilt in the Dark Lord's belly.
Sadi gasped.
"Wh…what?!"
She looked down at the blade and up at Avaryss.
"You have just destroyed your life," the dying Sith gasped.
"Feer will destroy everything!"
"He took everything from me once," Avaryss said with a shrug, "He will not live long enough to do so again."
She pulled the blade out, Sadi coughed and fell to her knees. She looked up at Avaryss with a look of pure disbelief.
"You fool," she said, "You rage blind fool!"
Avaryss shrugged.
"Your concern is touching, my lord, but unnecessary."
she grinned triumphantly.
"Feer is coming to die, he just doesn't know it yet, all that he possesses will be mine. Including his seat on the council."
Avaryss chuckled.
"Then I will be so close to the throne, so very close."
"No one will be able to deny me then."
"No one."
Sadi held her wounded stomach, she was trying to stay kneeling, trying ridiculously hard not to fall.
"Help me," she gasped, "Avaryss! Help!"
The young dark lord shook her head.
"Still trying to save yourself, my lord, you and your silver tongue?"
Avaryss laughed.
"It is too late, my lord, far too late!"
She grabbed Sadi by the chin, forced the other woman to look up. Using the Force, Avaryss began to pry open the other woman's mouth, Sadi tried to resist, but her strength was failing.
"Now," Avaryss purred, "let us see…"
Sadi gasped, she tried to cry out, but it was no use. Her strength was failing.
There was a wet pulling sound, followed by a loud snapping. Sadi's cries turned into a pained gurgle, blood ran down her chin as her eyes rolled back into her head.
With a look of disgust, Avaryss kicked the body away, it fell in a heap on the temple floor, yet another sacrifice to the dark side.
Avaryss smiled, as she examined her bloody trophy, red and heavy.
Sadi's lying tongue was now hers, not that it was not much of a prize, now that she saw it.
The dark lord frowned.
"Not made of silver after all," she said dismissively, "Such a pity."
She threw the thing in the corner, probably to be devoured by vermin.
It didn't matter anymore, and neither did the late Lord Sadi.
She was gone, and best forgotten.
Avaryss turned to the others in the chamber, the two royal guards hadn't moved. Bael and Talitha stood together, both looked excited by the violence that they had just seen.
I never realized my little sister was sadist, Avaryss thought, she accepted it in Bael, but in Tali…
…disgusting.
Bleez had said or done nothing during the fight, the wounded war master had simply watched, she nodded to her master, no doubt pleased with her victory.
Avaryss nodded back.
She had wanted to destroy Sadi for a long time, and now…it was done.
"You have proven yourself worthy, my daughter."
Mya Lylos' spirit finally slithered back down from the shadows, it radiated excitement and happiness.
"At last, you have come home, and will aid your sister as I've always wanted. You will fulfil the destiny of our family."
"Our destiny," Avaryss said with a curious tilt of her head.
"And what is our destiny…exactly?"
The spirit beamed.
"The throne of course," the spirit informed her, "You are the rightful heir after all, and once you have seized it, it will fall to Talitha, once you've completed her training…."
The shadow spun around Avaryss whispering in her ear.
"There is no one else left, the Jedi made sure of that, one of their foul number destroyed all the others. You and your sister are all that remains, the last of a dying dynasty. A dynasty that is now yours."
Darth Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith, found that her head was spinning.
She was the rightful heir?
How?
Why?
She looked up at the spirit of Mya Lylos, of Mya Moritza.
"Who were you mother?" she demanded, "Who was Mya Moritza.
Her mother laughed.
"Can't you guess?"
Her mother's voice changed, it became more masculine, the features on the shadow began to morph, for a moment it looked like a Sith pure blood, and then like a human male, a very familiar looking human male.
Avaryss gasped, she felt the raw power that the ghost was connected to, the power to destroy worlds, and bring a hundred worlds to its knees.
"Your Majesty," she gasped, and dropped to one knee.
"My Emperor!"
The master of them all laughed, and faded, Mya Lylos' face returned.
"He is not here, my child, just a piece of his power, a small piece, but it was all I needed, just enough to come back, and prepare my children to take the next step and ensure that our family continued to hold the Empire together."
Avaryss nodded.
Yes.
She understood everything now.
Mya Moritza had been no mere runaway, no Dromund Kaas noble on the run. No. She had been something far more.
Avaryss shivered.
Mya Moritza, her mother, had been one of the Children of the Emperor, those few lucky souls trusted to speak with his voice and wield a small piece of his power.
The Children of the Emperor were no more, she knew that; a Jedi consular had destroyed them all, all but one, the traitor Kira Carson.
She was no longer fit to be among them, but if what mother's spirit said was true…
I…I am….?
Avaryss grinned.
It is mine, she thought.
It is all mine.
She laughed.
The throne, the Empire, and the entire galaxy, it belonged to the one strong enough to take it, the last of the Emperor's progeny, those that had tasted his power.
Through mother's blood, that meant her, it was all hers.
Avaryss almost howled in ecstasy.
Empress Avaryss!
IT IS ALL MINE!
MINE!
"MIIIIIINNNNNNNE!" she wailed to the heavens.
MINE!
