A/N: Ugh, life scorns me so at times. The deepest apologies on taking as long as I did, I have had a lot of personal stress as of late, which has sapped me of my will to write, but I got this chapter done, finally. So without further wait, Chapter 51: Further Information Needed.
(4/22/22 note) This is not a new chapter of the story, that is Chapter 56. I added 5 chapters to the start of the story and that caused an offset.
Chapter 51: Further Information Needed
Returning to Waldstahl, Buckling from the pain in their eyes after the wave of darkness passed. The two stoic eyepatched sith and the gilded eye Sith fell to the floor, almost convulsing in pain as their screams echoed through the room. The two were consumed by the pain in their eyes, while the third was feeling the pain of their partner. To the two being directly affected felt like molten metal was just poured into their eye. With that burning came to an interesting effect as the hands that were clutching their eyes were engulfed in a colored pulse of flame, Viridian's a cyan like green, Weiss an icy blue, Ruby had no such effect, but she still felt the pain. The three Dark Councilors and the two officers and Khem watched the scene unfolding before him.
Weiss and Malserik's screams echoed as their pain-wracked their body, the burning flames erupting from under their hands, giving off heat but not hurting their hands the flames pulsed with a bright light. The pain was the worst the Sith had ever felt in their lives. Weiss's aura was pulsing at what was being perceived as damage. Imperious darted over to Malserik, while Neo and Roman went over to tend to the girls. Though as they did the pain stopped and the flame receded.
The three were still in shock but Ruby was the first to recover, Snapping up as she opened her gold eyes, unchanged. Uncapping her eye she scrambled past Neo who was in the process of going to help Ruby. She went over to Weiss with a frantic fear, as she felt the force around her and Malserik was in turmoil. Their bodies relaxed as they panted, their eyes feeling different, almost like their vision had been altered, but neither dared remove their hands as they both knew what the consequence could be if they did. Though they both felt like something unlocked with their eyes.
Weiss and Viridian's one exposed eye were met by gold and blue eyes of concern and worry respectively. They barraged their partners with the usual questions of 'are you alright,' and 'what was that?' The two 'one-eyed Sith' looked at each other, their minds just trying to comprehend what just happened. Figuring they needed to see what had changed, Malserik spoke as he stood back up.
"Well, I think we are fine now, but please excuse us as we go investigate what happened to our eyes," Malserik said politely to all of those in the room. Weiss started to stand by this point as Malserik continued saying as he walked up to the door, "Imperious, please keep Marr and Jadus company in my absence,"
"I am going to investigate as well, so please pardon my absence," Weiss said quickly wanting to see what happened immediately. Ruby gave her a look that told her she was going to tag along, knowing the dangers associated with this ability, she continued by saying, "Ruby, stay here please, this is a matter for Viridian and I to deal with." Her voice was cold to Ruby, she hated to do this but Malserik had told her to always be on guard with this ability. Along with that, she was still upset with Ruby due to what they discussed earlier about her not informing her about Imperious's methods of education. With that said her and Malserik went out the still opened doors, covering their eyes. Malserik signaled for Weiss to follow him, as if there was a significant change, he would want to discover it with her, as it was her curse now as much as his own.
Though as he walked the proper Sith felt different, like there was something there. He felt like something became known to him, like a secret lost over time. He felt tense as this feeling made his skin crawl. Almost like something was trying to manifest. Behind him, he looked at Weiss in her snowy cloak as an odd gust of wind filled the hallway. Causing his coat to flutter along with Weiss's cloak. He knew not how this wind moved, as the structure was resealed for the most part. It almost felt like it connected to the odd feeling he was having.
Weiss looked at her master, her icy eye locking with his green eye. She could tell by the way he looked that something was off with her master. Especially with the turmoil in the air around him. As she tried to approach to ask what was wrong the air moved in strange ways around her master. This shift in the flow of air concerned her, as the force was not tied to its movement and thus she commented with.
"Viridian? Is everything okay?" Weiss spoke, her voice calm yet concerned. Malserik looked back as the odd wind ceased with a sharp suddenness, causing a fluttering in both her cloak and his coat. With the secession of the rogue wind, Weiss continued saying, "and that is why I was asking, that wind was centered on you."
"Honestly, Weiss, I don't know," Malserik replied, focusing on the odd feeling spreading throughout his body. He hated this, he did not know what was happening, so he clenched his fist. He knew he had to carry on, he had to find out what was going on with his eye. "We have no time to dwell on that, I would much prefer to find out what is going on with my eye." With that Weiss could agree, she had only just gotten this accursed sight, and she hated the thought of the Rules Malserik told her of related to her eye being changed. She prayed the deal had not been altered.
Back in the study, Ruby and Imperious were needless to say concerned about their respective partners. Marr and Jadus found themselves further concerned with the event as it bore a very bad omen. As these Sith had felt these types of disturbances twice before, but nothing like that wave if dread. It was almost if the dark side of the force unleashed itself upon Nar Shaddaa. Needless to say, such a disturbance would cause great concern from the Dark Council. The three Dark Councilors knew this event would most likely this would call a meeting. Though the room stood silent for about a minute after Weiss and Malserik left, it was Ruby who broke the silence in frustration.
"What the hell just happened?!" Ruby exclaimed, inquiring in general as she was completely unfamiliar with what just happened. Her spine still tingling as her eye still stung from the wave of the dark blast.
"I do not know, Lady Rose" Marr replied calmly, still feeling the wake of the turmoil the blast left. As Jadus was analyzing the aftershock that was still flowing through the force. Imperious felt a sense of dread as her heart sank as she realized. The origin of the blast was Nar Shaddaa, she could feel that was the epicenter. Her eyes went wide, though to the concern of those around her they rolled back into her head and she fell to the floor, as Ruby caught her, knowing she was going into another vision.
In her mind, Imperious saw her first vision. A black tide, unending, unwavering filled the streets of Waldstahl. She witnessed the streets become engulfed in flames, as various forms and derivations of a similar form, along with those vastly unknown and different to the Sith observing them. A hellish-looking beast circling overhead, its black and red wings and bony white face. A black ink-like fluid fell from its flesh to the streets below. These sickly disgusting drops formed into yet more of the creature's kin. Then her vision focused as it normally did. It focused on the four knights, they were fighting back to back, their sabers blaring. Their cloaks were in tatters, blood dripping from their panting exhausted bodies.
Though as they fought, Pyrrha was grabbed, and torn into the crowd of white-masked beasts, eviscerating her body. This made the knights scream causing the force to ripple through their bodies. Though that was not enough as The next to fall was Nora, then Weiss, both falling in the same way. Though as Weiss fell, a whirlwind of red energy followed her into the horde but there was nothing that could be done it seemed. It was at which point Imperious vision faded to black as a raspy dark voice said.
"If they do not adapt to my gift then you will be doomed to failure." This voice was followed by an immeasurable amount of pain. Then cold unflinching darkness with two glowing red-orange eyes. The type of eyes that were ignited with hatred. The type that even a Sith could fear as they seemed to yearn, hunger, lust for the dark side of the force. Imperious was not unused to Sith of old visiting her, but she never thought she would see him. His black deathly cloak unfurled as his orange eyes shined through his white bone mask.
Though as that vision faded away, another materialized before her eyes was an interesting one, she was standing in what looked like a cathedral, red light flowing in from what looked like a crystal field outside she saw the knights and Malserik at her side, though she saw Malserik and Weiss did not bare their eye patches. She could not see their eyes, but she knew something was strange about them. Then in front of her, she saw other Sith staring them down. They had faces she had never seen before, yet they all had red blades ready for combat, though they seemed slightly scared of them.
Glancing into the peripheral vision, she saw why. The six of them, no seven of them, there was a fifth to their ranks of the knights she did not see. She could not identify her, but she stood tall with them violet and crimson blades in hand. Though what was most interesting was how they were flanked by what looked like the beasts from the last vision though they seemed almost to be allies. Tamed like pets she could see webs forming between them and members of the seven-person party. She couldn't distinguish what they were or what they represented, but they seemingly had the Sith in front of them concerned. Though the one in the center, the one that looked like a living manifestation of the taint of the dark side, looked unfazed by them, almost as if such an ability was mere party tricks. Her eyes of black and red staring down the group of seven.
Staring them down, this woman's party was the first to move. To which the party of seven replied in kind unleashing a counter charge. As that occurred the vision faded to black for the seer Sith. Further accented by the same Sith saying, "I know of your plan, and She must fall if you are to succeed!"
In the study, Marr and Jadus witnessed Imperious slip into unconsciousness. Needless to say, they did not expect this. Seeing Imperious pass out seemingly at random made them wonder if she was narcoleptic. If that was the case that would explain why she rarely was ever physically present for Dark Council meetings. It would also because for her isolation, as they figured she would want such a disorder to be kept a well-hidden secret.
Though the most shocking thing was not the narcolepsy, but with how her apprentice reacted. The way Lady Rose caught her, and gently lowered her to the floor as the two officers and the Dashade made sure she was alright as well. There was a legitimate caring for her, they were friends. To most Sith, this type of a relationship would be found to be detestable, but it seemed to work when it happened.
"Lady Rose, does this happen often?" Jadus asked, critical and evaluating, to see if such a thing could become a liability. Ruby looked up at the silver-masked Sith, baring a look of confusion. She was unsure of what to say, as the way he spoke made her feel like he was trying to evaluate it as a weakness. To which Ruby knew these things only happened when she wanted them to, or the force had to reveal something, but she never once dropped in the middle of a fight or training to her knowledge. With this information, Ruby replied to the initial question with.
"Not enough for it to become a problem if that is what you are asking?" The silver-masked Sith looked at the young woman skeptically through his mask. Her reply seemed honest, despite this, another figure in the room had to speak.
"My Master strength should not be under question," He said in his strange tongue, though all of those in the room could understand him due to the translators they had. His way of speaking was still foreign to all of those who had never dealt with Imperious's servant. Though a quick grumble from the floor alerted everyone present that, the third of the three Dark Councilors awoke. Utterly confused, she sat up glancing around. Wondering was what was meant by what the Sith of old said to her. Who was that white-haired woman, how did she fit into her plan? With asking that, her mind went back to her first vision, what were those gifts did the Lord of Hunger mentioned. She immediately knew that it had something to do with Weiss and Malserik, though what was this gift, their cursed eyes? Imperious couldn't figure it out, she knew how both Weiss and Viridian viewed their eyes. Nothing could be an improvement on those things. One thing she knew was, she needed to adjust the plans to suit her needs.
As she sat up Ruby, who was still knelt down next to her former master. Khem Val, also knelt down and assisted her so she could sit up as the Dashade knew the jarring nature of some of her visions could leave her in a daze, once she sat up the hulking assassin asked Imperious, "Is everything okay, my master?"
"Yes, I am fine you two," Imperious spoke as she stood back up, without the assistance of Ruby or her longtime Dashade Ally. As she did she cursed, almost wanting to make an attempt on Marr or Jadus for what they just witnessed. Though she knew she would stand no chance against them without Malserik or Weiss present. She stood up tall, back straight as she looked at Marr and Jadus, She knew they were not stupid, and that they may know that was a curse of the Visorium bloodline.
"As for you two," She spoke her focus shifting onto Marr and Jadus,"you will not speak of this." her voice went cold as an ice world as she continued with her explanation of, "It is a unique curse I alone bare, fret not it doesn't happen when I am needed" Imperious explained calmly her as she dusted off her clothes. After which Imperious smiled playfully at the two Darths and walked around the obsidian topped desk. She took a seat in Malserik's chair, and by the force did she love the chair. Though as she had a seat the more secretive of the two spoke up asking another curiosity since he had the chance.
"Well, Imperious, since Malserik is not present, could you explain how he obtained the information that allowed us to purge our government of Republic spies?" Jadus asked calmly, This line of questioning took all of the Remnant's in the room by surprise, especially since Ruby was still present, as she was the interrogator. Though her discomfort was amplified when Imperious leveled a finger at her.
Away from the study, Weiss and Malserik had reached Malserik's quarters. The sparse room was where the duo had decided to examine their eyes. Malserik was in his bathroom while Weiss was in the main room. Malserik had handed her a handled mirror, and they sat with no ways that they could see the other. Malserik was the first to undo his eyepatch as he did he noted some very substantial differences already apparent on the skin, the palor of the skin had changed, as well as the darkened skin around said eye. It had pitch black veins almost feeding into the eye from the side of the face.
Once he had the patch off he looked in shock at the eye. It was twisted, the sclera turned pitch black, though the iris was a vibrant Jade, like his other eye, though it looked brighter almost luminous. He peeled the patch down in shock as it looked cleaner than it did before. It didn't look sick, it just looked proper evil, like a glowing green iris floating in a black void. He recoiled from the change, his heart thumping out of the terror. It was accented by the bone white flesh almost too perfectly. He shivered to think what happened to the eye, what new ability or curse it held that would tear his life asunder. He felt the eye, it felt off, as if it was a conduit through the force that tethered to his very being. It also felt like it wanted to be used, as if it was hungry, wanting to leach the force from a living being.
Outside the bathroom, Weiss did the same, undoing the knot on her eyepatch that cloaked her left eye. She was shocked as she saw how pale the skin had become like the skin lost all of what little remaining pigment was left in it. She felt chills as her eyepatch fell as the undone strings fell revealing her now even further changed eye. The first thing she noted was the blue ring that was the iris. It was glowing a light cold blue, though as she looked she saw the blackened Sclera. She saw how unnatural it was, as it contrasted with her normal eye.
It looked better than the sickly pink and yellow it was just a week prior. Though as she looked at it and studied it, she saw the black vein-like markings on her faces. As she followed them with her fingers they looked like they fed into the corrupted eye from her cheek. Even overlapping her once so prominent scar on her left eye. She maneuvered the mirror to get a better look at the marks and found they didn't look fully repugnant. The major oddity was how the pain seemed to be gone. Instead, it felt odd as her vision took up a blue hue in that eye. It also felt focused and more attuned to the force, like the force itself was shifting in her eye. Though there was a yearning almost like a hunger also attached to it.
As she looked at the eye, she kind of thought it looked slightly beautiful in a twisted demonic way. The way the iris floated in the blackness of her eye made her wish she could keep it exposed to the world.
"Black Sclera and glowing iris?" Malserik asked calmly to confirm that her apprentice had similar symptoms. Weiss frown and replied with.
"Extremely pale skin and black vein markings feeding into the eye from the cheek?" This response got Malserik to frown and sigh as he slumped over his sink. His mind was in shambles wondering what the void of an eye he now possessed had become. Though he did have an interesting idea, he knew Weiss would object, but he had to see if it was possible.
"Weiss I am going to walk out of my bathroom, if you could please, look at me with your eye," Malserik explained he wanted to know if the eye prevented an immunity to other users of the same ability. Weiss cringed as he asked her to do that, she wondered what he was thinking, and why he would ask such a thing. Though her answer was given as he continued, "I know your concern but we need to know if we are immune to each other's gaze. If I start feeling pain cover your eye." Weiss couldn't argue that point, it would be a useful thing to know. So with that, she gave her confirmation and the test began.
Back in the study, Imperious admitted truthfully what happened, she told them of the Jedi attack, the way Waldstahl burned and of course how her former apprentice decimated the mind of a Jedi to acquire. The way Imperious explained her exploits in the interrogation made her blush as it was slightly embellished. Though despite these explanations of Ruby and her abilities, the other two Sith only had one thought on their mind, the Republic attacked Hiskal?! They stood in shock as they figured the rogue Jedi explanation was a bit of a farce, but this was absurd, they needed to retaliate for this assault on their throne world.
"Imperious, how long would you have held that secret? Why were you holding that as a secret?" Marr asked as concerned, as Jadus continued with all due haste to say.
"Imperious, We must retaliate, we cannot let this go unpunished!" Jadus barked through his helmet as Imperious sat at Malserik's desk with a smile. She knew this would be the reaction that they would get to which she replied.
"As happy as I would be to see the war continued, we simply are not ready for such a conflict," Imperious explained, "Our ground forces are poultry to the Republic's, our fleets still need to be repaired and replenished, also can you expect to continue a war while the rebellion's on Balmorra and other systems still fight on? Lastly, I would like to continue the war once Vitiate has been removed, as with him at the helm, we would not win. So we need to be patient." With her reason out to be heard, Marr and Jadus got the answer as to why Malserik was so focused on getting his weaponry and equipment through trials, along with why they lied to cover for the Republic. Though she did not let them respond, "Besides, it isn't like the Jedi will go unpunished, once my agents on Nar Shaddaa Return, Malserik and I will make sure they pay us restitution for the damages, in the form of Holocrons and other valuable artifacts." with this article of the plan explained
"And if they don't pay up?" Marr asked quite curious of what they could do to ensure payment. With that asked, Imperious smirked and explained, interlacing her fingers.
"Well, I think we would have to sack Tython, and eliminate the Jedi, Marr." Imperious smiled as Ruby stood there. Ruby knew of most of the elements of this plan. Due to the Remnant's that served the Jedi, she was hesitant on the sacking of Tython part, though she did want to repay Blake for her treachery, and put De Sang through Satele's heart for what she did to her. Even thinking about it made her right side twinge in pain from the burns.
Returning to Malserik's quarters, Viridian had entered Weiss's gaze, his back turned for her safety. though much to their surprise he felt nothing. Not even the slightest inkling of pain. This caused him to smile greatly. Either, it meant it was disarmed, or he was just immune to the gaze. He turned and looked at Weiss, who nodded at him, to test if it was reciprocal.
Viridian lowered the hand that covered his eye and once uncovered they saw each other's eyes. Voids of black but rings of blue and green locked. Neither flinching, neither in pain. They were able to look at someone without them disintegrating into ash. He looked at his former apprentice in shock. He started to smile, he found someone that would not die if he slipped up.
It was at that moment Weiss was embraced in a hug as Malserik's emotions got the better of him. She felt the tears roll off of his face as he just muttered. "Could it be possible?" Weiss had never seen her former master break down like this, so she was taken aback by this as Malserik was so thankful that at least one person was safe from his accursed sight. Weiss could tell that these tears were tears of joy, and thus hugged him back. She remembered the conversation they had about said curse after Weiss obtained it. She knew of Talos, she knew of all of his fears relating to his eye. He had lived with it for years whereas Weiss had barely had it for a month but she could already understand his pain as she had to keep her eye covered as well. If it wasn't for the force she would have plenty of depth perception issues, though that was beside the point, they didn't have to hide their eyes anymore if they were disarmed.
After a few minutes of sobbing and his mind running wild, Malserik regained his composure and released his former apprentice. Though as he released her, he noted the odd wind was back, circling them. He had no idea what it was or what it could signify. Though, Weiss had noticed the return of the winds before he did. Weiss had a theory. As Malserik went to retrieve his eye patch she pulled out her scroll and opened the Aura monitor and as Malserik emerged with his eye patch in hand she had her answer, and it didn't make any sense and just made her a lot of mental questions.
Where did this come from? He never had one before, so why now, does one show up? What the hell was that blast earlier, as this did not exist before then. Weiss was utterly confused by the green bar that was registering under the image of Malserik from her camera. He had an Aura, and thus a Semblance. This caused Weiss's jaw to lax slightly, which prompted Malserik to ask of Weiss.
"Hey what is wrong, Weiss?" Malserik asked concerned why Weiss would be distraught after they just found out they could not harm the other. She was looking at her scroll, something she only did to either communicate or examine her aura reserves, which caused him to raise an eyebrow.
"Viridian, I think you may want to see this," She muttered as she handed him her scroll. What he saw made him look at the device with skepticism. When Weiss and Malserik were training, they tried to find if he could have an Aura, and he didn't, yet now he did according to this device. Looking at this he also had way too many questions, and he only knew of one place to get them. Nihilus's Holocron.
"Weiss put your patch back on, we need to go back to the Archive," Malserik explained calmly as determination washed over his face, he wanted to know what was going on, and now. "InformImperious and Ruby to meet us there and for someone to see to our two guests" With that, Malserik handed Weiss her scroll back, which meant she could send out the message for Ruby and Ceres to meet them in the archive.
Returning to the office of Malserik once more, Marr and Jadus by this point had deduced that Imperious had quite the scheme planned and that she did at the very least have contingencies planned if things did not work out. They knew they weren't getting the full picture of her plan, though that did not matter, they knew that they at least had one person on the Dark Council that they could somewhat trust. They didn't care for how secretive she was with her plans beyond returning the favor to the Jedi. Though to them, it was a logical move to not show all the cards you had.
"Well then, Marr and Jadus, if that is all, I think we are done here," Imperious smiled pleasantly, as the two Sith nodded, responding with.
"Yes, that will be all, Imperious, we will be in contact," Jadus said as he walked towards the door as Roman and Neo moved up to prepare to escort them to a shuttle. Though as Marr was about to turn he said to Imperious, "I am glad my decision to make you a Darth so you may sit on the Dark Council has not come to waste." Marr admitted he turned around and walked out of the room with Neo and Roman in toe despite the discomforting presence the two Sith gave off. With them gone it was just Ruby, Imperious, and Khem Val.
There was a general sigh of relief from Ruby and Imperious, as Khem Val spoke once again, focusing on his master. "My Lord, Am I still needed?" He asked calmly as he was rushed out here to deal with Marr, Jadus, if the situation required it, Weiss, and Ruby. Imperious sighed and looked at the other person that had been there since the start, other than Viridian. Sadly she had been neglecting her Dashade ally as she remained in Waldstahl to train Ruby, though knowing how Khem and Malserik got along, him remaining any more than needed was a hazard. It was at this point Imperious spoke on this matter.
"Khem, I am sorry that I had to pull you from your duties in the sphere of knowledge, but I need an extra hand if things got out of hand if you would like to leave you may," Imperious explained, she liked having Khem around, but right now, he could become a detriment, especially if Malserik or even worse Ruby or Weiss and him got into an argument.
"Then, I shall be on my way my lord," Khem spoke in his tongue, though there was a tone of scorn in his voice. As he spoke Ruby could feel that he felt like he was being used, nothing more than a tool to Imperious to forward her agenda. With this felt, as intimidating as the beast of Dashade was, Ruby actually felt kind of bad for him, and spoke up.
"Imperious, I never got a formal introduction," With that said Imperious sighed, thinking, Well that is unusual for you, Ruby, is your heart coming back? Despite this thought, Imperious gave a light chuckle and smiled.
"Ah, yes, how rude of me, Ruby this is Khem Val, He is a great ally and friend of mine," Imperious smiled politely as Khem stopped to turn and face the young Sith. Imperious frowned hoping that Khem wouldn't make a comment about eating her. So she continued speaking before any misunderstandings could occur, "He has been at my side almost as long as Viridian has," Imperious smiled as she remembered all the events that they partook in. The number one memory she had was when Zash tried to take her body. She remembered how both Malserik and Khem interrupted her. They didn't even let her start. Khem impaled her while Malserik took her head. Just the thought of that battle made Imperious happy to call them both friends.
Khem looked down at the little Sith in front of him, then looked at his master. He knew of Ruby, as she was a potential target of his wrath if ordered. So he was taken aback by her friendliness, it was like she was not expecting him to consume her at any second. Despite this shock, he still replied with, "I will consume you, little Sith," as he turned around and left the room. His heavy feet made quite the racket as he left the room. He had to return to his duties in Kaas City, and not remain in the librarian's library.
"Imperious, what did he mean by that?" Ruby asked quite concerned about how he said he would consume her. Now that he had left the room, Ruby wanted clarification on what he meant by that, along with the validity of the threat.
"He is a Dashade, he literally gains power from killing force users, I wouldn't worry about it, he said that to me when Viridian and I freed him on Korriban," Imperious smiled, once again another pleasant memory. Both her and Malserik were young, Malserik wasn't officially a Sith at that point considering she just found him in the tombs a few weeks earlier as a rogue Jedi that had made their way to Korriban just before the war broke out. Though this Nostalgic line of thinking was interrupted by a buzzing in Imperious belt pouch. Reaching down, she unhooked the clip that held the leather strap that held her Scroll in place in the pouch.
As she removed it, letting it open in her hand, she read the message from Weiss.
Imperious, Ruby, Malserik would like you to get Marr and Jadus to leave and come down to the Archive, We need you down here.
With that on the screen, Imperious sighed figuring there was something new with their eyes. She stood up and said to Ruby, "Well, Weiss and Malserik want us down in the archive, now. I guess they figured something out with their eyes."
With that said the two Sith, Ruby sighed and they left the study together. As they left the room, Imperious sent out a scroll message to be disseminated to her order, to inform them of their new allies, and to prepare for a call later in the day. After that, walking down the still wrecked and tarped-over halls. The air, still chilled by the mountain air as they walked down the path to the archive. As they walked they received yet another message that made them sigh with great relief.
Marr and Jadus have departed on a shuttle without incident.
Neo.
Sitting in the shuttle Marr and Jadus's masks are locked in the dim light of the shuttle's passenger bay.
"This is most interesting, is it not?" Marr asked as he sat back. He wondered how Imperious amassed such a following if what she said was true, but he had no reason to doubt her. As the train of thought got rolling Jadus replied coldly to this question.
"Indeed, This is quite an interesting turn of events," Jadus replied as he sat there. He always figured Imperious a loner and someone that maintained the status quo of her position, as to not draw attention to herself. During her rise to power, she came off as overly ambitious, but after assuming the post, she seemed to calm down and stow her ambitions. Though it seemed they were not fully stowed, just contained for practicality. "It would seem we have allies, though Marr, I am very curious what their end goal is?"
"On that, we are in agreement," Marr stated calmly. To him, this situation was very interesting, though it needed to be confirmed, and confirmed that it was also going to reform the Empire and not just going to install herself as Empress. This was a concern he forwarded to Jadus with,"We need to see what we can figure out about her motives, and plan."
"I concur with that sentiment, but Imperious does understand operational security, even if she didn't Malserik does," Jadus replied with a long-winded explanation. Though he continued with, "We will have to look into this organization, along with Imperious in general, I want to know why she went unconscious like that." With that said Marr nodded, they knew that they had to gain Imperious's trust, but they also had to do their research, and the information that they would be looking for would not be in on Drommund Kaas, but Korriban.
In the archive, Weiss and Malserik approached the hulking Mandalorian Iron door. The dark metal gives off an aura of the Darkside to Weiss. Foreboding and intimidating, were the two words Weiss would use to describe the entrance to the vault. This appearance and feeling made it something very unappealing to be around for the young Sith. Waiting on Ruby and Imperious, she was allowed to study the details of the door she missed when she slaughtered the Jedi intruders.
The door itself was dark in color, with a very intricate engraving. It was embossed with an emblem that looked like a cross inside an oblong diamond with what almost looked like a sword in it. On either side were engravings of hooded figures with swords, kneeling. The frame of the door itself was ornate, carved with intricate designs that shined in the light. Despite the ornate nature, she could tell that it was built to withstand a massive blast. She knew it was genetically locked to Viridian, though there was a security flaw that was exploited when the Jedi were raiding the archive. Though once Waldstahl was secure, this flaw was corrected by Malserik's own hands.
Malserik smiled looking at the door, as most of his most prized artifacts were now locked away in there along with that Holocron. He turned to face Weiss who was seemingly analyzing the door before her. He smiled as that door itself was made from the history of the Sith itself. The engravings themselves were added after the fact, but where he 'recovered' the metal from certainly annoyed quite a few Mandalorians as what he did was effectively grave robbing, but Surik and Exar Kun beat him to the punch with this particular Sith tomb and the Government of Onderon was in no state to have stopped him. Though as they stood there, The door that leads to the main hall slid open, looking back at the duo that entered, Malserik smiled and asked.
"So Marr and Jadus are gone I take it?" Viridian asked as he walked up to the console that controlled the lock to the vault. Taking off his glove, he then pressed his palm to the scanner. With a satisfactory bleep. This bleep was the cue that the door responded to as it was followed by loud metallic thuds and clacks. Inside the mechanism of the vault door, the locking bars retracted and the seal of the door broke, allowing the hermetically sealed room to vent out with a hiss. As the door ran through its functions, Imperious responded.
"Yes they left, so what is the situation with your eyes?" Imperious shifted her response into a question, to which both of the eye-patched Sith shrugged which allowed them to both say.
"We don't know," they both replied, their voices showing their confusion, though Malserik continued with, "They definitely have changed, for what purpose is unknown to us, that is why we are going to consult the Holocron just to confirm if they have been made inert. Then you have the fact, I supposedly now have an Aura,"
This explanation made Imperious look at Malserik with shock, as her mind gravitated to two words 'aura' and 'inert'. The same happened to Ruby whose golden eyes went wide beneath her hood as the door behind Malserik and Weiss began to groan open. They had long dismissed the idea of Malserik and Imperious having Auras. That meant Malserik would also have a semblance. Needless to say, Ruby and Imperious were as confused as Malserik and Weiss now, though their answers were behind that giant vault door.
A/N: Well that was that Chapter, I have been doing a lot of set up, for new plot points. Along with a lot of new ideas for the story, so I hope everyone likes where this could go! As I am trying to keep my cards hidden I really don't have much to say minus apologize for taking as long as I have, I hopefully got off the emotional roller-coaster I was on and with V5 of RWBY dropping soon I will be revitalized in my writing efforts.
With these thoughts in mind let me get the review responses out of the way.
Guest: I am still debating how I want to handle the Grimm. I can see why them being treated as a bioweapon like entity would be interesting as it would keep them contained to a planet. With this one, I would like reader feedback, as I originally wanted the Grimm to operate like the Tyranids from 40k, though less horrifyingly grimdark. Though it would be logical for them to be a contained threat with no inherent space travel. I will have to figure this one out, but I am leaning to them being contained, though I may give them some interesting forms later, once they get established in the SW galaxy.
william bessent: No, not a part of my plans for Jaune.
JS Clark: Effectively yes, that was indeed a Grimm Rancor. That is the first of many Star Wars critters that are going to get Grimm forms. As for what the Grimm do, I will focus on that in a different chapter. As for the bit with Pyrrha, her lightsaber is fine, just ineffective as the bony plates the Grimm possess are resistant to lightsabers, so "The Blade" is the Sith Sword stored on the Scepter of Ragnos. Pyrrha's lightsaber uses an unstable blade crystal she got from her times in the tombs, plus a magma crystal.
Little Tattletail: Eventually I plan on giving them their share of the limelight, I really need to focus more on the Jedi as they are going to get a major plot arc.
With all of that out of the way, Thank you all for reading, if you have any comments, critique, suggestions or corrections, feel free to leave a review or PM me if you can, anything can help the Story. Now then, please everyone be safe and may the force be with you all and thank you all for reading, reviewing, following, favoriting, and sharing RWBY: Dark Side of a Rose!
Blitzing Raptor
