Interlude 3
Several weeks had passed after Qybern had shown Cercei his real workshop and told her about the origins of his odd practices and experiments. Ever since then, learning about this ancient culture from the ruined city of Stygai became Cercei's main focus. She would never, in a million years, have thought of herself as the scholarly type. But apparently when your life was on the line, you did things you could never picture yourself doing. She knew now that the nightmares she was having were most certainly real, and she wanted to be as informed and prepared as she could be to face Arya when she arrived. Since starting her research, she had learned so many shocking and wonderous things. She had learned about planets, the galaxy, and ancient civilizations. But none of these things helped her with her actual problem. The problem as Cercei saw it was not that these curious and unnatural abilities that Arya displayed in her dreams existed - it was that Arya seemed to possess them, and she did not. After studying with Qybern day in and day out, she was finally starting to realize just how dangerous Arya actually was, and how hopeless her situation seemed to be. She could send countless men to protect her, and she would get countless corpses in return. So, she poured over the ancient texts with Qybern to find any way to lessen Arya's powers, or somehow obtain those powers for herself or a trusted knight.
"Seven Hells!" Cercei yelled as she read over Qybern's translations of the texts. They were mostly written in High Valyrian, a language Qybern now suspected may have originated with the ancient beings who had written the texts. "I can't find anything that helps! There are descriptions of experiments and the powers gained from them, but all of the experiments involve something called the force, which I cannot control." She slammed her hand onto the page she was reading.
"We are not even close to finishing all of the texts Your Grace. Perhaps we will find a solution still." Qybern's calm demeanor and gentle words normally calmed Cercei, but she was starting to feel that time was running out. Visions of Arya visiting her were occurring on a nightly basis now, and each time Arya would kill her in a new and different fashion. It helped that Cercei knew these were dreams, but there was always the possibility that the next time would not be a dream, but the real thing.
"What of the artifacts that you have with you from Stygai? We have barely studied those. Maybe one of them holds the answers to my problem." Cercei's exhaustion was catching up with her. There was so much to manage BESIDES the Arya problem, she couldn't think straight anymore. Something needed to give.
"I have told you Your Grace, I have studied the artifacts extensively and none of them seem to be of any use to non-force users such as ourselves. But if it would put your mind at ease, I can go over them with you." Qybern walked through his workshop which had been cleared of his gritty experiments under Cercei's orders. She was clear with the soldiers that cleaned out the workshop that the death penalty awaited anyone who breathed a word of what they saw.
Qybern opened the storage closet and pulled out one of the artifacts he had. It was a sword, and it was apparent to both of them that it was quite ancient and significant.
"This," Qybern said, "according to the record log I managed to find in one of the texts, is the sword of Xendor. There is a little bit of the history of this Xendor in the texts, but not much. From what I gather, this Force that you talk about is split into two factions, light and dark. And the small amount of information that I have regarding this Xendor seems to suggest he was one of the first users of the dark side of the force, and quite a powerful one at that. According to the texts, the city of Stygai was some sort of safe haven for users of the dark side of the force. These force users would gather in the city and practice the dark side of the force in secret so as to not alert the users of the light side of the force."
"So this Xendor sought refuge on our planet in Stygai?" Cercei inquired.
"Not quite. From what I gather, these dark force users spread throughout the galaxy eons ago and during that time they managed to gather artifacts from all different dark force users that had existed before them. So, while the sword of Xendor was collected and brought to the city, Xendor himself never visited Stygai, or our planet. And the sword seems to be just that, a common sword. It may have cultural significance elsewhere, but not to the people on our own planet. So, we must move on to the next artifact."
"Which is?"
Qybern went back to the storage room and set the sword back on its shelve. He then pulled a strange device off of the shelf below it. This device looked like a small idol with a red crystal band that circled it. "This, if I have interpreted the texts correctly, is a something called a force disperser."
"What does it do?" Cercei asked.
"Apparently, it was used to hide a beings dark force powers. The texts indicate that massive versions of these were placed around Stygai to further hide it from light side force users. Since neither of us possess force powers, once again, it is worthless to us."
Cercei sighed with impatience. "What else is there?"
"There are two more artifacts Your Grace, and they seem to be related to each other somehow." Qybern put the force disperser back and returned with a small ornate pyramid-shaped object, and a mask. The mask was white and shaped like a skull. There were red streaks, almost like blood, that covered the mask around the eye holes. Cercei didn't really know what to make of the pyramid-shaped object, but the mask unnerved her for some reason.
"This is the mask of Darth Nihilus." Qybern said. "And this small pyramid is his holocron."
"Who was the Darth Nihilus, and what is a holocron?"
"The texts don't elaborate much on Darth Nihilus. It is assumed from reading them that beings in touch with the dark side of the force would know who he was. So, I cannot really answer the first question Your Grace. But as for the holocron, there does happen to be information regarding them in the texts. A holocron is a device that stores massive amounts of information. How it does this, I haven't the slightest clue. But, to access the holocron's information, you need to use the force. So, once again, these artifacts are useless to us." Qybern sighed, exasperated. "If there was really any information that might help us, it would most likely be in the holocron."
"Dammit!" Cercei yelled. "There has to be something that we can-" She stopped suddenly and looked at Qybern with a curious look in her eye.
"Is something wrong, Your Grace?"
"No. Something may actually be going right for once. I've just had an idea." Cercei's mouth curled into a small smile. "So, you are telling me that this holocron device may hold secrets that could aid me in stopping the Stark child from killing me?"
"Possibly, Your Grace."
"And you said that only someone with the force could open the holocron?"
Qybern seemed confused, but answered her, "According to the texts, that is what I have been lead to believe. If I may ask, what is your idea Your Grace?"
"From what I gathered from the texts I have looked over, when Arya contacts me in my dreams, the real Arya is actually using the force to project those visions into my mind. So, if it is the force she is using to reach my mind, can I not somehow use it to open this holocron device?" Cercei nonchalantly walked over and picked the holocron up to examined it.
Qybern sat still for a while thinking about what Cercei had just suggested. The more he mulled over Cercei's idea, the more his jaw hit the floor. He turned and looked at Cercei stunned. "Your Grace, that is brilliant!"
Cercei just smiled. "Do you think I became the first queen to sit alone on the iron throne without some cunning and strategic planning?" the question was a rhetorical one. "So, with that idea in mind, what do you suggest we do?" she asked.
Qybern was already fiddling with some spare tubes and pieces of metal he had in his workshop. "Well, Your Grace. I will attempt to construct a device that rests upon your head and connects directly to the holocron. While it may take a few attempts to get it right, I believe that the device be able to activate the holocron when Arya uses the force to penetrate your mind."
"Perfect. Let me know when it is complete." With that, Cercei left Qybern's workshop.
FIN
Cercei was starting to get impatient. A day had passed since Qybern had begun working on the holocron device. Then another one. And then a third day. Each day started with the ending of a gruesome nightmare, and each night began with the promise of another visit from Arya. She needed that damn device soon. She had ordered everyone in the Red Keep to leave Qybern alone, and she herself only visited him briefly to check on his progress. She was on her way to his workshop about to unleash a verbal assault on the man when she met him sprinting down one of the main halls.
"Your Grace! Your Grace! I believe the contraption is ready!" he nearly toppled into her as he tried to slow down. Cercei's queensguard drew their swords in unison and pointed them at Qybern. Cercei shooed them away with an annoyed wave of her hand.
"Silence fool! Not here. In the workshop." She hissed.
"My apologies Your Grace." Qybern bowed and turned to lead Cercei to the workshop to show her the device.
FIN
Cercei was actually looking forward to sleep for the first time in weeks. Before she went to bed, she had her handmaidens draw her a bath. When she was finished, she dried herself and climbed into bed. As she laid her head down, she put on what looked like a small metal crown. The crown was then attached to the holocron by a complicated-looking system of thin strands of metal. Qybern seemed proud of himself when he showed it to her. He said that his understanding of the ancient being's technology was greatly improved by working on this project. He also said that if it worked, and they were able to access the holocron, then it may be the start of a new era for their civilization. Technology would move fast, and they would be the leaders of the new revolution. Cercei liked the sound of that. But first, this Arya issue needed to be taken care of. She found it hard to fall asleep. Not only was the device not very comfortable, but she knew that Arya could only visit her in her dreams which made sleep harder to come by. But eventually consciousness left her, and she entered her dreams willingly for the first time in weeks.
As usual, it started with Arya calling her name and then calling her all sorts of terrible things. Next, she would come in through the window and float down to the floor.
"Hello Cercei." Arya said. "Still a raging cunt?"
"Ah, Arya." Cercei said as she sat up in bed. She felt her head and found that the dream version of herself did not have the crown device on its head, but that didn't mean that her real self wasn't still wearing it. "Such colorful language for someone so young." She shook her head tsking.
"A side effect from my time with an old mentor." Arya said.
"Well, it's neither here nor there. I'd just like to say, it's nice to see you. I've been waiting for you." Cercei said it with such hunger in her voice that Arya was slightly taken aback.
"Ah, getting snippy with me I see? Perhaps you're starting to think the whole thing is in your head again?" Arya slowly pulled needle out of its sheath.
"No. I've come to the realization that this is all real in some form or another. It's just, it confused me for so long as to how you were doing these thingsā¦but I think I know now." Cercei smiled mockingly at Arya. Fear flashed across Arya's face for the briefest of moments. The look of fear was quickly replaced by one of anger.
"You have no idea what I have seen and what I am capable of." Arya growled.
Cercei simply yawned. I can see how you would think that. Honestly, how could a raging cunt like me know anything about the dark side of the force?" her eyes burned with an intense amusement.
Ayra's eyes went wide and she dropped needle sending it clattering across the bedroom floor.
"How! How do you know! Tell me now!" there was a panic in her voice that sent a tingle of pleasure down Cercei's spine. The sound of someone who thought they had you outmaneuvered, and then suddenly realized they we the ones who had been played was so satisfying.
"No." Cercei said in the smuggest voice she could muster.
"Tell me or I will make this dream last longer than the other ones. I will cut you limb from limb alive until you tell me how you know about the force!" Arya was seething at this point.
"Do your worst." Cercei savored every syllable as she said it.
Screaming in anger, Arya ran over to where needle was, picked it up and was coming over to start torturing Cercei when Cercei looked her dead in the eyes and said one last thing. "Just know, your father tried to play the game of thrones with me and look where that got him. Poor noble Eddard Stark. Beheaded by his own self-righteousness. What a fool."
That was too much for Arya. Screaming she dropped Needle, activated her lightsaber and stabbed Cercei right between the eyes.
An ear-peircing scream issued forth from seemingly nowhere and Arya was forced from Cercei's mind. Cercei herself woke up screaming and found that the metal crown device was burning hot on her head. She threw off the device and held her head where it was burnt. She rushed over to her dresser and looked in the mirror. A thin red line was burned where the metal contraption had sat on her head.
"Seven Hells! I am going to flay Qybern alive for this!" She yelled. She was putting on her robe to rush out of the chamber when all of the sudden the holocron on her nightstand flickered to life. Red panels lit up on the sides and strange beeping sounds pierced the air. Cercei froze.
"Sir Gregor!" she yelled towards her door. Seconds later, the door opened and Gregor Clegane's gigantic silent figure stepped into the room at attention.
"Please go find and escort Qybern here."
Gregor obeyed immediately. Cercei sat at the edge of the bed staring at the lit up holocron in wonder. Suddenly a voice issued forth from the device. Cercei didn't know anything about Darth Nihilus, but the second she heard his voice, she knew he was evil and powerful.
"This is the holocron of Darth Nihilus. Do you wish to commune with the Dark Lord?" the voice asked.
Cercei just stared at the holocron in disbelief for several moments. Finally, in a trembling voice, she uttered one word.
"Yes."
FIN
Qybern hurried down the stairs that lead from his chamber. Sir Gregor Clegane had summoned him, and while Sir Gregor remained silent, his presence at Qybern's chambers meant that something had happened to Cercei. He prayed to all gods he knew that his device had worked and not harmed the Queen. He rushed down the corridor to her chambers and then stopped at the door and knocked.
"You may enter." Cercei said from within. Nervously, Qybern pushed the door open and sighed with relief when he saw the Queen sitting on her bed. She looked fine as far as he could tell.
"You summoned me, Your Grace?" he said.
"I believe congratulations are in order my loyal Hand." She said with a devilish smile. She stood up from the bed and as she did, she moved out of the way of the holocron which was now glowing bright red.
Qybern rushed over to the device and looked back and forth between it and the Queen.
"It worked, Your Grace!?" he asked excitedly.
"Ask the Dark Lord yourself." She said.
Qybern's gaze snapped back to the holocron. He looked frightened. Like he was afraid to speak at all. Finally, he spoke.
"Hello?"
"With whom am I now speaking?" the voice of Darth Nihilus demanded.
"I am Qybern, Hand of the Queen." Qybern said. The look on his face told Cercei that he liked the voice even less than she did.
"Ahh. I have just talked with the Queen. If she is to be believed, you are the one who located my holocron and figured out how to activate it, even without the powers of the force. Is that correct?" the voice asked questions as if it were used to having them answered at once.
"Yes." Qybern said.
"Then I must thank you. I've needed to commune for some time now. And feed." There was a thirst behind the last sentence that sent a shiver down the spines of both Cercei and Qybern.
"But, alas." The voice continued. "My consciousness in this holocron can only commune with you and give you information. My spirit, and therefore my true power, reside elsewhere."
"Where is your spirit now?" Cercei asked.
"The last thing I can remember, my spirit was brought to the Sith planet Korriban." The voice replied.
"What do you mean brought? Your spirit could be moved by someone in our own world?" Qybern asked.
"Yes. When I was defeated, I stored all my power in my mask. If you were to find that, you would find my spirit."
Cercei and Qybern both shared an uneasy glance with each other.
"What could your spirit do for us, if we were to find it, that is?" Cercei was sure she was playing a dangerous game. But she had come this far. She wasn't about to turn back.
"It can grant you powers beyond imagination."
Cercei sighed in relief. That is exactly what she wanted to hear.
"We have your mask with us." She said.
"What! Surely this cannot be true. Are you on Korriban?" the voice asked.
"I don't believe so. I don't really know where we are according to you. But we have come across your holocron, and with it, your mask. What do we need to do with the mask to use its powers?" she asked.
"Why wear it, of course." The voice said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Qybern, follow me." Cercei said as she picked up the holocron and left the room. She hid the holocron under her robes and when she got out into the main hall, she told her queensgaurd that she only required Sir Gregor's protection at the moment.
Silently, Cercei, Qybern, and Sir Gregor made their way to the hidden workshop. As they entered, Qybern quickly retrieved the mask from the storage room where it resided. Now that he knew what it was, he thanked the gods that he never tried the mask on for himself. He handed it to Cercei who was standing by a wooden table where she had placed the holocron. She held the mask in her hands, felt the ridges and notches that ran across it's surface. She looked nervously at Qybern, and then she put the mask up to her face.
All at once her body bent backwards, and then it quickly bent forwards while all of her limbs contorted in odd angles. She screamed in pain and Qybern rushed over to try and help. She fell onto the floor shaking, and then all of the sudden she went still. Qybern went to check her pulse, when her arm snapped forward and grabbed his wrist. As she sat up the mask fell from her face and he saw her eyes were as black as coal. Her head cocked to the side as if she was just remembering who Qybern was. Slowly she let go of his wrist and said his name.
"Qybern?"
"Y-yes, Your Grace." Qybern was shaking slightly, but he was also quite fascinated.
"I can feel something, but I don't really know what it is." Cercei said as she stood up with Qybern's help.
"Power." Darth Nihilu's voice said in her head.
Cercei nearly fell back over.
"What is it Your Grace!?" Qybern asked, concerned.
"I can hear him. Darth Nihilus. I can hear his voice in my head." She looked at Qybern with concern.
"Ahhhhhh." Darth Nihilus said in her head. "Your people are a primitive kind indeed. I have just read every thought you have ever had. You are cunning and crave power. You will do well possessing my powers. But my powers will come at a price." Those last hung in the air heavy as iron.
"What price?" Cercei asked.
"I wish to reenter the corporeal plane and have a physical form again." There was a longing in Darth Nihilus's voice.
"And how are we to help you with that?" Cercei asked.
"Your child, the one that grow within you. I wish to imbue it with my spirit once you are ready to give birth. It will become my vessel, and I will feed once again."
Cercei grabbed her stomach and backed away to the far wall of her chamber. "No." she whispered.
"I've seen your mind. I know everything you have ever seen, thought, or felt. You have lost three children already. If this Arya girl comes, she will kill you and your child will die anyways. So, you have two options before you. Lose your child and gain the power to protect yourself and your kingdom. Or die, and have your child die with you. If you refuse, I will remove my power from your body and choose another."
Qybern could not hear Darth Nihilus's voice, but as he watched Cercei's face, he saw her lips begin to quiver and large tears fall from her eyes. It was the type of tears one sheds when they are resigned to a fate they do not want.
"What is wrong Your Grace? What is he saying to you?" Qybern was genuinely worried about her.
"He wants my child." She said.
"For what?"
"To be a vessel for his spirit. He wishes to be human again, if he was ever human to begin with." She replied.
"Surely you won't let him." Qybern said alarmed.
"If I refuse him, he'll remove his power from me." She began to cry just a bit louder. "I have no choice. Either give up my child or die."
"Your Grace. Think of the destruction he could be capable of if he takes physical form on our planet. Do not do this thing." Qybern began pleading with Cercei.
"If I die, this kingdom falls. If I die, you die too Qybern." She looked at him, resolve blossoming on her face.
Darth Nihilus's voice pierced her mind once more. "I sense you have made your decision?"
Cercei tear-streaked face just nodded.
"Very well." Darth Nihilus said. "Now, let me show you what you can do with these powers."
Once again Cercei just nodded. More tears fell from her eyes, but inside her emotions had changed from sadness to rage. Whether Arya knew it or not, she had already won. She had forced Cercei to give up what would likely be her last remaining blood child. The least Cercei could do was make make sure she paid for that.
