This chapter is fun... Many thanks to those still consistently reviewing, you're encouragement is what supports me onward through many a rough writing patch. please continue to R&R, and enjoy!
Chapter Thirty Six
Omens
Anguis had all but laughed when he first saw the exam schedule that Lord Veneficus had received. No less than twice a day for the four examination days the Sith Lord had to be in two, sometimes three, places at once to sit his exams. The power of magic was indeed spectacular at times. Granted, even with his heightened mental prowess granted by the boon of the Dark Side, Anguis was still rather pressed to handle just the workload that the bare minimum of classes demanded.
Their last morning before the barrage of exams, Zabini had received a note from his mother, and snidely proclaimed that the giant's hippogriff would die Thursday, just after the last of the examinations. Apart from the boy's childish vengeance against an animal, and perhaps Miss Granger's continued self-destruction via over taxation, there was little distraction from studying and examination.
Anguis was quickly shown that, in his attempts to improve in the power of the Dark Side and master the Lightsaber, he had let other skills in magical learning slacken. But somehow, most of the spells and skills that the Dark Side student had been found lacking, such as turning a teapot into a tortoise, seemed less than truly useful outside the theory.
The charms exam seemed utterly pointless. Truly, Anguis could only bring himself to try his hardest in Potions, Runes, Arithmancy, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. It was an odd, and thoroughly unsatisfying feeling. Three years ago, the child Draco had wanted nothing more than to come to Hogwarts and learn these sorts of things, even the more mundane of subjects seem fascinating to the young boy with the closed off mind that he had once been.
So much had changed since that fateful day in Diagon Alley, when Lucius and his son had first met the man and boy that were secretly the Lords of the Sith.
Wednesday evening, Anguis found himself in the common room. Veneficus, who seemed to have pools of energy and to spare, had gone to train in the Chamber of Secrets, but Anguis was far too exhausted and chose to just rest in front of the warm fire before the final day of testing.
Out of the corner of his eye, Anguis could see the majority of their fellow third year Slytherins, his old crowd as it were, watching him as they talked among themselves. Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, and Daphne Greengrass had been the closest of Draco Malfoy's childhood friends, if you could call the relationship such.
Reaching out lazily with the Force, Anguis could tell that the other Slytherins were still frightfully concerned with his complete lack of interest in them since nearly two and a half years ago, when he first came into contact with Lord Veneficus. Now, in their eyes, he had transformed from one of their mates, a social butterfly that would have ruled Slytherin House by sheer charisma, into a stone cold loner who only confided in Harry Potter, sneaking off with the boy at various times of the day to do Merlin-knew-what.
Parkinson held onto her belief that it had to be something romantic, and was incensed that anyone, let alone Draco Malfoy, would be more interested in a member of his own gender than in her. As if she was so perfect to begin with, Anguis mused sarcastically. The others, gratefully, were not convinced of Parkinson's idea, as they knew Pansy as well as Anguis had, and the selfish girl was prone to twisting situations to be all about herself.
Sighing in resignation, knowing that something had to be done to silence their suspicions, or it would easily come back to ruin some future plan in a horrible fashion when the children grew desperate, either to find out just what he and Veneficus were up to or to 'save' him from his seemingly lonely lifestyle.
Standing and stretching in an exaggerated gesture, Anguis felt their eyes immediately rivet back onto him, watching his every move. How surprised they must be, Anguis thought, as he abruptly turned and joined them in the darker corner of the common room.
As he sat among them, no one spoke, and the Force user waited a moment before asking innocently, "Knut for your thoughts?"
Another moment of pausing, then Crabbe and Goyle chuckled stupidly, obviously finding his comment amusing in some fashion. Greengrass smirked, and began to talk about exams, as if nothing had truly changed. Pansy however, eyed Draco suspiciously, as if trying to see the deception like a flag waving above his head.
Soon, Nott and Zabini wandered over, and the Third Year Slytherins were reunited, bar one. Anguis knew that the peaceful return to normalcy would last only a short time, and he passively wondered who would break and start the questions first. In his mind, it was a close match between Pansy and Zabini, with each casting confused and increasingly awkward glances at him.
Anguis didn't speak much, which they all probably found disconcerting, but for the most part they were just glad that he was back among them. It was nearly an hour before Zabini broke first. "So," he asked, trying to be nonchalant, "where's Potter off to?"
Anguis shrugged, slipping into the lie so easily, "Who knows, probably the Astronomy Tower, he likes to watch the sky from time to time. Granted if that's the case it could be any tower…"
Parkinson perused her lips, but Zabini was just getting started. "Do you join him often on the Astronomy Tower Draco…" he said, the innuendo hot on his lips.
Shaking his head with a smirk, Anguis replied, "No, but I'm sure he wouldn't deny you if you demanded to join him Blaise…"
They laughed. Even Zabini chuckled, trying hard and failing to look affronted. That opened up the floor to the others' questions however, and soon Anguis had to weave a long list of activities, primarily Quidditch practice, to deflect their probing.
They all quieted when Veneficus himself appeared, around twenty minutes before curfew, but none approached him or tried to confirm where he had been. Anguis caught Zabini's look of acute attentiveness, and wondered for an instant if the darker skinned boy did indeed harbor some sort of desirous feeling toward the Dark Lord of the Sith. If so, Anguis thought, then the boy would be in for a rude awakening when he realized what sort of mess he sought to attach himself to.
Thursday morning brought Anguis' final exam of the week, Defense Against the Dark Arts. Lupin had constructed a sort of obstacle course outside on the grounds that contained all the Dark Creatures that they had covered for the year. Anguis knew that he would do well in bypassing the grindylow, the red caps, the hinkypunk, but he wasn't certain what to expect when he had to climb into an old trunk with a boggart.
Within the dark confined space, Anguis heard dark whispers. At first he thought of the Sith spirit that had attacked them that summer, but from the light of his wand he saw a solid appearing figure emerge. Veneficus, eyes burning with hate stepped toward him, lightsaber hilt in his hand.
"Traitor…" he breathed, grasping toward Anguis, and the Darksider felt his airways starting to close. Fear attempted to assault the Force user as his worst fear became reality. But Fear was a power for the wielders of the Dark Side, and Anguis fed off his own fear. He was not powerful enough to match Veneficus, even in this form, nor was there anything amusing to transform the young Sith Lord into, but Anguis backed away, exiting the trunk again and sealing the Boggart back inside.
Lupin frowned questioningly at Anguis' escape from the Boggart, but the man's attention was quickly returned to Veneficus himself. Anguis did not know why the man had such an overbearing fixation on keeping an eye on the Sith that was once Harry Potter, but judging from the Sith Apprentice's lack of care, it was on no consequence.
Veneficus completed each task with little effort, earning full marks, and being permitted to depart and enjoy their day. As the pair of Force users approached the castle, Anguis sensed a powerful, yet familiar, nexus of Dark Side power. Just inside the Entrance Hall, was Lord Millennial, clad in his persona as Blackmoore-Ravenclaw, along with Minister Fudge, along with a pair of other wizards.
As they approached, Millennial turned, smiling slightly at them. Fudge also noticed and turned, adjusting his ridicules pinstripe cloak as he moved, "Hello there, Harry!" he said, wiping away perspiration from his receding hairline, "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"
Veneficus shifted slightly in his Force Aura, but smiled crookedly at the Minister, "Yes, just one for this afternoon Minister." Sith Master and Apprentice locked eyes for a fraction of a second, before all but ignoring each other.
"Lovely day," Fudge commented obliviously, "pity… pity…" he sighed and turned back the pair of students, "I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures requires a witness from the Ministry for the execution of a mad hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."
"Well, I sure justice will be done then, if you're here," Veneficus said, laying the flattery on rather thick.
Fudge chuckled, patting Veneficus on the shoulder. "Good to know some people have faith in me. Run along now, Harry, you wouldn't want to miss lunch before your last exam."
Millennial watched them from the corner of his eye as they departed, and Anguis wondered for the briefest of moments what the Dark Lord of the Sith was planning, as there was clearly no need for his presence in this little charade of an execution.
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Veneficus pondered in silence as he climbed the many stairs up to North Tower. Lord Millennial was here, at the castle, and the Sith Apprentice was certain it had little to nothing to do with the blasted hippogriff. Could it be possible that the weavings of the Force that Veneficus was stirring had drawn Millennial here, or was the Sith Master simply prying into the goings on of his Apprentice?
There was a short line outside Trelawney's tower, each entering one at a time to meet with the beetle-like woman and have their examination. Most of those waiting were pouring over notes or reading in their textbooks, struggling to cram every last bit of information into their minds as they could. Veneficus laughed inwardly at the utter foolishness. It was more than clear from the off that this class was more about a talent that you either possessed or did not, much like the abilities to harness the Cosmic Force, and no amount of studying would change that.
Settling into the rivers of Wild and Living energies that swirled around the castle, Veneficus allowed himself to wait, directing his thoughts away and seeking out his Master. Interestingly enough, Veneficus felt his own future-self stretching outward in the Force as well, but seeking something completely different. Lord Millennial was probably very confused at the moment, he thought with a smirk, sensing his Apprentice in the school in two different places at similar levels, but in the end it didn't matter.
Veneficus withdrew just as his name was called from beyond the trapdoor in the ceiling. He was the last student to be called. The tower was closed off to the outside air, making it far more unpleasant than before, while Trelawney waited in front of the fireplace, a large crystal ball set in front of her on a spindly table.
"Good day, my dear," she said softly, almost bored, "if you would kindly gaze into the Orb… take your time now… then tell me what you see within it…"
Veneficus inwardly scoffed at the method the woman portrayed, but obediently leaned forward and looked into the depths of the swirling mist. The Sith wasn't terribly surprised when he did indeed start to behold images within the murky fog, but what did surprise him was their contents.
Weasley's rat, clearly distinctive by the missing toe on the front paw, was being stalked by a great dark grim and a werewolf. Then the images changed to form the grounds keeper's hut, and finally a large willow tree, whose branches moved on their own.
"Well?" Trelawney prompted, albeit still annoyingly demanding. "What do you see?"
Veneficus ignored her irritating voice and sank into the Force, delving deeper into the mystery before him. Before he even realized what he was doing, he was speaking in a voice that was not his own. "It will happen tonight."
Trelawney froze, utter shock on her face, but Veneficus could only watch with a portion of awareness as more words spilled from his mouth unbidden. "The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant had been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight… the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid… tonight… before midnight… the servant… will set out… to rejoin… his master…"
Veneficus sagged as is a great weight was suddenly removed from him. Sweat beaded on his forehead and Trelawney was at a loss for words, her expression somewhere between awe and fear. "My dear boy," she breathed, "do you have any idea what you've just said?"
Veneficus had perfect knowledge of what he had spoken, and he knew from where it had originated. The Power of the Force was great indeed in this wild form, to be able to pierce the shadow of the future so clearly.
But the woman had heard this declaration, and that would not bode well for the Sith. Straightening quickly, Veneficus thrust a hand forward, "You will remember nothing of this." He commanded.
The Divination Professor slumped a bit in her seat, before suddenly snapping up again. "So sorry, dear boy," she said, her voice back in its dreamy state, "the heat of the day, you know… I drifted off for a moment."
"Of course Professor, you were just finishing up my mark," Veneficus said sweetly, smirking ever so slightly as the woman fumbled to give him full marks despite having no memory of anything he had said or done. The grade was the last thing on his mind however. As he was dismissed, Veneficus bee lined for the Arithmancy classroom, turning back time for one hour and waiting outside the classroom for his last exam to begin, all the while pondering what he had both seen and said.
The rat, there was something imperative about the rat, it was indeed the reason that Sirius Black had come to the school, and the rat hid within the wooden hut on the grounds. He had only precious hours left to complete his trap then, according to the glimpse of the future that the Wild Force had given him, and there was precious little time to act.
"Hi Harry," Colin Creevey said as he passed, before subtly passing a note to the Sith Lord's hand. Watching the younger boy disappear around the corner, Veneficus opened the small scrap of parchment, smirking as he read the hastily written note. It declared that Colin had spied Weasley's pet near the greenhouses nearly two days ago, which adequately granted plausibility to his vision, not that Veneficus had cause to doubt it prior.
As he sat the exam, Veneficus threw his consciousness outward, briefly touching his previous timeline's probe, before darting to inspect the hut on the grounds. Sadly, it positively reeked with many Force signatures; the man must be keeping dozens of different creatures within for whatever reason.
This led Veneficus to the only conclusion left, he would have to go down to the hut in person and retrieve the rat to bait his trap, and finally exact his personal revenge.
The Sith Lord waited for the execution of his plan until after dinner, sending Anguis a penetrating look which commanded the blond boy to return to the dorm with no questions. His Acolyte seemed confused, but resigned obediently to his Master's will. The only one with eyes still on the Sith were those of the werewolf, Lupin. Veneficus knew that the man had resumed his incessant spying, on Dumbledore's orders no doubt, and that his escape would be noticed immediately because of the man's keen sense of smell. Force willing, Veneficus would accomplish his design and seize the rat before Lupin caught up to him or called for Black.
As the children filed out at the meal's conclusion, Veneficus ducked subtly into a side room, drew out of his bag a larger, midnight black robe, and hastily began to throw the material around himself. This plan was not to be undertaken by Slytherin student Harry Potter, nor even in the guise of said boy, but by Darth Veneficus, and he wanted to dress appropriately. It might be considered foolish and blatantly unnecessary, but Veneficus felt that it was high time that he shed his disguise and be his true self for one evening.
Leaving the school bag and green lined robes in the room, Veneficus stalked across the Entrance Hall to the castle door. Shrouding himself within the Dark Side, he blended into the shadows cast by the setting sun, and glided down the hill toward the line of trees at the edge of the grounds. No sooner had he set foot on the lawns outside, Veneficus felt his own presence pop into existence back in the room he discarded his school robes. The latent excitement and adrenaline that he felt from his future self was proof enough that he would succeed in his plan.
The doomed Hippogriff was tethered in the vegetable garden on the side of the solitary dwelling, meekly watching as the Sith approached. Veneficus knew that the execution was going to take place soon, and he needed to acquire the rat and be gone before Dumbledore, or worse still, Lord Millennial, arrived. According to the time, Anguis had forwarded to him from Zabini's own mouth, the committee should be departing from the Headmaster's office momentarily to make their way down to this exact place.
Making a distraction to lure out the half giant was child's play. As he approached the back door of the hut, Veneficus casually levitated a trio of small rocks from the garden, and send them hurtling into the Hippogriff's hind quarters.
Spooked, the animal surged to its feet, creating a great ruckus and causing Hagrid to burst out of his hut to calm the creature. Darting inside, Veneficus swept the room quickly for any sign of the rat. The large boarhound tried to approach Veneficus, drool dripping down its great face, but the Sith danced around it every time it got close. Weaving his way around, Veneficus found that he would have to search far more mundanely than he'd like, as there were indeed dozens of creatures in crates and cages all around.
Glancing out of the partially open widow, Veneficus spied the committee beginning to descend the hill, and Hagrid finally managing to calm the Hippogriff. Relying on the Force, the Sith dashed from potential hiding place to the next, opening drawers and cabinets before quickly shutting them again.
Finally, just as the giant was stomping back toward the front door, Veneficus found the rat hiding in a milk bottle stashed away in an upper cabinet. Knocking the animal unconscious with a quick prod of the Force, the Sith pocketed the body and launched himself out of the back door just as the burly man reentered.
Sighing at the closeness of the call, Veneficus huddled behind the line of trees just on the edge of the forest as Hagrid confusedly shut his back door and the committee arrived. Wordlessly, the group arrived and knocked on the hut's front door.
Dumbledore, the Committee member, Fudge, and the executioner seemed oblivious to anything other than the reason they had come, but Veneficus was certain that Millennial was very aware of his apprentice's presence nearby. However, there was little that the Sith Master could or would be inclined to do about it. In the end, Veneficus had his schemes, and Millennial had his. There was no need for them to co-conspire about anything, and each seemed perfectly content with that arrangement.
Slowly wending his way back up the sloping lawns, Veneficus dwelt on his and his Master relationship. Over the last three years, Millennial had given Veneficus quite a deal of freedoms, despite his young age. Other Sith that Veneficus had read about, even those closer to his time period, such as Darth Bane, had not be so forthcoming with their apprentices during the younger years of their lives.
Young apprentices were to be kept close, under constant surveillance and tutelage to make absolutely sure that they were prepared to face the Galaxy on their own. Yet Millennial had been more than willing to let Veneficus be alone for substantial periods of time. Was this a complement to Veneficus; having earned his master's trust with keeping their secrets, or a test to see if the young apprentice could handle such things on his own?
Veneficus wasn't sure, and personally did not care at the time being, as he had been able to learn much that his Master would forever be none the wiser about, in a sense making it far more likely that Veneficus could be the victor in their inevitable confrontation. And yet, there was still something nagging Veneficus in the back of his mind that, if Millennial was so content with allowing Veneficus this sort to boon, was the mutant taking precautions to defend himself from the power of the Wild Force?
It would take long hours to meditate on such a mystery, and scores more of training and practice with his other abilities to compensate, if it indeed was what Millennial was up to. Stopping abruptly, Veneficus sensed beings approaching from in front and behind him. One was a man upon two legs, but the other was animal, and yet not so… "So it begins…" he muttered as Veneficus turned and sprinted perpendicular from the advancing Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.
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Albus sighed inwardly at the proceedings for the execution of Buckbeak the Hippogriff. As Hagrid opened the door to his cabin, eyes starting to water, the Executioner, Macnair, spoke. "Where is the beast?"
"Out…outside," Hagrid croaked sadly. Albus felt for his good friend, but unfortunately his hands were tied in this. Lucius Malfoy had worked long and hard on this case for Madam Zabini, in conjunction with minor assistance from Lord Blackmoore, and had demolished any attempt to protect the animal from its unjust death.
As Macnair, and later Fudge stepped to Hagrid's window to look at the hippogriff, Blackmoore cleared his throat. "We must read you the official notice of execution, Mr. Hagrid. For time, I'll make it quick. And then both you, Macnair and the Headmaster must sign."
As Harry Potter's guardian began reading, Albus felt his mind wander. As it always did when he was in the man's presence, somehow Albus couldn't help but feel almost a thick obscuring darkness about the man. Something was off, and this evening in particular, it felt even more potent than usual.
Albus had wondered why Lord Blackmoore had come in the first place. He had claimed that he was representing the Board of School Governors, but their presence wasn't requested or required. Granted, there was little Albus could do once he had arrived, but it still didn't sit well with the Headmaster.
As the parchment was passed around for all to sign, Albus felt that it was time for Severus to do some important digging into what background they could find about this man, and hopefully they might nudge those forgotten and hidden memories back to light.
Gratefully, as they stepped out into the back garden, Macnair was a quick and clean worker, not one to delight in much bloodshed. But still an unnecessary business all the same, in Albus' humble opinion.
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Millennial watched the cruel business with a cold uncaring mask, his mind elsewhere. The Force was gathering around a distant part of the grounds, and the Dark Lord of the Sith felt compelled, much as he had been in coming to Hogwarts initially, to prepare for some unknown event to occur.
The giant, Hagrid, broke down into pathetic sobs, comforted by the weak fool Dumbledore. Fudge, Macnair and the other wizard were passive, and departed back to the castle without comment.
"If you will excuse me, Dumbledore, I wish to have a private walk on the grounds," Millennial said, departing before the old man could respond. Let the weak fools be ruled by their emotion at what they felt was an injustice. In the end, it was only a mindless beast, with thousands more ever so much like it.
As he walked, not particularly caring or even watching where he was going, Millennial delved into the Force, expanding his senses and gazing across the grounds with sight beyond sight. He could sense his apprentice, currently down in the subterranean area of the castle, along with the Acolyte, Malfoy. And yet, somehow, Veneficus was also out on the grounds as well, his power building as he exerting minor amounts of the Force.
It was a puzzle that had presented itself once already this day, shortly after Millennial had arrived. Somehow, Veneficus had learned to divide his force aura, or by some other means had literally gone to two places at the same time.
Before encountering these wizards and the Wild Force, Millennial would have considered this nothing more than an illusion, completely outside the realm of possibility. Now however, he was not so certain. If this was indeed some skill that his apprentice had learned, then Millennial was content that the Sith's time on this backwater planet had been well spent.
Millennial started to turn toward where his Apprentices' aura emanated from the grounds, further up toward the castle, but halted before he made it two steps. The Dark Side chilled his blood and mind at the thought. It felt as though the Force was guiding him to not join with Veneficus at this time, but to stay nearby.
Respecting the wishes of the powers he served, Millennial turned and, led on by the will of the Dark Side, strode toward the main gates of Hogwarts, and the quaint village that dwelled just beyond it.
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Sirius chased after Harry, knowing that the boy had somehow, miraculously, captured the rat from Hagrid's Hut. It was the perfect opportunity to both get at the rat and have a chance to explain everything to Harry in person. The only thing that confused him right now was how and why Moony had shown up, also assisting in chasing Harry. It was the first night of the full moon, and for Remus it was not safe unless he had his potion, and Sirius desperately hoped that the man had remembered. Remus was very prone to forgetting about it completely, having grown up as a werewolf before the potion's creation.
In either case, the pair of Marauders worked in perfect unison to slowly box Harry between them and drive the boy toward the Whomping Willow, as if it was another prank from their school days. Sirius stared hard at the figure that smelled overwhelmingly like his godson. His eyesight in this form was terrible, and it was hard for him to make out much with the massive black cloak that the boy was wearing. Indeed if not for the scent, Sirius would not be able to tell that it was Harry at all.
Remus fired a spell at the willow as they came within range, freezing it. At the same time, Sirius darted forward, intent on knocking Harry down so he could drag the boy, as gently as possible, underneath the tree and into the secret passage to the Shrieking Shack. To his utter surprise, Harry managed to bend out of the way with great ease, dodging his leap completely.
Sirius landed hard, spun and attempted to rush at the boy's legs. Inwardly, he was torn at having to cause his godson any pain whatsoever, but it was imperative that they get him inside the shack before Peter escaped. Remus fired a few basic hexes and charms, but Harry twisted, dodged and even flipped out of the way, avoiding everything effortlessly.
Sirius' tail started to wag on its own. He was so happy that someone had at least taught him strong survival skills, what with Voldemort and the Death Eaters no doubt likely out for his blood.
Remus reached the willow. "Sirius!" he called, throwing a silent hex at Harry again, who moved lightning fast out of the way once again. As Sirius turned, Remus slid down beneath the tree, just as the branches started to come to life again. It realized that there were creatures too close to it almost immediately, and began to flail its limbs threateningly.
Sirius charged, bowling past Harry once again, and dove for the opening at the tree's base, hoping that Harry was enough like James to come after him and his Professor. Darting through the tunnel, Sirius transformed. Daring to look back, he spotted his godson land at the base of the tunnel, crouching on the balls of his feet and locking eyes with him. The burning orange almost froze Sirius in place, fear gripping his heart.
Orange eyes meant only one thing; the presence and continual use of Dark Magic. His heart broke, but he kept running, nearly fleeing from his godson, who was charging after him with cold determination.
Sirius sprint all the way to the topmost room where Lupin waited, looking worn and very worried so close to the full moon. "Sirius, I…" Remus started to explain, but there was no time. The door which Sirius had just entered slammed open, and Harry stood there, unseen wind kicking around his dark cloak, eyes burning like fire as he gazed at the pair of them.
From within a deeper pocket of the black robe, Sirius' Godson withdrew the object of his desire: Peter, still in his animagus form, unconscious and unmoving. With a look of burning disgust, Harry tossed the rat in the room, stepping forward slowly. The door snapped shut behind him, as it caught on an unseen gale. Harry's wand was out in a flash, and Peter glowed as he was forced to change back into a man. He sat up, quivering, with a look of utter horror on his face.
"Now," Harry said, contempt dripping from every syllable, "I have all of you right where I want you. You will explain, now, exactly who is deserving of my ire."
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Zhar stood in stoic silence before the gaping darkness that marked the entrance to Marka Ragnos' tomb, Septin at his side. The man wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was feeling a shadow of trepidation regarding their venture within the darkness. Huffing to himself, and brushing the fleeting sensation aside, Zhar turned to his apprentice. "Are you prepared?"
Septin eyed him warily, but nodded nevertheless. That in of itself was something else that put Zhar off. It was true that he and the boy had drifted apart since their arrival on Korriban, but still, something seemed off. Septin was far quieter than he used to be, more secretive.
But, in the end, Zhar had said that they would enter the tomb together on this day, and he was a man of his word. "Let's go then," he said, trudging forward into the blackness, with only a glowrod to light the way.
As they strode through the dim passages, Zhar had to commend the work and diligence of the Sith archeologists. Not only had they sought to uncover and bring the tomb back to light, but many had painstakingly worked to restore the worn hieroglyphics and artifacts to as close to their original forms as possible.
The tomb had a dusty smell, ripe with the remnants of some power, but it was muted, as if somewhere far distant. It was this source of power that the pair of Darksiders was seeking, in an attempt to discover some unknown hidden inner chamber; something that the seekers of the Dark Side had missed for generations.
Eventually, the pair came for a fork in the passageway, each corridor leading off into the murky blackness. Zhar turned to ask if Septin had an idea of where they needed to go, but the boy hadn't stopped, but immediately turned to the left and kept walking, almost as in some sort of trance. "Septin?" Zhar called, but his apprentice ignored him and kept moving further into the darkness.
Chasing after him, Zhar found the passage ahead led to an open chamber with a massive stone staircase imbedded into the walls, leading up to a second set of corridors. Septin had somehow managed to gain a considerable lead on Zhar, and disappeared into the upper passage just as the older Force user entered.
Shouting in frustration at his apprentice, Zhar gathered the Force around him, and sprang upward to the upper landing. As he landed, Zhar held the glowstick ahead of him, but Septin was nowhere to be seen in the narrow passage.
"Blasted boy," Zhar muttered, his apprehension growing as he entered the corridor at a jog.
Through the winding corridors Zhar went, increasing speed every so often, skidding around corners in his attempts to catch up with Septin. Several side corridors were quickly bypassed until, at last, Zhar arrived in a downright massive open chamber, lighted on its own with stone braziers.
Dominating the far wall of the chamber was a massive granite statue of Marka Ragnos himself, a horned headdress adorning his human Sith hybrid face. The features were downright eerie, giving the impression of some archaic deamon.
Standing before the massive statue, on a raised platform that seemed relatively out of place, if not for the remains of an ancient alter, was Septin.
"I glad that you've finally arrived, Master…" Septin said, drawing out the final word sarcastically.
"Septin…" Zhar started, but he was overridden by the boy's laughter.
"You know," Septin said, his momentary mirth growing cold almost instantly, "I had at one time thought that we were meant to be together, that you had liberated me from the oppressive Jedi, from Master Ta-Ras-Min, and that my life would only improve… Well… it hasn't!" he was shouting by the end, whirling away from the statue to face Zhar.
"You've done little for me, Zhar Quelmok. You're not a worthy master," Septin momentarily froze, a wicked smile on his face, "you're not even a worthy Sith…"
Zhar bristled, concerned at what was happening before him. Septin began to pace slightly, his lightsaber hilt dancing from hand to hand. "Yes, I should have suspected this sooner. You are still nothing more than a wandering soul, lost from the Jedi and only temporarily allied with us…"
"You have little idea to what you refer, boy," Zhar said, and even as he spoke he drew on the Dark Side all around them, preparing himself for what he suspected was about to occur.
"Oh, you'll be surprised what I've learned in the short time we've labored here, among the ancient Lords of the Sith," Septin shot back, "I've tasted more of the Dark Side than you imagine, and I am ready, here and now, to finally be free of your restrictive training…"
Blue erupted from Septin's weapon, and the boy leapt high into the air, screaming in fury as he dove at Zhar, weapon poised to skewer him alive.
Throwing himself to the left, Zhar rolled just as Septin landed, a small crater appearing at the point of impact. The orange blade of his saber hissed to life, and yet Zhar found himself in a position that he was unaccustomed to. Septin was flying into an offensive berserker rush, and Zhar was hard pressed to snap into his very outdated and rarely used Soresu defense that he learned so long ago by their mutual Jedi mentor.
Through the Force, Zhar was even more shocked to find that Septin seemed to have completely opened himself to the energy within the tomb, allowing himself to become a conduit of pure rage and malice. From the histories that Zhar remembered back at the temple, he realized that Septin had all the hallmarks of a potential Sith Marauder; the battle masters of the Dark Side.
Inwardly, he knew that he had both failed and succeeded with Septin; failed, because he himself did little to nothing to coach the boy along in his embracing the Dark Side or finding his true calling, but succeeding at the event occurring regardless. Now however, he needed to survive this encounter, even if it meant he had to cut Septin down in his youth personally.
That was the way of the Sith, they had both been told; Kill or be killed.