Zhalia looked over her ship which had finally returned and she was pleased by the updated look it had been given. As she stood looking over the outside of it, HK stood next to her as a person was informing her of everything they had done to make sure the ship stayed in working condition and everything Zhalia heard pleased her.
As the workers finished the touches on the Sith vessel, Admiral Gar Stazi walked to Zhalia. "Fine work, ain't it?" He told her.
Zhalia chuckled. "Better than when my ship was originally made. My ship was made to be mass produced and not last as long as this one has. I am of the hope that this retrofitting will help keep her around longer. She has yet to fail me and hope to keep it that way."
Stazi smiled. Looking at Zhalia and said "Glad you like it. Was a challenge to get it retrofitted with how ancient of a design it was."
Zhalia laughed before shaking her head, "Wish I had the schematics for it as well, would have made your guys lives easier while working on her but sadly I am sure those were lost long ago."
Stazi was approached by a deck officer. "Admiral Stazi! Talravin has been attacked!" He exclaimed.
Stazi's eyes widened as he heard the report. "By whom?! The One Sith?!" He asked.
"Well that confirms my thoughts." Zhalia frowned. "You will find no one and nothing left on that planet for many, many years. The One Sith have brought back a fiend who should have never returned. Rather stupidly I might add as he will be a pain to bring down."
Stazi turned around and frowned. "What do you mean?" He asked her.
"They have gotten, or well had, a hold on the Mask of Nihilus. An ancient mask that still plays host to what can rarely be called a Dark Side Spirit that was once a man by the name of Nihilus." Zhalia informed him. "This…thing… I guess you can call it now. Was near impossible to destroy the first time around but it took the combined efforts of the Jedi, the Mandalorans and I want to say a former Sith apprentice to take him down that first time." Zhalia told him as she looked at her ship before looking to HK, "HK, head aboard the ship and prepare her for a trip. If we can catch him before he causes too much damage, then we can stop Nihilus in his tacks and destroy that mask once and for all." She said as HK nodded and headed onto Zhalia's ship.
The Admiral sighed and told her "That's above my department. Go report this to the Jedi." He told her as he walked away.
Zhalia watched him walk away and sighed before looking at her ship. "Sadly I doubt the Jedi of today will be able to help." She closed her eyes for a brief moment before reopening them and entered her ship to see that while everything was still semi normal, a bit had changed. But with each step she took, she noted little things that had been changed. She decided to explore the ship and discovered that the engines had been replaced, the cargo hold had a way to actually organize things that would be placed within it, but she walked towards the cockpit, and found a pleasant surprise in the form of that the Galaxy Map she had to aid her in piloting the ship had been updated. She looked towards HK and smiled as she saw him sitting in one of the seats and pressing buttons. "HK, we need to head to the Jedi Temple, I need to inform them of what I am going to do and to tell that Skywalker pup to stay put."
HK spoke, "Statement: Of course Master." He nodded as he began preparations. Before the Ship was able to leave the Alliance. One out of range of the much bigger ship, Zhalia walked back out towards the middle of the ship, trusting HK to carefully test her ship to land them on the planet below. Even as they flew, Zhalia noted just how smooth her ship flew and smiled for a moment before regaining herself and heard HK announce they were on the Planet and landing at the Jedi Temple.
At the Jedi Temple, Cade was meditating in the Temple Gardens. He had felt the disturbance in the Force. The life snuffed out of an entire planet. He knew that the Sith were involved somehow. He searched through the Force who could have done such a savage strike.
Zhalia soon stepped off her ship and looked around for a moment before sighing as she made her way towards the temple. She could guess that Cade would likely throw a fit upon hearing her telling him to remain behind, but she didn't want him risking more than what he already was with having a Sith Spirit lurking within him and the fight with Nihilus would surely wear him out and thus, figured it best that she go to fight him alone. Looking around as she walked she sensed for Cade and soon spotted him as she sent some of her energy out to gently alert him to her presence. "There is no point in searching out the source, pup. I already know the cause behind what was felt."
Cade sighed and opened his eyes, ending his meditation. "Something powerful like that doesn't seem like something the One Sith would use lightly." He stood up and looked at her. "What is it exactly?"
"What was sensed by, I'm sure all, was the return of one formerly known as Darth Nihilus. An extremely powerful being that can cause mass destruction if he feeds too much on the life force upon planets and the force." Zhalia said calmly. The One Sith must have gotten ahold of the Mask his spirit was attached to." She sighed then. "I am heading to face him and hopefully destroy him and the Mask once and for all." She mentally prepared for this next part. "You must stay behind and away from him." She told him, still calm as she awaited his reaction.
Cade frowned. "I faced Karness Muur before. Destroyed the Muur Talisman and put a permanent end to the Rakghoul Plague. How is this any more dangerous?" He asked with a scoff.
"Nihilus leaves nothing behind but corpses and dead planets, child." Zhalia sighed, "He was once a powerful Sith Lord but is now a wound in the very Force itself. Drawing close to him is dangerous in and of itself. Add on that you have a Sith spirit lingering within you, it would be unwise for you to face him." Zhalia shook her head. "Vitiate was similar to Nihilus in the same sense of draining all life from a planet to keep himself alive. I know how to fight such a being, you do not." Zhalia said. "And until we rid you of Krayt, it is unwise of you to draw close to such a dark side presence."
Cade grumbled in annoyance. "Just make sure the bastard stays dead this time." He told her with a sigh.
Zhalia chuckled, "Don't worry, pup. I won't let you fight Krayt alone. AS long as I catch Nihilus in time, and before he can become too powerful, I will be back before you know it." She told him as she put a hand on his shoulder. "Just keep my words in mind, Krayt has no power in your mind. Your mind, and body, are your own. But don't try anything that could cause too much excitement and possible strength." She sighed as she pulled away. "Let your Jedi friends and that young Empress know where I am going but warn them to stay away unless it's absolutely needed."
Cade nodded and patted her shoulder. "May the Force be with you, Zhalia." He told her with a smile.
Zhalia chuckled, before turning and heading back to her ship. While she was sure he would warn the Jedi and the Empress, she had doubts he would do the rest of what she told him as he didn't strike her as someone to sit by so easily. Once upon her ship she went to the cockpit and sat in the pilot's seat and frowned. "Prepare yourself, HK. We have a Sith to kill." She said as she began to pilot her ship and had it take off from the planet and towards wherever Nihilus could be.
Korriban called to him.
The Lord of Hunger had spent an entire day feasting on the entire force of Jedi and Imperials guarding the Sith homeworld. The desolate world was even more barren as Darth Nihilus walked in the Valley of the Dark Lords. He let the Dark Side aura of Korriban empower him as he headed to recover his Holocron from where the One Sith had their hideout, in XoXaan's Temple.
Coming out of hyperspace above Korriban was Zhalia's ship, looking upon the planet once more sent a shiver down her spine as she wondered just how long it had been since she had last stepped foot upon this particular planet. Reaching out through the Force, she sensed Nihilus below and sucked in a breath. This coming battle would take all she had, and she mentally prepared herself. Closing her eyes, she concentrated for a moment, calming her warring emotions and suppressed her force sensitivity before reopening her blue eyes. "Land the ship HK. Close enough to him that it won't take long to reach him, but far enough away for you to get out of here if things turn south quickly." For a moment it would seem HK had not heard her but soon her ship entered orbit and was soon flying towards a place to land. "Long time no see, Korriban. Hopefully this will be the last time I return to you." She said mostly to herself as she soon stepped off the ship and looked around at the red planet around her. "Now where are you, Nihilus?"
As Zhalia stepped onto Korriban, she felt a voice she was familiar with. "Why did you come back here, Zhalia? Have you come to face Nihilus alone?" The voice echoed in the air as the Ghost of Darth Revan appeared before her. He wore his Sith attire, wearing the Mandalorian mask that befitted his attire.
Zhalia stopped and looked towards Revan, a small part of her that still lingered upon memories of being a Revanite wanting to feel honored at seeing him again, but she merely looked partially annoyed at his sudden appearance. "Why are you haunting me…again?"
Revan looked at her with amusement. "I have a lasting legacy, both with those of the Shan blood as much as the Sith that followed the Rule of Two. My greatest pupil, Darth Bane, currently speaks with Darth Nihilus. In the Tomb of XoXaan that served as the Temple for the One Sith." He explained, pointing to it to guide her.
Zhalia looked to where Revan pointed and sighed. "Well that makes things slightly easier, at least I won't spend days looking for him." She then looked towards Revan once more. "In case you forgot, the only blood that I could possibly share with you is that of my son and those who came after him." She frowned. "I was also a part of Vitiate's Sith Empire, not the so-called Rule of Two."
Revan looked back at her and said "You are not my only legacy. Darth Bane was my greatest instrument in bringing order to the Sith. And soon, you shall meet him." He then vanished from sight.
Zhalia let out a low growl. "Why can't old ghosts just stay dead and leave me alone?" She shook her head and began to make her way to where Nihilus was. Despite being more Light Side leaning, a part of her felt excitement growing at a chance to fight with another Sith and she almost, almost let herself slip back to how she was before meeting her first, and possibly most cherished, companion. For a moment, Zhalia's steps faltered as she thought of her dear friend and closed her eyes to regain herself before she reopened them.
Taking a deep breath, she continued on her way with each step upon the red sand below her feet as familiar as if she were still an acolyte, spending her days trying to please those above her to become some Darth's apprentice. As if she were still spending her days and nights hunting other acolytes in the hopes of ridding herself of potential rivals. For a moment, Zhalia had to stop as the memories she had suppressed came rushing back to her and she felt herself needing to take a few more steadying breaths as her hands clenched into fists. Korriban was having some kind of effect on her, as if it was trying to lure her back into the Dark, but in truth she knew it wasn't. It was her ingrained Sith training and memories of her early days here that was truly affecting her. Not the planet, though it being steeped in the Dark side probably wasn't helping the situation any.
Once she felt she had regained herself, she continued forward knowing that the sooner she finished this upcoming battle, the sooner she could leave Korriban behind once more and this time hopefully forever.
Nihilus sat in meditation before his Holocron in XoXaan's Temple. As Zhalia made her entrance into the halls, the Ghost of Darth Bane appeared before her, clad in his Orbalisk Armor from ages past. "The pretender of Revan's line returns to Korriban." Bane taunted.
Zhalia felt a chuckle rise but held back. "A pretender?" She asked as she looked to Bane. "And why is it everyone seems to believe I share anything with him? First people remind me that I am old as dirt and now I have you ghosts haunting my every move on this forsaken planet."
Bane inspected her, looking her up and down. "You don't seem that impressive in your mastery of the Dark Side. For some Sith Lady said to have bested Vitiate and Revan, you lack the raw power to call yourself a Sith." He said with a scoff.
Zhalia nearly had to bite her cheek to keep from snipping at this particular Darth but soon closed her eyes. "Again…why do people, and apparently ghosts, need to constantly remind me of how old I am?" She said with a huff. "Look, I beat them because that's what the Force wanted and demanded of me at the time. I abandoned Vitiate's Sith Empire first chance I had and Revan… that one's a bit harder for me to explain."
Darth Bane scoffed and glared at her. "You almost sound like a Jedi! A pathetic whelp like you truly lacks the heart of a Sith!" He then looked at Nihilus. "We who are Sith do not bend to the will of the Force, we on the contrary bend it to OUR will! That is a truth Lord Nihilus knows full well…" He then turned back to Zhalia, stepping inches from her face. "What a disgrace that your blood courses through Revan's line, defiling it in doing so. Lord Revan was my greatest teacher, for he knew the Sith craved power for power's sake."
Zhalia smirked then. "Listen well, pup. Never judge a book by its cover. While you sit and taunt, which is something you can only do being a dead man, I still live. Thousands and thousands of years beyond my time. Something millions of Sith have craved for centuries." She told him with a chuckle. "Now if all you are here to do is prattle on like an old man with some memory loss, leave the fighting to those of us who still live. This is a fight between two ancient Sith not to a pup who has died."
Bane raised a brow as he said "Many craved this power, yes. Yet I have killed the remnants of the decadent Sith Empires that came before, all these Sith weaklings fighting to be King amongst our kind. But there can be only two, a Master to hold the power, and an Apprentice to crave it." He then disappeared, re appearing before Nihilus. "Two stand here now, one craving power, one lacking it. Both have the potential to destroy these One Sith pretenders and restore my legacy, Revan's legacy. We shall see who shall arise as the victor."
Nihilus ended his meditation as he stood, turning to face Zhalia as he ignited a crimson bladed Lightsaber and gazed at his rival.
Zhalia for the most part studied Nihilus, "So it comes to us. Two ancient Sith, beyond our times. One trapped by a mere Mask and a hunger that can never be sated, and one who is supposedly deemed a pretender, though I am no pretender as I do not see myself truly a part of Revan's legacy." She said expecting no response from Nihilus. "Come then, Nihilus. Let us end this." She said as she drew her lightsaber and soon ignited the blade causing a purple hue to accompany the crimson hue.
Bane then disappeared, leaving while reciting the echoes of the Sith Code's first part. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion…"
Nihilus raised a hand and unleashed a tremendously powerful Force Drain at Zhalia, attempting to leech her Force Energy. His never ending hunger would never be sated, but she held such power. Such great power to help his feast.
Zhalia recognized this ability all to well, she could sense just how powerful this version of it was though and a part of her knew that she was in over her head. Yet it was not a fight she would back down from, it was not who she was or even how she was. As she recognized his Force Drain, she easily countered it as she called upon the Light Side and used the Force to push him, forcing his concentration on the incoming spell to break.
Nihilus dodged to the side, deflecting the attack as he then dashed forth, swinging his Lightsaber at Zhalia as he used the Force to move at a remarkable speed. Every swings were swift like a tornado, slashes and thrusts almost overwhelming Zhalia.
Zhalia deflected each slash and thrust though she had to call upon the force to speed up her movements. While she wanted to strike him down, and now, she knew that patience was key and that an opening would soon be provided. Nihilus had not devoured enough to become a threat beyond what she could deal with, but she could not let him get ahold of her or the true strength she had within the Force as it would only empower him more.
Nihilus eventually batted her blade to the side, and while her guard was down he grabbed her face with his off hand and slammed her head into a wall, causing her to drop her weapon. He then used the hand pressed upon her face to use Force Drain directly at her, slowly draining some of her power.
Zhalia's head swam for a moment, but she felt an urge of some sort rush through her and soon opened her eyes, which had closed for a moment and smirked. "You drain me, but your ability cannot truly handle such a rush." She somehow managed. "You want my power, then enjoy this!" She snarled as the suppression she held herself in suddenly dropped as an overwhelming rush of how powerful she was overcame both.
Nihilus was taken aback by this for a brief moment, slowly down his drain briefly. Such great power. He needed it, he craved it more than he could fathom. It was rightfully his, he thought. And so once more he attempted to drain this would be Sith while she was in his hand's grasp.
"Wrong move. I don't need the force for this." She said as she forced herself to focus and soon swung a leg towards both of his as she let her more martial training take over. She knew how to fight in both the force, and without it as she could not recount the times she had used both or one or the other as the need called for it.
Nihilus fell over, tripping due to her leg swing across his. Getting up, he dashed forth, swinging the red blade of his Saber to try to hack her to pieces. If he couldn't drain her alive, he'd at least drain her corpse, he thought.
Zhalia smirked as the rush of the fight kicked her into overdrive. For a brief moment, two thoughts crossed her mind, one being a wonder if anyone outside of this area had felt her drop the suppression through the Force, of which she heavily doubted, and the second thought being of how much she had missed the feeling of battle and how it made her blood pump. She called her first blade back to her but soon revealed that she had another blade which she ignited to help defend herself with.
Hunger and rage drove Nihilus as he desperately attacked Zhalia with savage strikes. His attacks were ruthless and strong, but unfit of a warrior. For all his Dark Side power as a Sith Lord, Darth Nihilus was never truly known for his Lightsaber skills.
Zhalia continued to block each strike, each blow causing her blood to rush even more as a thrill continued to run through her. If anyone else had been around, and had they been force sensitive, they would sense something odd about her at that moment. While she used mostly Light-side abilities and was mostly aligned with the Light, it was as if she had not truly given up using the Dark either. The more she fought with Nihilus, the more apparent it became as she soon used a Dark Side aligned ability to aid her: Force Rage. She felt the rush of all her dark emotions rise and, momentarily, she felt herself nearly severed from the Light while in this blinded state yet somehow she maintained her connection to the Light as she soon turned to attacking Nihilus with a flurry of her own attacks but unlike his desperate attacks, hers were oddly skilled as if she had not lost herself completely to the rage.
Nihilus, now on the defensive, blocked the attacks as best he could. He waited for the proper opening in Zhalia's onslaught and when the time was right he unleashed a powerful torrent of Force Lightning at her. The burst of energy sent Zhalia flying back, slamming her against a stone wall of the ancient temple.
Zhalia let out a yelp as she hit the wall but soon stood with an almost inhuman snarl escaping her. She had to act while she still had the Force Rage going or else she would be too fatigued to do anything more. She studied Nihilus and noted that he was not faring much better then she, between this fight and his never ending hunger and her own Force Rage one of the two was bound to slip up soon. She watched Nihilus carefully as she waited for his next move.
Nihilus raised a hand and lifted several broken pieces of rubble, hurling the stone rubble at Zhalia with the Force. He then simultaneously dashed forth to impale his foe.
Zhalia chuckled then as she waited for the perfect moment before suddenly lashing out towards his Mask, while dodging the rubble thrown in her direction. "This is the end." She said as one of her blades flashed for a moment before she appeared behind him, the blade she had used held out to the side of her as she seemed to be in an almost kneeling position before standing. "No more do worlds need to fear." She said as she felt her Force Rage begin to dissipate.
Nihilus' Mask was sliced clean in half by the precise swing Zhalia delivered. The Lord of Hunger began convulsing, dark red energy escaping the robes before the shadowy wound of the Force began letting out an inhuman screech that echoed in the halls. All the souls he had devoured escaped the shattered Mask, pulverizing what little remained of it. After the dark light faded, the only thing that remained of Nihilus were dark robes and a Lightsaber hilt.
Zhalia felt her shoulders drop as relief and fatigue flooded her body. But she held the fatigue at bay, she needed to if she was going to make it back to her ship. Preparing herself , she stopped before looking towards the robes and lightsaber. "An excellent fight, Nihilus. It was rare for me to find some enjoyment in something like that." She said as she called to his lightsaber and soon held it and looked it over. "Guess old habits die hard." She said as she attached his saber to her belt before once more turning to the robes and calling for the Holocron of Nihilus which came to her with ease. "Don't worry, I'll keep them safe." She said despite knowing he could not hear her.
Darth Bane's Ghost returned, looking to the remains of Nihilus. "I commend your great power. Perhaps you are not as weak as I believed." He told her as he then gazed at Zhalia. "Perhaps the One Sith pretenders have a worthy rival yet to usher in their destruction."
Zhalia looked to Bane and studied him. "I hide my power so as to make others think they will be victorious." She told him. "I have done that for years and it has rarely failed me." She said calmly. "Yet instead of originally waiting to see what I could do, you chose to judge first."
Bane chuckled. "You truly have the deception worthy of Sith Lords. I will give you that much." He told her as his Holocron lifted towards her. "Take my Holocron. Use it well, and pass on my teachings into your own. Perhaps that, in extinguishing the heretical Rule of One, my legacy shall live through you."
Zhalia looked to the Holocron and took it in her hand. "Don't expect me to use it unless I have to." She told him as she placed it in her pack at her side to keep it safe. "Though I guess it will help with ending Krayt once and for all."
Bane nodded in agreement. "The pretender made a mockery of my legacy, claiming himself my successor. I look forward to seeing his destruction." He told her.
Zhalia sighed, once more preparing herself, "You'll likely have a front row seat giving me your holocron."
"Use it well, and grow in your power. Your Apprentice, this Cade Skywalker, will make for a fine successor to you. Teach him as I have taught Zannah, my own Apprentice, and he shall overcome this pretender haunting him." Bane told her as his spirit then entered the Holocron in her bag.
Zhalia watched his spirit enter the holocron and sighed. "As if I wasn't haunted enough…" she shook her head and began walking towards her ship and soon entered it. "HK, let's head back. The fight is finished." She called out as HK came out.
"Query: Do you plan on resting as we travel, Master?" HK inquired a bit worriedly as Zhalia chuckled.
"Yes, HK. I'm going to take time to rest. Just get us back to Cade and the others. Holocall him if needed." She told HK as she turned towards her room and headed for it. "I am going to get some rest." She then entered her room, pulled out Bane's and Nihilus's Holocrons to rest it on the dresser as well as placed Nihilus's lightsaber beside them before turning around to lay down in her bed and soon closed her eyes.