1 Week Later…
Millennial stood in the dimmed training room, his eyes closed as he focused on his breathing. He was practicing his Force Shadow ability, an ability he had been perfecting for weeks now. It was a risky move, keeping such a powerful tool from his master, Darth Cognus. But Millennial knew that in order to truly prove himself as the future leader of the Sith Order, he needed to be at the top of his game.
As he concentrated, he could feel the Force flowing through him, filling him with power. He slowly opened his eyes and was met with the sight of his shadow, elongated and distorted in the dim light. But this time, it was different. The shadow was perfect, an exact replica of himself. He had finally done it. Millennial couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement at his accomplishment. With a smile, he turned off the lights and watched as the shadow disappeared into the darkness, ready to be summoned again at a moment's notice.
Millennial stood in the practice room, breathing. He was proud of himself for finally mastering the Force Shadow ability, but he also knew that he had to be careful. He couldn't let Cognus find out about his new powers, not yet anyway.
He looked around the room, taking in the empty training dummy and the weapon rack, before making his way back to his chambers. As he walked, he couldn't help but think about his master's recent behaviour. It seemed to him that she was forming attachments, something she had always warned him against. But when he had brought it up, she had been quick to remind him that it was better to attend the funerals as a false show of sympathy if it meant that Zax and Kael remained loyal to her in the future.
Millennial shook his head as he entered his chambers. He knew that his master was a cunning and manipulative woman, but he couldn't help but feel like her actions were becoming more and more unpredictable. He had to be careful and stay one step ahead of her. The future of the Sith Order was at stake, and he wasn't going to let anyone, not even his own master, stand in his way.
Millennial sat on the edge of his bed, surrounded by the dark shadows of his room. He had been eagerly reaching for Jada's holocron, eager to delve deeper into the former Jedi's fall to the dark side. But before he could continue his studies, a call on his holocommunicator interrupted his solitude. Millennial answered, and on the other end of the line was Adira.
"Have you learned anything about my brother's whereabouts?" her voice was tight with tension, revealing the urgency of the situation. "My throne is at stake, Millennial. Time is running out."
He sighed. He had been so focused on his own personal goals that he had almost forgotten about Adira's request for his help. "No, I'm afraid I haven't had much luck in tracking him down."
"You have to find him," Adira pressed. "I need your help".
Millennial sighed as he ended the call with Adira and set his holocommunicator down on his bedside table. He leaned back against the headboard, his mind racing with the weight of the responsibility he now bore. He was torn between his supposed loyalty to Cognus and his desire to help Adira find her brother and secure her throne, if only to keep Hanan as his own apprentice.
He knew that if he could find any information that would lead to the whereabouts of Adira's brother, it would be a valuable bargaining chip for his future.
He sighed again and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. He needed to focus on the task at hand and gather information without arousing suspicion. With that in mind, he got up from his bed and made his way to the library.
He pulled out a text from amongst the other books, the cover blending in perfectly with the rest and entered the security code on the bookcase, and with a soft click, it swung open to reveal a hidden underground passageway.
Millennial made his way down the stairs, navigating the dimly lit tunnel until he reached his destination. The young Sith Apprentice had been keeping his "special" guest down here for some time now.
The air was thick with the scent of must and damp earth. Millennial entered the room, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over him as he looked upon his captive.
He surveyed the room and took in the appearance of the bounty hunter who was slumped against the wall, suspended in chains from the ceiling. Millennial had remembered Hanan snapping the hunter's leg in their last encounter, but now it appeared to have been healed, thanks to the bacta tank that sat in the corner. The hunter looked up as Millennial approached, his eyes betraying a mix of fear and hatred.
"You look better," Millennial commented dryly, surveying the hunter's newly healed leg.
"Thanks to you," the hunter spat back, his chains rattling as he shifted in his restraints.
"Don't thank me," Millennial replied coolly, "I didn't do it for your benefit. I have plans for you."
The hunter sneered in response, but remained silent as Millennial circled around him, studying the captive. Millennial had captured the bounty hunter with the intention of extracting information, and he wouldn't hesitate to use whatever methods were necessary to get what he wanted.
"We're going to have a little chat," Millennial said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're going to tell me everything you know about the whereabouts of Adira's brother, Prince Melech. And don't think about lying, because I'll know."
The hunter's face twisted in anger, and he lunged forward, only to be yanked back by the chains that held him suspended. Millennial stepped back, not intimidated by the hunter's outburst. He had faced far worse in his journey to become a Sith, and he wouldn't let this petty criminal get the better of him.
"You'll regret this," the hunter growled.
"I doubt it," Millennial replied, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Now, let's get started. I don't have all day."
He stood in front of the bounty hunter, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.
The bounty hunter remained silent, glaring at him with hatred in his eyes.
"I don't have all day," Millennial said, his patience wearing thin. "Who are you?"
The bounty hunter continued to refuse, and Millennial sighed. He reached out with his hand, and a crackle of force lightning shot out, hitting the bounty hunter and causing him to scream in pain.
"Your name," Millennial growled.
"Julimar," the bounty hunter spat out through gritted teeth.
Millennial nodded, satisfied. "Good. Now, Julimar, tell me what you were doing trying to kidnap Hanan. Who hired you?"
Julimar glared at Millennial, but the young Sith had no intention of being kind to a bounty hunter who had dared to cross his master. He tightened his grip on the force lightning, and the bounty hunter screamed again.
"I'll talk!" he cried. "Just stop the pain!"
Millennial released the force lightning, and the bounty hunter gasped for breath. "Start talking," Millennial said.
Millennial listened intently as the bounty hunter spoke, revealing the reason for his mission to kidnap the heiress to the throne. The revelation that Prince Melech was behind the plot to take Adira's throne was not new information to the young apprentice. He had been informed of such, but it was still important to gather all the information he could.
"So let me get this straight," Millennial began, "Prince Melech hired you and your two friends to kidnap the heiress to the throne to use as leverage against Queen Adira?"
Julimar nodded, sweat pouring down his face. "That's right," he said, his voice trembling. "He wanted to force Adira to abdicate the throne in favour of him".
"What else do you know?" he asked, his voice cold and menacing.
Julimar hesitated, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. But there was no escape from Millennial's wrath.
"I know that Prince Melech has been planning this for a long time," he said finally. "He's been gathering allies, both in the military and in the criminal underworld. He wants to make a power grab, and he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants".
Millennial stood over the captive bounty hunter, his red eyes burning into Julimar's soul. The young Sith Apprentice was not one to be trifled with, and he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. He raised his hand, ready to unleash another jolt of force lightning, when the bounty hunter spoke up.
"Please, I'll tell you what I know," Julimar begged, his eyes wide with fear. "I'll give you anything you want, just don't hurt me anymore".
Millennial stood back, a smirk playing on his lips. He was enjoying this, the power he held over this lowly being was intoxicating. "Good," he said, his voice cold and calculated. "Start talking. I want names, I want locations, I want everything you have on Prince Melech and his attempts to take the throne".
Julimar hesitated, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. But he knew there was none, not with Millennial's powers at his disposal. He took a deep breath and began to talk, telling the young Sith Apprentice everything he knew about the prince's whereabouts, his allies, and his plans.
As he spoke, Millennial listened carefully, filing away each piece of information for later use. He was pleased with how easily the bounty hunter was giving up all the information he needed. But he still had to be careful. He couldn't let his guard down, not yet.
"Is that everything?" Millennial asked, his voice cold.
Julimar nodded quickly. "Yes, yes," he said. "That's all I know. I swear".
Millennial's eyes narrowed as he considered the bounty hunter's words. He didn't trust him completely, but for now, the information was all he needed. He would verify it and then pass it along to Adira.
He was certain that a large chunk of the information he had been told was true, but he wouldn't be surprised if certain things were elaborated upon to confuse him by those who had sent the man to Haruun Kal for Millennial to possibly discredit what he was told, but he was smarter than that, only a fool would discredit the words of someone who was faced with the treat of torture, it tended to get individuals talking.
The young Sith apprentice's face was a mask of cold fury as he raised his hand, electricity crackling between his fingers.
"You have served your purpose," he said, his voice flat and emotionless. "You are of no use to me now".
Julimar whimpered, begging for mercy. "Please, I did what you asked! I gave you everything I know!"
Millennial's lip curled in disdain. "I have no use for pity or mercy. You are a mere pawn in the grand game, and you have outlived your usefulness".
With a flick of his wrist, Millennial unleashed a blast of force lightning, striking the bounty hunter and sending his body convulsing with electricity. The scent of burning flesh filled the air as Julimar screamed in agony, until finally he fell silent and still. He would dispose of the body later.
With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room, already planning his next move. The game of thrones was far from over, but he now had a valuable piece of information that could help Adira secure her throne.
Millennial sat at his desk, scrolling through the holopad in front of him, cross-referencing the information he had extracted from the bounty hunter, Julimar, with the intel Adira had provided him. He leaned back in his chair, taking a deep breath and pressing the button on his holocommunicator to establish a secure channel to Adira.
"Your Highness," he said as the connection was established. "I have the information you asked for".
"Excellent, Millennial," Adira replied, her voice tight with urgency. "What have you found?"
"Prince Melech is holed up on the planet of Selonia, in a heavily fortified compound," Millennial began, laying out the details he had gathered. "He has a small army of mercenary forces at his disposal, and he's been gathering support from disaffected nobles and military leaders".
Adira listened intently, asking a few clarifying questions as Millennial spoke. When he was finished, she let out a low whistle.
"This is exactly what I needed to know," she said. "My brother may have a nasty surprise coming for him".
"Indeed," Millennial replied, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Your Highness?"
"Not at the moment," Adira said. "But I will keep you informed. You have been most helpful, Millennial. I will make sure you are rewarded for your loyalty".
"I live to serve, Your Highness," Millennial said, bowing his head respectfully.
With that, the connection was cut, and Millennial leaned back in his chair with a sigh. He had completed the task Adira had set for him, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his accomplishments. The Sith Order may have its own agenda, but Millennial was determined to make the most of the opportunities presented to him, no matter the cost.
Millennial sat in his chambers, surrounded by shadows and the faint glow of his communicator. He took a deep breath and checked the Force, sensing that his Master, Cognus, was still away from the manor. Satisfied, he pulled up a photo on his device, one he had taken years ago. It was a hologram of his parents, a reminder of who he was and where he came from.
The holograms had been captured during a celebration, his mother's laughter ringing in his ears as his father spun her around in a dance. Millennial sighed, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as he remembered their faces, the warmth of their hugs and the sound of their voices. He had been just a young boy then, unaware of the political manoeuvrings and dangers lurking in the shadows.
He had been born into a wealthy family, his parents were prominent figures on Coruscant. They had been well known for their philanthropic efforts and their standing within the political circles. Millennial had been raised with the best of everything, tutors, trainers and of course, the best schools. But everything changed when his parents were assassinated in front of him. Millennial had been just nine years old then, and he had been forced to flee for his life.
The memories of that day still haunted him, the smell of the smoke, the sound of the blaster fire and the sight of his parents lying in pools of their own blood.
He sighed heavily and rose from his chair to pace the room. He stopped in front of a large mirror and looked at himself, at the third eye that sat just above his left eyebrow. It was a source of constant shame for him, a reminder of how different he was from the rest of the galaxy.
He ran his hand over the eye, feeling the ridges and bumps that marked it as different. It was the source of his power, the reason he was chosen by Cognus. But it was also the reason he had been rejected by his parents.
They had been socialites, always concerned with their status and the opinions of others. When he was born with the third eye, they had been horrified. They had forced him to hide it, to keep it covered at all times, and they had looked at him with disdain in private.
"I was nothing more than an embarrassment to them," he thought to himself. "But I am more than just a freak of nature. I am a Sith Lord, and I will prove to the galaxy that I am worthy of power and respect".
Today, the anniversary of his parents' deaths, he pushed away the feelings of sadness and regret, reminding himself that he was no longer that scared little boy. He was now a Sith Apprentice, with power and a purpose.
His thoughts then darted back to Cognus and how she had taken him under her wing. He remembered the fateful meeting, on the bustling streets of Coruscant. He had been living on the fringes of society, trying to hide his third eye from the world, when she approached him for the second time.
"You have a gift," she had said. "A gift that could prove useful to me".
He had been sceptical at first, but she had explained how he had saved her life by warning her of an ambush set by non-other than Set Harth.
She had been tracking the rogue Jedi and had come to Coruscant to eliminate him once and for all, but her plans had been foiled when Millennial's powers had alerted her to the trap.
"How did you know?" she had asked, a look of fascination in her eyes.
"I saw a glimpse of the future," Millennial had replied, shrugging nonchalantly.
The truth was, he had only seen a flicker of a possible future, and he had gotten lucky. But he had never told Cognus that. He had let her believe that his powers were more advanced than they were.
As he stood in the room, he let out a deep sigh, wondering how things would have been different if he had told her the truth. But he knew that it was too late for regrets. He had made his bed, and now he must lie in it. He was determined to make the most of his situation, to hone his powers and become a powerful Sith Lord in his own right.