Arcann realized that there was no way to escape the Outlander's mind, at least not until something extraordinary was to happen. His and Vaylin's power didn't increase, and what they had wasn't enough to break through those barriers. Despite this, he did not want to accept this truth in his heart. If this was the case, then there could be no peace for him or Vaylin. They were both doomed to be prisoners of the Outlander's mind and witness the galaxy through his eyes. Arcann never wanted to die, not until his very last moments, but that didn't mean he had nothing to look forward to in his death. He always thought of his reunion with Thexan and later with his mother…Perhaps it was selfish of him to yearn to hear their voices after he ended Thexan's life himself and left Senya to fight a superior opponent alone, but he couldn't help it. They still cared for him even though he pushed them away at times. They were worth his devotion.
Now, he will never see Thexan again and never get a chance to beg for forgiveness for backstabbing him. As for Senya…She was there when they defeated Valkorion, but she was different from Vaylin's or Valkorion's spirits. Her presence was much fainter, much more temporary, much more subservient. Perhaps this wasn't Senya at all but rather a projection Cassian created to spite Valkorion. It was a harrowing thought, yet the worst part was that Arcann would never be able to ask her.
His only escape from those fears was his sister. She found a way to cope, mostly by engrossing herself in watching Cassian's life unfold as if it was her favorite holodrama. They didn't argue much in recent days, mostly because both were tired of it. All that could be said was already said. We might as well try and figure out how to co-exist together.
"Anything interesting?" Arcann asked as he approached the stone seat, involuntarily chuckling to himself. This sounded as if the two of them were watching the news, not the life of a man who stole their throne from them.
"Take a look for yourself. Someone's getting sentimental," Vaylin said with a performative yawn. After Arcann attuned himself to Cassian's mind, he could hear echoes of familiar voices. Cassian and Lana found themselves amidst the calming surroundings of Odessen wilds, discussing their future.
"You should be proud of what you've built here and the alliance you've gathered," Lana spoke with pride in her voice.
"Valkorion is gone; there's nothing to keep them here." The Outlander was far less enthusiastic.
"They are here because they believe in something…Someone." Lana reassured him, and Vaylin interrupted the flow of their voices soon after.
"You know, I think the blondie is falling for him." She said playfully.
"How so?"
"Just look at them. She always follows him around and says how much she admires him and how great of a leader and warrior he is…What else can it be?"
"That they worked with each other for long enough and now share a deep-seated respect?"
"You're always ruining it by being so boring." Vaylin crossed her arms and pouted like a child. It was amusing just how innocent and cute Vaylin could be, sometimes, but it wasn't something he'd ever say to her face; Arcann didn't plan to get shocked again.
"Are they talking about something worth watching, at least?"
"Yes, about joining another galactic superpower now that their fleet got destroyed by a couple of lunatics." She smiled. "You love to see it…Why aren't you excited? The man killed you, after all."
"I've…Been thinking about something. Not sure if you'd want to hear it."
"With the way you phrase it, I definitely do."
"About mother…"
"No, I don't, shut up."
"And you call me predictable?"
"Predictably fun? Yeah, I guess so." Vaylin said with pride, making Arcann sigh again. "Oh, here it comes, the important question…" She turned towards visions of Odessen once again, as both of them heard Cassian's voice.
"I'm loyal to the Empire."
"And here it goes," Vaylin commented. "Running to his old musters like a puppy."
"I'm surprised that the Sith Empire still exists," Arcann said. "From my understanding, our father created it to be a tool for his ambition and, eventually, a way to sate his hunger."
"Yeah, I liked reading the report about that Ziost planet, too. A shame that he wasn't as fun with us." She still called it fun…Perhaps sending her to Nathema was his 'fun,' it doesn't sound so nice when she's the one suffering. Arcann had this crude thought in his head but restrained himself before saying it out loud.
"He was the mastermind behind this conflict when it started, yet the Republic and the Empire still fight." Arcann clenched his fist. "As if his foul stain simply cannot be cleared…The galaxy as we know it is his legacy."
"Look on the bright side. Now, they broke away from his chains, at least. Or, more like he just abandoned a bunch of people who admired and worshipped him for some new experience. Kind of like…"
"Seriously, again?" Arcann said with annoyance, making Vaylin look up and raise an eyebrow.
"What?" She said with genuine surprise, creating a few seconds of silence between them. Arcann could feel his eye running around.
"You were going to compare him to me abandoning you and Zakuul…Right?"
"Eh?" Vaylin said with surprise before laughing out loud. "Ahahaha-hahaha! No, of course not, dumbass; I thought about Cassian's Jedi friend who now effectively serves the Empire. You aren't a good comparison. Zakuul hates you, I certainly don't worship you, and…Well, be a bit nicer to yourself."
"Really? You're the one saying it?"
"You might be a bit of a scumbag, sure…That doesn't mean you're as bad as our parents." Arcann was taken by surprise, unsure how to respond. She didn't phrase it in a flattering way, but Arcann made no mistake. That was a compliment.
Perhaps one day, she will be willing to talk without spite or insults.
…
After Cassian made the initial contact, an Imperial Moff let out his task for him, and Arcann's interest was finally piqued. They sent him to the planet of Ossus to root out a Jedi colony and claim the world for the Empire. Moff Pyron said that the advance was rather slow, but now that the Outlander himself joined this fight, there was no reason for them to worry.
Almost immediately after landing, Cassian was introduced to the troubled commander of the outpost, Darth Malora.
"This ruckus is intolerable! I am trying to concentrate! What is the meaning of this?"
"Great, a whiner." Vaylin chuckled. "Some of your kin."
"Really, now? I usually kept my frustration contained…Tried to, at least. From what I heard about you while on the throne, you didn't even pretend to soothe your temper."
"What do you expect me to do when everyone who surrounds you is either a traitor or an idiot…Or both!" Vaylin hissed at him.
"You should've dealt with them coldly and without mercy, would send a message to everyone without undermining you."
"And did this work out well for you?"
"Not for me, no…But I've seen how Cassian deals with traitors, and look where it got him." Arcann suggested, making Vaylin pause for a moment of silence, which allowed them to listen to Cassian and Malora talk.
"You…I should've known some glory-hound like you would slither their way into my grandeur achievement. Just what business does the Alliance have here, 'Commander'?"
"It's clear that you've…Grown since our last encounter. How long has it been?"
"If you've come here to profit by some long-in-the-past debt, you're going to be sorely disappointed. This is my operation. I will see it done my way. If you feel you can contribute, I'm sure the major can use your help for…Something or other. Whatever you end up doing, do it quietly. I need to focus on my research."
"You know, on second thought, she doesn't seem bad," Vaylin spoke up. "Confident, not afraid to do her own thing and speak her mind, even to those who could squash her like a bug…Maybe not too smart, but entertaining, at least. I'd say she'll go far."
"We'll see…"
…
Cassian's mission on Ossus might have begun in an uninspired fashion as he and Major Anri trudged through the wastes, battling rogue geonosians and defenders of the Jedi enclave. However, soon after they returned to the base, an unexpected turn of events occurred. A mysterious drop, an iron block, took both Malora and Cassian by surprise. And inside, a phantom from the past, a man so legendary that Arcann heard many stories about him when exploring the Core Worlds and the Seat of the Empire sectors.
"I am Darth Malgus. I speak with the full power of the Sith Empire. And I am in command now."
Malora's fate was as Arcann expected. The Dark Council had no tolerance for incompetence. He shared this trait with them. Malgus didn't say a word to her and simply force-pushed her off the ledge, damning her to a very long fall.
"What?!" Vaylin spoke up with anger and quickly stood up from her seat.
"Told you it was going to end this way. The Sith thrive on their disharmony. Killing each other to claim their power or status is like second nature to them…Explains why father was that way, too." Arcann mused, but to his surprise, Vaylin paid no attention to him.
"No, no, come on! She was actually kinda fun, and now we have another brooding cyborg…I've seen that type already. A couple dozen times."
"You do realize this isn't a holodrama, right?"
"Thanks for reminding me because I totally didn't know…" Her voice echoed with sarcasm, making Arcann recognize her once again.
"Ah, here we go."
"Doesn't mean I won't treat it as one when that's the only entertainment we have! You know how much I hate it when they kill off characters before they can even do something fun!"
"You shouldn't forget that this man led the attack on Jedi Temple on Coruscant." Arcann reminded her. "He has sown terror in their eyes long before we had a chance to."
"He doesn't look all that fun to me, but…Fine. I suppose we'll see.
…
Cassian's next task took him to Jedi archives, as he and Anri searched for the key information that rested in the library. Malgus prepared his assault, and the real battle would begin. But on their way, Cassian experienced an unexpected reunion with a woman by the name of Jaesa Wilsaam, a young Jedi who found her home on Ossus and turned out to be the Wrath's former apprentice.
"Really, this is his apprentice? She doesn't even have a shred of darkness in her!" Vaylin protested as she listened to their conversation.
"I've imagined this day many times, yet somehow this feels more…Ordinary." Jaesa collected her breath and looked up at the Chiss before her with an emerging smile.
"You should've sensed me the moment I set foot on Ossus," Cassian responded.
"I haven't used my power in years…" Jaesa began talking about what happened after she and Cassian separated, and this was hardly a pleasant story. She suffered betrayal, exile, and crippling solitude before finding Jedi Master Gnost-Dural. However, what surprised Arcann is that Cassian didn't look down on her for dealing with the Jedi and staying with the light at all.
"He's so patient with her." Vaylin sighed. "Do you think he's just preparing to slice her throat for betraying the Empire?"
"No, anything but that."
"Urgh…"
"I'm no longer Imperial," Cassian explained. "I command an Alliance of specialists and Force-users from across the galaxy."
"An Alliance? So you found a way to unite Jedi and Sith, after all. I would love to see it for myself!" Jaesa spoke with brimming excitement.
"I'd be honored, Jaesa," Cassian responded with a smile warmer than Arcann had ever seen him make before. "The rest of our old crew has already joined the Alliance, and everyone found their place…I have no doubt you will, as well. Welcome home."
"Oh, that's wonderful news! And truly, the honor is mine." Jaesa said humbly before starting to make her way towards the exit; no doubt they would meet again soon.
"I don't…I don't get it." Vaylin spoke up. "She is everything the Sith hate, gullible, naive, pacifist…Why is he not ashamed of his apprentice? Why is he so bloody nice to her?!"
"I'd imagine leading the Alliance granted him some perspective. It had a lot of different people in it, all with their strengths and weaknesses; Cassian had to make use of all of them."
"Is it just me, or are you starting to admire the man that killed you?"
"He earned some genuine interest from Father back when we were still alive. That has to count for something."
"Don't tell me you still care about what father thinks," Vaylin said mockingly. "As for our blue friend, he's probably just as weak as the Jedi he hates; he's just good at hiding it, that's all. "When he comes across people he likes, he just…Drops the Sith ideology like some kind of act, pathetic. Tell you a thing or two about facades…"
"He can be both strong and vulnerable, depending on the situation at hand. It's not a weakness; it's a strength."
"If father noticed such 'strength' in any of his children, he would've just killed them…"
"Says a woman who just mocked me for caring about what father thinks."
"Hey, that's not…"
"You aren't doing a good job at staying consistent, sister."
"I…Fine, you got me there." Vaylin sighed. "Let's just carry on, alright?"
"Alright."
Arcann wasn't sure whether to be happy that Vaylin was becoming more cooperative or submit to shame of the thought that, on some level, both he and Vaylin still measured themselves and others against their father. Perhaps this was their tragic fate, to forever remain in the shadows of his abuse.
Every thought like this made Arcann's continued existence all the more agonizing.
…
Once all preparations were complete, Cassian finally made his way to the Jedi library for the final conquest. Like Zildrogg's flame, they annihilated all Jedi forces that dared to stand in his way, an unstoppable army of two who shared the title of Empire's Wrath. Finally, Arcann saw brutality and decisiveness in Cassian that he remembered. He tolerated no resistance and did not fear his opponents. Even when faced with the Jedi master Gnost-Dural, the Chiss Sith didn't waver, quickly forcing the opponent to the ground. Yet he did not deal the killing blow.
"This Jedi knows everything there is to know about our enemies. He's much more valuable alive." Cassian said, making Malgus put his lightsaber away.
"Very shrewd. He will 'educate' us in ways he never imagined."
"For fuck's sake…" Vaylin clenched her fists. "Why does it have to be so anticlimactic?! I get not killing your servants even if it's tempting, but this is their enemy! They are idiots! Not just idiots, they're boring idiots!"
"He's probably sparing him because Jaesa asked him…And wasn't Gnost-Dural Theron's friend?"
"They are Cassian's servants, not the other way around, and should be able to deal with it." Vaylin wouldn't budge, and Arcann couldn't blame her too much. After all, his beliefs were exactly the same before his mother gave him a chance he didn't deserve.
What followed was a whirlwind of chaotic events that led to a glorious outcome. The Jedi encampment was bombarded, people fleeing in horror, consumed by the rubble. The Imperial armada was too much for Ossus to handle, and in the end, Cassian, Anri, and Malgus stood victorious over a broken world.
"Finally, something even remotely entertaining." Vaylin sounded pleased as she looked at two Sith Lords celebrating their victory and convening with Empress Acina. "Guess they haven't completely lost their edge, huh?" Before she could say anything else, an interesting exchange between Malgus and Cassian echoed in Arcann's ears.
"I can't understand why you're to be another one of Acina's servants," Cassian spoke with curiosity, making Malgus pause and look away for a moment.
"You should hope that you never do." He said quietly as if submitting to a moment of weakness and a sudden burst of vulnerability, not something Arcann would expect from him.
"Hm…" Arcann wondered. "The betrayer serves the Sith Empire once again, an intriguing turn. Why, though? Maybe Acina convinced him that it changed, just like the vision he fought for." The dark Prince theorized, but Vaylin shook her head. She seemed much more melancholy, thinking carefully about her next words.
"No, that's not it." She shook her head. "Didn't you see his eyes? He wasn't very proud or devoted, you know."
"That's true…" If Malgus truly believed in the New Sith Empire, he would've spoken of his loyalty with pride.
"They're using…Forceful methods on him. It's pretty obvious." Vaylin said quietly.
"Torture?"
"No, I think he'd withstand it. He's more machine than man at this point; machines are easily controlled…Like GEMINI." Her voice grew more pained, and Arcann understood what he meant and why it suddenly hit her. "I wonder if that bitch Acina brainwashed him and now has him under control…He will do her every bidding, kill anyone she wants him to kill, and if he tries to resist…Bam and she will make him suffer with a press of a button or some keyword."
"I imagine our father was far from the only Sith to use those methods."
"Scum…" Vaylin looked away for a moment as Arcann felt her voice breaking. "You know, this reminds me of something that I wanted to ask for a long while now but always forgot due to…I don't know, some coincidence, I guess." She looked up at Arcann. "And you'd better come clean; if I sense you're lying, I'll gonna watch you sizzle, understand?"
"An empty threat, considering our situation, but go on."
"We never finished our talk from the last time we saw each other. I mean, when we both were alive and tried to kill each other." Vaylin took a deep breath. "You said that father never told you about my code phrase…But that was a lie, wasn't it?"
"I…" Arcann hesitated.
"You aren't afraid, aren't you? After all, I can't do anything more now than just throw out 'empty threats.'" Vaylin crossed her arms. "So go on, don't be shy. I can hurt you, but at least I can't kill you, right?"
"Fine, I'll tell you the truth." Arcann sighed. "I'm not proud of it, but I can't change anything now. The day before I left for Nathema to free you, our father summoned both me and Thexan to the throne room. He wanted to give us instructions on…How to handle you."
"Of course…He must have said a lot of good things about me." Vaylin looked down. "Did he tell you how ill and crazy I am? About how I am a blight upon this family and only worth something when leashed?" Her voice became angrier with every word, and this time, she had every right to be angry.
"No, he was rather vague. Just said that you can be dangerous in the future, and if you ever try to challenge us or him, there is a way to stop you with the phrase…The one that only those possessed by his energy can use. Him, I, Thexan, later Cassian…He was afraid of you."
"I know that already!" Vaylin responded snappishly. "I don't care about what father thinks. I care about what you think! Why didn't you tell me after he died?"
"I think you know how I will respond."
"Tell me!" Vaylin shouted with lightning emerging in her fingers.
"I didn't want the truth to hurt you and make you feel lesser, and…Yes, I fear your power. Feared that you might turn against me one day and that I'll need it." Arcann confessed with a shaking voice. There was nothing to be proud of, even though there were reasons for his decision. He noticed that Vaylin began breathing heavily as he conveyed this.
"And…And Thexan?"
"He…I wanted to tell you but decided not to deny the father's wishes. He believed his words about you being dangerous…I'm sorry."
"Hah…" Vaylin giggled as she clenched her teeth. "I liked to think that he wouldn't, at least…But I guess you two are birds of a feather. With our father, too. Of course, you would lie to me, hurt me, and then say it's for my own good…Everything is for my own fucking good; maybe, in your eyes, Nathema was for my own good, too?! I don't know at this point…I wish one of you just said that they hate me already. At least I wouldn't think it's another lie." She didn't sound angry or furious, which was what Arcann expected, but rather tired, broken, and depressed. Vaylin looked down and closed her eyes as she hugged herself, making herself seem smaller than she was.
"I'm sorry, Vaylin. I won't try to justify myself. I hurt you, and I know it's too late, but I still apologize from the depths of my heart." Arcann reached out to her and spoke in a soothing voice, unsure if he should actually try and give her a hug.
"I…I don't even know what to say." Vaylin sighed and opened her eyes.
"You have freedom now. You can say whatever you want."
"I don't know what to say…I have too many thoughts, but then there's nothing; I just don't know where to start."
"Well, start with this. Do you want to accept my apology?"
"Forgive you?" Vaylin paused for a moment before shaking her head. "No, not really."
"Then don't, it's your right."
"Just…Just leave me alone, alright?"
"Very well." Arcann nodded, deciding not to push her any further.
The dark Prince turned away, getting ready to retreat into his personal corner of the void and take another nap while Vaylin had her time and space to think about what they just discussed. But before he went too far, Arcann heard a heart-wrenching scream from behind him."
"AAAAARGH!" He paused and turned around; Vaylin stood tall at the edge of the platform. She would let out loud sounds from time to time, each sounding like a mixture of animalistic screech and a pained moan, along with heavy breaths as if she was choking and desperately clinging to every last bit of it. "RRRAAAA ARGH, I…I HATEEE, AAAAAARGH!" Lightning sprung from her hands, dancing chaotically around the platform and disappearing into the void, the untamed power that Vaylin didn't even try to control.
Arcann felt much at this moment. First, a tear fell down his eye. Second, he had a burning desire to run to his sister and give her the warmest hug he could and then tell her how he loved her and how everything would be okay. Third, a realization that the last thing she wanted now was his pity. Lastly, a prayer…He didn't know to whom. Certainly not to their "pantheon" that turned out to be alien machines. Perhaps to the force itself. A prayer that one day, she will get better and know a shred of happiness that life denied her. At this moment, Arcann was ready to give everything for it.