Once the operation on Mek-Sha was concluded, Cassian and Milena left for their final destination, Corelia. The Empire was eager to conquer the Meridian complex, allowing themselves a major advantage in the unfolding war. Those were preparations for a clash far more grandiose than anything Arcann had seen so far. When he conquered the galaxy, he held an advantage over the underdeveloped galaxy with the Eternal fleet under his control. Until Cassian and his allies discovered the Gravestone, there was no power in the galaxy that could challenge him. This was different. Today, both sides will fight tooth and nail to claim an advantage, equal in their might. Some would say that only destiny would decide the victor, but Arcann was never a believer in destiny. He knew that the Empire would prevail, as one of the most powerful men in the galaxy stood with them.

"Hey, big brother, don't tell me you decided to sleep now!" Vaylin calls him over from his sanctuary. "You're going to skip the fun part!"

"What fun in there in watching battles with a predictable outcome?"

"No, Arcann, that's not how you respond to invitations," Vaylin said playfully. "If we're stuck here for decades, then I WILL teach you to appreciate fun. That and didn't you want to say that you wanted to spend more time with me?"

"I suppose I did…"

"Come over, then, they're about to start."

Arcann resigned and decided to join her. It was rare to catch Vaylin in such a happy mood, although she was definitely getting better in recent days. Was it just the abundance of violence and slaughter she could see in this war, or did Arcann's presence and their talks help her walk through her pain a little? The masked prince hoped it was the latter.

"Anything 'fun' that I missed?" Arcann stood beside Vaylin, trying to play along.

"Now that's the spirit! You're just in time; take a look. They're about to start a competition." After those words, Arcann attuned to Cassian's mind and saw him, along with Milena and Anri, on their way to the shuttles. Major took pride in talking about her soldiers with the two Sith overlords.

"My boys will be competing for the most kills. Care to join the pool?" Anri asked, making both Sith turn toward her with some unexpected curiosity. "Hey, just giving it a shot, right? Wouldn't dream of asking Malgus that question, but I thought you two might have fun. The winner takes any interesting gear or other goodies we manage to plunder on the way out." She explained, prompting Milena to respond.

"Would be a shame to outshine your men, but how can I refuse? Count me in."

"That's the spirit! Everyone's going to go twice as hard when they find out who they're competing with. And you, commander?"

"I don't care for the kills, only that we do our job." He shook his head. "Can't waste my energy counting."

"Lighten up, Cas." Milena teased him. "Back in the old days, you would've taken the competition without a second thought!"

"Consider it an allowance," Cassian said dryly. "Wouldn't want to wound your pride and steal all your kills."

"Oh, I see…Prepare to be amazed, then. I had time to train during all those years that you slept away in carbonite." She said confidently, making Vaylin chuckle.

"They're almost cute…Almost."

"They make for a good team if Mek-Sha is anything to go by. Wouldn't be surprised if just seeing them on the battlefield is enough to demoralize entire squads."

Whatever their theories or thoughts, it wasn't long before the siblings got to see those Sith in action yet again. The Shipyard became their battlefield as they cut their way through hordes of Republic troopers without a shred of mercy or reservation. Arcann could see the thrill in Milena even if he had no direct connection to her. The way she fought and smiled in the face of new challenges was enough to paint a picture. Cassian was far less enthusiastic, seemingly only doing this out of his sense of duty and necessity. Even after returning to the Empire's inner operations, he felt as if he didn't belong.

"You know, I think I'm growing fond of the Sith's style," Vaylin noted. "Just from the way they fight, it's very aggressive. They aren't allowing their enemies a chance to breathe at all and just maul them down…Nothing holds them back." She said with an atypical sense of awe and admiration.

"They fight as their code dictates them to; they always strive for new victory and conquest," Arcann said, thinking of the time when he learned more about the Sith code. It seemed so raw and untamed at the time, a philosophy of extreme individualism and striving for power. It was strange to think that father was Sith. Giving into his emotions was not a trait Arcann could ascribe to him. Maybe that was why he left the order.

"Through victory, my chains are broken…" Vaylin said.

"The force shall free me." Arcann finished for her.

"I always liked the sound of that. Breaking chains and not being afraid of your power and emotions…I wish I was born on Dromun Kaas; what a waste." Vaylin said with disappointment.

"I wouldn't aspire to that if I were you." Arcann shook his head. He understood why Vaylin wanted it, but it was still a misguided desire. "I studied Sith practices. They are ruthless and brutal. They'd still put you through a lot of pain."

"At least they would try and train me and not just…Hurt me." Her voice became quieter as Vaylin took a moment to recompose herself. "I mean, do you have any better alternatives? Who? Voss with their cryptic nonsense? Jedi?"

"Perhaps Jedi…"

"Are you alright there, brother." Vaylin raised an eyebrow and teased him. "I think our time together is making you worse…Jedi are the most boring, pedantic, preachy people in the entire galaxy! If they raised you, you'd be weak and absolutely defenseless!"

"I wouldn't embrace their code in its entirety. Only fools would, but that doesn't mean there is nothing to learn from them."

"Like what?"

"There is no emotion, there is peace…" Arcann recited. "I lived like a Sith for years, and it didn't do me any good. I gave into my emotions, and they destroyed me…Maybe Jedi would've taught me to rise above them and be more than my emotions. It would've helped me a lot."

"You're more naive than you seem, Arcann." Vaylin shook her head. "I could laugh at you or joke about you being too soft, but…We have a slaughter to watch."

…

"Then we have our targets." Darth Malgus declared after learning of the Jedi that awaited them at the heart of the Complex. "Commander-on Ossus, we United our strength to crush the Jedi who tried to oppose the Empire. It's time we repeated that triumph. Join me, and together, we will win a victory for the Empire that will change the course of the galaxy forever."

"Gladly," Cassian said as, at long last, some drive echoed in his voice. "It's past the time we finish this!" The former Wrath declared, making Malgus turn towards his other ally.

"Darth Occlus, we would be as honored as the Jedi would be horrified if a member of the council charges into this battle with us."

"You don't have to ask me twice," Milena said enthusiastically.

"Then it is decided. Major, secure this outpost and keep our enemies away. We will take care of the rest. "

The Sith trio entered the elevator and began their ascension. The Jedi they were about to meet stood among the most formidable members of their order, yet even they wouldn't be able to resist the might of three powerful Sith Lords.

"I don't envy anyone who tries to stop them," Arcann said as he prepared for a bloodbath. "It'll be too easy."

"Let's hope the Jedi aren't entirely pathetic, either, shall we?" Vaylin chuckled. "Come on, big brother, cheer up. This battle has been fun so far."

Before they could continue, the elevator doors opened, leading the dark trio right into a trap. A squad of Republic soldiers, about a dozen men, awaited them on the other side, all of their guns pointed at the enemies. They didn't hesitate to shoot, but all of this was pointless. Cassian, Milena, and Malgus raised their hands and immediately halted the shots, forcing the blasts to freeze in mid-air before deflecting them back at their enemies, making about half of them drop dead at this very instant. Now, the Sith had the upper hand as they clearly demonstrated their dominance. The soldiers could've shot again, but their hands shook, and their bodies trembled as the Sith made their way toward the central chamber. It was only a matter of time until one of them broke, and Arcann didn't have to wait for long.

"Please!" One of the soldiers dropped his blaster on the floor and fell to his knees. "Don't kill us, I…I promise I won't…"

"Never could stand groveling." Milena sighed before unleashing a storm of lightning, striking all of the remaining soldiers and making them scream in pure agony as they shook. It all ended with silence as their charred bodies fell to the ground. "Shall we go on?"

"Be careful," Cassian reassured her. "I don't know much about Tau, but we both know Barsen'thor is not to be trifled with. "

"Good, I'm itching for a worthy opponent." Milena smiled before Malgus led them on.

"How lovely," Vaylin commented. "All those bodies lying around and them begging for mercy as they scream… It's all so cute."

"Do you genuinely get enjoyment from seeing it?" Arcann asked. "I can't tell if it's that or a peculiar form of spite…"

"It just reminds me of the stuff I drew in my later days on Nathema…It was fun showing Jarak a pretty picture of me tearing him apart limb from limb."

"Didn't he…Hurt you more for this?"

"Of course he did, but after years of living in there, you get used to the pain, even start to enjoy it sometimes." Her voice became quieter, making it clear to Arcann that pushing her to tell more wasn't a good idea.

Eventually, the Sith trio reached the chamber crowded with republic soldiers and Jedi, their final targets.

"Halt!" One of the soldiers spoke up.

"Oh, no…" Another's voice trembled. Soon, a tall woman with dark skin and covered in a suit of armor took a step forward.

"Steady. Fear is a deadly weapon, but only if you let them have it."

"I was hoping we'd run into each other again, Jedi," Milena said with anticipation as she ignited her violet lightsaber.

"We got your back, Tau!" The soldiers said as they prepared to fight. Arcann noticed that Cassian wasn't focusing on the battle; instead, he was hastily looking over all of their enemies until he finally found her. A zabrak woman with a dual emerald lightsaber unable to hide her curiosity.

"Hold on!" She commanded before turning towards Cassian. "I need to ask something…"

"What are we waiting for?" Tau asked. "They could attack us any moment."

"The Alliance commander is among them…" The woman turned towards him, this must have been the Barsen'thor. "Cassian."

"Ceris. I suppose you didn't exactly miss me after Yavin."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. I admit that fighting together with Sith has been a strange experience, but...When you led the Alliance against Zakuul, I had faith in you, believed that you changed."

"Yet you never aided our cause."

"My duties kept me at home, and they are most important to me…And now that you've sided with the Empire, I know I made the right choice by staying."

"Did you expect me to suddenly turn tables?"

"No…But I did expect loyalty from your advisor." She said coldly. "Is it true, then? That the Hero of Tython himself has now joined the Empire?" She asked Cassian, although Milena was the first to speak this time.

"How incredibly sad…Good on him for finally realizing the error of his ways. It's a shame you couldn't do the same."

"Enough!" Cassian interrupted them. "Jac serves the Alliance, not the Empire, and he focuses on our other responsibilities. He is not willing to kill his brethren, and I respect that."

"Him standing aside while we're being slaughtered is enough of a crime…"

"It doesn't matter." Tau stepped in. "The Hero of Tython isn't here. It's not his battle. It's ours."

"Fools!" Malgus mocked them. "Not one of you could hope to defeat us."

"You're not fighting one of us. You're fighting all of us."

"Then you will all die."

And so it began, the final battle of the Complex, as both Arcann and Vaylin were mesmerized. Immediately, Malgus raised his hands and summoned a powerful force wave, which Milena imbued with her lightning. It created a devastating shockwave that annihilated all remaining troops and Jedi Padawans, causing an array of corpses to fall on the ground. Only Tau and Ceris remained.

"Hah!" Vaylin giggled. "So much for all of them…"

"The Jedi don't stand a chance."

"For once, we can agree on something."

Despite a very strong initial strike, the two remaining opponents were stronger than all the rest combined.

"You'll pay for that!" Tau shouted and charged towards Malgus. As they clashed, Melina and Cassian attempted to aid him, but Ceris blocked their patch as she created a protective field around her ally.

"The force is with me, and I shall never falter!"

"Nice to see someone who hasn't changed during all those years!" Milena chuckled and unleashed her lightning. Ceris was prepared to block every strike as she slowly lured the two away from Tau and Malgus. However, the lighting also weakened her, making her slower and unresponsive, allowing Cassian to attack. She blocked his strike, but Arcann could feel her strength slowly waning.

"You are powerless against the two of us!" The Wrath shouted. "And if Yavin has taught you anything, you would've known that without needing a reminder."

"You fought against the tyranny of Zakuul to free the galaxy from the Arcann and Vaylin…Do you not see that Acina is no better than them?" She pleaded, making Vaylin shake her head.

"Acina, seriously? That hag isn't even close enough to be as good as us. This Jedi girl should be taught a lesson for saying something so stupid."

It was a prolonged battle, yet not nearly as extensive as Arcann's duel with Cassian. Tau had potential, yet she was clearly still young and gave in to her rage from time to time. Ceris was skilled and calm, an exemplary Jedi, yet she was alone against the strongest of Sith. The outcome was inevitable. She blocked Cassian's and Milena's attacks despite her aura slowly getting weaker. It was like a dance where a single mistake could cause the fighter to fall, yet she battled the opposing forces with dignity and resolve. That was until Tau let out a pained cry, and Malgus inflicted a deep wound upon her.

"Tau, no!" Ceris shouted and got distracted for a minute, creating a momentary window of opportunity that Cassian took. One direct and deadly strike, not her heart or head, he aimed for the hand that held the lightsaber. "AAAAARGH!" Ceris let out a pained cry as Cassian cut her hand off, making her lose her lightsaber and fall to her knees, defeated and worn out.

"You should've never come here."

"A pity," Milena said as she stood by Cassian's side. "She wasn't the worst Jedi I ever knew…Shall I do the honors, or do you want to bring her head to the Alliance?"

"I'll do it," Cassian said as he raised his lightsaber over the Jedi's head, but Ceris looked up.

"The real pity is me thinking that we could be allies…But I guess Milena is right. Some things do not change." She said before suddenly raising her remaining hand up.

"What are you…"

Only mere seconds passed before Ceris demonstrated the true potential of Barsen'thor's power. She was quick to tear a huge metal part of the ceiling and drop it on the platform. A chaotic explosion followed the one that caused Cassian's vision to blur and everything to grow darker. The strike got him, inflicting a deep wound onto the Chiss and tossing him back.

"Whoa!" Vaylin shouted as the earth before them began to unravel with incredible speed. This caused something to change in Arcann's and Vaylin's surroundings; cracks began to emerge on their rocky isle, and a couple of eternal fleet ships that remained frozen in the distance ever since this space was first created exploded, letting out bright flashes of light. Arcann felt the ground crack beneath him; he was about to fall into the void.

"Arcann!" Vaylin shouted. Just before this small section of the isle completely broke apart, she pulled his spirit back to her.

"Thank you…"

"You aren't dying without my permission!" She said loudly while trying to mask her breath of relief. "Or whatever that fall would do to you…What is going on here?"

"I think they managed to wound him. Maybe this is because of a concussion." Arcann theorized. "His mind is getting weaker, and with it, so do we."

"That's no good. We still have to escape from here somehow!"

"Perhaps…If we can establish enough of a link with his mind to see the world around us, we can share some of our restored strength!" Arcann suggested.

"Give him a second push or something?"

"Something like that. I babe grown much stronger than I was before, and you, Vaylin?"

"I think I do… It's worth a try!"

The siblings raised their hands in a daring attempt to influence Cassian. They could feel his energy levels rising, the feeling of a second wind, the power that overwhelmed his entire body, making the Chiss Sith Lord open his eyes. They gave parts of their own souls to ensure his return, and they succeeded.

Cassian was not done yet. All he had to do was to reach for the control console. The Jedi failed to stop him.

The Empire won this day.

…

"Now, that was the kind of show I expected! Every day should be like that!"

By the time the Sith returned to the fleet, Vaylin was still enjoying the adrenaline rush the battle gave her. Arcann wasn't as enthusiastic, but he was happy that it ended favorably. He didn't expect Cassian to falter even temporarily, but the clash took a surprising turn of events, once again reminding Arcann that he could make miscalculations. All that remained was to see the commander celebrating his victory along with the rest of the Empire and the Alliance. The goodbyes he said to Anri and Milena were fairly cold and emotionless; Cassian was clearly too tired to spend any more time with them despite his respect for both. As for the dark council meeting, Cassian was met with a proposition from Acina, an opportunity to rejoin the Empire and become Wrath once again, but the Outlander's response was as expected.

He refused and kept his Alliance independent.

Arcann wondered whether he didn't care for this war at all. He certainly wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. Cassian had gone through it before; perhaps he decided that this was simply an endless, pointless cycle? Either way, the first place Cassian headed towards was the cantina where his loyal advisors, Lana and Theron, awaited.

"I don't care; the body count is too high!" Theron's voice of protest echoed in Arcann's ears.

"This is war. Deaths are inevitable." Lana responded coldly.

"I don't believe that! Krovos made a choice…And that's the team we're on now."

"Theron?" Cassian made his presence known.

"I know you didn't pull the trigger on those civilians, but you supported the people who did. I want to trust you…But it doesn't seem like we can trust them." He spoke in a disgruntled voice before taking his leave, and Cassian didn't attempt to stop him.

"A spy really should be more flexible." Lana shook her head.

"Give him time; it wouldn't be the first time he came around." Cassian encouraged, and shortly after, Arcann heard Vaylin's voice.

"That Theron really is a bit of an idiot…Like he expected something else when he signed up to fight for the Empire."

"He puts too much trust in Cassian, or maybe he just believed that the Empire really has changed."

"Yeah, so an idiot."

They almost stopped paying attention to Lana and Cassian's idle chatter, but soon, the commander asked a rather poignant question.

"Any news from Jac? He didn't tell me much about his 'mission.'"

"What perfect timing; I was just about to mention that." Lana smiled. "While you were fighting on Corelia, Jac contacted me and said that he would rendezvous with us in this cantina after the dust settles. He has someone to introduce you to and…" Lana paused before looking into the distance. A trio of powerful force-users approached. "Ah, here they are!"

"Who?"

"Your predecessor." A stern voice echoed from behind, making the Sith Lord turn around. He saw his Jedi friend, Jacques, as well as his two companions. A young redhead Jedi and a bulky pureblood Sith Lord.

"Wait, why does this one feel so familiar?" Vaylin said with suspicion.

"Could it be…" Arcann began, but Cassian finished for him.

"You're the one who tried to kill me on Mek-Sha!"

"Don't take it personally." The woman said calmly.

"It was a test-nothing more."

"A test you actually passed."

"What are you talking about?" Cassian crossed his arms. "Jac, if you brought those two in, I assume you can explain to me why I should bother wasting my time?"

"In great detail," Jac said confidently. "Apologies for not explaining earlier. When I received the signal, I wasn't sure if it could be trusted. My friends went into hiding soon after our separation. To have them reach out like this felt too good to be true, but here we are."

"Ah, of course…" Cassian looked at the Sith Lord before him. "I should've recognized your mark, Lord Scourge."

"Indeed. It is an honor to meet you again. Seems like both of us shed our titles." He said, passing on to his ally.

"Kira Carsen, Jedi Knight, not thrilled to be here…We didn't talk back on Yavin, but I saw you there."

"I remember you now, Jac's Padawan that I saw on Oricon."

"Yeah, back in the days of you trying to kill us for some glory points. Funny how things change."

"You can trust him, Kira," Jac reassured her. "I was skeptical at first, too, but I would trust Cassian with my life after all we've been through together."

"If you say so…" Kira sighed before Cassian spoke up again.

"You didn't come here just to chat, did you? Let's get to the point."

"Agreed." Scourge nodded. "All four of us have fought the same enemy: the former Sith Emperor. Tenebrae, Vitiate, Valkorion, whatever you wish to call him." He explained, causing Vaylin to shudder reflexively.

"A fucking monster, that's how you call him…"

"We know he was once a part of you. And we both felt his destruction, but…He has always been a master of deceit." Scourge said in a grim tone. We had to be sure that he wasn't lingering in your mind, hidden, waiting to come out only in the most dire circumstances. Now, we are sure."

"You expect me to simply trust you after you've tried to kill me?" Cassian raised an eyebrow.

"I know it's hard to believe, but we're all on the same side," Kira said.

"I'll hear you out if only because you are Jac's friend."

"Good." Scourge spoke up. "But we can't risk saying more here. Let's travel to your base in Odessen. It should be safe for us to talk there."

"About what?"

"The final, gruesome weapon of Tenebrae."

The moment he said those words, Arcann felt his soul shrink. The cold tone, which masked an echoing worry or even fear, was enough for him to realize that whatever the situation was, it was serious. Even a simple thought of the possibility that his father's plague hadn't yet been expunged from the galaxy made Arcann's hands shake and his soul's energy fade. Vaylin was silent, too. They both felt it. An intrusive thought, followed by a chilling presence that Arcann thought he could contain, an echoing voice in his head, a man standing over a man who wept for the loss of his brother.

"Come with me, son."