Not long after the young girl collapsed, The High Lord commanded the Sith Masters to meet with him in his quarters. They had many questions regarding the reaction Josie was having. They all felt the same, powerful presence when the amulet opened. Darth Oomis had not foreseen that she would act so strangely and then suffer from a grand mal seizure. He did not want the ordeal to be widely known, so a private area was required for such a delicate matter.
Inside of his bedchamber, Darth Oomis instructed Lady Xeno to prepare Josie for when she'd wake. He expected it wouldn't be long. The other three Sith were waiting for him to clarify what was transpiring. Without any pretense, he turned on a holo projector and read from the ancient writing.
"Therefore, I have determined that once the heir of Darth Blazes has been found, she will present a great threat to the galaxy. Only by secluding her from those who could teach her the ways of the force and by limiting her power will peace be preserved.
"In the days to come we should follow the bloodline of Darth Blazes not with fear, but caution. It is a simple matter to send a child into exile. Raising her without knowledge of the prophecy is imperative. What limited data the Jedi withhold is all that anyone should have. The girl with purple eyes will possess the most treacherous power."
He left the glowing words hanging there and expanded upon their meaning. This was but a fraction from a report to advise the High Jedi Council, written less than a hundred years after the death of Darth Blazes.
"As you'll remember, Darth Rell meant to obliterate the entire lineage of Darth Blazes for fear of her power. That was his downfall. Sith fear no one! This girl, she will bring about the ultimate downfall of the Jedi Order."
"How can you be sure of this?" Asked Kyves, always the skeptic.
Lady Xeno reappeared, closing the door behind her. She quietly went to stand next to Kyves.
"Josie is an empty vessel and she is ours to fill. We have cut her off from everything she loves, she is weak and afraid. We will train her both faster and harder than any other student. She will be deprived of sleep and food until she is exhausted and frail. If she survives, she will be ready to be molded."
"You suggest we all are to train her?" Darth Parigo's undertone was of disgust.
"I will oversee her training, but she will also learn from the other Sith Masters. She can attend group lessons, but in my absence, Darth Kyves will take on her training responsibilities."
"My Lord?" Kyves looked up at him, the words and their obvious meaning were slow to sink in. "I already have an apprentice."
"Then you will train two and the girl is to be given your highest priority. Will that be a problem?"
"No, of course not, Master. I only wonder what your expectations are." Kyves was having difficulty speaking. "Where will you be?"
He could've asked his question better, but Darth Oomis knew that he was correct in thinking that he was going somewhere. They were all wondering why he would tell them his plans for training Josie and then announce his absence.
"I have business to take care of on Corruscant. I will do more research into the prophetess Darth Blazes. It's time that the Sith locate and acquire her holocron."
There was more than one way to learn about the past. In the last decade he had already found old data containing vital information he needed. Now he would accelerate his efforts.
"When Josie awakens, what can we expect from her?" Again this was Kyves, trying to appear on top of things.
"I would expect her to be a far different person than she was." He knew that whatever the vapor inside of Blazes amulet was, it changed Josie, and it transformed her. "This is now the heir of Darth Blazes, her chosen descendent. We will find out the nature of her emotions soon enough."
Behind the closed door he could sense a stirring in the room. Josie was waking up to a different life, and Oomis could feel her confusion. He reiterated the rules that he demanded to be followed.
"Do not tell her more than what she already knows about the prophecy." Then, speaking directing to Darth Kyves, he gave further information. "I will leave immediately so that you may begin her training. Perhaps Jarv can do the tedious chore of showing her around tonight."
He dismissed Darth Perigo and Lady Xeno. The silence only hung in the air for a moment before Kyves could hold in is thoughts no longer.
"Master, I wonder if Josie may be too unstable for the training you wish for her. She has too much fear and hesitation."
"If you find that to be holding her back, then you have my permission to break her." He didn't miss the flicker in his eyes. "Condition her first, leave no spare time between studies. What you expect of Jarv, you should expect more so from Josie."
Breathing slowly in the first moments of waking, a sensation of cool menthol filled her lungs. It was uncomfortable and she sat up in the large bed, unable to see a thing in the dark. She stared into the room and fear crept into her mind as she struggled to remember how she got there. It hurt her head, the pounding made her lie back down onto the silk sheets.
The Sith High Lord offered to train her, he'd taken her with him to Yavin and had already begun teaching her through his book. She sat up again and patted down her legs. In a large side pocket she traced the outline of the book, and then lifted her hand to her neck. She shuddered when her fingers wrapped around the large glass diamond.
Everything came back to her at once. It was her! She'd been identified as the heir of Darth Blazes. The amulet in her hand once belonged to her. When it opened, she was filled with the essence of her power. A voice, perhaps it was Blazes, or her spirit, it spoke to her. It told her that great days where now in store for her.
The name she was given was just out of reach in her memory. It was hot, like fire and coals. Burning, smoldering, no, incinerate. That was it! Like Blazes, she too would bring flames of hatred. She liked the vision of anything standing in her way being incinerated. She would be called Cinis as she began this new life.
There were people close by, she could hear the deep voices and followed the sound over to a door. Cinis leaned in and pressed her ear against it, finding that her sense of hearing was stronger than before.
They were talking about training someone, she assumed that they meant her. After all, that's what she was promised. It sounded like they were making plans, she overheard the word 'unstable' and frowned. Cinis felt very confident in herself right now, she was ready for a challenge and knew that it would begin the minute she stepped outside that room.
Without continuing to hold back, she fumbled around for the controls and the door slide aside. Her appearance held the attention of the two figures. Her eyes adjusted to the light and she recognized Darth Kyves and High Lord Oomis. Not entirely sure what to do or say, she bowed.
"It's good to see you awake." The High Lord didn't give her any clue as to how she got to be there. "Are you well?"
"Yeah, I think so. I feel great, actually. What's going on?" She tried to sound curious and not anxious that she truly didn't know the answer.
"No need to put on a brave face. Tell me, what happened when the amulet of Darth Blazes opened?"
Cinis was shocked and didn't know how to answer. The truth would make her vulnerable, and she already felt like he could see through her like an x-ray. He wouldn't understand what she'd been through. It was hard enough even for her to grasp what happened.
With her mouth agape, she struggled for the right words. There seemed to be a block of time erased from her mind. Everything before that was a haze of meaningless events. What happened now was important. She retraced her steps to see if she forgot anything; it helped her to explain what the High Lord wanted to know.
"Well, I was tired from the procedure, and you saw that I had purple eyes. I know that means that I'm the heir of Darth Blazes. You gave me her amulet and I passed out." She wasn't sure why that came about, but pressed on with what she did know. "There was a voice in my head, but it wasn't mine. It told me who I was, and I knew that it was Darth Blazes talking to me."
"How do you know this?" Kyves questioned her.
"That's who the voice said it was. Blazes told me that I was chosen and I had a lot of training ahead of me. One day, she said, I'll become a Sith legend. Firstly, I needed training before I'd be ready for greatness." She shifted on the spot. "Blazes told me that I would be called Cinis from now on."
"Very well then, Cinis, you have taken your first step into the infinite shadows of the dark side of the force." His words made her eager to plunge in, she felt ready for anything. "Darth Kyves will begin your training immediately. I will be absent for some time. Upon my return, I will take over and assess your progress."
"Okay." This whole time she'd been avoiding looking in Darth Kyves direction. His large horns, red and black tattoos and ever dominating glare made her nervous. Now she was expected to learn from him? How? It looked like he wanted to murder her. She couldn't help but wonder if he'd really try. Or maybe he just always looked like that.
A low volume chime came from the door and Darth Kyves went to answer it. Cinis exhaled relief that she was no longer in the spotlight. In came a boy who looked just a little older than she was. He was much taller than her and had tanned skin. Much like Kyves, he had two horns and lethorns, perhaps they were a similar race.
"This is Darth Kyves apprentice, Jarv. You will be training alongside him." The High Lord introduced her with the new name she was becoming accustomed to, it fit with how she felt.
She wasn't sure how to respond. Shaking his hand as if they'd become buddies didn't seem right at all. They might be in competition with each other, his seniority far bested hers. He was superior to her in every way. She nodded her head in recognition, thinking it was her best attempt at acting neutral.
"I want you to show Cinis the academy." Darth Kyves instructed him. "Training will resume in the morning."
Suddenly she found herself away from the Sith Masters and on a tour of this new place. Outside every window they passed, she saw thick and large trees. They spread out as far as she could see, the jungle explained the high humidity she'd been feeling. There weren't any prominent high points or other structures. This Sith training academy must have been the only building for miles.
Everything felt rather strange to Cinis, all of her senses were sensitive and she knew it was the force within her. The hairs on her skin felt the temperature change as they descended to the lower levels. She could smell a meal cooking long before they reached the kitchens. Her eyes examined more detail and saw further into the dark places.
"How long have you been training here?" Cinis asked, trying to make some kind of conversation with Jarv. So far, he hadn't spoken about anything besides rules and the Sith academy.
"Since I was about four."
"Really? Do you remember much from before then?"
"Uh, yeah, some. Nothing that's important."
"What about your parents or your home? Do you ever miss them?" She was curious because there was a small, no, miniscule part of her mind that was already missing a few things.
"No. My parents are dead and it's none of your business." He turned to face her directly. In the last light of day shining through the hall windows, she saw how angry he was. "It doesn't matter, got it? Everything means nothing except what you learn here."
"What do you mean?" Cinis folded her arms, ready to get defensive.
"Whatever life you had or think you had, is gone now. You might as well pretend that everyone you knew is dead, everywhere you went, was blown up." His red eyes glowed stronger, more menacing.
"Well, I'm not here against my will," She felt a stab of pain in the side of her head, but ignored it. "I left a lot behind and I don't know what's ahead."
"Get used to it. Training to become a Sith is highly unpredictable. You'll always have to be on guard. If you ever think you can trust someone, that's the minute they'll betray you."
Cinis rolled her eyes. This conversation was below her. Jarv didn't appreciate her attitude and actually slapped her across the face.
"Hey!" Her hand felt where he'd hit her. It hadn't been too hard, but it still hurt. No one had ever physically assaulted her before.
"What are you going to do about it?" He challenged. "Hit me back? What's going to happen then? I'll beat the force out of you. So don't act disrespectful, not to me, not anyone."
"Fine. I'll watch my back." She wasn't an idiot, of course she would be at risk. The new ones always were. That's why she was anxious to start training, to begin learning and absorb all that she could.
"There's more to it than that. I don't know what you think it'll be like, training with Darth Kyves, but that should be your primary concern. He'll expect you to perform flawlessly."
He started walking again and she followed him. They went up a few flights of stairs and he pointed down the corridor.
"This is where a lot of the students sleep. There's two sleeping mats to a room and the doors don't lock."
"It's really hot up here." Cinis observed, her skin feeling sticky.
"Always is, but don't try to snag one of the rooms further down. An older student or Sith will bust you for it."
He gave Cinis a minute to look inside one of the rooms. There wasn't much to see, just a couple mats, clothing, and nothing personal. On their way to the dining hall he told her that Darth Kyves would expect her to arrive each morning before sunrise at the base of the woods. Cinis was apprehensive about the prospect of waking up so early every day.
"If you arrive after Master Kyves does, he'll make you do extra drills, or worse, tech you a new force power and use you as the target. Any questions so far? No? Good, because I'm not going to coddle you."
"Actually, I do have a question, and I don't think you'll mind too much to answer." Cinis didn't like the way Jarv was so harsh, so she continued before he could stop her. "As apprentices to Darth Kyves, are we allies or enemies?"
He gave her an odd look, maybe it meant that he thought she should know the answer, or maybe he didn't know himself.
"I have been training to become a Sith almost as long as you've been alive."
His comment had her doing fast math and she came up with an important historical event. She brushed it off as something to think about later.
"Consider everyone you meet here to be a threat, including me."
Everyone is a threat, got it. Cinis followed Jarv as he continued down a long hallway and into the dining hall. She was smart enough to know not to follow him from there. Instead, she waited a minute before she picked up a tray and stood in line for the evening meal.
The newness of the academy was both exciting and intimidating. There was so much room for failure and little room for success. Looking around the room, she saw that many of the other faces were older than hers, that she would be among the youngest. Cinis took a deep breath. According to Jarv, this was where her life began.
An unexpected chime sounded from the door. It was late, too late for anyone to call. His apprentice had already given him a full report after showing around the new girl, Cinis. He wasted no time in opening the door and his heart stopped beating for a minute.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, surprised and a little concerned.
"I had to see you." Xeno slipped past him and into the room.
He trailed behind her into the bedroom, standing at the door while Xeno sat stiffly at the end of his bed. Her hair was carefully arranged into a knot at the back of her head. It accented her striped eyes, she wore golden eye make-up and her lips were crimson. She was a glorious sight. That she would come to him like this, when he couldn't fully savor her beauty, it was torturous.
"Doesn't the High Lord want to see you tonight?"
"I was on my way."
"Then why are you defying his command?" He crossed his arms across his chest, restraining himself from going to her.
"I need your opinion," Her eyes stared meaningfully at his own. "Do you think the High Lord has weakened himself in search of Blazes heir?"
If Darth Kyves had been quick to answer, he would've fallen into her trap and told her that he did believe that. Her question however, was just mere speculation, and she didn't admit to owning it herself.
"The High Lord has spent a great deal of time in solitude. It would be unwise to assume he hasn't been productive."
"Then what's he up too?" She stood and reached out for him. "I'm sick of Oomis's old games. I need your help, your strength, if I must keep doing his will."
"You may have it, but not at this moment. Our affair must remain a secret or it will cost us everything." He carefully removed her hand from his arm. "I dare not underestimate the High Lord."
"Fine, continue to blindly follow him. Know this, if he doesn't show us his strength soon, more Sith will see that his reign hasn't brought the order any closer to gaining control of the galaxy."
"Oh, Xeno, don't think that you can sway me so easily. You're upset and your true emotions are beginning to show."
"Don't minimize my feelings!" Her voice was low, a warning in her tone. "After all, you're the one afraid to cross him."
She held her head high with a smile as she strolled around him into the next room. Kyves grabbed her arm, his hand wrapping around it so tightly that she couldn't move.
"If you think that my squeezing your arm hurts, the next time you insult me, I'll do the same to your throat." He released her. Without a word, she left his presence, leaving Kyves with a mindful of probabilities.
The confrontation left him fuming. His mind was unable to turn off now that he needed rest. He hated knowing that Xeno was spending the night in someone else's arms, that she enjoyed it and he was left with nothing.
The responsibility that he had now, he did not want. Cinis, a young, untrained mind. The very thought of her made him bitter, but perhaps by training her, he had an opportunity to shape her in a way he could find useful. Jarv was already a great asset, but perhaps together the two would be a team that raised their master to power.