Another of dozens of long-awaited chapters that I can notch off the list for Infinite Wars.
Oh man, can't wait.
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Avengers Infinite Wars Chapter 114: …And evil keeps on plotting.
For over one thousand years, the Dark Lords of the Sith layaway in the shadows of the galaxy.
After the end of the "new" Sith wars from a millennia ago, the Sith underwent a drastic transformation for the benefit of their continued survival.
This transformation resulted in the complete and utter eradication of every single Sith all save for two.
And it is in these two would the foundation of the New Sith Order survives to this day.
The Rule of Two.
One Master and One Apprentice.
One who holds power and one who craves it.
Others who follow this are considered Acolytes. Once the Apprentice falls, an Acolyte takes their place. The same applies once the Master falls and the Apprentice ascends.
And it is in this ritualistic cycle of the Master being killed by the Apprentice would the Sith live on and grow stronger and stronger with every subsequent successor. The culmination of the knowledge of the Dark Side passed down from Sith Master to Apprentice.
This was the rule that Darth Bane enacted 1000 years ago.
Bane understood that the Dark Side of the Force was not meant to be wielded by many to be diluted and weakened but to be concentrated and focused in select individuals where the venom would be at its most potent and powerful.
And for a thousand years, the Order of the Sith Lords grew in power, right under the noses of their ancient enemy, the Jedi.
In this millennium, their connections expanded, their wealth exploded, their influence nearly endless.
All of which resulted in the current Dark Lord of the Sith who now held the seat of power in the very heart of the enemies of the Sith.
Chancellor Sheev Palpatine otherwise known as Darth Sidious, the one and only Dark Lord of the Sith.
At least, that's what he knows to be true.
He would be the grand architect to the downfall of the Jedi, the Republic and any and all who would choose to oppose him.
Yes, he had Dooku as his current apprentice but he always saw him as temporary.
Maul was one that Sidious actually had at one point, truly saw him as his apprentice, the only one he trained from start to finish. But he was lost to him over a decade ago.
He had long since focused on another, hoping and "knowing" that he would one day be his prized apprentice.
Yet recent times are clearly disrupting things.
A sinking feeling welled up within Sidious, having him realize Dooku was attempting to get rid of him. That was a fact, given how the Apprentice craves the role of Master. Yet the means of it was complicated, to sum it up best. He could tell Tyranus was moving to subvert his power but Sidious knew that this attempt of overthrowing him would end only in his foolish apprentice's death.
Then came his desired Apprentice, Anakin Skywalker.
At the thought of the Jedi Knight, Sidious sunk in his seat, glowering with him barely restraining the Dark Side from radiating off of him.
The Chosen One was not how he once was. Not being how he was desired and intended to be.
There had been changes in the boy, ones far too grave in the eyes of the Dark Lord for him to ignore.
Ever since he first met the boy, Palpatine immediately recognized him as the Chosen One. The one his old Master feared and he whom Sidious had longed to discover for himself.
And he wasn't disappointed.
The power the Chosen One held was everything Palpatine dreamed of and more. And more importantly, unlike the stunted way the Jedi conveyed themselves as, the Chosen One had his emotions. And above all else, the boy possessed ambitions, desires and best of all attachments.
All of which he could exploit.
With the years since the boy came into the Jedi Order, Palpatine was slowly molding him. Influencing him to gain a good root within his foundations for the eventual day young Skywalker becomes a proper Sith. He lay into the boy's wants and dreams, fueled his frustrations and criticism of the Order.
Feeding the Chosen One's ego was as easy as swaying the hearts and minds of the fickle politicians of the Senate.
The war started and Sidious could just revel in how smoothly everything was going. Anakin Skywalker was at the forefront of the propaganda of the Republic, garnering the nickname of the "Hero with no Fear". Whilst the opinion of the Jedi grew sour, the rest only saw Skywalker in a golden light.
On top of that, he got a Padawan, yet another attachment that could be exploited.
All was going according to plan… and then the Avengers came along. And with their arrival, they pried out the root and stem ruining those years of planning.
They were a curiosity at first, he couldn't deny that.
A group of powerful, skilled individuals that existed outside of the Force? Sidious would be a fool to deny his intrigue.
And the powers they possessed… not even the Sith Lords of Old could fathom such abilities. Or perhaps they did. Much of their knowledge has been lost after all.
Regardless, Sidious was quick to realize that these Avengers wouldn't be a passing oddity.
They soon gained a "foothold" in the galactic stage, garnering friends across the galaxy, be it Jedi, Clones or Senators, their influence soon began to spread like wildfire. They operated with impunity and unpredictability. Sending out waves that were beyond his control, no matter how hard he tried.
Worst of all was their influence on Skywalker.
It was minuscule at first but now, their hold over him was too much for Sidious to ignore.
The boy had changed into a man… well, Sidious recognized that this was a Skywalker unencumbered by his restraints and frustrations. Where once was a Jedi constantly having to grit his teeth at the way the Jedi Order functioned now was a more wizened warrior who saw an alternative path, not tied down to Sith nor Jedi.
Where once he saw cocksure arrogance, a more mellowed out and wiser Anakin now stood. Sure, his old tendencies of being brash and hot-headed were still there but there was a temperance to him that he did not have.
It became far more pronounced after an apparent trip he took to Tatooine with his Padawan, secret wife and the Avenger known as Spider-Man.
When he came back, Palpatine took note of this in a veiled, grandfatherly manner, stating that Anakin looked far more relaxed.
The Chosen One held a content smile and stated that there was a lot that he recently got off his chest and that Peter Parker was a great help in doing so.
Since then, Palpatine could count on his hands the number of times Anakin came to him to talk about anything. The boy chose a new company to trust in and from his can deduce, it was a trust reciprocated.
He had already deduced this earlier but it was a no less bitter bill to swallow.
Skywalker was now becoming a lost cause. He needs to find new avenues for the plans to come.
Standing up from his seat, Palpatine made his way to a ship that was secretly stationed in the Senate building. The pathway he took was one that was isolated and discrete and he sensed no one in the vicinity, allowing him to get to his private ship without any worries.
After some time in relative silence, he arrived upon the lone spire in the industrial, abandoned districts of Coruscant. Walking out of his ship, Sidious walked through the decrepit and weathered tower, arriving at a doorway that he opened with his application of the Force.
Entering inside, Sidious stood in a chamber that held a plethora of artifacts. Items of great importance with ties to the Dark Side. Each was collected by him during his early years and then some before he was approached by Darth Plagueis to become his eventual Apprentice, with a rare few going all the way back to the earliest Sith Empires. They were added on as time went on, especially when slaying his former Master and taking his place in the Rule of Two.
Predominantly, the light in the room came from the Sith Holocrons. Others were from the blue flames he made from his Sith Lightning. Each helped shed the dark as he began his next course of action.
He gathered several Sith artifacts and Holocrons, quickly lighting a bowl with Sith Lightning for more blue fire and moved all of this to a particular structure in the chamber.
In front of him was a mural of an ancient Force gateway that had been torn out from whence it came brought here to Coruscant. The Sith took a moment to regard this stone slab, tracing his fingers over the patterns and carvings. This was something he and many other Force-Users only heard and read stories of. Something which he desired to find access to, which he believed could greatly accelerate his plans for galactic conquest.
And through his endeavors, he finally found one and brought it here.
This slab had been meticulously carved out from the tomb he found on Ziost, a sacred world to the Sith.
He hoped that accessing this slab that was the gateway to the fabled "World Between Worlds" would have him mend and fix the Grand Plan of the Sith. From its descriptions, it was said to be a Vergence of Time and Space and as the Force transcends and is bound to it, so is this gateway.
With everything prepared, he began his chant in the old Sith dialect.
After what felt like hours, even if it was a matter of minutes, he got results. With the ritual completed, Sidious expected things to go one way. What he got was something else entirely.
'Something is wrong. Something is very wrong.' He thought with alarm.
The moment the ritual ended, his senses swiftly picked up on the Dark Side of the Force. The amount of it was deep, growing and extremely spread out. It was far more than he could ever imagine.
Whatever he intended of opening the gateway was swiftly tossed aside as Sidious became far more focused on the recent discovery.
He stood sharply, turning away from the stone slab to glance at all the Holocrons before facing the gateway again.
What was that just now?
The Dark Side… it shouldn't be this… Potent.
Darth Bane stated that the Dark Side operated at its best with limited users. Concentrated and focused.
Then why is it did the Dark Side moved without his knowing about it?
Practitioners and false Sith Lords and Dark Jedi were not uncommon but this was not that.
No… the way the Dark Side moved… it moved akin to… to True Sith Lords would in their usage of the Force.
How was this happening?
Sidious wracked his brain in thought.
Was it because of lingering remnants of Ultron's actions? It could be, given how he greatly scarred the Force with his converted army.
It is perhaps time he needs to investigate things. Perhaps it was time for him to finally act.
-Scene Cut-
"Why have you called upon me, specifically, woman?"
"Come now, is that any way to talk to a friend?"
A crackling hum was felt in the air. "I am not here for games, witch. Speak plainly and honestly and none of your drivel."
"I have a name, you know. You can use it." She said, "And a witch? I don't have any of your space magic. And tone down on the Shakespeare talk, you sound like a high school theater kid."
There was a crackling of electricity that coursed from the hands of the man being "mocked" when a deep voice prevented him from speaking again.
"Galvan." The sinister voice slowly said. "Must you allow yourself to be goaded by such blatant taunting?"
The Sith in question bristled, glaring daggers at the woman. "She speaks in taunts and riddles. I have no idea who this Shakespeare is and the purpose in making such comparisons when I do not even comprehend them!"
"Oh please, Max-"
"That's not my name!"
The woman waved him off dismissively. "Right, right, Electro-"
The Sith Lord known as Darth Galvan rounded on the woman, eyes now sparkling with electricity. "That is not my name EITHER!"
"Then use mine as well." The woman snaps, something flowing out of her back and poised to attack.
"Octavius." The other Sith Lord said, now glowering at her. "Enough. Your meaningless jests lead us nowhere. Galvan will only further make a fool out of himself and his patience may lead to your death."
Slithery, mechanical limbs moved back from the means of attack before going to the ground to hoist Olivia Octavius up higher from the ground.
"I swear, my Max was much easier to work with than him."
"I am not this "Max" you speak of." Galvan snapped angrily.
"Well, you sound like him. Look like him. And you both are composed of living lightning. Don't blame me for such very close resemblance and connections."
"I am not "living" lightning." Galvan retorted, conjuring said power from the tips of his fingers. "My means of Sith Lightning is just the most advanced in the galaxy."
"Then I hope you're ready for an upgrade." Olivia Octavius remarked, going over to several screens she had constructed for herself.
The other Sith Lord eyed the woman with an intense gaze. "What is it that you hope to accomplish with Galvan?"
"Like I said, this guy and my Max are so similar that it's hardly funny. The means of your abilities are so identical that I can practically replicate what I augmented with him and be nearly successful with Galvy here."
"Galvy" fumes a little and is ready to snap when the other Sith holds up his hand to quell his action.
"Cease your rage, Galvan. You only besmirch yourself further. I do not understand how this woman has gotten under your skin but enough of your meaningless bluster." The Sith Lord ignored the glare Galvan directed at him and focused on Octavius. "What are you intending to do to him, Octavius?"
Olivia punched in some numbers, getting a few possible results, shaking her head as she tried for another formula. "You told me that out of everyone in this Order of yours, his control of lightning is beyond anything anyone has ever seen in recorded history. To the point that he can become one with Sith Lightning. Or at least has tried to. His drawback -however- is having a hard time reverting back to his normal form on occasion instead of being entirely lost. Or he ends up with multiple burns. What I have is a means to make it far more stable and easier for him to handle."
A hum emanates from the other Sith. "Are you certain what you promise will come to pass?"
Olivia turned to the Sith, raising a brow as she adjusted her goggles slightly down. "Do you doubt my capabilities now, Malgus?"
Darth Malgus eyed here with obvious skepticism.
"On occasion." The one Sith said honestly. "Much of what you brought to us can be very alien to us, making us question them often."
"At least it makes good conversation pieces." Octavius states before clapping her hands. "Now, shall we get started?"
"What is it you intend to do with me?" Galvan cautiously asked.
"Were you not paying attention to what I was saying? Or is it that you're a bit scatterbrained?"
"I was trying not to kill you." Galvan freely admitted.
"Are all of you Sith like this?"
"Yes."
Malgus shook his head. "Galvan." His voice was sharp and deadly, one that brokered no argument. "You are to follow her instructions and let her work lest you taste my lightsaber. Now Silence!"
That last word was empowered by the Force and even Olivia, void as she was from it, shuddered at its power.
Slowly and begrudgingly, Galvan places himself on the table, allowing Octavius to strap him down. The Sith Lord glares at Octavius as she was working the nearby console, inputting her theories and formulas until reaching the desired result.
Smiling in a sinister fashion, her four additional arms began moving about, activating many other devices and consoles as the room whirred to life.
Galvan's eyes shifted away from her to the arms and the rest of these devices with Malgus observing in silence.
One of the arms lowered itself next to the Sith Lord's arm, holding a needle that was jabbed into the bicep.
Galvan winced, lightning crackling momentarily. "Karabast… What did you inject me with?"
"Penicillin… Or what equivalent to it in this galaxy." Octavius then withdraws another vial. "This is what I need to give you now."
"And what would that be?" Galvan warily asked.
Octavius' eyes were shadowed yet her smile was easy to see.
"The next step in power."
Her mechanical arms brought her an injection gun, taking the vial and popped it into the ammo slot.
Hovering over the Sith Lord, Galvan stared at her unflinchingly as she lowered the injection gun, placing it upon his chest.
After a tense moment of silence, she pulled the trigger and the contents in the vial were swiftly injected into Sith's body.
The effect was near instant.
Galvan lurched forward, flinging his head back, convulsing violently. Lightning began crackling around the Sith's body, soon starting to viciously fire out in all directions.
During this time, Malgus slowly rose from where he sat, intently staring at what was happening.
"I'd step back if I were you." Octavius advised.
"I'll manage."
"...Okay. Famous last words." As she said this, a lightning bolt came at Malgus and he raised his hand, appearing to absorb and deflect the stray bolt. "Ok then, nothing to worry about.
Flipping a switch, the mechanized arm produced more of the same contents she made and injected them into Galvan.
"AURGH!" The Sith Lord writhed upon the bed, thrashing about violently.
From above came four metallic spheres that began attracting the wild electricity that was exploding off Galvan. Visible energy waves began coming from these four spheres, creating a dance of lightning that began swirling around Galvan.
This went on for several minutes, Olivia Octavius intensely at work, watching the process and having her additional arms continually maintain the equipment. She was calm and collected, no doubt having quite the knowledge and experience of what she previously went through.
After some time, Darth Galvan jerked violently against his bindings and his body gained an intense glow. An instant later, his body exploded.
Malgus threw up his arms, using the Force to shield him. His body skids back considerably as he fights back the push Galvan's body was emanating.
The Sith Lord adjusted his footing and now stood strong against the seemingly endless tide of electricity. He grits his hidden teeth to stand his ground further.
His eyes glanced over at Octavius, the mad scientist wearing a smug, satisfied smile, standing between two of the metallic spheres that absorbed any lightning sent her way.
Soon enough, the lightning began to settle, with it being pulled back to Galvan's body. Upon doing so, there was a bright flash of light that momentarily blinded Malgus.
And then, silence.
Malgus' vision slowly returned to normal.
Octavius' grin threatened to split her face, her four tendrils swiftly moving to undo the bindings yet it was unneeded.
Galvan had sat up, his body crackling as he did so and his hands and chest phased through the straps.
The other Sith Lord saw this and his eyes widened.
"Galvan," Malgus says, drawing the one Sith's attention. "How do you feel?"
"I feel… I don't… I…. stronger… stable…" His voice came out as static. He held up his hand and watched as it shifted to literal lightning before solidifying back to his original state.
He couldn't quite comprehend what he just saw and without realizing it, made his body shift several more times until sensing that he was doing this to himself.
"More free." Galvan airily said.
The living Sith Lightning shifts his body more and more, laughing each time. In the midst of this, Octavius walks out and wears a smug look.
"Now what do you say?"
"It appears your value is more than we assumed." Galvan slowly said. "You upheld your end of the bargain."
"That's better." Olivia then scoffed. "Jesus, that was the most convoluted thank you I've ever gotten. Shouldn't have expected any less from you nihilists."
"Entropy is the way of the universe." Malgus said, gazing intently at her with his sickly yellow Sith eyes piercing her soul. "It is how all life eventually turns into. As is our way, as is our deity."
"Right~~" Octavius said with a shudder. "You guys just do what you have to and let me do my own thing and we're still square."
"Your idioms and phrases are pointless here." Galvan said, eyes crackling with lightning.
"To you, yes, but to me, it keeps my head on straight." Octavius retorted. "God, it's my damned luck that I end up with a death cult."
Once more, the supervillain of another dimension thought back to her situation and how she wound up here.
It was by pure happenstance really.
Getting hit by a wayward starfighter in the middle of an interdimensional Glitch Storm was the last thing Octavius expected but a possibility she should have considered in hindsight. Messing with the fabric of not just one but multiple realities can lead to unforeseen variables of the most mundane to the most insane and she feels like an interdimensional starfighter slamming into her was a good in-between.
She found herself in the presence of people calling themselves Sith Lords, those who follow what they call the True interpretation of the Force, their "religion", one might say and was quickly brought into their services for her own survival.
Ironic considering these psychos were all about entropy and death.
And she nearly died then and there had it not been for that bald, pale, red-eyed bastard that wasn't Malgus.
The Son is basically the only entity keeping her stable in the present reality. He is literally her anchor in staying alive. He all but "claimed" to be hers, leaving other members of the "cult" to not lay a hand on her.
But if she were to stay here and aid these nihilistic lunatics, she required compensation.
Payment for her services in assisting this group was as follows: knowledge and revenge.
Knowledge was simple enough. Olivia sought to breach through the limitations of what she knew back in her reality's Earth. Her planet never went beyond their atmosphere, never interacting with things beyond their comprehension; thus confining her of the full scope of the vast mysteries of the universe. Thus, with her working for the Order of the Sith, she had access to so much knowledge to sate her scientific mind.
As for revenge, she wanted payback on Peter Parker; otherwise known as Spider-Man. Because of him and his variants, she got displaced in the present reality.
Many of her new compatriots questioned why she had quite the fixation on Spider-Man, only having the Son allude to such answers given he has a bigger idea and understanding.
She was soon left to her own devices as Malgus and Galvan left the mad scientist to her work.
"Now what to work on now." Olivia mutters, scrolling through her console. "Oh right. Need to get back to that."
She had quite the fun little project with the new addition to their group: the cyborg General Grievous.
With the inclusion of her scientific mind, Olivia enhanced and modified Grievous' body. So far, it's merely schematics and blueprints, but soon enough he'll get his upgrades in the coming days.
In fact, she's able to make many enhancements to just about everyone who willingly volunteered. Their suits, their weapons and even themselves like her latest success with this universe's Electro.
Ovair commented that such things happened with the Republic once the Avengers earned their trust. Yet Octavius was going beyond the limitations of the "inhumane" approaches.
At least she's had some collaborative help with Darth Momin, given his artistic flare.
One of her datapads let out a small notification beep and she had one of her arms grab onto it and bring it to her face.
"Oh~" She drawled out in intrigue. "They've reached their next targets, eh? Let's see who they bring back this time."
-Scene Cut-
Upon a jungle world, the ambient sound that came from the variety of life within, above and below the trees filled the air.
But of this jungle were several abnormalities. Some might say that it blended in with the scenery but others were able to discern their true nature.
Multiple decrepit and aging pyramids could be spotted on the jungle planet of Yavin 4, pyramids that have stood the test of time.
And they were the destination for a group of recently arrived travelers to this jungle world, trudging through the greenery of this place.
"I have heard many rumors of its existence but never had it confirmed. Is this truly the place?" Spoke a masked Man with glowing red eyes.
The lead guide of this group looked back at the masked man, continuing his stride. "Do you doubt me?"
"One can never be too sure, Ovair. Time consumes all, even that which deems itself immortal."
"Unless you cheat it, Momin." Spoke a female voice.
"How are we to know that anything will even be in there?" A red skinned, male Chagrian asked, his voice coming out in a small growl. "I wouldn't be surprised if their tombs have been raided by a more unsavory lot."
"A falsehood." Spoke a hollow, dark voice, one that belonged to the embodiment of the Dark Side of the Force. "I have seen that many tended to be a false tomb, meant to throw raiders and scavengers away from the legitimate ones."
"Yes, an aggravating practice but a necessary one." Ovair states with a droll in his voice. "But you need not worry. What we are walking towards is indeed the genuine article. Took a while to narrow down the few standing and hidden away on this planet from the prying eyes of the galaxy."
The large group of Dark Siders stepped out from the thick density of the Jungle world and now stood before one of the many pyramids that they had been trekking towards.
*KRAAAACK-KOOOOOM*
A crack of thunder was heard, a large lightning bolt streaking down from above, both darkening the skies and casting its sole light upon the "explorers" below.
"Behold." Barel Ovair said in reverence. "The Tombs of Naga Sadow and Exar Kun."
There was a silent hum of anticipation as the rain began to fall upon them.
"It seems our visit was to be expected." Momin idly said.
"Let us not be rude guests." Gethzerion said with a sinister smile.
They journeyed into the pyramid, walking by countless disabled traps and skeletons of long-dead warriors who once served the Sith Order.
Eventually, they arrived within a hollow chamber with many arches and elevated viewing platforms, stands some might say and at the center was a sole pillar.
Surrounding the pillar was a literal wall of light, a light that had not dimmed in over 4000 years.
"Ah, Exar Kun." Bogin spoke in recognition. "His story and legacy is well documented and known."
"Perfect." Ovair said in a low voice, a manic gleam slowly manifesting in his eyes. "Then it is at long last, time.
Withdrawing the satchel by his side, Barel placed it down and opened it up. In it were a plethora of artifacts.
Exar Kun's lightsaber wrapped in cloth, his two amulet-converted gauntlets, his Dark Holocron and the remains of Vodo-Siosk Baas' staff.
Momin regarded the last item curiously. "Is that not a Jedi artifact? I sense the touch of the Jedi upon this staff."
"Exar Kun was one who corrupted that which was once touched by the light into that of the Dark." Ovair explained. "It is how so many Jedi Padawans and apprentices rose up against their Masters during his war with the Jedi and Republic. The staff of his former Jedi Master," Barel traced his fingertips over the wooden pieces that seemingly remained intact over the millennia. The cloth wrappings were barely being held together, fairing worse than the stick itself. "Will be the perfect final piece to bring him back."
"My Lords," A soft, menacing female voice spoke up and everyone turned to a red-skinned Devaronian standing next to a male Nagai.
"Nihl, Maladi." The Red-Skinned Chagrian addressed them. "Have you found something?"
Maladi, the female Devaronian bowed her head in confirmation whilst Nihl, the Nagai, walked forward and kneeled to the ground.
"Right here, my Lords." Darth Nihl said after a moment of silence. "It is right here."
The Son made a 'tutting' sound, gesturing for the two Sith Lords to stand aside.
He concentrated on where Nihl had kneeled and held out his hand. Particles soon formed into minerals and other matter, a dark shroud surrounding his arm that soon shot out, burrowing itself into the ground.
Slowly, with a bit of extra power considering how deep this dark tendril went into the ground, The Son pulled out a large and ornately decorated coffin.
"Behold." The Son slowly moved the coffin over and set it down next to the pillar in the chamber. "The resting place of Naga Sadow. Resting within the foundations of Exar Kun's own final resting place."
"Poetic and artistic, is it not?" Momin regaled with a fond tone. "The many generations of Sith Lords built upon each other. Their selfish desires benefit our means after so many millennia."
"I'm not complaining." Barel stated. "Makes our job easier. Wyyrlok, if you would."
The male Chagrian wordlessly reached for a bag he carried himself, pulling out a number of items.
Ovair gestured for Maladi and Nihl to go to their positions with Wyyrlok joining them once the time came.
Momin turned to the additional Dark Side users that they had brought with them and waved his hand down.
Together, a dozen practitioners of the Dark Side split evenly amongst themselves, going to their respective areas, surrounding the artifacts and resting places of the Ancient Sith Lords.
From the Son, he used his power to carve up a litany of symbols on the stone floor, creating a massive circle with six circles dotting the circle.
Three circles were already occupied by Wyyrlok, Nihl and Maladi.
From Gethzerion, a pillar of green fire erupted from her hand. She took hold of the pillar of fire, the green flames dissipating to reveal an old, ornate sword covered with Sith writing etched along the blade and guard. Green sparks danced along the surface before they were quenched when laid down on the carved up ritual circle.
Next were a litany of jewels and ornate pieces of accessories that levitated towards the sword, such as a headpiece and shoulder pauldron. Each had Sith writing etched onto the metal.
Gethzerion paused for a moment, sensing something off about several of the artifacts of Naga Sadow.
"Not all are his…" She noted in her multi-layered voice. "Would these work? I doubt most would be enough."
"The sword and headpiece are his." Ovair states. "The rest we had to figure out as we went in reforging and replicating, due to how damaged we originally found them."
"Are you certain that these shall be enough?" Momin queried.
"Absolutely."
With the catalysts in place, the Son spoke. "We shall begin."
Momin, Gethzerion and Ovair moved to occupy the three empty circles on the ground.
The entire room somehow darkened more than it already was.
A pressure that would be suffocating to most descended upon the chamber and it was relished by those standing in the intricately carved circle of archaic and dark side symbols.
The six circles occupied by the Sith Lords had the lines around them begin to glow a blood-red color. They had closed their eyes now and began chanting in the ancient Sith Language.
The dozen Dark Side Practitioners were on their knees now, bowed forward and their arms held up and they joined in the chanting.
The Son soon levitated into the air and began sending out his power, shaping them into tendrils that jabbed themselves into the dozen Dark Siders inside the ritualistic circle.
As soon as he did this, Gethzerion threw her hands forward, the green magick she utilized immediately materialized all around her arms. She directed them to the dozen sacrifices, her power seeping into the bodies and they all began convulsing violently.
Their bones cracked, their muscles popped, their eyes and ears bled, and quite literally, their bodies began to "open" up, so to speak. And they slowly moved together.
They continually drew closer and closer together until the openings began to connect and fuse together.
Darth Maladi and Darth Nihl ceased their chanting and held out their hands, firing off Sith Lightning whilst changing what they were saying originally. The Lightning, Celestial power and Nightsister energy all coalesced as the twelve became two, their bodies now infused with power, capable of sustaining what was about to happen to them.
"Momin." Ovair said and the artisan Sith Lord nodded.
Placing his hand upon the ground, particles, similar to that of how The Son manipulated power began swirling around his hand. Beneath the mask, Momin grinned at the sight, slowly standing back up with his arm outstretched and hand facing the ground.
A red pillar of energy appeared, similar to that of his own artificial doorway to his original time period was mixed in with the green ichor Gethzerion utilized.
With his other hand, he grasped hold of it and held it before him before bringing his hands together, the red energy disappearing between them. After a moment, Momin spread his hands out and an explosion of the red and green energy came from this action, turning into "rain" and it began striking at various points of the temple.
Be they in the walls, the ceilings, the ground, beneath it and more importantly, on the many skeletons littering the area, all throughout the temple.
Slowly, the bones began to move and many parts of the temple shifted and moved with cracks forming in the walls, ceilings, pillars, floors and all of the architecture.
During this process, an ice-cold wind, billowing tales of the past blew throughout the temple.
The relics and artifacts brought to this place began to resonate with the ritual and they began to glow and levitate.
Soon enough, the desired results began.
The six Sith Lords and Celestial sensed it.
From the ancient temple on Yavin 4, an old spirit stirred.
For years, he wandered through the vast corridors of his temple in complete and total darkness. An endless search of finding a way out. He often forgets and is reminded countless times his temple doesn't have an easy escape as the only way to leave was blocked off so many millennia ago.
For a brief period of time, for what would be later known as the Great Galactic War, this spirit was freed from the ethereal chains of the temple. With the war waging around the temple, the spirit interacted with those who approached the place. He sought them out in hopes to free him. However all he could do was watch as a weakened entity before being dragged back into his eternal prison of his temple-like tomb. From there, the spirit went into a stupor state, succumbing to his fate while doing much to regain his lost power.
Thus for several millennia, the spirit went into an on and off hibernation. Sleeping and awakening to continually search for a way out and regaining strength. An endless loop while being lost in the abyss.
Suddenly, a figurative portal practically ripped open in the darkness. The light pouring from it drew the spirit like a moth to a flame.
Elsewhere in the temple, a corpse lay ever dormant within its sarcophagus. The spirit that was once tethered to it has long since entered Chaos Millenia ago. One can thank the person's final apprentice. How, for years, he taught him everything he had in his arsenal. A means of hoping he can bring back the golden age of the Sith.
Freedon Naad indeed brought back quite an age of the Sith, but he sought to get rid of the previous one in the process; if one were to look at it that way.
For years since his birth, a man of the ancient Sith species sought to break his people's stagnation, due to them being isolated. He believed change was necessary in order for them to survive and expand. He was successful in breaking their state, but at quite an ending cost.
The great shift of this occurring began with a duel to the death with his rival in order to become a new Lord of the Sith.
To fulfill the true path of the Sith as was dictated by their people.
But in the end, he was betrayed and sent into self-exile, forced to live out the rest of his centuries upon an isolated world until his time would come.
Yet like all Sith of the past, he was betrayed. Even after passing on from his mortal coils.
And he was cast into chaos for his troubles as all Sith do in the end.
But now?
After thousands of years…
From the throne room of the temple, the chair cracked open and an inky black substance oozed out of the openings. They slithered about as they were drawn to the chamber of the ritual, making a beeline for the one set of artifacts.
They swirled around them, multiple parts quickly seeping into them.
The one who stood in front of the pillar of light reached forward. First came the gauntlets, securing themselves squarely upon the body. Then the being grasped at the specially designed lightsaber, the veins of its arms appearing.
Next… the shattered remains of the stick that belonged to Vodo-Siosk Baas rose up. They indeed mended back together. From the cracks came a darkened light that soon… faded into dust that shifted to the lightsaber, wrapping itself around it to form two wooden bands on either side of the blade.
"Momin!" The Son shouted.
The Dark Lord ceased what he was doing and quickly called forth his doorway and then came a burst of red light.
From the light, as it dimmed, the body that was offered before the pillar began to take on a new shape that was a hooded, humanoid form. The blackness soon changed to give more features of a man with braided black hair, several ornaments and artifacts on his body. On his forehead was an ancient Sith symbol that wasn't painted or tattooed but branded like a hot iron.
The hair shifted from a bone white to a jet-black and dust dropped from the man to form the rest of his clothing, primarily his cape.
After a moment, a raspy gasp came from the man, eyes shooting open and wildly looking about in his surroundings. Him finally registering so much after Millenia in the darkness sent his mind into a sensory overload. The feeling of sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste along with his deep connection to the Force topped with his resurrection hit him like a ship coming out of Hyperspace. He almost collapsed in the process, but quickly found his footing to maintain upright.
There was a beat of silence, the ritual still ongoing save for one who stepped out of the circle he was in and now stood before the newly resurrected Dark Lord.
"Do you know?" Barel speaks out slowly, catching the attention of the man. "Do you remember who you are?"
There was a deranged look to the man before his mental faculties returned to him.
"I… I am… I am Exar Kun." The revived Sith pants out, composing himself. "How long…?"
"A long time."
Registering the response, the identified Exar Kun soon notices something off. Instead of being an empowered spirit of the Force tethered to his temple, he felt things he hasn't felt in an extremely long time. He first looked at his empty gauntlet hand, flexing his fingers a few times before turning to his hand holding his lightsaber.
"Am I… alive?"
"You are."
As this happened, from a ripped tear into the realm of Chaos, a figure was being drawn out. The other set of artifacts helped lure them through. They set themselves upon the other vessel, acting as the anchor for the spirit that was pulled in from the realm of the damned Sith Lords.
A red spirit shot out, entering into the sacrifice and the body lurched back.
It vibrated for a time, its body convulsing to change into the shape that reflected the spirit.
The skin became a darkened red hue, tendrils formed from the cheeks, small ridges were seen on the forehead and the jawline became more angular with a small goatee even forming.
Soon, the body filled into the artifacts to the letter and the figure gained additional lavish clothing that complimented the headpiece, shoulders and ornate sword.
This newcomer had a similar reaction to Exar Kun but he recovered far quicker than him.
It didn't take long for him to realize that he was in an unfamiliar, familiar place.
"What… I…" The Sith Lord breathed in heavily, looking around him at the other Sith. "I… I've returned from Chaos? That should be impossible."
"Nothing is impossible, my lord Sadow." Gethzerion says in reverence.
Naga Sadow looks over to see the present Sith and the Dark Celestial and recognizes him nearly instantly.
"You," Sadow muttered in wide-eyed disbelief, focusing on the Son. "You were… a myth. Worshiped by my people."
"By the Sith of Old, yes." The Son spoke in a tone that conveyed a measure of respect. "When the Dark Side was at its most potent and Raw."
"And you're not the only ones, Lord Sadow, Lord Kun." Momin spoke up.
The two newly revived Sith Lords turned to the artisan when their eyes caught a sea of red surrounding the ritual circle.
Around them was a literal army of red-skinned humanoids with glowing green veins and eyes, sharp bone spurs protruding over their bodies in various locations, the elbows being the main variant. Other facial features included a pair of tendrils that hung from their cheekbones, and cartilaginous eyebrow stalks that covered the eyes. They also had simian mouths, small noses and ears, and a slightly receding chin with three digits on each of their hands and feet.
"My Massassi." Sadow and Exar said at the same time and both Sith Lords turned to each other, realizing who they were staring at. "You!"
"Stop." The Son instantly came in before either could do what he knew was likely to happen. "We brought you both back for a very specific reason. To enact the Will of the True Sith. The way that was prophesied by your people."
Both ancient Sith turned to Bogin, eyes wide and sharp.
"Truly?" Naga Sadow stepped forward, almost not believing what he heard. "Is it… Is it time?"
"More or less."
"We have been gathering our strength for many millennia, Lord Sadow." Ovair spoke up.
"We intended on it far sooner," Darth Wyyrlok said. "But… circumstances beyond our control has led us to now."
"Which suits us all the better." Darth Nihl said with a malicious grin.
"The galaxy is in a wounded state, chaos just ready to be unleashed." Momin stated with gleeful undertones. "Think of the art we can weave together."
"Marka Ragnos once spoke of this." Exar Kun murmured, hand subconsciously reaching up to the Sith brand on his forehead.
"Then prepare yourselves." The Son declared. "For there is one final planet we must venture to."
"And that would be?" Naga Sadow queried.
The Son's red eyes gave the ancient Sith Lord a piercing look with a devilish smile. "Why you should know it, Lord Sadow. It's time for you to return to your home planet, Korriban."
-Scene Cut-
Within a meditation room of his flagship, Maul floated in the air. His focus was vast and deep in order to get a proper reading of the present goings of the galaxy.
So much has happened in such a short amount of time.
So much death.
So much disorder.
He would have reveled in it during his younger, more naive years.
But he was a changed man now.
What was once a narrow view that could be equated to a petty revenge quest transformed into a grander perspective that allowed him to see the full picture.
The plan for the universe.
Now all this death was part of it but… it was unbalanced. Chaotic. No rhyme or reason or focus.
Somewhat.
That Ultron AI was truly a threat that needed to be taken care of and for once, those insect Avengers had proven their worth.
The machine would have been a genuine issue in his quest to find the Soul Stone, somewhere hidden in this galaxy.
In order to acquire his one prize, he needs to balance things out as Freedon Nadd described it.
As to how… now that was the mystery.
…
…
…
What's this?
A darkness shifting in the galaxy?
It was familiar to Maul but also different.
Older, far more potent and in many aspects, more powerful than what he was raised on.
What could this be?
He didn't have time to further investigate this as the doorway to the room opened, having a pair of feet clank on the floor soon after. Their owner was easily known for the red-skinned Zabrak as he knew their stride.
"Yes, Baylan?" The Zabrak slowly turned his head to the older Force User.
"My lord," Skoll said in complete respect, Maul regarded Dark Jedi, "They are here and awaiting your presence."
The Zabrak recalled what it was he needed to do today and nodded at Baylan. "Thank you. I'll be there shortly. Wait for me there."
Baylan simply bowed and exited the room.
Looking back out of the nearby window, Maul hums to himself in regarding the feeling he registered from the present cosmos.
What was that just now?
It was extremely powerful yet there was a clear attempt at keeping it hidden.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
But he would address that later.
Right now, duty calls.
Turning to leave, Maul exited the room he was meditating in to walk down a corridor to enter a room filled with four individuals.
One was Baylan Skoll, patiently awaiting his Master and the other three were Cad Bane, Brock Rumlow and Taskmaster.
"My friends." Maul cordially greeted. "Thank you for coming, please, get comfortable, you have traveled a long way."
"You caught our interest." The Duros bounty hunter groused out, fiddling with a toothpick in his mouth. "Paying up front for an audience, for starters."
"The Avengers." Crossbones bluntly said, crossing his arms whilst giving the Zabrak a skewed look. "You got some issues with them?"
Maul released a humorless chuckle, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Oh yes, yes, very personal issues, Rumlow. More so than any of you."
"I don't have a problem with them." Bane remarked.
"Ah, but they have interfered with you in the past." Maul refuted. "And I also know that you, Cad Bane, are a man who likes to take in all angles for all opportunities. The Guardians of the Galaxy and their Ravager clan and Mandalorian Allies are no less… no, they aren't a nuisance, are they?"
Cad Bane narrowed his eyes at the mention of all these groups, the toothpick he had between his thumb and index being flicked away.
Eyes soon focus on Taskmaster, who shrugs with a chuckle. "I merely like the challenge."
"Of that, I thank you." Maul said earnestly. "Makes speaking with you far simpler."
"So what, we're your recruits now?" Crossbones asked, not hostile yet the man remained guarded.
"That is for you to decide." Maul said conversationally. "See, what I am looking at are three men who will soon be hitting limitations. Limitations that will result in your demises sooner rather than later."
"And before you say anything, do not lie to yourselves." Baylan Skoll spoke up, sensing a growing feeling of resentment in those words. "You are men who are capable of many things alone and you have accomplished much. But remember when the three of you fought the Guardians and their allies, you all were forced to retreat, barely making it out with your lives."
There was a grudging sentiment of hating how right the aged Dark Jedi was.
"So I take it you're giving us an offer." Bane stated rather than asked.
"Naturally." Maul said, his tone akin to a businessman knowing a deal was about to be made. "What I want is your cooperation in the coming plans of this galaxy."
"And what do we get in return?" Taskmaster asked.
Maul developed a sinister smile, opening his mouth to respond…
…
…
…
"That went well, didn't it?" Maul casually asked Baylan Skoll, the bearded man merely nodding in agreement.
"Simple men really." Baylan commented. "Once shown what they can gain and achieve, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they are quick to pounce on the chance."
"Lest you forget their pride." The Zabrak countered. "I have seen many foolish men and women who seemed reasonable get done in by their own pride. A common enemy is one thing but personal vendettas and individualism can be hard to break."
"Pride is what led Pre Vizsla to join our cause." Baylan noted.
"Yes, but he was far easier to convince." Maul said, almost sounding bored at the thought. "Give a Mandalorian of his kind a target and rousing speech of honor and battle and they'll salivate at the chance. Xizor is one to watch, however."
"Do you not trust him?"
"He is one who is intelligent and understands what has been given to him. But he is also a bitter, vengeful man having lost so much of his empire recently. Some had even splintered off already, vying for their own power."
Skoll shook his head in disappointment. "A foolhardy effort."
"He's merely desperate to reclaim what he believed was his. Honoring old promises of his forefathers, not realizing they'll lead to his own ruin."
Baylan merely hummed at that statement, the pair entering into their next destination.
It was a meeting room of a different kind, one that held many scrolls, books, tomes, parchment, datapads and more, all in regard to information.
"I had no idea my home world contained such secrets."
"Much can be lost and forgotten to time."
"And what of Umbara? How many of these temples you speak of still stand?"
"More than you realize."
"I see you are busy." Maul spoke up.
From a circular table from the center of the room looked up Freedon Nadd, Deechi of Umbara and Miraj Scintel, Queen of Zygerria.
The feline-like humanoid instantly gained a more sultry, welcoming smile upon spotting the Zabrak, dropping whatever she was reading and moving over to Maul.
"My lord~" She purred. "I did not expect you to visit us so soon."
Maul smirked, taking one of her hands into his. "It is rude to ignore guests, Your Majesty. Especially ones of great importance."
Miraj almost felt like giggling, instead opting to release another purr of satisfaction.
"Sickening as that is, I take it you are here to discuss something, with us Lord Maul?" Deechi inquired.
"Yes, yes, moreover to you, Lord Nadd."
The Ancient revived Sith Lord gave him a hard stare.
"What would you wish to speak of?"
The flat look he received did little to phase the resurrected Sith.
"If we are to play this game-"
"What you seek will take time, Maul." Freedon Nadd interrupted. "The Soul Stone was a myth, a story told by the Jedi of old, only told in tongue before being lost or forgotten. Whatever written texts there are can be counted upon the hands of a Trandoshan. In my time, I could only find the most archaic and obscure references to such a thing."
"And yet, it is there."
"And I have told you all that I know."
Maul shook his head. "Lest you forget, Nadd, all that based in myth and story has a foundation of truth. What you seek is real and not a fanciful story to be told."
"What, because your master supposedly held one in his hand?"
"He will do more than just hold one, Freedon Nadd." Maul said, now conveying a more dangerous tone, exuding a pressure that came over all in the room.
Baylan grimaced whilst Deechi almost passed out and Miraj pressed herself against Maul as a means of "keeping her balance". Freedon weathered it better than all of them yet he still flinched at the power.
"My lord." Baylan tries to speak out. "My lord!"
After getting the call, Maul "calms" down to focus back on his control.
"Apologies," He smoothly said. "That was unbecoming of me."
"Fret not, my lord." The Zygerrian queen cooed. "I found it rather exhilarating."
Deechi rolled his eyes in disgust at her behavior.
"But I am not here just for the Soul Stone, Nadd. I come to you with something else in mind."
Freedon raised a brow at that.
"And what would that be?"
From his pocket, Maul produced a small, dome-like device that grew after he applied the Dark Side and additional power to it.
Curious, the former Jedi turned Sith approached the Zabrak to gaze upon that which rested in his hand and after a moment, his eyes widened.
"Orbalisk." Freedon muttered in slight surprise. "Where did you-"
"Jorus C'Baoth had it with him when his ship left this galaxy." Maul answered. "He has his own tale to tell of how he got his hands on these creatures but they made their way into the hands of my master and brother who experimented on them and eventually allowed me to attain a higher power."
"You mean to use them yourself?"
"Oh Force no, not again. I'm fine as I am. No, this is for someone else."
"And you tell me this," Nadd eyed the Zabrak. "Why?"
Maul gave him a thoughtful frown. "Call me a sentimental man, despite what I had endured. I believe someone who crafted the knowledge of how to use them has the right to witness the evolution of their work."
Now his curiosity was piqued and hooked in, Maul turning to leave and those in the room following him. They walked down the same corridor Maul and Baylan had been using, reaching the end to enter into a far more spacious room.
One meant for combat and training.
One that was in use at this very moment.
Maul and his company saw Savage Oppress, shirtless and breathing heavily whilst wielding his double-sided lightsaber against Blackout, a young girl a few years younger than Savage and several others with their own weapons.
After a moment, it was a flurry of movement and action as Savage moved like a focused beast, systematically defeating his opponents, taking them down either one or two at a time. There were several moments where his defenses were breached and he received an injury yet the taller Zabrak remained strong and he soon stood in the center with his foes down.
Maul grinned widely, throwing his arms up.
"Well done, my brother." He praised aloud, getting his younger sibling's attention.
"Brother." Savage said in surprise.
"Master." The young girl was helped by Baylan Skoll, the man patting her shoulder.
"You need to stop favoring your right, Shin." Skoll said with a humored smile, making his apprentice look down in slight shame.
"I see your training is going well." Maul commented.
Shin Hati bows alongside Blackout and Oppress.
"He is progressing at a rapid pace, my Lord." Blackout spoke in respect. "It took him far fewer movements and time to best us this time around."
"I can see that." Maul said in approval. "And I believe that development is one that calls for a proper reward."
Savage does his best to suppress a visible reaction.
He was about to go down to one knee as a means of thanks but Maul tutted him and made him remain standing.
"This reward is one that is a double-edged sword." Maul sternly said, making Oppress frown.
He soon was shown the lone Orbalisk that his older brother carried and he raised an inquisitive brow.
"What is this, brother?"
"This is called an Orbalisk." Maul answered. "A creature of the Dark Side, one heavily modified and experimented on by a brother beyond the confines of this galaxy. When I arrived in the services of my master, this was given to me, rapidly accelerating my growth in skill and power. They clawed and ate at my body but never enough to kill me. No, they fed on that pain and in return, what meager power I thought I had, I believed to have mastered evolved and exploded in such power that what was once the pinnacle of ultimate power was now nothing more than a footnote to be glossed over."
Savage hung onto every word his brother said, eyes focused on the dome-like insectoid resting on Maul's palm.
"Once this is placed upon you, brother, it cannot be removed unless you garnered the adequate strength to pry it off yourself. In that, you will constantly be growing in power, pain will always be prevalent yet the reward?"
Maul inclined his head and suddenly, everything in the room, including the people were all lifted up off the ground with such ease that it caught them all off guard. They were lowered just as quickly, stumbles and near trips happening.
Savage was wide-eyed, gazing at his brother in astonishment.
When he trained under Dooku, brief as it was, one of the first lessons the aged Sith Lord taught him was about tapping into the Force, the potential he had and lifting stone pillars around him. He only succeeded after being repeatedly shocked by the former Jedi with lightning, managing to lift two up.
What Maul just displayed was far beyond that and more so, his brother showed no strain or struggle.
He did so effortlessly.
"Are you ready for this?" Maul asked, breaking his brother out of his thoughts.
Staring at it for a few seconds, Savage looked his brother squarely in the eyes and nodded.
Maul grinned with sinister satisfaction.
Holding up the sole Orbalisk to Savage's chest, Maul applied a greater power, awakening the insectoid. Small legs jutted out, desperately flailing for something to latch onto and was placed upon Savage's chest.
Oppress squirmed at the movement before he winced.
The larger Zabrak felt a circle of extremely sharp teeth dig into his flesh.
He resisted the urge to pry the insect off his body and crushing it. He needed to have it kept on him for what needed to be done in order to be stronger.
Then… the Orbalisk began to multiply.
There was a sharp inhale heard as one became two, two became four, four became eight and so on and so on, rapidly spreading all over Savage's chest and arms. Some detached themselves to fall and latch onto his legs.
The entire time, Savage grunted, growled and yelled in agony as the sensation spread and made every nerve, muscle, bone and vein in his body pulse with unyielding PAIN.
"GRAAAAAAAH!" Savage bellowed, expunging a Force Pulse that Maul countered with some difficulty.
That moment one moment of struggle made Maul's smile widen, as the results were already kicking in.
The Orbalisks continued their spread until they encompassed the entire body save for Oppress' head, hands, feet and other more sacred parts. Yet that was not the end of it.
Now they began to really dig into his body and the Zabrak roared, blood actually coming from his mouth and the ground around him cracking, literal ripples being seen coming off of him.
"I recommend leaving him be for now." Maul said in a far too casual tone. "Best not to have him lash out at you until things settle."
Hearing the request, the others followed Maul out of the chamber as Savage's roars were muffled from the other side of the door.
"What was that?!" Freedon sharply demanded, eyes ablaze with shocked curiosity. "The Orbalisks I knew-"
"Yes, yes, they were not like that, I am aware." Maul waved off, the sound of something breaking followed by Savage screaming being heard from the training room. "But my brother, the Maw, is a talented scientist in his own right."
Blackout released a small 'hmph' of agreement, grinning widely as the sound of his cybernetic enhancements briefly powered up.
"All this has left me parched, frankly." Maul abruptly said. "Some refreshments are in order. Come along, won't you?"
Freedon Nadd and Deechi could only stare at the Zabrak who walked away while Blackout, Baylan and Shin walked behind him and Miraj had taken his arm into hers as they left the pair.
After some time taking care of other tasks and business, Maul returned to the meditation room. Him needing to resume clearing his thoughts in order to further plan out the next course of actions.
And more importantly, him needing to see if he could pinpoint that shift in the Force from earlier.
Getting back into a meditative position, Maul exhaled to decompress and focus, resting his arms on his knees and closing his eyes.
The Force could only do so much in this matter.
He needed a higher power, the true power of the Universe.
Using the Power Cosmic, Maul was able to extend his senses further and faster than usual. All but cloaking his presence to the best of his capabilities in order to investigate the unusual feeling he sensed earlier.
If one were to have a visualization or an imagination active enough to comprehend it, one could picture the Zabraks spirit rushing through the galaxy like a cosmic wind, sweeping past stars and systems.
The whole galaxy was at his leisure to look at and-
Maul's eyes abruptly snapped open. It took him a moment to try to understand just what he found blinking in curiosity and surprise before giving out a chuckle of astonishment, morphing into a malicious smile.
"Well now, this is interesting."
AN
That was fucking easy.
Like, so FUCKING EASY.
It may not have been long but COME ON PEOPLE. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE WAITED TO DO THIS?!
This right here, EVERYTHING REVOLVING AROUND THE SITH, MAUL AND ALL IS THE GENESIS OF WHY I REBOOTED THIS STORY.
And it was all started by Bullet. He was the one who propositioned me in using the old Sith, in expanding the story to more than what I originally intended it to be. I think I still have all the conversations on the PM's to check just when we started talking about it.
Not long after, Jebest jumped in and it just exploded into what it is now.
Are you guys nervous?
Excited?
Scared?
Biting your nails in anticipation?
I know I am.
We laid out a great deal of ground work but there is still so much more to do before we get to the meat of this season but GOD DAMMIT am I glad we got to this point.
I hope you're all ready for when they all make their moves, the galaxy BURNS.
Thanks to all those sending me their well wishes as I write this in bed, still sick but in higher spirits despite my brain being on fire.
Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.