Awakening

Ambria Space

In the darkness of space, a New Republic Cruiser flies over a long dead planet. Within the confines of the ship, nameless marines and a few pilots maneuvered the cruiser closer and closer to the surface, staying out of the atmosphere of the yellow orb.

“Sir, computer estimates that at our current range, our men can touch down using the ships older transports.” spoke Colonel Briggs, a middle aged Twi'lek of Rutian Origins, his lekku twitched as he talked to his superior officer.

“Good. Tell the men to be careful down there. Our reports have told us this particular being is extremely dangerous.” explained Commander Murtof, a dark haired Anzat who had seen more battles then he cared to remember.

“Sir, if you don't mind me asking, who is our target?” asked Briggs, his lekku twitching as the words escaped his lips, his dark eyes staring into the Anzat's equally dark gaze.

“He...he is an ancestor of mine. He was supposed to be the new leader of our particular family. His name is Jaredi Edius, and he fell to the Dark Side a very, very long time ago. He wasn't always a Dark Side Minion, he once protected this galaxy, saving dozens of citizens during the Great Hyperspace Wars, but the Order didn't see eye to eye with my Ancestor, and exiled him to Ambria.” the Commander said, his gaze falling to the floor.

“Didn't see eye to eye with him? What exactly did they disagree on, if you don't mind me asking, sir.” inquired the Colonel, his lekku twitched.

“He...he thought that it was perfectly ok to draw on the Dark Side in the midst of combat, using the strength and power of the Dark Side to destroy his enemies that would not surrender. It was this, and that during one mission he tasted his first dish of Soup, that made him become exiled on Ambria.” said the Anzat, his eyes returning to the viewport, focusing on the yellow orb that was slowly rotating in front of him.

“Tell the men that they are to take the target alive...if they can. If not...shoot to kill.” said the Commander as he left the bridge, the door hissing as it opened and closed.

Surface of Ambria
The Black Obelisk

Long ago, a Sith Sorceress erected a Black Obelisk for her fanatic cult to worship her, and it was at the site of worship, that a failed ritual destroyed the entire planet, turning it from a beautiful, resource rich planet, into a horribly desolate wasteland, only broken by a small lake.

It was this Black Obelisk that was salvation for the Ancient Anzat, here the Dark Side flowed through him easily, increasing his power each and every time he meditated at the Dark Place that was his home. The power could be felt at every angle, as if a long lost friend had been found. It could even be felt in the ground, it's vibrations ebbing each and every time someone took a step.

The Ancient Sith, now awake from his slumber, reached out with his mind, feeling a strange yet familiar presence in the orbit of his place of residence. His mouth contorted into a sinister smile when he realized that his next meal was presenting itself. He yearned for the thing he was denied, craved it, and now, he would get it. With his mouth salivating, he sat down, trying to get into the correct stance for his meditation, and while it was hard, he subdued his hunger and fell into a trance, fueling his decayed body with the powerful energies of the Dark Side.

New Republic Cruiser
Ambria Space

“The Commander has told me to inform you all that we are to take this specific target in alive at all cost. I understand....” the Twi'lek said with a smile, “that it might be impossible to do such a feat...unofficially, I want this target dead.”

The men who didn't already have their helmets on looked at Briggs with a strange look on their face. Their Colonel had once been an Imperial Officer, and some thought that he held too many of his Imperial qualities, and not enough New Republic qualities.

“This kriffing schutta was once a Jedi. He fell to the Dark Side and massacred a few dozen Jedi before being exiled.” said the Colonel, his lekku twitching as the words exited his mouth.

“And...how exactly do you know this...sir?” asked Private First Class Williams, his eyes staring at the dark marbles that were his Colonels.

“Part of it came from the Commander, the other part I found on the New Jedi Order's Databanks. Apparently, Luke discovered an Exiled list from the Old Jedi Order and decided to keep it, just in case.” said the Twi'lek, his words filled with anger from the lack of respect he was receiving.

“And why do you want the ex-Jedi dead?” asked Williams, his mouth turning into a smile as he said the word Jedi, one of his favorite words in his vocabulary. Williams often dreamed of being a Protector of the Galaxy when he was a child, and disliked the fact that he wasn't Force Sensitive enough to be a Jedi, though he was Force Sensitive.

“I want this Sith taken down because he is a threat. We already have other Dark Side organizations to compete with, and if this one has the potential that Luke claims he has, we got a big problem on our hands. And I mean big.” the Colonel said with enthusiasm.

“Maybe we can appeal to his better nature...maybe he isn't 100% evil, maybe there is some good inside him. Maybe he could be just the thing we need to help fight our enemies.” said Williams shaking his gun in the direction of his Colonel.

“Kill him, save him, redeem him, do whatever you feel is the best course of action. But don't fail this mission. The Commander wants him alive, I want him dead, and Williams wants him redeemed. You boys pick which ever you find easier, and do it.” said the Colonel, turning on his heel as the last words left his mouth. The door hissed as the Twi'lek approached it, and hissed as it finally closed, leaving the Squad to talk about what just happened.

“Men...I don't want to sound like a traitor...but I don't think we can trust the Colonel on this. The Commander wants this target alive, and I think we can do it. Now, board the shuttle, and be prepared to take defensive measures against our new friend.” said Major Wilcoss, the head of the Squad that would be taking the Ambrian Target.

Ambria
Somewhere near the Black Obelisk

The shuttle entered the atmosphere less then gracefully, and while the members on board weren't too shaken up about it, Williams didn't feel comfortable on Ambria.

“Guys...this planet...it pulsates with anger. Hatred. I don't feel right.” said Williams, shaking his head to try and clear his thoughts.

“Williams, we'll be fine. I know you are...gifted...but try to keep focused and you should be good. Now listen up. We've all been briefed with what we are dealing with. Once our target, named Jaredi Edius, was a Jedi, but he fell to the Dark Side in a battle during the Great Hyperspace Wars. His master and he were both exiled to this planet, both for different reasons. His master was leaking information restricted to padawans to his apprentice. Now, it isn't our mission to judge where this Fallen Jedi went wrong, or even if he can be redeemed. Williams, talking to you on that last part. Our job is to try and capture him, so we can get him back on board.” spoke the Major, his voice booming out over the comm links that each member had.

“Sir, yes sir!” said the Squad as they exited the landed craft.

None of the men felt comfortable with where they were. It was a desolate wasteland, a barren planet that hadn't seen much human contact for sometime, and they were to find an old Fallen Jedi that dabbled in Sith Magic, whether they knew it or not.

“Sir, how trained do you think this Jedi is going to be?” asked on of the Soldiers, his eyes facing forward, as was his gun.

“The databank said when he was exiled he was just about to be Knighted. It also said that due to his feeding on other Padawans, his control of the Force was unnaturally high for a Student of his age.” said the Major, his answer not giving any comfort to the Soldier.

“How'd he survive the Great Jedi Purge?” asked another Soldier, his voice filled with curiosity and dread.

The Major was afraid to tell them the answer, so instead he just kept quiet. The Squad was approaching what appeared to be an ancient ruin made from solid black rock. No decoration, and nothing surrounding it.

“This...this must be the Ancient Black Obelisk. You know, it's said that a Sith Sorceress once came to Ambria, when it was lush and filled with jungles. She turned the worlds populace into a fanatical cult, and she made them partake in a ritual that failed, destroying everything, and everyone, on the planet.” said one of the Soldiers.

“This place...ebbs and permeates the Dark Side. It's hard to focus.” said Williams, rubbing his helmet, hoping it would help his head.

It was true, and all the Squad members could feel it. They were all more frightened it seemed in the presence of the Obelisk. The Major, hoping to give piece of mind to his squad, walked up to the Obelisk and faced his Squad.
“Listen men. This planet is steeped in rumor and fantasy. I understand that you might be frightened, to tell you the truth, I am too. But we have a mission.” said the Major, his voice a little shaky.

Yes...you do.

The entire squad all at once turned to face the Black Obelisk, thinking that was where the origin of the voice was, but alas, only their Major stood there, still facing them.

“Tell me you heard that too.” said Williams, his gun pointing at the Black Obelisk. His squad nodded, giving him peace of mind that he wasn't going crazy on this planet.

You have all traveled to find me. I am honored.

The voice, dark and sinister, reverberated in the ears of each of the Soldiers, but it seemed to plague Williams the worst.

Williams...you my dear boy, are Force Sensitive. And little do you know, you could've been a great Jedi, had you only been raised closer to the Core Worlds. Poor, poor little Williams. Does it burn you up inside, knowing that all you are is a petty Private First Class in a pathetic excuse for a military?

The voice began to mock all of the soldiers, but clung to Williams like a cheap Twi'lek [Expletive Deleted] to a rich Hutt. It was apparent that the voice enjoyed mocking them, and at first the Squad thought it was just the Dark Side playing tricks on them, until they saw the Ancient Anzat, their target, arise from beneath the sands.

The Soldiers just stared, in utter shock at the hideous sight of the Anzat, his flesh decayed and old, his hair unkempt and wiry, his eyes cloudy. His nails were shaped into claws, his cheeks stained with his own blood, and his left arm was missing a large part of meat from it.

“Jare...Jaredi?” said one of the Soldiers, dropping his gun at the mere sight of the Anzat. The other soldiers stood, there as the Sith moved closer to them.

“You've been sent to capture me, have you?” asked Jaredi, his voice echoing in the ears of all the Soldiers, but once again, echoing repeatedly in the mind of Williams. “Maybe even appeal to my good nature? Maybe a few thousand years ago that would have worked, but being exposed to this world, to the tomes of my master, to the old Holocron he had hidden away on his person, it changes you. Any good or pure side you once had becomes corrupt. You are not evil, there is no such thing, you simply don't have any regard for life after staying on a planet devoid of it.”

“Surely...surely you are joking. We can all tell you have a sense of honor. A sense of justice in this galaxy. You fell to the Dark Side to protect citizens. Protect innocent people.” said Williams, who was now on all fours, his will almost broken from the barrage of psychic attacks to his mind.

“And look what happened. The Jedi...my old equals...thought themselves too good to delve into the Dark Side, saw themselves too pure to taste the forbidden fruits when needed. Too weak to control their temptations.” said the Sith, spitting after he said the last sentence. “I won't go peacefully, sorry Major. But, I will go if you allow me to feed.”

The will of the Major was too strong for the Anzat to briefly dominate to allow him this simple task, but with Williams practically feral from the Sith's attacks, he could dominate his mind and offer him for a sacrifice.

“Major...if it saves the lives of my teammates, I offer myself to save you.” said Williams. “Please...make the pain go away, and allow me to sacrifice myself to this...this...creature.”

Jaredi's eyes flashed with triumph as the Major nodded, allowing Jaredi to feast off of yet another Force Sensitive being, increasing Jaredi's power even further. The Sith walked over to Williams, and lifted him from the ground with his telekinetic power. The young man and the ancient Anzat stood eye to eye, and it was at this time that Jaredi decided to tell Williams a small dark secret.

You realize...my dear Jedi Fanatic...that when I reach your cruiser...your teammates will be dead, your Commander will be devoured, and precious secrets of the New Republic will be mine.

Williams began to scream and try to escape the clutches of the Sith's telekinesis, but wasn't strong enough. The last thing Williams felt was the proboscises of the Anzats sliding up his nose, sucking out his brain.

After the feeding had been done, Williams body went limp and fell to the floor. The Major, not one to leave a fallen comrade behind, ordered his men to carry the dead body of Williams back to the shuttle.

“Jaredi, I require your lightsaber.” said the Major, extending his hand to receive the Ancient's weapon.

“My dear Major, due to the fact that I never thought I would leave this place, I threw that overrated weapon into Lake Natth.” replied the Anzat, using his powers of telekinesis once again to close the Major's hand and place it by his side. “I, instead, practiced my Force Powers and Telekinesis more, but there is only so much you can train with before wanting something new.”

The Major tilted his head to the side, wondering what the Ancient was talking about. Before he could ask, the answered flashed into his mind. The Anzat didn't give up on Lightsaber Practice, just didn't use the one he had made for his Knighthood trials.

“You practiced with your master's training one.” said the Major, spitting out the words that Jaredi had placed there telepathically.

“Very good my dear friend. Now, show me to your shuttle...I have a descendant to meet.”

New Republic Cruiser
Orbit over Ambria

As the small transport docked with the Cruiser, it became clear to the Anzat just what he was getting himself into. If his race had a heart beat, he was sure it would be quicker than normal. His mouth was contorted into a sinister smile, his fangs becoming known to the Soldiers standing guard next to him. He knew they were ready to depart when the doors hissed open, an odd anomaly he didn't remember the Old Republic Cruisers having.

“Nice little ship you've got here, Major.” said the Dark Anzat, trying to make captor feel more at ease around him, maybe let his guard down a little. The Sith nodded to various people as he passed them, giving them an uncharacteristically friendly wave. “Not talking to me? Silent treatment is it? Oh fine...but you do realize that I can just bend your will to make you talk...right?” he said in a joking manner, still trying to befriend the Soldier. He had gone willingly after all, a sign of good faith.

The Major turned around in front of a rather large, durasteel door. His helmet was off, and the Anzat noticed a pair of icy blue eyes contrasting the humans dark skin and silver hair.

“Listen. Beyond this door is the bridge. Now, I have to explain to my Commander why I came back with one less man then I left with.” said the Major pointing a finger at the Anzat, who looked at him with a shocked look on his face.

“You didn't come back with one less man. You came back with the same number of men then you left with...they just don't all appear to be breathing. Thats the small caveat.” said the Anzat with a smile.

The door hissed open, the Major pushing the Anzat into the Bridge and making him walk up to the Commander. He had barely any restraints, a pair of handcuffs was about it, nothing to cut off his connection to the Force, which would have been a good idea, and the Major heavily suggested it, the Commander said no.

“Welcome, Jaredi.” said Murtof, his voice filled with joy that his target came back alive. The Ancient Anzat looked into the Commanders eyes, and he instantly recognized another Edius in front of him.

“Hello, descendant of mine. I see that House Edius has fallen, and you have ran off to the only place that would accept you...the New Republic.” the Sith said, his eyes burning a hole into the other Anzat, who had begun to shift from the uncomfortable glare.

“House Edius, along with the other established Houses, has fallen. The Anzati people turned almost feral when you didn't return. It was a dark...dark...day.” reported the Commander. “When the House fell, most of our House Members died.”

“Oh? And how did that happen?” asked Jaredi, his curiosity peaking as he heard the words from his descendant. He knew the answer, but wanted to see if the Commander would relay the truth.

“I...I don't know. They all just...died.” said the Commander, his eyes shifting away from the dead, cloudy eyes of his Ancestor.

“Liar! You killed them, a voice, dark and sinister, came to you in the night, promising you power beyond your wildest dreams. You butchered the ones you saw beneath you, and drank the soup of the ones that you deemed worthy. Admit it.” spat the Sith, his words burning the other Anzat.

“Take him away.” said the Commander, turning his back to the Ancient Anzat. It was not nearly 5 seconds after he had utter those words when Jaredi destroyed the handcuffs detaining him. He reached out with the Force, sensing whose minds were weak and whose minds were strong. He left willingly, but he planted his seeds into the minds of those he would use to take the ship.

Bridge of the New Republic Cruiser
10 minutes later

“Sir, it's not true what the prisoner said...right?” asked the Major, needing to know for his report. The Commander let out a large sigh, and turned to his subordinate. Could he tell him the truth? That he butchered 20 members of an organization he belonged to, simply because a voice inside his head told him to? Or should he lie? But if he did that, Jaredi would merely infest his mind until he went mad with the memories of what he did, the very same memories that kept the Commander up at night.

“I'm afraid not, Major. His voice came to me one night...and he told me to destroy the corrupted Anzats I called my family. He told me that they had walked away from the Path of Edius, and that they deserved to all be destroyed.” reported the Commander, tears rolling down his pale cheeks as he told the story.

“Why did you listen to him?” asked the Major, putting a hand on his Commanders shoulder.

“My old friend...you wouldn't understand my culture, or my upbringing. We were told to always listen to our Elder, never question anything our Elder said. And Jaredi was that Elder, and sadly still is.” said Murtof, his eyes cleaning his cheeks of the salty liquid coming from his eyes.

“What Jaredi isn't aware of...is that House Edius still exists, though it is merely broken. They devolved into spies and assassins, intel gatherers and covert ops.” said the Anzat. “I'm afraid I need to go and talk to my Ancestor...and silence his dark tongue forever.”

The Anzat turned around and walked away, the doors hissing open and closed. The Commander, conflicted with his past and even more conflicted with what might happen to him in the near future, found his way to the holding cell of Jaredi Edius, who somehow still had all his possessions on him.

“Did the Guard not take away your belongings?” asked the Commander in rage, his eyes glaring at his Elder.

“What things? A few dusty old robes that have barely survived the tests of time and a few old tomes?” replied the Ancient Anzat, his words equally filled with rage.

The two just stared at each other, neither one making a sound. It was Jaredi who eventually broke the silence, his words echoing within the nearly empty room of the Cruiser.

“Release me.” the Sith said plainly, no anger or any other emotions in the words. The Commander almost smiled at the simple request, shaking his head in the negative at the command.

“I said...release me.” the Sith commanded again, this time grabbing the firearm with the Force and pointing it at the Commander.

“What are you going to do? Shoot me? On a Cruiser filled with dozens of Soldiers and Pilots who would come in here, guns blazing, killing you.” said the Commander.

“Mere blaster fire cannot kill what has died many times over already. Now...release me.” said the Ancient Anzat cryptically. His eyes, the white marbles that the Commander hated looking at, focusing on the Commander's chest.

“Look, you are wanted by the New Jedi Order, for what reason I don't know. Luke has had a few students delve into the Dark Side a little, maybe he wants you to join him, as he thinks you aren't 100% ba...” said the Commander before his blaster pistol went off, the blast hitting him straight in the chest. A clean kill considering the Anzat never operated one in his life.
“I told you...release me, but you decided to talk.” said the Sith, shaking his head in disapproval. Calling upon the Force, the Anzat began to touch the minds of those he had effected before being imprisoned in his cell.

Your Commander is dead. He was an Imperial Remnant Spy, and he was trying to use me to gain power. Release me from my cell, and set a course for Ziost. There is where we will meet a New Republic Informant who will be able to tell you all that you need.

The crew on the ship had been easier to manipulate then he first thought, but when he was released it made little difference. The ship went from being nicely run by a commander to being strictly run with an Iron Clawed Fist. Jaredi wasn't afraid to kill any who got in his way, as they were expendable and getting to Ziost wasn't difficult.

All who opposed Jaredi's take over were killed, either by his old lightsaber he had hidden from the Major, or by his telekinesis. He did so enjoy picking interesting ways to kill his enemies, stopping a heart from beating, causing a vein to become clogged, pinching an artery, he never grew tired of it.

Eventually, Jaredi only had the handful of people who were brainwashed into helping him, barely enough to crew the ship, but Jaredi saw no reason to panic. He knew how to pilot himself, and also knew that auto-pilot could be flicked on anytime he saw fit.

Ziost
2 weeks later

The Anzat, after feasting upon the New Republic crew that he had manipulated, had come to the place of Ziost, once a powerful domain of the Sith, now a forgotten world to many minds of the Galaxy. The world was secluded, no real travelers coming or going, the perfect place for an old Sith to practice and grow in power. He luckily found an old Fortress to keep him out of the elements, a more then suitable shelter for one man.

The planet reminded the Sith of Ambria, the pull of the Dark Side felt all around him, pulsating beneath his feet as he walked the surface of the icy planet. Within the fortress, the sensation was only intensified, with every breath the Anzat took seeming to fuel his raw emotions. At times during the day, the Anzat would fall into rages due to the strong pull of the Dark Side within the old Sith Mausoleum.

The Anzat, when not meditating or practicing his various arts, roamed the fortress, trying to find various items or artifacts that would increase his power, or at least his understanding of the Force. Though his searches usually came up empty, he did eventually find a mural of interest to the Ancient Anzat.

The mural described to the viewer that when the Order of the Sith were young, they would take Force Sensitive species, train them in various talents, this specific one being covert operations and assassination, and when they completed their training, they were put into suits of armor that would turn them into monstrous weapons of chaos and destruction that few orthodox Warriors could stop. It was exactly what the Anzat was looking for, a way to increase his power and find a way to make him harder to kill.


“The mural tells the story...and shows an image of the armored slave...yet not how to develop the armor...apparently I will have to dig further into the vast depths of this fortress...” said the Ancient One, his clawed finger stroking his chin in thought.

Ziost, Fortress
5 Weeks Later

If it weren't for the Anzat's physiology, the Sith would've perished within his time at the Fortress, but thankfully his abnormal species allowed him to not have to feed, yet his hunger was always there. Since his discovery of the mural, the Anzat rarely slept, using all available hours to train and search the Fortress. He was convinced there was a schematic, or at least a detailing of the armor somewhere within the monstrous Fortress, and though he had not yet combed through what remained of the Sith Archives within the fortress, he remained vigilant.

Within the time he stayed on the planet of Ziost, he had already found numerous findings pointing to a substance the Armor had, a stimulant that would constantly be injected into the bloodstream of the wearer, but the actual dosage was never described. He had found that too little, and nothing would happen, effectively a waste of resources and add weight to the armor, but too much and he could die due to an overdose of his own natural chemicals.

The Anzat also noticed that he increasingly felt as if he were being watched, but not by physical eyes. As if the spirits of the long dead Ancient Sith were lingering, watching the strange intruder rummage through their old possessions. No matter how hard he tried, he could never shake the sense of paranoia, always wondering if there was a way to communicate with them, ask them what they knew, increasing the speed of his search.

Ziost, Fortress
2 Months Later

The Dark Anzat, still searching for the right dosage of the stimulant, had found everything else he had needed for the armor he would soon wear. The Archives, though tampered with and corrupted in various articles, had told him exactly what type of metals, designs, and dimensions would be needed to construct the sinister armor.

His reading had told him that the armor had a helmet, the one thing he could never find any information on. It was this along with the chemical compound, that were a mystery he was determined to solve. He would lose sleep over the fact that he could never find any real information about the helmet, whether or not it had special functions or if it were just a regular helmet. Also, the compound, Jaredi knew he himself could make it, he knew the recipe and had the ingredients, but didn't want to take any chances by testing it.

Not only did the Sith grow more and more frustrated about the Armor and compound, but he grew increasingly paranoid at the fact that he felt he was being watched, as if his ancient Fallen Comrades came to Ziost just to take retribution on Jaredi. He could feel the cold presence of the spirits, though at times their auras would change. At times, he saw them, only to blink and have them disappear right before his eyes. The only time he felt at peace was in his meditation, but even then he heard the dark gurgling noises of the dead.


Ziost
3 months later

“At last! Everything I need, schematics, dosages, materials, everything, here...at my disposal. Waiting for almost an entire year, almost an entire year of time wasted, an entire year of new methods and techniques gone..but...I hold in my very hands the things I'll need to increase my agility and cunning, increase my deadliness.” said the Anzat, his mouth contorting into a sinister grin as he stuff the schematics and other information into his pack, running down the hall to the place of his ship.

The shuttle that the Anzat had used from the New Republic Cruiser, the same Cruiser whose crew he feasted upon before departing, would take him to any planet he wished. But where did he want to go? Various worlds blazed across his mind, Tython, Korriban, Kyataru, none seemed good enough or well equipped enough to begin his work. But then, when all planets that had the Dark Side flowing through them, one seemed suitable. Prakith. The ancient home to Darth Andeddu, his Cult having disappeared before the fall of the Galactic Republic, it would have all the Sith required. Training Grounds, Library, Workshop, and a Meditation Chamber. The Sith's eyes became filled with success as he stormed into the shuttle, punching in the coordinates to Prakith, and hoping to find everything he was looking for.

Space
En route to Prakith

As the shuttle had lifted from the frozen wastelands of Ziost, the thoughts of what he had accomplished, and what he would accomplish, began to rush towards him. Death, destruction, utter and supreme chaos, all would beseech any who tried to oppose him.

In the journey from Ziost to Prakith, The Anzat practiced many things, read his rather large collection of tomes and data cards, and overall expanded his knowledge of all things having to do with the Force. One such thing was Sith Alchemy, something he would work on at the Fortress on Prakith. Sith Alchemy always interested the Ancient Anzat, even as a Student of the Light. The ability to forge new species and creatures using merely chemicals and the Dark Side flabbergasted the once Jedi, but once he felt the strong pull of this power, he knew it was true.

As he sat there, reading his Sith Alchemy tome, a module on the wall began to beep incessantly. After trying to ignore it, he flicked the switch with his telekinesis and turned to view what was happening on the HoloNet. He saw an Anzat that resembled him flicker on the screen, with a warning to all civilians that he was suspected to be highly dangerous and armed.

The Sith merely laughed, shaking his head. “They know what I am, and yet they lie to their cowardly populace. It would appear a dark storm will have to be released eventually...but at the moment I fear I am not yet strong enough.” he said to no one as his attention returned to the tome.

Prakith
Outside the Fortress of Darth Andeddu

The Ancient Sith stared at his new home with awe, the dark spires of the Fortress almost piercing the sky as they rose upward. Taking all this in, the Sith began to probe the area for an entrance, finally finding it attached to the cliff wall. He was about to enter when he felt multiple presences within the fortress, and the entire feeling left the Anzat floored.

He didn't realize that Andeddu, before his ultimate disappearance, had accumulated a cult following on the Deep Core world of Prakith, and he became swelled with anger. Not because of the fact that they were there, but because he didn't sense their presence until just now. When he was a Jedi he prided himself on being able to sense anything Force Sensitive, no matter the aura, but lately his power had been harder to call upon, and when he did, he had trouble sustaining extended use of his power.

He stood there, not wanting to enter the resting place of a cult of dark followers, fearing they might be stronger then himself. Before he knew it, he had been spotted by one of the Cult members, and he had no choice but to stay.

“You there! What are you doing here? Do you not know this is the resting place of the most powerful being in the galaxy?!” said the follower, spitting out false statements that had been drilled into his head. A quick smile overcame the Anzat, not able to stifle it.

These pathetic fools think that Andeddu was, or is, the most powerful being in the galaxy? If only they knew that he will remain dead, and no resurrection would be coming.

“I have been summoned, by your Master. He wishes to...teach me a lesson or two.” said the Anzat, using his natural Anzati telepathy to try and manipulate the Dark Sider to allow him entry, preferably unharmed entry.

“Our Master gives no such summonings! What makes you think you could manipulate us, the Malevolence?” demanded the old human.

“If he does not give such summonings...and does not teach...explain, member of the Malevolence, my appearance. I resemble similarities to your own master, do I not? The decayed flesh, the unkempt wiry hair, the pieces of flesh missing from my body, and fanged teeth. Explain to me, just how I would look like this, and survive for over 5000 years, if I were not a true follower of Lord Andeddu?” said the Anzat, his eyes boring holes into the practitioner of the Dark Side, who shifted uncomfortably.

“I...I cannot...Enter if you dare, but do not expect easy passage to our Master's Crypt...I can personally speak for all our members when I say we will not tolerate any disrespect to our Lord.” said the follower, his words ringing within the Anzats ears.

The Sith nodded, brushing past the old human as he entered the fortress. His eyes blinded by disuse and the corruption of the Dark Side, the Ancient used the Force to give him sight, seeing the Dark Fortress for what it was. As he walked through the Mausoleum, he could feel various presences, but never could he see them, he could hear voices demanding him to turn back, but never could he find their origin, and he could smell the odors of various people who had forgone the use of a refresher.

Turn back Human...you have no business here...

Death comes swift to those that enter my resting place...

You will not see the light...




All the threats had entered and exited the Anzat's mind, not having any effect on the Sith who needed Prakith to further his research into the ancient armor he yearned to craft. He knew that Andeddu held the secrets he needed, he wasn't sure how he knew, but his instincts told him that it was Andeddu who had what he sought.

The voices didn't stop as he walked through the corridors of the ancient Fortress, never once encountering another Malevolence Cult member. The Anzat began to sprint towards a large obsidian door as he could feel an intense Dark Side presence just beyond the door, he had found the crypt of Darth Andeddu.

The door was heavy, large, and impossible to move by himself. No matter how much power he exerted, he could not move the obsidian door, with every effort he attempted only having dust fall from the ceiling at his constant running and pushing.

You have traveled this far, and you have failed. How do you feel human?

Our master would never let you in...you will die here...

As soon as the last voice crawled out of his head, another obsidian door, just as large and heavy as the last one, swung shut, leaving the Anzat trapped. Panic set in as he realized that he would in fact die if he didn't do something. He looked around, but all he saw were skeletons, probably grave robbers trying to steal the secrets of the Great Andeddu.

The Sith reached out with his mind, eventually finding one weak Cult Member's mind to touch. He raped the various barriers of the Member's mind until it was left defenseless, ripe for the taking. The Ancient probed the Cultist's mind, finding nothing useful to open the door, though he did find that he was being watched by every cult member, they too being trapped inside the large room.

“I know you can hear me, and I know you think I am a grave robber..but trust me, I am not. I merely wish to talk to Lord Andeddu, ask him a few questions, and if he denies me, I will leave. Peacefully. There is no reason any of us have to die today.” said Jaredi, his voice echoing within the room. Seconds after saying it, he began to see eyes poke out from tall pillars, he heard movement, and a wave of relief struck across his entire body.

One by one the Cultists jumped down from their hiding spot, their glares all pointed at Jaredi. He could sense they all had lightsabers, and he could also sense that they had readied themselves with a defensive barrier of Force Energy. It was at this, that he smiled.

“Speak, stranger.” said one of the Cultists, his dark eyes meeting the Anzat's clouded gaze. The Sith could sense the anger that permeated from the group, their common tricks and practices not working on the Ancient Fallen Jedi.

“I wish to get past this door.” said Jaredi, bowing his head at the speaker, taking on of his hands and placing it on his saber. If needed, he would merely cut a hole through the obsidian door, but he had hoped he could open it through more conventional methods.

“Beyond this door is our master...no one, except our Leader, is allowed past it.” said the same Cultist, his hand holding a cylindrical object, his stance shifting to symbolize he was getting ready to fight.

Jaredi only smiled, bowed his head, and activated his crimson lightsaber, pointing it to the throat of the Cultist.

“I am your leader now!” Jaredi spat. He noticed all the other Cultists shifting for their lightsabers, but Jaredi only stared at the defiant one he had been speaking too. “And as your leader, I demand you open this door.”

“Our loyalties are harder to change then a mere threat to our life. We are undying.” said the Cultist, his dark eyes blazed with hatred. The Anzat merely smiled at this little saying, as he was threatening to kill one of the Cultists, none of the other Cultists had readied their blades. He became quite curious.

Jaredi slit the throat of the Cultist who he was previously talking to, and turned to face the other Cultist, his red blade still active.

“No. You are not undying.” said the Sith with a smile, his fangs flashing in front of the afraid Cultists. “Open the door.”

The Cultists did as they were told, seemingly bending to the Anzat's will far easier then expected. With the death of the Defiant Cultist, he had realized that one of the Dark Side Entities that he had felt had completely evaporated, before he felt multiple entities, and now he only felt one. And with this realization, he had also realized what had happened. The Cultists had shared a connection with the Defiant One, and when he had died, their power to control the Dark Side did as well.

It was of no matter or use to Jaredi, he entered the crypt of Lord Andeddu and was bathed in the dark side.

3 Months Later

The Anzat had been in the presence of a sinister genius, and while the Sith was not yet strong enough to apply have of the things Andeddu taught him, he had remembered all the rituals that the Dark Lord had to teach, though the Ancient doubted he'd ever have the amount of power it would require to do the rituals.

“It would appear, young one, that my Cult has taken to you as their new leader. I've taught you everything you would need to fill the position. What say you?” asked the Spirit of Andeddu, his ethereal form flickering as he stared at the mortal Anzat, his dark gaze making the Sith feel uncomfortable.

“I...I accept. There were things I wished to get done, however, Lord Andeddu.” said Jaredi, his eyes finding it hard to meet the skeletal face of his new Lord. He wasn't lying, he hadn't expected to become the new leader to a cult of Dark Side Practitioners, he had merely come here to commandeer the fortress's facilities.

“Yes, you had mentioned that the first time I met you...you claim you want to build armor that my Old Empire built in it's infancy.” the Dark Lord said, his voice gruff and sinister. “I have the facilities to build it, I have no use for this fortress in my current state...I will allow you to use them under one condition.”

“Anything, my Lord.” said the Anzat, kneeling before the ghost.
“When you complete your task...you leave this place.” said the Dark Lord, his back now turned to the Anzat, who could see right through him.

“I'm not sure I understand, my lord.” said the Sith, his confusion radiating off of him. The Dark Lord had asked that he take the position of Leader of his Cult, and at the same time, he wanted him to leave the Dark Fortress. But, why?

“There is a group of Force Users, Dark Side Practitioners if you will, that can offer you much more in training. I have taught you as much as my ancient mind can remember, and as much as your ability at the moment can handle. When your affinity for the Force grows, return here. When you do return...that is when your next task will be given to you.” said the spirit of Andeddu, his voice surprisingly calm and serene for a Dark Lord of the Sith.

“And, may I ask, my Lord, what that task is?” said Jaredi. No matter what it was, the Anzat would have done it, as Andeddu had wells of knowledge and vast libraries of Ancient Sith information at his disposal, something Jaredi could have used.

“My spirit will enter your body, and my resurrection will come. You have become a fervid follower of mine, and using your body, when it's maximum potential has been reached, I shall conqueror the galaxy once more.” said Andeddu, persuading the Anzat with a strange dark hold on his mind.

“Yes, my Lord.” said the Anzat, arising from his kneeling stance, his eyes finally staring into Andeddu. The Dark Lord had requested he use his body as a host, and while Jaredi had no intentions of ever coming back to Prakith, he had told the Ancient Spirit he would so that he could gain access to the facilities of his Fortress. Thankfully, the Spirit's ability to read emotions and thoughts had evaporated considerably since his death.

1 year later
Fortress on Prakith
Alchemical Lab

It had taken an entire year, but the Sith had finally done it. He had constructed an ancient set of armor, giving it a modern technological overhaul. If the Anzat was terrifying before, he was a rare sight to behold now. The armor itself was flexible and light, perfect for stalking the shadows and staying hidden.

The armor itself covered the entire body of the Anzat, his helmet looking like the old Neo-Crusaders of Mandalore. Right where the dark helmet met the neck were shoulder pads, nothing too ornate, just protecting his upper body in case he needed to tackle or push his weight around. The torso was covered by black flexible materials that when alchemically treated were stronger then most armors. His arms were covered by the long gauntlets that had blades attached to the thumb, index, and middle fingers, along with spikes sticking out from his knuckles. While his entire armor was black, Andeddu had given him a large piece of a white silky material to use for decoration on his armor, which he used to have dangle in front and behind his legs.

His boots, going up to his knee, were treated with alchemy to be able to withstand vast pressures, and were also shined to a blinding shine. The belt that the Anzat used had many clips, for fallen enemies weapons, such as lightsabers. Only one hung at the moment, and that was the Defiant Cultist's lightsaber.

With his armor created, his chemical compound figured out in the correct dosage and being injected into him through various times of the day, the Anzat left Prakith. As he promised Andeddu, who had allowed him to use his facilities, he would search out the organization know as the Dark Brotherhood, and learn all he could from them.