(Mace PoV)
(Shuttle, Korriban)
I kept to myself as I surveyed those around me. I kept my guard up as I looked at each one of them. Doing a once over of those around me, I could tell they were all weaklings. Well, almost all of them were. My eyes flickered over to the sith pure blood sitting over on the other side of the shuttle. Most people avoided sitting next to him, as they did me.
I didn't care that they kept their distance that just showed how weak they were. Not being able to face their fears and show their dominance they were sure to be stepped on. As my eyes flickered over I saw his red eyes staring back.
I felt a small smile threatening to break out as I stared into the determination and arrogance that was held in those eyes. It would be fun breaking him and showing him who was better. And that's what would happen, because I never lose, I never falter, I will never be defeated.
Finally I couldn't help it as a vicious grin broke out on my lips and I saw the light of competitiveness flash through his eyes.*Grr* I felt a deep rumble come to my throat as the beast inside me was roused. This would be fun.
Once I was done with him I would be on my way to becoming a true sith lord! We continued or stare for a few minutes before finally he broke eye contact. He wanted to play it off as him getting bored, but I could see the small amount of weakness that he showed. He would be a nice warm up, but he wouldn't be a threat.
Looking away from him I turned my attention to a different side of the transport. We had been split into two sections of the shuttle, as half of us were going to be the warriors of the empire while the others would delve into the force and become the inquisitors, the conniving backstabbers. I preferred a straight fight compared to what they were like. I had seen some of them in my time.
Sitting over there was the only other threat that I could see. It was a woman, with straight black hair that was cut short; she radiated a power that I hadn't felt before. I couldn't place my finger on the feeling but it gave me pause.
Looking at her, she was starring right back at me, just like before I looked deep into her pools of light to see what she was truly like. What I could see gave a small rise to the beast inside again, the unwavering determination and cold calculating chill from her brown eyes was entrapping.
In the end I couldn't figure her out before the shuttle landed. *Crank* unbuckling myself I sent her one last look before moving towards the ramp. I didn't spare anyone else a look as I made my way to what was waiting, my destiny was waiting.
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(Outside the Tomb of Naga Sadow)
"Vette. You found it?" Giving a small look to the red twi'lek behind me I waited patiently. *Crank* The sound of a lever being pulled told me all that I needed to know. I wasn't sure what it was about the twi'lek, but since I met her something had been different.
Something was telling me about a hidden strength she possessed. Even though I had found her in jail and being kept by an overseer, I trusted my gut and brought her along. She had been proving useful so far.
This was the last mission set upon my by Baras. And I was competing against that weakling, Vemrin, as I thought; he was the last one standing. It was finally time to show him his place. Moving away from the lever and moving further in, I took out my blade and quickly dealt with the tomb raiders.
I know they were nice training targets for most sith, but they were becoming a nuisance. *Pew*Just as I had jumped into the group I heard the blaster fire of Vette behind me, thank god she was useful in a fight. Actually she was almost too useful; her fighting skills were above the average acolyte I had met so far.
In a few second they were on the ground, dead, and we moved on, we were just outside of the tomb when I heard the sound of lightning around the corner. Taking a quick peek I saw her again. The woman I hadn't been able to read. I had seen her when I was doing a few of my initiation test but this was the first time I had seen her in action.
Surrounded by 5 tomb raiders her hands flared to life with lightning as she began to shock those moving close. My eyes rose in surprise for a second as I saw this, lightning wasn't the easiest ability to master. I may not use it personally, but to have such a grasp already…she was powerful.
I could just feel the grin that broke out on my face as I pulled my blade. "Vette." With one last word to her, I jumped in. Gathering the force below me, I propelled myself forwards right at one of the raiders on the left.
He didn't see me coming as I cleaved right through him. Not stopping for a moment I turned and matched blades with another. *Pew Pew* another one dropped to the ground as we made short work of those around.
Turning to look at the woman I had just helped, I saw her starring right back. She didn't say anything, but I could see her mind at work, trying to figure out what my goal was. I gave a smile as I sheaved my blade and walked towards the tomb. Something was drawing me to her, there was no reason not to give her some help.
Not to mention that it wouldn't have mattered, she would have dealt with them, I could tell. I saw Vette give a small wave as we walked away to finish my initiation. It was time to deal with Vemrin.
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(Black Talon)
I stepped into the meeting room and stopped for a second. The droid was in the room, ready to deliver whatever message was ever so important. Vette was trailing behind me a happy smile on her face. I had let her go gather some things on the fleet while we were there. She had found whatever she was looking for.
But I wasn't the only one in the meeting room, sitting down and looking at me was that woman once again. She had grown stronger once again, I could just somehow tell. Standing behind her was a beast I had never seen before, something about the beast shouted danger in my head, but that just made my want to fight it even greater.
I gave the woman a nod as I found my seat, while Vette waved once again. In return she also nodded, it was minimal but it was a reaction. "Good now that everyone is here…" The meeting started.
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*Snap* *Hiss* I let my blade extinguish as I looked down at the defeated padawan. She had been a slight challenge, especially having the back up of her troopers, but we had defeated her. Her hilt lay broken on the ground from where I had destroyed it.
Towering to her left was the beast; it had been a good distraction while its master and I had taken on the padawan. Vette had helped it out when it had slowed down.
Giving one last glance at the defeated Yadira Ban, I moved towards the other side of the room, the traitor was trying to escape, I had to stop him. "ARGH!" *Crackle* Behind me I heard a scream of agony as she gave the padawan a shock.
Looking at her for a second I could see the smile of pleasure that appeared. I only looked for a second before continuing on. It looked like it would just be me to take the traitor down. Yadira had been the last line of defense anyway; it was time to take out the trash. She could have her fun.
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(Korriban Academy)
(Years Later)
I walked slowly down the corridors as I went to a council meeting. It wasn't usual that I went to them, but every now and then I would go. Jaesa walked behind me on the right, while Vette traveled on my left. Pierce was meeting some of his old friends on the fleet; we would pick him up on the way back.
Just as I was closing in on the chamber I stopped as I sensed a presence. I hadn't felt it in a while, but it was something very hard to forget. Standing still I waited as the presence got closer. Finally I turned to look at her.
I looked at her for a few moments before I spoke. In my head I compared what she looked like now to what she looked like when I first laid eyes on her. Her hair had grown longer, her eyes sharpened; her body that had once been smaller had grown as the years went on, so had her power.
"So you also became a Darth, even a member of the council. Congratulations…" She nodded as she stepped next to me. "I'm known as Darth Nox now." I gave a nod as a smile came to her face. "I heard about you as well, Wrath."
A small grin came to my face as I turned to look her in the eye. It had been so many years but I still couldn't see through her, she had already become so powerful. Maybe not as powerful as me though.
We both continued to walk to the chambers as the others stayed behind us. She had brought two people as well. One was the beast that had been with her for years, while the other was her padawan that she had taken on Taris.
"I heard about the betrayal of Baras on Quesh, I told you not to trust him." Giving another nod we stopped before we walked in. "It was good advice, not that I every really trusted him." We both looked at each other as I continued. "I would have helped you with Thanaton, but I was a bit occupied at the time." She shook her head.
"He never stood a chance, he was weak…" She took a breath as she looked me in the eye. "He wasn't strong, like us." When she said those words I felt something change between us. We had known each other for so many years, since we were both acolytes.
After the event on the Black Talon we had kept in contact, which had only gotten more frequent as we became more powerful. There were many time when we were on the same planet at the same time. Like in the past it felt like a bond was keeping us together, and when she said those words I understood the meaning underneath it.
A smile came to my face, unbidden as I couldn't help it. Looking into her deep brown eyes I finally felt like I was seeing through her, like I understood.
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(3rd Person PoV)
(Nar Shaddaa)
(3 Years Later)
"Where would you like…URgh….HEY!" *Bang* *Whirl Buzz* *Zooom* The hover taxi shot off into the sky as it left behind an unhappy taxi driver. Mace didn't care as he pressed down on the pedal and swerved right and left.
*BEEEEP!!* *HONK!!* Dodging oncoming traffic, he flicked a holo projector to the side and pressed a button. *Beep* *Beep* A small red dot appeared and kept flashing as he started to trace the signal. His heart pounding inside his chest he felt the anger within starting to overflow, but held it back.
He couldn't explode right now. Shifting between the red glowing dot and the area around him, it wasn't long before he finally came up to a building. Flying into restricted space and not giving a damn he steered the thing right towards the entrance before igniting his Lightsaber. *Snap Hiss*
Carving out the roof above him, having no support it flew off behind the vehicle as it got closer to the ground. Giving one last look at the red dot he slowly stood up. Calculating it in his head, at the last second he jumped out let himself fall.
The hover taxi didn't slow down as it continued on its path before finally crashing into the entrance. *BOOM!!!* Explosions rocketed outwards as Mace fell towards the decking. Just as he was about to hit, he held out his hand and channeled the force, using force push.
*Bang* It dented slightly as the rebound slowed him down. *Crack* Even doing that the fall still cracked his armour as he fell into a roll, shaking off the momentum before rushing forwards. In front of him the entrance was blown open and some republic commandos where trying to organize themselves.
Finally feeling like he couldn't hold it in any longer, the anger that he had repressed burst outwards. The force almost visible manifested itself around him as a red mist floated out from his body and clung to it. *Clang* *Clang* The alarms went off as the people in front of him cowered at the juggernaut closing in.
Pushing off the ground, Lightsaber ablaze, Mace started to tear through everyone that was in his path. Some of them ran to the side trying to hide, he would have killed them too but he was in a rush. Not giving them any mind he continued forwards.
Upstairs and through multitudes of enemies, he felt his connection to the force start to weaken. 'Not good' Thinking to himself, he upped his speed. As he reached a pair of reinforced doors he could feel her on the other side of them. But his heart clenched as he felt how weak it was.
He could just feel it over, whatever was locking the force. His rage surged as it provided him strength as he ripped into the door and busted into the room. He stopped for a second as he noticed the 4 Jedi that surrounded her.
6 of them were littered around the palace already dead, with the remaining 4 close to death, but they had her outnumbered. She was already on the ground struggling to keep them back, blood flowing from blaster wounds. His rage surged to heights Mace had never felt before.
"Rargh!!!" Letting loose a powerful battle cry his mind heightened to the highest it had ever been. Leaping into battle, one didn't have time before he sliced off their hands and then their head. Watching one of their comrades fall, the other 3 turned to him blades ready.
Green, blue and yellow lit up his face but his anger was too much, dashing forwards his blows came heavy and fast as he knocked one back with a push and clashed with another. With heavy blows it only took him 4 blows before he disarmed his opponent and sliced him in half.
Watching him fall, he turned to the person closing in on his back and raised his arm. *Grip* *Splutter* *Crack* Using only a few seconds he choked the life out of the poor Jedi before breaking his neck. The last Jedi was back on his feet, but Mace could feel the fear that was radiating off him.
Taking a quick look at the pool of blood that was pooled underneath his wife he felt his sanity disappear as he threw his Lightsaber at the man. Pulling out his second hilt, he jumped right after it.
The Jedi was just able to block the blow but didn't see the quickly approaching, heavily armored figure. Eyes widening in shock, *Sizzle* He couldn't speak as he dropped to the ground.
Mace didn't send him a second glance as he rushed over to his fallen wife. Sliding to his knees not caring about the blood, he quickly checked for her pulse as well as her connection to the force, but it was so faint.
Dread started to fill him as his anger died down. "Alira! Can you hear me?! I'll get you to a med center right away." About to wrap his arms under her legs and back, the eyes fluttered as they opened. The brown eyes looked into his red ones and she let out a smile.
Reaching her hand up to caress the side of his face she spoke. "No it's too late, I can feel death's approach. The force will be taking me." Mace's heart dropped even further as he didn't want to accept the words.
Seeing the denial that was about to set in Alira spoke up before he could. "Remember what we spoke about before, you have to do it now." Mace shook his head in desperation. "NO, we still have a chance." Alira shook her head faintly.
"I will always be with you; we can find a solution latter. You have to do it now. Take care of my Apprentices in my stead" Mace stopped for a second as he starred down at his wife. He couldn't remember the last time it happened, but he felt the small trickle of water come from his eyes. Seeing that determination that he had fallen in love with all those years ago, he had no other choice.
Giving one final nod of understanding he laid her body on the ground as he started to set up the preparations. She didn't have long he had to do it before it was too late. Having married her, they had both spoken about their paths to power, how it all came to be.
And out of all the stories there was one ability that just she had, something she never shared with anyone else, something that was a secret only she could use. Something that she had taught Mace should it ever be required.
Force Walking.
Finished with the preparations Mace looked down one last time at his Dying wife and began the ritual. They would be together forever, never separate.