The Creation of a Sith

...And Old Enemies

Darth Regel stepped into the spotlight on a dark, stage-like area; the middle of the meeting room of the Council of Elders. The five elders sat atop five separate red-lit podiums, each peering down on Regel. However, she, unlike most others, did not feel the heat of five glares, but the looks of mentors.

The Elders were the oldest and wisest Sith Lords and Lordesses in the galaxy. In order from left to right (from Regel's view) they were Darth Ombra, Darth Malum, Darth Ilhen, Darth Tivo, and Darth Lune. Darth Ilhen was the head of the council, being the oldest and most experienced of the five.

"Darth Regel," Ilhen boomed, turning his nose up to the young Sith, "present your report."

"My senses have led me to believe that Darth Eris is sheltering a lightsider," Regel boldly claimed, looking up at the council head with no fear.

"Do you have any physical evidence of this inference?" Darth Tivo queried, leaning forward slightly in his chair.

"Eris stopped me from investigating further, but my senses do not lie. There was a light presence, I felt it," Regel insisted, taking a step towards the elders.

"Your senses, my young apprentice," Ilhen seethed, "are not yet attuned preciscely. You must be more careful about making assumptions." Regel swallowed, an ounce of fear appearing inside of her, which she quickly suppressed.

"If her information is true," Darth Malum noted, "it could be one of two things. Either Darth Eris is hiding a lightsider, or she herself is succumbing to the lightside."

"But...that's not possible," Regel gasped, a million different thoughts running through her head."Eris, though we were hardly ever close, I know Eris. She's one of the most dedicated Sith I've ever known!"

"Even a tree's strongest branch may break in the midst of a storm," Darth Ombra remarked wisely in a crackly voice.

"Very well," Ilhen said. Each member of the council shared a glance and nodded. Ilhen looked to Darth Lune and she stepped down from her podium into the darkness behind. This confused Regel, but she would soon find it would prove to be quite useful to her cause. "Our solution is this: Darth Regel, you will study further with me, while Master Lune's apprentice, Darth Cohl, will bring Eris back here for interrogation."

Darth Cohl, cloaked in black, stepped out of the shadows as Darth Lune returned to her podium. Cohl was the most talented apprentice of the five elders aside from Regel, and he was proud to say so. He moved forward, crossing his arms, into the light, where Regel could see the red tattoos on his face and arms. His dark brown hair was neatly slicked back, and he wore a menacing scowl. Truth be told, Cohl was a frightening sight to be seen, even to a fellow Sith.

Regel, though relieved to have gotten through to the elders about her suspicions of Eris, was not pleased to have been replaced by Cohl on what she felt was her own personal mission. She and Eris were long time rivals, and she would've loved to have been the one to put her in her place, but no. She would just have to wait. Scowling internally, Regel nodded and stepped back as Darth Cohl stepped into the spotlight.

"Darth Cohl," Darth Lune began,"fetch the girl and bring her back here for interrogation. She should be near the outskirts of the forest at the edge of the Spirit Realm. Find her there." Cohl nodded and turned to exit, passing Regel on the way. They exchanged a hateful glance before crossing each other's paths. Regel didn't approve of him doing her job, but he would do a decent job, and that was all that mattered right now.

-------------------------------------------------

"Why do I have to go with her?" Nera complains as she and Rouge prepare to leave and find a place to hide her. Eris was not amused by her counterpart's incessant nagging. She simply threw the holocron (which she had found before Nera woke up) into a leather satchel and handed the bag to Rouge, who carefully took it and held it as far away from her as possible.

"Because if the Council of Elders finds you out here, they'll kill you, in turn killing me," Eris replied, "and frankly, I'd rather not die today. Do you?"

Nera looked down, realizing her complaining was not being taken well. "No," she muttered, kicking her foot in the dirt.

"Thought not. So, to avoid death, Rouge is going to take you to her hideout. The Elders will never find you there, and I can sway away anyone who tries to come and ask me where you went," Eris announced, beginning to show the two out.

"Let's go, Nera," Rouge said, turning to face Eris. "What do i do with this?" she whispered, motioning to the holocron.

"Bury it somewhere safe, and as far away from anyone as you can," Eris instructed her in a hushed tone.

Rouge nodded. "May the Force be with you, and all that." She turned, and then she and Nera left. Eris took a deep breath, knowing Nera would be safe with Rouge. She turned and sat down on a cinder block. She figured someone, a delegate from the council, would be arriving soon, so she had to be ready.

All of a sudden, she heard the leaves rustle nearby. She instinctively stood and palmed her saber hilt, surveying her surroundings. She looked ahead, scanning her eyes across the area in front of her, not moving except to breathe.

Then, a familiar voice startled Eris from behind. "Hello," the voice said. Eris whirled around to see a tall figure wearing all black, red tattoos all down his right arm. "Princess."