Chapter Two: Worlds Colliding

[Akirapryde]

(OOC: Warning to the reader! This intermission contains material that could be considered offensive and of adult nature. Reader’s discretion is advised.)

In the Shadows of Darkness (Part Two)
City of Jaoppolis
Outer Rim World of Olivan
Date: 2919 AOK (Eight months, one week after Auro’s Birthday)

As the whip racked across Trysta’s back, pain washed over her like the falling rain from the broken ceiling. At the same time, she felt and heard the whisper of the darkside once more. It had mostly been a whisper in the back of her mind for the past few days. There were times over the past two years that it's voice roared like the sound on entire world set ablaze. But this time, it was only a whisper. Calling upon her to welcome it back and to allow it to shield her pains. To hide her from the truths of others.

Trysta wanted to cry, she wanted to scream and let the pain out. But she wouldn't allow herself that comfort. She knew that this was something that she had earned. But it was more than that. For so long, pain had been her blanket. For so long she had held on to it and now was scared to let it go. The whip racked across her back again and she felt the tears dripping from her chin as they mixed with the rain water. She turned her eyes skyward and let the rain wash down over her face.

In her memories, she remembered her sister. As another lashing racked her back, the present faded around her as the royal court on Balkid slowly took shape. Trysta stood not ten meters from her sister as they were setting up for their demonstration. She remembered the Baklid Games of 2917.

“I am going to cut that pretty ponytail off today, Trysta,” Kalya joked.

Trysta laughed, “only if I set in a chair for you.”

The pair battled for over five minutes, throwing everything they had against the other. Trysta smiled inwardly as that was their secret which made their performances so remarkable. They never held back, not even a little bit. It forced both of the sisters to improve their game and skill. That day, Trysta got the better of the two. Her blade cut through her sister's side bangs narrowly missing Kalya’s throat by only a small margin. Though her sister did try to make good on that promise, she fail. Trysta's ponytail would survive another day.

Once more the whip licked Trysta' s bare back and sent pain flooding across her mind. Trysta once more found back the urge to scream. Instead she found a more pleasant place to hide from the pain. At the academy on fray, she and her sister were more than just cadets. Like many of the cadets who were Saberblades, they were secretly tasked by their team captain, Graff, to help patrol the capital city. Their mission to protect the cadets of the Academy from the local criminal population. Trysta and her younger sister Kalya were especially good at that.

While unsanctioned by the Academy or the local government, the Saberblades stopped street violence targeted at their fellow cadets. It was a task that each Saberblade cherished. And often landed them in trouble with the Academy, local government or both. But no one cared, they followed the orders of Graff without question. In return, he would use his families political pull to make sure that no Saberblade got in too much trouble for their good deeds.

During the second half of their day, Trysta and her sister would skip their last class and venture out in to the capital. For them, it was romantic. It was more than just a duty. They made it in to a game and they loved it. Kalya used to say that they were superheroes, protecting the weak from the corrupt. Trysta only laughed at the silly notion from her younger sister. Trysta, remembered the first time she felt and heard the call of the darkside. The first time she felt its cold grip on her heart.

A pair of younglings, who had been separated from their larger group, had been chased in to a trap by a band of thugs. Alerted by one of their fellow cadets of the two missing younglings, Trysta and Kalya were on the search. Kalya heard their screams for help and within moments the sisters were in the heat of the battle. The ten thugs were hardly a match for the two expert duelists. Trysta would normally feel the calm that came with every battle, but this time it was different.

This time, Trysta saw that the female youngling had her rob torn and ripped. The poor thing had this look of terror on her face. It was then that Trysta realized that these filthy animals had planned to defile the poor girl. During that battle, Trysta felt rage like never before. She reached a point and she knew. It was that point where you see yourself starring over a cliff. You want to pull back but you can't. That was right where Trysta stood, looking down over the cliff in to darkness.

Trysta stood there with the leader of the Thugs beaten and broken. His neck caught between her blades. All she had to do was pull her blades apart and end his worthless, filthy life. Such a little effort and his life would have been gone. Trysta stood there looking down at the man with judgement in her eyes. She felt his fear, felt his despair, and she craved it. But there was a voice calling to her. At first the voice seemed like a million kilometers away, but then it suddenly sounded so close.

That voice was calling her back from the edge of oblivion. Trysta looked over at her sister’s light tanned hand. It had softly fallen a top of her own hands. She hadn’t realized that she had been shaking till her sister steadied her. Her sister spoke softly about not giving in to the darkness. To not let this man’s actions drew her in to the darkness.

Trysta in that moment saw her sister for the very first time. Kalya had light tan skin, medium cut blond hair, and the most radiant blue eyes ever. All gifts of their human father. In that moment, there was much more to Kalya than what she looked like. In that moment, Trysta saw how Kalya was pure of soul and heart. It was that pureness that Trysta longed for. That innocence that she had lost a long time ago. Trysta was so grateful for her sister as her grip loosened. This allowed Kalya to free the man, who fled with the rest of his gang.

Trysta stood there with tears running down her face. She looked more like her mother, darker almost a grayish color of skin with matching eyes. Her near white long hair was always in a ponytail. As part of their traditions, she wore a metal symbol of her family’s crest made from pure silver. This symbol was pressed on to her forehead so that it was anchored by small barbs in her skull. Being Dargonesti, the eldest daughter per their tradition, would lead the family when their mother would step down or pass away. At such a point, Trysta’s silver crest would be replaced by a gold crest.

The Dargonesti had the fewest number of force sensitives among the galaxy’s races. Trysta and Kalya were the first of their family to be born force sensitive. Because of this fact, the sisters were always introduced as a status symbol for their family. In that moment, Trysta didn’t feel proud of who she was or what she was about to do. In fact, in that moment she was ashamed of herself.

In that heartbeat of a moment Trysta turned from the darkside. But she couldn’t had done it alone. She owed her sister for giving her to the steady hand to help guide her from that cliff. As they escorted the two younglings back to their group, Trysta never told her sister why this one Thug drove her to cross that line in taking a life. She never told her about how she saw herself in that terrified youngling’s eyes. That secret Trysta would take to her grave.

The whip once more racked across Trysta’s back and once more she refused to cry out. Trysta stood defiantly as Nalya’s anger grew. She wanted to see Trysta suffer, to hear her scream out in pain. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Her thumb slowly changed the setting on the whip from five to six.

Not only did the pain level increase, but so it the damage the whip caused on the flesh. The magnitude of the change was increased by a factor of six. Nalya smiled as she believed that no one saw what she had done. She drew the whip back and unleashed it across Trysta’s back. The increased sound of the whip indicated the change in intensity.

Unprepared for the increase, Trysta’s body shook under waves of pain. It was like someone had taken a sheet of razor blades and pulled them across her back slowly. Trysta’s knees gave out as she collapsed under the pain. Her arms pulled on the leather straps causing them to dig deep in to her wrists. Bright blue blood started to drip from the straps. She looked once more to the heavens as if to beg for mercy. She wanted it to end, but knew it wouldn’t. She knew it couldn’t end. Not yet, at least.

Deep in her memories she remembered that day. That beautiful, cloudless day on Fray. There at the landing pad of the Academy, two Republic Assault Shuttles were being prepared to depart. She walked with her sister, towards one of them. In the rear doorway, she saw Auro and Unna standing next to Lady Baku. There were other Jedi there for this important mission. Kalya had volunteered for the mission. Trysta wanted to go also, but there wasn’t space.

Trysta remembered that day, as if it had happened yesterday. Her sister had commented about her style of clothing, yet again. Since her first year here at the Academy, Trysta had always pushed the limits of good taste in her attire. Even as a younger teen, she loved showing off her sexuality. It empowered her and gave her confidence. Though he had more to do with that, than she was willing to admit. Even to herself!

Trysta held on to that memory with all of her will, as the pain flooded her mind. Her sister, Kalya stood there in her traditional white outfit. Hardly risqué, though even for the conservative Jedi, that was too much. Trysta often laughed at how much her own outfits would cause the Head Master and the other Faculty to come unglued. Maybe she was trying to get expelled.

Kalya had suggested more traditional attire, Trysta laughed off the suggestion. Instead the sisters made plans for dinner at their favorite local restaurant when Kalya returned from Baku. As her memories flood back, she also heard the darkness calling to her again. Calling her to summon up its strength to ease her pain. Calling to her, to use its power to endure this punishment.

Frija moved forward to address Nalya’s disobedience, but was stopped by Jenna. Slowly Jenna walked forward and motioned for Nayla to hold. There was fear in Nalya as her mind raced. ‘Had I been caught? Did they notice the changed?’ Nalya thought. Panic filled her mind as she tried to show no outwardly sign of what was going on in her mind.

Jenna walked passed Nalya and up to the post where Trysta now hung. Bright blue blood dripped from the fresh deep wound across her back. Her legs had completely given out and her entire weight was supported by her arms which were still bound to the post. “You can end this, Trysta. Renounce the Lord of Darkness and I will set you free.”

Trysta looked in to Jenna's eyes and knew she was speaking the truth. But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. He was more than just a leader. To her, he was like a brother a father. She could no more renounce him as she could renounce her own family. Trysta started to shake her head and speak, but her mouth only hung open.

Unable to speak, her voice broken by the pain. Trysta slowly found her footing once more and rose back up. It took a bit of effort to completely rose back to her feet, but she did. Trysta moved her hands to get the blood flowing within them to the once more. She turned her head to face Jenna as she summoned up all of her will. Her voice crackled with pain as she uttered, “I will never renounce HIM!”

Jenna nodded as she felt that she was looking for. She could stop this at any moment, but now that was up to Trysta. Jenna moved clear and gave Nalya a nod to continue. Believing that no one realized the change in the settings, Nalya changed it once more. Seven times more painful than then the first series of blows. Nalya pulled the whip and let it loss on Trysta's back.

The pain was overwhelming as Trysta nearly lost her will to stand once more. Blood dripped from the new open wound as her pain sensors each screamed out. Trysta's head shot skyward. Her mouth open as if to scream. But to Nalya's disappointment, nothing came out. Even if she wanted to, Trysta was unable to scream.

Lost in her memories, Trysta was back on that landing pad. The skies were black and the rain poured down within her memories. Thick black clouds swirled overhead as red lightening flashed overhead. Auro reached out to her as she cried. Her legs failed and she fell in to his waiting arms. The pain and anguish were clearly visible across her face. There was just so much pain, that all she could do was scream and cry.

Red bolts of lightning flashed over head in her memory as she and Auro dropped to the ground. She pulled her arms towards her face and coiled her fists in to tight balls. She pressed them against her face as if to pull the pain from her very body. Auro leaned over her and comforted in her most vulnerable moment of need. His soft touch, his soothing words were never forgotten. But in her memory the storm overhead raged so loudly. It was if the forests of Fray, the very forest that had taken Kalya from her, had erupted in flames.

Trysta felt the lash again and again in her mind she saw the storm raging over head. Fray’s civil war had exploded. The Academy had fallen under attack. Murderous monsters were killing innocent children. These were the children of her Academy. Those she had sworn an oath to protect. It was the first time Trysta had tasted the death of a living being. It was a taste that she would grow to enjoy.

That morning she exerted her revenge on those who would dare attack the Academy. And once more, Trysta found herself at that cliff. This time, the draw of the darkside was impossible for her to resist. She and a group of Sabers led by Auro had rushed in to the cafeteria. It was a sight of horror. Some dozen younglings and cadets were already slain. The rest had attempted to hide from the attackers. Trysta reached out and from across the mess hall she grabbed the throat of a rebel.

Trysta could see the very table that she and Kalya used to eat at. Meals that she will never be able to enjoy again. She felt his pulse through the Force that she manipulated. Her hatred grew with eve passing heartbeat. In the back of her mind, she remembered how she and Kalya used to laugh and watch the sun come up from that table. Even her ears, betrayed her, as she heard her sister calling her over to that one table.

She felt his life slowly fading. She made sure to crush it slowly, she wanted to savor every bit of his death. In his mind and saw that it was Lady Baku who had planned and ordered the attack on the Academy. Trysta could tell it was her, Lady Baku, who was under that hood. That revelation only drove Trysta’s rage. Kalya had died protecting Lady Baku, and now her sister death was for nothing!

Auro’s attack was both unexpected and a life line to Trysta. He force pushed her in to a near by wall. It was enough to save the monster’s life and pull Trysta from making a horrible mistake. A part of her, that part that longed to be with her sister cried out to Auro. Begging him not to let her go. But Trysta’s eyes betrayed the hatred that was consuming her. He may have pulled her from the cliff, but she was ready to leap from it.

Once more the whip sent pain throughout her body. Her blood splatter on the stone work around the post. Trysta's body started to slump as her strength was failing. Waves of burning pain raced through her nervous system. Her body was shaking uncontrollably. She fought back drawing upon her own will. She managed to remain standing as the memories continued to flood forward.

The final battle for Fray saw Trysta and the other Saberblades fighting heroically against the rebels. Under the banner of the Jedi and Republic, Trysta killed many in the name of peace. But in her heart, she was avenging her sister’s death. She led her squad to victory after victory. She was even decorated for her courage on the battlefield by a Republic Commander. But the war left her empty inside. The loss of her sister, had ripped something from her soul that no amount of revenge could fill.

When the war was declared over, Auro and his squad were given a special mission. They left Fray, never to return, while the rest of the Saber blades were left behind. But for Trysta and the other Saberblades, there was one task left to do. Find Kalya and bring her home. All the Saberblades ventured in to the heart of Fray’s jungles in search of their fallen sister. Despite some of the harshest conditions any of them faced before, the pressed deeper in to the jungle.

Once more the lash struck Trysta back, and once more her body screamed out in agony. Her mind cried out in pain from the memories that she was reliving. Bits of her flesh were ripped from her back by the whip and splattered against the stone work at the base of the pole. Blood flowed in bright blue streams down her legs as she remembered that day.

They found Kalya hung from a tree like a doll that had been tossed there by an angry child. A branch had impaled her side, and her dried blue blood stained her tan skin. Animals had taken bites from the body. Her medium length blond hair has become a nest of insects. Her eyes long ripped out by some scavenger. Stricken by grief, Trysta was comforted by Jenna and Frija. At the same time, Graff and the other males freed Kalya from the tree.

Trysta escorted her sister home unaware of the nightmare she would return to. At Kalya’s funeral, Trysta sang for what she thought would be the last time. She sang a tribute to silence, a song she wrote just for that occasion. A song about the silence in her life now that Kalya was gone. She allowed her anger to flow from her through that song. It was the first time since Kalya’s death that she felt herself crawling back over that cliff. She was so tired of being angry, and with this funeral Trysta felt like she could finally let it all go.

It was her return to Fray that doomed Trysta once and for all. She returned to her family away from home to find them arrested once more. Reports of Graff being killed or arrested on Coruscant. It was all that Trysta could do to remain from being detected while she attempted to figure out what had happened. Per what she learned, Coruscant had sent a new Head Master for the Academy. He found out about Jenna and that all the Saberblades knew, their arrests were ordered.

Trysta learned that her family had been taken to the dungeons of the Academy once more. But it was far worse than that. Jenna’s unborn baby had been killed during the arrest. Then Trysta learned that Graff had been killed by the Chancellor. Hatred filled her heart as she remembered who had betrayed the Academy before. The very same person who was responsible for Kalya’s death. Lady Baku! It was time to punish these crimes against her family. She bathed herself in the darkside. Blacked her blades and moved on her targets.

She made sure that he would be last. She moved through the facilities dorm, like a specter of death. She immersed herself in the darkside and it concealed her presence. Buried so deep within the darkside, the masters never sensed her. In her mind, they were all guilty. Guilty for what Master Amerex had done to her. Guilty for not stopping him from doing it to other little girls. Guilty for the death of Graff and Jenna's baby. For their crimes, she killed every one of them. Her blades dripped with blood when she arrived at his room.

Master Amerex was the instructor who taught advanced healing and meditation. He was also the head tutor for the Academy. More than that, he was also the man who claimed Trysta’s virginity at the age of twelve. At first, she resisted him at each time he made advances on her. She even threatened to report him. He warned her that if she continued to resist, he would choose an easier girl. Someone like her younger sister Kalya.

She hated him for what he did to her. How he made her say things that weren’t true. Made her do things that no child her age had any business doing. She hated his smell, the smells he left on her. The way he touched her and how he entered her. She hated him long before she learned to hate herself for allowing it to continue. Fearful of what he would do to her sister, Trysta stopped resisting. It was the same time she changed from her traditional attire to more inflammatory outfits.

She caught him sleeping, and woke him. The only one that she allowed to wake that night. She wanted him to plead for his life. She wanted to watch him beg, the way he made her beg for it. She made him tell her about every young girl he preyed upon. Even the one that replaced her. Trysta would make sure that this monster never hurt another girl. Her blade removed any threat he could be to a child.

She then asked him about the murder of Jenna’s baby. Trysta listened to him claim that the baby’s death had nothing to do with them. That it was a complication of what she was. Trysta didn't believe him. Then with hate in her eyes, she ended his life. But the hate in her eyes was not for him. She hated herself. Trysta had learned that two young girls had followed her, when she grew too old for his taste.

By morning's first light, Trysta walked from the faculty dorm bathed in their blood. Darkness radiating from her like a heatwave. She freed her family from their bondage. And helped them free the rest of the Cadets from this nightmare of a place. Their next target would be the one who caused so much death, so much suffering. They would kill Lady Baku.

Once more the whip lashed against Trysta's back. It ripped through her flesh spraying the ground with her blood. Bits of her flesh splatted against the ground as the whip started its return trip. For Trysta the pain was just beginning. It was like someone had ripper we flesh off and dropped her in to a large vat of acid. Every single one of her pain sensors exploded to life. Her mind was simply incapable of dealing with that much activity from her neurotransmitters. Trysta turned her head and let out a long painfilled scream. Tears ran from her eyes as she screamed out as loud as her lungs would allow.

Her mind overloaded with pain seemed to shut down as her vision when black. Her lungs depleted all of its air, as her hearing failed her. Trysta’s knees gave out and her body dropped once more. The leather cords cut deeper in to her wrists as her arms were pulled tight once more by her own weight. The wave of pain felt as if someone had poured pure alcohol over her back. Her body convulsed from the pain. There was no longer any thought that wasn’t linked to pain. In fact, there simply wasn’t any thought at all.

Trysta’s back no longer resembled a back. It looked like a bright blue gooey shredded meat. Streams of blue blood streamed down her legs in to puddles at her feet. Her arms stretched out above her head, tied to the pole that was now holding her up. Her knees buckled giving her legs a broken appearance as they slumped under her body. Even the upper parts of her legs were ripped and torn by the whip. Her head had dropped to the side as the rain continued to wash over her. Her near white ponytail dripped with rain water and splatters of blue blood. As Trysta convulsed as her body was simply a bloody mangled mess.