"Yes Lord Veshta?"
"Come to my office as soon as you can."
Seyje slid her holocom into her belt, slightly confused by her master's tone. She sounded more concerned than excited about this meeting. Whatever was going on would make for a good distraction. The redhead sighed deeply, taking a moment to collect her thoughts.
It had been a week since Baras found out. Just as she suspected would happen, the Dark Lord had pitted Seyje and Vemrin against each other at every turn. It had been nothing more than child's play before, but now it was an intense competition. There had been eyes on them before, but now everyone was watching. Alone time ceased to exist, and any down time they managed to find was taken away by Baras. Vemrin was tasked with cleansing the tombs of failed initiates, a job that required both his time and his sanity. If he wasn't hunting, he was doing all sorts of random things for Baras. Seyje was granted the rank of 'Overseer's Apprentice,' and now worked alongside all of them to train new acolytes. If it wasn't one thing, it was always another, and neither student had time to themselves.
We're supposed to be rivals...equals in battle. Yet I'm rising in the ranks while Vemrin is running around doing Baras' dirty work. She hadn't liked the man since he arrived, but now she just flat out hated him. I haven't had a day with Vemrin in two weeks. All that killing he's doing...it's probably tearing his mind apart.
Last night, Baras had issued a duel between them, to compare their fighting progress. Seyje had won – barely. Afterwards she had actually felt some resentment towards her competitor, and her emotions had shocked her. How do you keep on loving someone when all you do is fight them? Seyje shook her head, exhaling quietly. As much as she tried to ignore it, the truth of her situation was staring her right in the face. I'm going to have to kill him at the end of all this. Baras won't allow it to be any other way.
It was as if her stomach ceased to exist, and all that was left was this endless void of numbness. Still, at the center of it all, was this stab of pain that wouldn't go away. It clawed at her, eating away whatever other emotions she felt. To kill Vemrin would be to kill part of herself, yet she couldn't convince herself to admit he was as good as dead, despite the obvious.
The gray walls of the Academy felt more like a cage every single day. I need to get out of here. She could feel herself slipping into a 'typical' Sith role, and it irritated her. Her promoted status meant she could no longer wander the halls as she pleased, nor did she have time in some of the more private rooms. All that would be restored if Vemrin was out of the way. It's like I have to kill my new self in order to get my old self back! "Argh!" Seyje shouted in frustration, slamming her hand against a wall. This was maddening.
She glanced up to see a pair of Scyths looking at her curiously. They started to approach, but she shook her head, raising her hand, and they stopped. The pair exchanged worried glances before shrugging and turning down an adjacent hallway. Seyje sighed, combing a hand through her hair. Mom better have some good news, because I don't know how much more bad news I can take.
The second she stepped through the doorway of Veshta's chambers, Seyje froze. A dark presence awaited inside, much darker than any other acolyte she had encountered. Chills prickled down her back, and a fear snaked through her system unlike anything she'd felt before. To say it was unnerving was a major understatement.
So much for good news.
She walked inside, and saw another young redhead standing next to Veshta's desk. She looked similar to Seyje, but with a thinner face and slightly paler skin. The only noticeable difference were her burning orange irises. Seyje stiffed. A new acolyte that's already this attuned to the dark side? That never happens...
"What's going on?" she asked with a clear edge to her voice. "Seyje, I'm glad you're here," Veshta said abrasively as she stood up from her chair. Seyje eyed the other girl. Something was wrong. The way her adopted mother was almost too relieved to see her said something about the situation.
The aura around this girl was very much like Baras, sly and cunning, but there was one thing about her that made Seyje's hair stand on end. This girl was dark, sinister like a snake, and reckless. Seyje delved into the Force, seeking out the mind of this stranger. Instantly, she was blocked.
The girl sneered, her lips forming a malicious grin. "Did you really think I'm that naïve, sister?" she hissed.

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SWTOR: The Davire Legacy
Science FictionA collection of short-stories about the Davire sisters, written at varying times from 2014 to 2021. I tried to post them in a somewhat chronological order, but they were not written in that way. I had always thought I would write a full fledged sto...