Legacy of Darkness: Book 1 - Darkness Rising

Chapter 1: Anointed

Xalek climbed the stairway, steadily and confidently. His feelings of pride, elation, and resolve flooded his mind and heart, strengthening him. His master had just become a member of the Dark Council, now known only as Darth Nox. The name, he knew, reflected his master better than the previous title: Lord Kallig. His master was so much more than a mere heir of some long-dead Sith. He was the Dark Side incarnate. He was power and hatred and deception. He was darkness given form. Xalek felt more bloodthirsty, more hungry for action than ever. Now was their time. Now he and his Master would seize power, and rule as the Lords of the Sith they had been born to be.

His master had summoned him almost immediately upon returning to his luxury apartment suite in Kaas City. The suite took up an entire 3 floors of one of the Imperial Capital World's tallest skyscrapers. It had not been cheap. But price was no object to a Lord of the Sith, not within the Empire at least. No doubt becoming a member of the Dark Council would only increase the benefits they would have access to. Not that Xalek really cared, as long as he had plenty of challenging opponents to fight and tasks to accomplish. He was a warrior, to him luxuries were not much more than a distraction. But even he wouldn't deny that luxuries were symbols of power, which is why his master suffered many luxuries.

He reached the top of the stair, where he saw his master's oldest and most faithful companion, the Dashade Shadow Killer, Khem Vaal. The Dashade was the picture of malevolent strength. His skin was a deep red, the color of dried blood. White designs, tattooed onto his chest spoke of his essence as a Shadow Killer. Xalek had learned to interpret Dashade tattoos in his first few weeks as his master's apprentice, believing the creature to be a possible threat to himself and possibly his master. "A mournful and reflective creature" the lines read. "Full of hunger and bound by honor". The Dashade said nothing, only followed Xalek with his glaring orange/red eyes as the Sith apprentice turned the corner and headed up the much shorter stairway to his masters personal chambers.

The door hissed open as he entered, and he felt the rush of the Dark Side whoosh out of the portal like a stiff wind on a cold night. He was instantly filled with a variety of passions; Loyalty, bloodlust, pride, and hatred. His Master's presence had always been a supernatural experience to him. He had never felt anything like it in his life. He still remembered his first time feeling it on Korriban. It had awed him to his core. Never before had simply being in the presence of a being inspired him to such great heights of passion. His master didn't have this affect on just him either. In discussions with other members of his Master's inner circle, he'd learned that they all felt the effects of his Master's great presence in the Force. 

Andronikos claimed his reflexes were faster when fighting alongside their lord, making his shots come faster and hit their targets more often and more accurately. Ashara, his master's other "apprentice", claimed her connection to Force changed somehow, allowing her to see and do things she was incapable of by herself. Khem Vaal hadn't said much about his experiences, then again the monster rarely said anything. What he had said was that fighting alongside their master felt like battling at the side of Tulak Hord once more. As for Xalek, being in the presence of his master brought his passions to a peak. It supercharged his connection to the Dark Side and made him immeasurably stronger. Alone he was powerful yes, but under the effects of his master's presence he knew he could slay entire armies, toss Rancors like stones, and bring down enemies normally far beyond his ken.

He'd tasted the effects for himself many times on the battlefield. With his strength and fortitude amplified by the Dark Side, and his connection to the Dark Side amplified by his Master's mere presence, he had taken on enemies of galactic renown. Republic heroes, Sith Lords, Darth's, Jedi of every rank...In his Master's presence he was unstoppable. He realized, suddenly, that he'd been standing there at the entrance to his Master's chambers for a good 2 minutes. Basking in the strength of the Dark Side. He felt foolish, but only a little. After all, could he possibly be faulted for savoring the taste of true power? That is what a true Sith lives for, he thought.