GAME OVER, FOR NOW

Occlus had her eyes on Leena while Baras had his eyes on Arrun.

Two Dark Lords, fighting for their rightful claims and views from within the shadows. Each of them not revealing much, and would push their pieces in the silence of the graves they've dug up for themselves.

Sith Lords would bow in the presence of Darth Occlus as she passed by the halls of the citadel, all except for Darth Baras – who caught the attention of the dark council member before he could even acknowledge her superiority. The woman who ambitiously climbed up on the ladder of power.

"Baras." She spoke sternly. Being accompanied by two other apprentices, there were no signs of her most prized apprentice – the Lord Arrun, her adopted boy.

"My Lord." He acknowledged.

"Accompanying your Master and waiting for him out of these doors must be tiresome, you've been at it for years now." Occlus pointed out the simple observation that every Dark Lord in the council has noticed. "Don't you get tired following him like a dog?"

"We play our roles, my Lord," Baras answered humbly.

"We haven't spoken much since the last time you watched over my son."

"Since the last time you saw my apprentice or the last time I saw yours?" Baras's words made the dark Lord twitch for a moment. The arrogance could be felt around the atmosphere of the two Lords.

"A man with no motive is a man no one suspects, Baras." She carefully watched him. Two masked figures, powerful figures that represent the Sith Empire in their own way. With their own respective seats and chain of command, the spy network that they built – only to wage war against each other. "Of course, you know that of all people in the Empire, but tell me, what do you want?"

"I thought you know what I want, my Lord?" They were playing a dangerous game. With birds singing through their ears for decades.

"I was wrong." She admitted with no hesitation.

Baras gave an answer. "No, you weren't."

"We are all subject to rules, Baras." Occlus reminded him. "And if we fail to live up by them, the consequences are severe."

A warning or not, the Dark Lord proceeded into the room where the dark council stands. Holding their little meeting with the prospects of the Empire and how they will proceed with the idea of war against the Republic. Crushing them in the shadows was one thing but it wasn't enough to create war.

Dark shapes come to her at night, haunting her. A common connection with Zylas's daughter. With the possibility of all of Zylas's children is alive, Occlus didn't know how much resources she has to waste just to protect them – just as she promised. She can't exactly protect traitors to the Empire, all she could do is to extend her power to the children who serve the Empire.

"He seems to be a humble Lord, Master." One of her young apprentices spoke.

"It's the humble ones we should be careful, apprentice. Don't trust anyone. It's safer that way in the Empire."

As a woman who created thousands of enemies, possibly even millions across the galaxy – and as soon as they see weakness, they will attack. Before the Dark Lord could even proceed in the room, she turned to one of her apprentices. "Give the word to Leena Sern, I will wait for her in my chambers."

"As you wish, my Lord."

It was a careless step, a reckless step – sometimes she wondered if Zylas was possessing her body but, even she knows that sometimes, sacrifices have to be made for the success rate to be high. She's Sith, one of the most powerful Dark Lords across the galaxy. She always wanted to be something more, than just another slave that the Sith found and brought to the academy. Do something good for herself and those around her.

Every step takes her closer away from the person she wanted to be. But even Dark Occlus understood that the person she is, is Sith – and a favor for a favor keeps her playing the game. And the Force wants her to play the game further until there is nothing left until she burns to ashes along with her enemies.

When Leena proceeded into the chambers of the Dark Lord, Occlus was there in silence and alone – her identity as a human Sith is concealed. With only a few knowing her true name, where she came from, who her Master is.

The Dark Lord only had one question when she looked up upon the Sern apprentice in front of her. From the eyes, she is truly Zylas's oldest daughter and even Occlus couldn't ignore her request even in death.

"My Lord." The apprentice bowed.

"Do you want to go home, Leena Sern?" Occlus asked. As a Darth, she could name the apprentice a Sith Lord there and then. But Sith business wasn't the only thing Occlus called the girl in, but rather to make sure that the girl was aware of her worth and what exactly her mother left for her to achieve.

"I do." Despite the sealed hatred she had for Baras, she still wanted to go home.

Occlus sighed, standing up and walking towards the girl. Placing her hand onto her cheek, having a good look at her. She has her mother's eyes. "When I was just appointed into the Dark Council, I heard a story about a child who managed to survive the Jedi assault on her home on Alderaan, something of the worst massacre in living memory. She was brought into Dromand Kaas by her father and her non-force sensitive sister – with no wealth, no lands, no influence, and only a name."

The Darth proceeded to the shelves as she took out some datapads that were recorded from that specific period of time. The time where she witnessed a cutdown that has scarred her for decades. "When I demanded a status report on the damage and casualties, they told me the Serns were gone, and I didn't listen."

She turned back to the apprentice, who was carefully listening to her tale. "She was eventually taken by an Overseer at age twelve to attend the Sith Academy but, he had orders to follow from his late Lord. So he took the child in, trained her in the art of warfare and how to properly wield a lightsaber, trained her to be a fine warrior and finally – brought her to the academy at fifteen in hopes that Baras would take you on as his apprentice compared to a slave with no name, and that appeared to be that."

"And after years training under his chains, my spies told me that this girl without wealth, lands or influence has somehow acquired the interest of all the Lords on the capital planet of the Empire in a very short span of time… along with a powerful connection to the Force and an ancient bloodline to back it all up. I'm just not sure if this girl is fully aware of her worth besides being, her mother's oldest surviving child."

"I…" Leena hesitated for a while. "…some elaboration is required, my Lord."

"I had to make a quick visit to your homeworld, not so long ago and your family back on Alderaan needs someone stronger than your cousin Norin but gentler than your cousin Anthony. Those two cannot be trusted, their hearts lie with either the lost Empire or a corrupt Republic. We must confront the reality that civil war is inevitable."

"I don't understand my role here, they don't even know me as I don't know them. How will bloodshed even help this… family of mine you speak of?"

"You are not meant to help them." Occlus turned to the apprentice, looking her in the eyes. "You are meant to lead them."

"I know what you're thinking. You think that I'm like my mother, but I'm not." Leena raised her voice unconsciously. "I don't have her strength!"

"The people loved her and they will love you," Occlus assured as she placed both of her hands onto the shoulders of the apprentice. This was all she could do. A gamble between her and Baras, and she was very much aware that she will lose. "You cannot think like an ordinary being, you must reach beyond mortal ambition and do what has never been done."

"I'm not Sith. Not yet anyway. Why would I risk myself for a family who I didn't even know existed until now?"

"The Lords of the Sith are cowards," Occlus answered, as she began to touch the apprentice's hair. "Are you a coward? No. You're a Sern. Be a Sern. I need you to become the warrior you are always meant to be, or you could collapse into nothing as your mother did." Leena had something her cousins did not. Occlus did not answer Leena's question.

She had a good claim, a title, a birthright to those lands and power but she had something more than that. Baras may cover it up or deny it but she has a gentle heart, just like her mother when she was her age. She will not only be respected and feared, but she will be loved.

For Zylas's sake, she will try and make sure Leena goes home.

All that she has done, all that she has shown her, she can give everything. Occlus can only hope that she would be the warrior that was meant to be. She is guided by her heart and it is a good heart, she could only pray to the stars that it never darkens.

"You have the potential, the talent, and you still have youth. And what do you do with these gifts? You serve a Dark Lord who doesn't like to get his hands dirty. I understand why you're being careful, he is watching you, Leena." The Dark Lord plead her warning. "He's watching how you behave; he's judging you as your Master. And soon, he will have questions about your loyalty."

"I know he is, and I know he will have something for me so I can… remember my place, in his ranks."

"What are you in his ranks?" Occlus asked.

Leena looked up to the Dark Lord, for a while, Occlus could only see a soul of vengeance in her eyes. "His enforcer."

There and then, Occlus knew that she already lost.