Silence

[Athena Lady Darknss]

She stood near the door way of the chamber. She said nothing and would say nothing until asked something. Her eyes searched the wall taking in all of the different items on the walls.

[Pandora Damaris]

The Ancient Vampyre Pandora knew there was a visitor in the midst of the Shrine. She was fascinated with the new comer from the outer star rim. She would welcome Athena with the utmost respect and hospitality, this was Pandora's task to the Mother of the Damned to do so.

As Athena paced the hall in admiration of the many relic's and statue's that adorned the Shrine wall's, Pandora slowly emerged from the inky black shadow's adjacent from were Athena was standing. Pandora wished not to startle the young woman, so she allowed her to fill her presence as she came forth.

"Do you like what you see Athena?" Asked Pandora in a soft tone as she slowly neared Athena. Athena turned abruptly when she felt Pandora's presence. But what startled Athena the most was, "How did this strange woman in black know her name?"

"I know many thing's, dear sister. But you are a guest now, so if I may Athena, I will now show you to your room. Who you seek here, will be with you shortly." Pandora paused for a moment, then smiled at Athena. "She's reading my thought's, but how?" Athena felt no such dark tendrils breaching her mind. But one thing was for certain, who ever, or what every this woman was, Athena new she was powerful with the darkside of the force...She could feel it!

"I am Pandora. If there is anything you desire while your with us in your stay...Call on me, and it shall be done. Now if you will allow me, follow me this way." Pandora then gestured with one of her delicate pale hand's to a darkened corridor to the right of them. Athena again could feel the wave's of an immense undeniable force signature about the odd woman Pandora. And the black ebony Sith sword at Pandora's hip told Athena she was a warrior. The weapon was magnificent. A two handed serrated bastard sword that was inlayed with strange silver glyph's. It's pummel was encrusted with precious stone's that looked to be worth a king's ransom alone. Oddly, Athena was now becoming more fascinated with this woman Pandora, even though only moment's had passed.

[Athena Lady Darknss]

She was deadly and elegant. The times could not take away her natural beauty. Her skin, her face, her everything. Entracned Athena.

As the Vampyre spoke Athena's questions were answered. Although she didn't come here to find anyone. She came to pay somone

She followed with a word and studied the ladies weapons. Upon reaching the room.

"Stay and we shall talk. "

[Pandora Damaris]

There were no word's exchanged between the two woman as they walked the long corridor to the guest chamber. Torches were spaced every ten feet apart on either side of the Grand Hall. Athena found herself glancing up towards the ceiling that seemed to be go on forever in the blackness above them. Finely crafted marble statue's stood in large alcoves that lined the immense hall. Someone had gone to great length's in building this so called Shrine. Every thing that Athena laid her eye's on seemed to be priceless. Extravagance knew no bounds here.

As they neared the guest room, Athena turned to Pandora and politely ask her to stay and talk. Pandora humbly excepted as she bowed to the guest, then turned towards the double door's to Athena's room. The ornately carved wooden door's to the chamber swung inwards on their own accord as if an unseen spectral servant opened them at Pandora's silent request. Upon entering the chamber were Athena was to stay, her mouth slightly parted in a silent gasp. The lavish room before her was filled with the rarest antiquities and artifact's she had ever laid eye's on. Many of the eccentric relic's that adorned the chamber predated the Clone Wars and beyond. Priceless tapestries, as well as beautifully sculpted furniture filled the mammoth room. This room was indeed fit for a queen. The canopy bed was over hung with the rarest silk's. A small crystal chest sat on the mantel that caught Athena's eye's. Something within it glistened and sparkled as the two went to the setting area. Pandora motioned for Athena to sit, then she walked gracefully over and retrieved two platinum goblet's that were lined in Roon Stone's. Pandora then poured some delicious wine and returned to where Athena sat.

"It would be a pleasure Athena, to sit and talk with you for a while. What would you care to discuss my dear?" A playful smile crossed Pandora's marble like face as she handed Athena her chalice. Pandora's soft subtle word's almost seemed to carry with them a darker purpose.

[Athena Lady Darknss]

The room was emaculant. Stunning could not even state how it looked. As her eyes danced in delit of everything that was going on she smiled.

She removed her eyes from Pandora and looked at the chest, the bed, the chairs, the walls. There was always something to look upon. Pandora returned with a goblet of wine. Athena took the offer and smiled. She then took a sip.

" Anything, something, or nothing. It matters not really. Although I think I would lose my mind if you left me here alone. The silence would kill me. "

Athena smiled and then thought of something they could talk about.

" Tell me who turned you to the ways of Darkness that you follow. And I shall tell you who turned me to the ways of the Darkness that I follow. "

[Pandora Damaris]

As Pandora sat in the lavish high backed chair across from Athena, she took a small sip of the wine from her goblet. The fragrant crimson wine left a glistening sheen to Pandora's Vampyre lip's as she pulled it away from her mouth.

"Yes, indeed, loneliness can be an enemy of time in the heart Athena."

Pandora's beautiful almond shaped eye's then fell on Athena's. They were dark, mysterious, endless it seemed to Athena as she found it hard to keep Pandora's gaze. There was within them ages untold. The window's to a "Silent" past and a well of darkness that was inconceivable! Pandora run her delicate Vampyre finger around the rim of the chalice as Athena questioned her on her "Turning" to the darkside. Pandora politely smiled at Athena's question to her. Her endless eye's never deviated from the guest that inquired across from her.

"I suppose it was much like your self lady Athena. It was always there, in the shadow's, waiting, watching. Until the time when I embraced it and welcomed it."

Pandora then adverted her eye's for but a brief moment as she glanced down to the goblet in her hand. Long moment's passed. One could almost cut the "silence" with a Sith dagger. Pandora then looked up once again to Athena. A stoic look was now etched upon her face as she continued.

"It was a beautiful man by the name of Marius who showed me the truer nature of the darkside. It was he that led me to what I am now. I was most fortunate that our path's crossed when they did." Pandora took another sip of her wine, then smiled once again at Athena.

"The crystal chest on the mantel?" Athena found herself glancing over to it once again. Something within it gave off a slow pulsating glow. It shimmered in the shadow's from where it sat. "But what was in it?" Athena thought to herself as the sense of curiosity began to overwhelm her interest's in it.

"Go to it, and see for yourself lady Athena." Came Pandora's word's to her mind as smooth as silk.

Athena glanced back to Pandora who was now taking another sip of her wine. The invitation to look inside the crystal box was almost impossible to pass up...And so where the Pandora's darker intention's!

Athena made her way over to the large marble mantel were the small chest was setting. She once again hesitated, and looked back to the mysterious woman.

"Open it...I promise you, it won't bite." Pandora replied as she watched Athena with subtle interest. Athena turned once again to the lovely chest in front of her. Reaching up she slowly opened the crystal box to view the content's within. They were "Roon Stone's!" She had never seen such beautiful jewel's in her entire life. There adolescent color's swirled inside each stone. There were different sizes and color's. They seemed almost magical, mystifying in their beauty.

"Take one in your hand Athena." Came the tempting word's of Pandora. Athena reached in and took one of the delicate stone's. It gave off a strange warmth as she palmed it in her hand and studied it closely. The swirling color's inside seemed to look like a captured planetary star system's within. As Athena looked closer at the Roon stone, there was a sudden brilliant flash of light. She was now standing in the Grand Hall admiring the rare antiquities on the walls of the Shrine as when she first came. She felt something, sensed an odd presence of someone! Athena quickie spun around to see whatever or who ever it was. And out of the inky black shadow's came fourth a beautiful woman she had never seen before...Until now.

"Do you like what you see Athena?" Asked Pandora in a soft tone as she slowly neared Athena. A strange and odd feeling of déjà vu fell over the unsuspecting woman as she stood there in the Grand Hall way in utter silence! Athena somehow felt she had experienced this before...Or had she? _ _ _ _

[Athena Lady Darknss]

Athena sat upon the lavish furniture that the Shrine had. She drank the wine in slow sips and listened to the tale of Pandora.

The glow of the crystal chest seemed to beckon Athena. Although she wanted to listen to the story of Pandora.

Every now and then Athena would look up and over at the chest. But then Pandora had told Athena to look at it. Athena placed her feet on the floor and stood. Her cloak falling back along her body.
"Go to it, and see for yourself lady Athena." Came Pandora's word's to her mind as smooth as silk.

She walked over to the box and studied the outer layer of the box. "Open it...I promise you, it won't bite." Her voice rang out again.

Slowly Athena turned once again to the lovely chest in front of her. Reaching up she slowly opened the crystal box to view the content's within. They were Roon Stone's!

" How elegant "

She had never seen such items before. In her hands they dance and swirls of colors jumped out at her.

Then as she was looking at them her Minds eye showed she was still in the room. Yet the walls melted back into the Grand Hallway.

And out of the inky black shadow's came fourth a beautiful woman she had never seen before...Until now. Or had she?

"Do you like what you see Athena?" Asked Pandora in a soft tone as she slowly neared Athena. A strange and odd feeling of déjà vu fell over the unsuspecting woman as she stood there in the Grand Hall way in utter silence!

" I like the Stones, and I like how I have moved Pandora."

Athena knew the lady she had already spoken to her. Her touch within the darkness was stronger then that.

[Pandora Damaris]

Pandora smiled at Athena word's to her. It was obvious to the Ancient Vampyre that this Sith had fortified the deep recess's of her mind. The Dark Side was truly her ally. Athena was a worthy warrior of the mind. Her concept and understanding of the basic principle's of the psyche was measurable and somewhat impressive to Pandora.

"I see your not one to be trifled with when it comes to the games of the mind. I admire that in you Athena." There was another sudden flash, and the two woman were back in the same lavish guest room as they were moment's before. Athena was now standing in front of the marble mantel in the same position she had been in. The beautiful Roon stone was still in her hand, it's swirling color's ebbed to a softer glow now. Athena turned to the strange woman who was still seated in her chair sipping her wine. Pandora then crossed her leg's and slowly sat the jeweled goblet on a small stand next to her.

"The Roon Stone you have in your hand lady Athena, is now yours to keep. You will find on the open market it's value is, Well, in the thousand's...Hundred's of thousand's! A word of advice though, if I may. It is something you might want to consider in not selling. The precious stone's are extremely rare and are receptacle's of the force. The strange properties within them grow as the owner progress's in his or her own abilities. Sith Magic as well as the Dark Side of the Force are recovered faster once expended from the wielder, if the Roon stone is called upon. It also has regenerative capabilities that you might find handy in combat if you were wounded Athena." Pandora retrieved her goblet once more, then took a sip.

"Come, sit with me Athena once again. Tell me now who it was that turned you to the truer path of enlightenment." Before Athena went to sit at Pandora's request, she turned to close the delicate lid to the crystal box, but it was now gone!...

[Athena Lady Darknss]

Athena listend to the information she was being told by the Vampyre. Then she walked over and took the offered seat.

" I was born on Balmorra to a family of Jedi. I was four years of age when taken and given to a darkside family on Coruscant. "

Athena took a drink of her wine.

" I killed my step mother and father on my 16th birthday. As my father and I trained. I was 18 when I found myself on the Planet Umgul, where I meet and Mated with the crown price of the time. I stayed with him until one night I was found unloyal. I left Umgul and started out once more."

Athena paused so Pandora could take in most of the information.

" I found my first master a female by the name of Lady Vader Rhon. I trained with her until I was 24. Then when she departed she sent me on my way to The Sith Empire to find a woman.. known only as the pearl of the Darkside. It turns out that was Dara Shadowtide. Under her teaching I have moved to the Rank of Knight and have returned to her many of the sabers from fallen Jedi."

[Pandora Damaris]

Pandora listened to Athena's story with an almost amused look on her face. She knew what this woman suffered in her short existence thus far. She too could relate to the pang's of life and what it had offered her with it's cruel hand. Pandora took another deep sip of her wine, her eternal eye's never leaving Athena's. Yes, there it was, like and open wound that never quite healed.

"I know of many who have lived their life's out in full, that deserved death much sooner. I see no sin it your choice's Athena." Pandora finished smoothly as a smile crossed her marble like face. Pandora then held out her hand summoning the vintage wine bottle on the counter to her. Slowly it lifted, then seemingly floated to were the two women sat. Once in hand, Pandora leaned forward with the bottle and filled Athena's goblet once again, then her own.

"And you honor your master well with the token's of triumph over the weak." Pandora finished with a kind smile. The woman in black sat her chalice down with the bottle on a small end table next to her chair after taking another long drink.

There was a brief pause, then Pandora narrowed her eye's at Athena.

"I sit here now, and I find what you say compelling, close to my own mortal experiences. But tell me, why are you truly here my fateful sister?" Pandora paused a moment as the silence once again began to invade the lavish room.

"Be not alarmed by my abruptness, I mince word's with no one. However, I find favor in you Athena..." The ancient Vampyre then steepled her long delicate finger's against her crimson lip's. Now Pandora already knew the answer to her own question, however she wanted to hear it in Athena's own word's.

[Athena Lady Darknss]

Athena looked at Pandora and smiled.

" I have come here to speak with Soth. A hunter was in the bar at TSE not to long ago and he left me with platinum pieces. Even though I was going to take his life, for going after Alana and any Vampyre known to TSE. They may not be my kind but they are friends. Lord Soth took care of the man or at least left to take care of him. I have brought the pieces to him. I have no need for them. "

Athena looked at Pandora...

" You favor me? Why is this? "

[Pandora Damaris]

"I see,...You have come afar and wish to make right what you feel has been left undone. Interesting." Pandora paused for a moment then reached over to her chalice and retrieved it.

"The Death Knight would be grateful." Pandora took a drink of her wine and listened to Athena question her on why she favored her.



"You favor me? Why is this? " Athena gave the ancient Vampyre a puzzled look. After a moment of silence in the grand room, Pandora spoke softly to the visitor in front of her.

"You have heart Athena. Many cannot say the same. However, I see in you my sister that it was not by choice, it was simply always there. Yes, much like myself." The Vampyre took another sip and savored the taste. A pleasant smile them stole across her face as she continued.

"One is born with this great quality, your pain and misfortune has tempered and forged what I admire and see before me. But beware Athena, hold fast to what you know, what you have learned thus far. For I see in your future a short end...The "Roon Stone" you have is the answer to this fate. As for Soth, would you care for me to summons him to the room now? " Pandora's cryptic word's left Athena feeling uneasy and out of place. What in the hell could this woman possibly mean? Beware,...Beware of what? A foreseen end? And this Stone was some kind of key to a future fate? Athena then glanced down at the beautiful Roon Stone in her hand. It was warm, oddly warm. A stark contrast to the cold room about them...Deathly cold!

[Athena Lady Darknss]

After looking at the stone for a moment. She smiled.

" Sure please call him in. "

Athena was not about to question anything that sounded like an untimely death.

Sitting there she waited for Soth to enter.

[Pandora Damaris]

Pandora watched Athena intently as she studied the precious Roon stone. Pandora knew Athena at this point could never really fully comprehend the magnificence of what she now palmed. Nevertheless, it was the key, a key that could save her from a fateful death that was as certain as the very stone it's self. It was now a question of timing and the wisdom that is most needed when one enters the cross road's of life! One that would be hinged on a decision Athena would have to make with careful thought once she arrived.

The woman in black finished the remainder of her wine in one last gulp. Setting the chalice down on the side table, Pandora stood as did so Athena.

"Your wait won't be long Lady Athena, your inquiry has arrived." Pandora smiled politely at Athena, then began to make her way towards the large ornately carved double door's. As the door's swung open on their own, Pandora paused about half way. Glancing back over her pale shoulder without fully turning, she mumbled some word's that Athena could not quite make out. Word's that were ancient, unknown, forgotten to a time long since past. Word's that would echo in Athena's mind for many night's to come.

"Anneal nothra euthvous beuth-faus dultya envae."

Then Death entered the room, as it was called to do so.

[Death Knight Soth]

The Death Knight paused as Pandora met him at the entrance of the chamber. The two figure's whispered to each other in hushed tone's for what seemed like long moment's. Soth slowly trailed his eye's over to the woman he had only met once. His very gaze caught Athena by the soul...A soul that he was already searching.

Pandora turned once again to Athena, a wicked smile played across her marble like face as she ran her index finger over Soth's chest. Then the Vampyre Ancient departed into the dark shadow's of the Shrine hall.

The Death Knight remained at the door as they closed behind him. He knew that the woman that stood before him had not come all this to give him coin's...There was something more to the outlander...He could sense it, see it in the window's of her soul!

"It is a great privilege and honor to see you once again M'lady...I never forget a face."

The Dark Knight bowed slightly, his fierce blue eye's still resting on hers. Athena at that very moment felt uneasy, unsettled in his presence. It was as if she was drawing her last breath and he was taking it from her. A feeling of great sorrow permeated through out the lavish room, coupled with the sweet fragrance of rose's...Yes, Athena had now locked eye's with the reaper of innocent soul's!

"If I may be so bold to ask M'lady..." Soth paused, then continued in a smooth even tone.

"What is it that brings you to Roon?" The Dark Knight narrowed his eye's slightly as a subtle smile formed at the corner's of his Vampyre lip's.

[Athena Lady Darknss]

His presence may have bothered an innocent Soul. But she was far from an innocent Soul. She smiled once, until the words from Pandora echoed into her mind. She could not tell what they meant, but some day she would figure it all out.

Athena looked at the one so many called Death. She saw him once at Rama's at TSE. She had her saber out and was about to kill a hunter when he entered. The hunter had left some pieces for her. Why she was not sure.

Although she had no need for them she thought, or perhaps it was another reason she was brought here to see him. What she didn't know.

" Its a great honor Mr. Soth. I am rather pleased one can not forget another so easily."

His question was fair enough for her. And well to the point. She loved that. She hated the people who beat around a bush so not to offend anyone could keep her attention or Respect..

Athena lifted her left hand and held within the force the pieces of coin she had brought forth to give to Soth. Each one glistened in the light, the power of the force pulsing threw the room.

[Death Knight Soth]

"I assure you M'lady, the pleasure is all mine...And if I may properly introduce myself...I am,...Soth Nuevole."

The Dark Knight once again bowed, but this time he slowly extending his left arm in a half arch from his chest, his other rested behind his back. It was Soth's nature and mannerism's to do so. Groomed as a jedi knight before his fall from grace so long ago. In over his entire existence, he had not missed on beat...It was his forte, he was simply a knight at heart. Even if it were a black and deceptive one at that!

Soth eye's then trailed back to Athena's. A pleasant smile stole across his noble face, his deep blue eye's meeting with hers once again. Athena found nothing in them but a true darkness and that of her own cold stark reflection starring straight back at her. Was her head playing trick's on her? Athena for a brief moment was taken back at what see now saw in the Death Knight's eye's! She could see her own pale and ashen form within them, as a creature of the night! Athena shot Soth a nervous smile as she reached into the lining's of her soft black cloak and produced a small pouch.

"Before Pandora departed, she gave me your name... Lady Athena. What a lovely name." Soth then paused for a brief moment, as if savoring her very name in his mind.

The glistening coin's danced over Athena's hand as if an unseen puppeteer manipulated them with string's from above. But it was not the woman's display in the force that fascinated the Vampyre...It was her raw courage, her confidence to come to a place where death was at every step. Was that her wish? Perhaps it was boredom that drove Athena to the door step of the Damned, or the hunger for what she knew not. Darkness always drew it's own to one another. An open mark upon the soul, always born from a painful past...Nurtured with fear, raised in the confines of bitter hate and resentment...Yes, Darkness knew it's own!...

"Yes, I seem to remember the fool that gave them to you Athena. Blade,...I believe that's what his name was...Yes, that's it." Soth knew damn well who the half breed was, he also never forgot a name either! There path's would indeed cross soon enough.