Marr

Chapter Thirty-Six

 Star Wars: The Old Republic

Marr

~Chapter Thirty-Six~

Love breeds the foulest darkness.

I've never believed in coincidences and I wasn't about to start believing in them now.

The passage was lined with rough-hewn stones, each one carved into the shape of a skull. At the end of the corridor, a pair of ornate doors stood open to the dancing shadows created by the torchieres flanking the entrance.

My mouth hung open and I was struck speechless. Firmly rooted in place, I struggled with the enormity of what it could mean. How could she have known? How could this room exist here?

Each step I took across the glossy floor felt as if my feet had been weighted with stones. On and on I shuffled toward the chamber. Unlike my leaden feet, my mind was terribly alert as I took in the details with wide unblinking eyes. Every step taken forward seemed a step back in time.

The chamber boasted vaulted ceilings held up by thick black columns. The sconces roared to life as I passed them until the entire room was bathed in firelight. At the center stood a large altar—a rough-edged slab of ebony granitite with runes carved into the edge. A brazier graced the far end and I was met with the comforting sound of snapping wood and crackling flames. The air carried a pleasant blend of smoke and burning orowood.

Rows of niches lined the walls, but unlike the ones I'd seen in Tulak Hord's tomb on Dromund Fels, these were empty waiting to be filled with my own holocrons. A greel wood bench stood before the brazier, tempting me to sit.

With every measured step, I was a boy again, a beggar lord marveling at his legacy. I expected the Sithspawn beast to emerge from the shadows to greet me and when I ran my hand along the edge of the altar, I thought I would again see the visions of past and future generations conceived upon it.

Liaseph clasped my elbow and I remembered where I was and that I wasn't alone. The boy vanished and the man took his place.

"Ares? Don't you like it? I wanted to surprise you."

"If that was your goal, I believe you've succeeded."

"You look upset. You hate it don't you," she said glumly.

"No—but I must admit I'm mystified. How did you know? Did Vowrawn help you?"

"Vowrawn? No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Because he's the only other person alive to have seen this place."

"Are you telling me there's actually another room somewhere that looks like this?"

"Liaseph...it's an exact replica of Tulak Hord's tomb. You've never been to Dromund Fels and if Vowrawn didn't help you—how is this possible? Tell me."

"You're going to think I'm mad..."

"Liaseph...surely you understand how unsettling this is." I stared at her matter-of-factly.

"Alright. Ever since you showed me the holo map, I've been dreaming about this room. Please don't tell me I'm crazy. Our decorator already did that. I believe his exact words were, 'this is so Ruusan Dark Ages. It clashes with everything.' Then he walked away muttering something about eclectic adornments. I haven't seen him since."

"I don't give a damn about the decorator." I seized her shoulders and stared into the depths of her eyes. "Are you unwell? As if you're not yourself? Do you hear any strange whispers? Voices?"