User:AzrielOfArrakis

Azriel Leozar was a Fremen, Bene Gesserit Grey Jedi. She was born on the planet Arrakis, the third planet orbiting the star Canopus, in an alternate dimension from that of the rest of the Jedi.

Known primarily for her striking bright blue eyes and Sith tattooed left arm, Azriel possessed superior hand to hand fighting skills honed from mixing the arts of her Fremen people with the teachings of the Jedi, as well as powerful body and mind control from her training as a Bene Gesserit. Having taken the "Water of Life" she also possessed the memories and personalities of all the female members of her direct lineage spanning back thousands of years, allowing her to call upon their wisdom and guidance whenever necessary.

Azriel had a constant battle with the Dark Side of the Force, begun early on in her training due to the beliefs she sustained from her previous life on Arrakis. This battle came to a head once she ran away from the Jedi order, becoming an assassin and Sith, before finding her way back to the light once more. She balanced this tendency towards the dark by learning the ways of the Gray Jedi under her final Master, Yudiminour Sun.

Birth
"Arrakis...Dune"

- Azriel returning home

Azriel was born in Sietch Tabar on Arrakis during the year 10161 A.G. (After Guild) to Jedi Knight Trajen Leozar and Sayyadina Ramallo. Her father, an escapee of the Jedi Purge under Emperor Palpatine, had traveled through space aimlessly for months before being caught in a cosmic storm, allowing him to jump dimensions and crash land on the planet Arrakis. He wandered the desert for two days before the Fremen rescued him while on the verge of death. Wary of the foreigner but intrigued by his interesting clothing as well as his use of a blue energy bladed weapon which they saw in action while he fought a Laza Tiger, the Fremen chose to save and question the man before deciding his ultimate fate. It was within the Sietch that he met the Bene Gesserit Ramallo who took an immediate interest in him. Granting her approval, a vote which as the Sietch Sayyadina (Holy Woman), even the Sietch Naib would not argue against, Trajen was spared from the Death Stills and welcomed into the Sietch. Fascinated by the similarities between his Jedi Order and her Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, coupled with mutual attraction, the two grew very close ultimately leading to marriage. Within weeks Ramallo was with child who, in keeping with the traditions of her order, she fashioned into a girl.

Dual-Training
Because Azriel was born to both Jedi and Bene Gesserit linages, her parents found it fitting that she be trained in both arts, an idea which worked well in physical training and mental control, but conflicted with one another where theory was concerned. Azriel found herself confused at an early age which belief she would follow. She concerned herself more-so with the teachings of her Fremen upbringing, taking in the customs, practices, and fighting style of her adopted people.

Trajen began her training in the Force at a very early age, her first exercises having her connect to the Force in order to find people within the Sietch and feel approaching Sandworms. While she wasn't remarkably strong in the Force Trajen knew such things could change over time with training, and so pushed his young daughter in her mastery of the Force aided in part by many of the focusing exercises taught to Azriel by her mother. Trajen instilled in his daughter his great dream that she would become a Jedi Knight like himself, possibly even a Master. While she was too young to realize the implications of her father's words, she took them to heart.

Trajen's Death
Trajen Leozar was killed in the year 10167 A.G. as he led a Fremen force against a Harkonnen encampment which sought out a neighboring Seitch. The death of her father, which the six year old Azriel had felt clearly through the Force, shattered the young girl. She found herself filled with sadness that soon changed to anger and hate, feelings shared by the rest of her Fremen family. Her father had always instructed her that such emotions led to the darkside of the Force, a concept she did not truly understand but tried to heed nonetheless. It was then that she made a vow that she would fulfill her father's dream that she become a Jedi Knight and ironically, when her life-long battle with the darkside began.

Ramallo, while not teaching her daughter against such feelings, instructed her to work through them. It was by her that Azriel learned to see through the cloud of anger for clear judgment, and how to distance herself from feelings of pain and sorrow. Her mother also taught her how anger, to a certain degree, could be harnessed and used as a means of greater strength in battle. A lesson Azriel made good use of a year later when she and several other Fremen youths were ambushed by three Harkonnen soldiers. Azriel, fueled by anger killed one of the soldiers single handedly while her four companions took on the other two. Though she immediately chastised herself for letting her anger overwhelm her into killing, she was heralded as a hero by the others within her Sietch. Such lessons against her father's teachings would continue as she got older, and shape the majority of her views that would later cause strife between her and the Jedi Order.

Water Of Life
"You're manipulations won't work on me Mother. I knew your mind before you forced yourself into mine."

- Azriel to Ramallo

Ramallo had watched her daughter's growth with much interest. She had always intended Azriel to succeed her as Sayyadina of the Sietch, following the Bene Gesserit ways over those of her father's. So it was with dread when she learned of Azriel's private training sessions with Trajen's lightsaber during the early mornings while most Fremen were just going to sleep. Fearful that her daughter would reject the Bene Gesserit way, Ramallo pleaded with her daughter to undergo the Water Of Life, which would grant her power and knowledge known to all those before her. Azriel had originally rejected the offer, knowing all too well the high price of death that went along with failing to turn the Sandworm's poisonous bile into harmless water. At fourteen instead of the usual sixteen, even with her lineage and training it was still a risky undertaking. She grudgingly accepted only after her Ramallo offered her the choice Azriel had been waiting for her whole life. If she'd accept the Water of Life, Ramallo would grant her access to a space folding ship, one of the first of its kind which many of the Fremen had first used to come to Arrakis, in order for Azriel to find her father's homeland. With no other hope to gain access to the ship Azriel agreed to her mother's wishes, taking the Water of Life and nearly dying in the process of transforming the poison.

For her trouble she was now granted access to the minds of everyone of her direct female ancestors from her mother onward, a gift which Ramallo had hoped would sway her daughter, now privy to all of the secrets and goals of Bene Gesserit Sisterhood which her mother had known, to stay on and continue the family line. But, much to Ramallo's sadness, Azriel rejected the Bene Gesserit way in order to fulfill her promise to her father.

Leaving Arrakis
Unwilling to go against her promise, Ramallo revealed the ship to her daughter, who took to the archaic machinery with relative ease. Azriel used two more days in which to get her affairs in order and bid goodbye to her friends before having a heartfelt goodbye with her mother. Though she asked her once more to stay, Ramallo knew Azriel's destiny lay elsewhere and expressed sadness but no ill-will in her daughter's choice. Azriel promised to return sometime in the future before packing her few possessions along with a two life-time supply of Spice into the ship.

As a young man, Malice would experience frequent "dreams" in which apparitions of ancient Sith would appear to him. Within these dreams, there would be whisperings of a great destiny hidden within Malice and a hinting to his ability to use the Force. These dreams continued for a standard twenty-years, until the dreams shifted and the planet Korriban began to be frequently mentioned.

Sith Holocrons
In 73 ABY, Malice heeded the words within his dreams and traveled to the ancient Sith homeworld of Korriban. Upon landing on the barren planet, he felt a surprising, yet enticing, aura of dark energy. As if in a dreamlike trance, Malice found himself deep within the Valley of the Dark Lords, where he was drawn to an ominous cave carved deep into the mountain side. Malice entered into the cave, intrigued by the awesome aura of power that seemed to emit from the darkest depths of the massive cavern. After what seemed like days of walking, Malice found himself in a expansive chamber, filled with ancient tombs and shrines of the Sith.

Malice's attention was drawn to the massive dark side energy from a sarcophagus situated in the center shrine. He approached and, eager to see what lay inside, pushed open the lid. It was here that Malice discovered his most prized treasures. Inside were the holocrons of four of the most powerful Sith who ever lived: Darth Bane, Darth Andeddu, Darth Nihilus, and Darth Revan.

Malice found himself in a trance yet again, but he could feel dark, powerful energy building inside of him. Withing minutes, he felt the energy soar from him and enter into the four small pyramids. He was knocked to the ground and he was lost to the darkness. When he came to, he was lying before the hologram projections of the four Sith Lords.

Malice was filled with immense fear as the four projections began to speak to him. They repeated to him the phrases that he had heard from the apparitions in his dreams. Darth Bane then began to mercilessly interrogate him about the fear he was feeling. Great anger began to build within Malice and soon he erupted in a rage, dark energy exploding from within him and destroying much of the chamber. After all the dust cleared, the four holocrons remained.

The Sith Lords congratulated Malice on his first step on the path of a Sith. They fueled into his anger, speaking to him of great power and strength that he can achieve. Malice's emotions grew and a newfound lust for power arose within him. It was then that he swore obedience to the Sith ways and the four Dark Lords promised to teach him.

Training at Korriban
Malice underwent some of the most grueling and testing training that the Sith Lords could offer. He was frequently tortured physically and mentally through the dark side if he failed a test and he would not only accomplish the test, but perfect his performance. His daily training consisted of four sessions with each of the holocrons. Darth Bane would instruct him in the ways of the lightsaber and Sith philosophy; Darth Revan in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force; Darth Nihilus in the practices of Sith alchemy and how to harness emotions; and Darth Andeddu on how to prolong death.

Malice also spent countless hours amongst the archives in the now ruined Sith Academy, as per the instruction of Darth Bane. He would not sleep until he had read the entire section of archives he had chosen for that day.

Eager to please his masters, he tested his mental capacity as much as he tested his physical capacity. With every criticism his masters would give him, he would strive to perfect that mistake until they were pleased. Malice would not settle for mediocrity and perfection was his only goal.

Malice spent the better part of ten years training on Korriban. In what little free time he had, he would meditate. Malice trained his body to not require sleep. Sessions of meditation would suffice for rest and recovery. This ability surprised his masters, as they had never heard of a Sith who had such an ability.

Sith Lord's Oath
In 83 ABY, Malice was summoned by his masters to the chamber where he first pledged his obedience. Malice knelt before the Dark Lords and he recited the Sith Code to them. They proceeded to congratulate him on his training. His hatred of Krayt was ignited here. His masters spoke of a foolish heretic, Darth Krayt. They fueled their hatred of him into Malice and he soon shared their burning, passionate hatred. Upon this, Malice grasped his hatred and swore full submission to the dark side. Following an ancient tradition, he burned Sith tattoos into his skin, basking in the power of the dark side. He promised to inflict pain on all those who would make a mockery of the true Order of the Sith Lords.

In his final act of devotion, he removed his lightsaber and meditated. After six grueling hours of meditation, he had become one with his weapon and fueled his anger into his synthetic Sith crystal. He went back before the holocrons and knelt before them. It was then that he cast aside any remnants of his past and Darth Bane bestowed on him the one name he swore all would soon fear: Darth Malice, Dark Lord of the Sith.

Nar Shaddaa Confrontation
"Vorthan was weak. He is no more. I am Malice and you will feel pain this day."

- Darth Malice to Sarlo Untar

It was an ancient covenant of the Sith that apprentices must slaughter someone close to them to demonstrate their commitment to the Sith cause. In his final test, Malice was ordered to murder someone who was close to him. Malice chose his childhood friend, Sarlo Untar, as his prey.

Malice learned that Sarlo worked as a spacehand on Nar Shaddaa. After landing on the urban planet, Malice made his way to the dock where his friend was working. As Sarlo lifted crates into a transport, Malice approached him. Malice was shrouded in his cloak and Sarlo did not recognize. Malice lowered his hood and his friend immediately acknowledged it was him. As Sarlo moved to welcome his friend, Malice ignited his lightsaber. The other spacehands drew blasters, but Malice made quick work of them by Force pushing them from the dock. Sarlo questioned his friend's motives. Enraged, Malice pinned him to the ship's hull with a vice grip fueled by the dark side.

"So this is what friendship brings?" "...I am not your friend."

- Sarlo Untar and Darth Malice

Sarlo begged Malice to stop, but his words could not break the Sith Lord's will. He impaled Sarlo on his lightsaber and he cried out in pain. He collapsed against the dock and Malice arced his lightsaber, slicing off his head.

Malice turned and left Nar Shaddaa, his oath fulfilled. His submission to the dark side was at last complete.