Duel on Apollothor

"We've failed you, Joseph. The Order failed you" "Why can't you see darkness is the only way?!" "Joseph, the Brotherhood of Shadows is evil!" "From what I can see, YOU are evil!" "Then you are truly lost!" "This is the end for you, my brother"

- Kyle Everest and Zwarst Väder

The  was a confrontation that occurred during the War of the Equilibrium, where the recently-christened Zwarst Väder, fought his little brother, Kyle Everest, on the planet of Apollothor.

Prelude
"Don't make me kill you" "I will do what must be done" "You'll certainly try"

- Zwarst Väder and Kyle Everest, just before their duel The Great Massacre of 2023 occurred during the ongoing War of the Equilibrium between the Unified New Republic with the Deian Order and the Eternal Empire with the resurrected Order of the Tenebrae. Joseph Everest VI had been hunting the Conduit-hunter-turned-Imperial General, Ludwig Steiner, for killing his wife, Melanie Everest, and his best friend Reese Alvarez. He finally tracked him down to Greyova, where he challenged him to a final showdown. Unknown to Ludwig, Joseph had given into his hatred and was strengthened by his rage, far overpowering Ludwig and defeated him with such relative ease that his body was horribly mutilated. Ludwig pleaded for mercy but Joseph, ignorant to his nemesis' pleas, beheaded him in fury and twisted satisfaction. His anger now sated, Joseph had returned to his senses when he realized that not only did he betray the Order and the Code which he dedicated his life to, he had committed a murder in his intense rage, leaving himself entirely distraught and therefore, vulnerable.

Chancellor Heinrich Valdemar, who had revealed himself to be Godfrey Caesar XII, the Prefect of the Brotherhood of Shadows, offered the distraught Joseph a chance to control his darkness in servitude of the light. Overcome by emotion, he accepted his offer to join and became his apprentice, Valdemar gave him the moniker Zwarst Väder, a successful conclusion to the Brotherhood's centuries-long plan to turn the Son of the Mountain to darkness with the fear of losing anymore of his children.

Väder desired to learn the dark power which Caesar told him of, a few weeks before, in the Delta Capita Deluxe Theatre on Amethyst, that could ultimately protect his children from death, which could be soon, according to the dreams Väder has had since the death of Kaien. Caesar told his apprentice that in order to become strong enough in the darkness to protect all his children, he must go through the list he took from Steiner, and eradicate the Tenebrae and the civilians in their cities, children and all. This would end the "Great Schism" that has ravaged the galaxy and claimed too many lives.

After the dark deeds that he committed on several planets, Väder was sent to Apollothor to eliminate the Imperial leaders, which the Brotherhood was harboring, and bring an end to the Imperial-Republic conflict.

In the aftermath of the Mission to Apollothor, Kyle Everest received several reports of complete homicide from several Imperial territories that attempted to rally for Republic assistance. With the assistance of the retired Grand Master Agathon, Kyle investigated into these matters and discovered holograms of Joseph taking part in the cleansing of Novaya Rodina. Kyle offered to engage the traitorous Chancellor, who, at this point, had disappeared into the unknown, because he could not bring himself to go against his older brother and former father-figure. However, Agathon told Kyle that he was nowhere near strong enough to fight the Prefect of Shadows head-on. He also told Kyle that the brother that raised him no longer existed and had to be put out of his misery, despite Kyle's protests.

Kyle then went to his brother's children to ascertain knowledge of Väder's whereabouts. Valerie and J.T. told him that last they saw him was just the previous day, but left out that he had left for Apollothor. Kyle revealed that their father had given in to darkness, joining the Brotherhood of Shadows. They didn't believe their uncle at first, but soon they acquired knowledge of the cleansing of Novaya Rodina from Kyle. Yet, neither one could tell Kyle that Väder was on Apollothor.

Desiring to know the truth, JT and Valerie left Amethyst aboard JT's personal space freighter, the Beyond Infinity, with A-5DF, their family protocol droid built by their grandfather, to find their father. Shortly before take-off, Kyle secretly went aboard the ship and stowed away within the cargo hold. Arriving on Apollothor, Väder recognized his son's freighter and ran to embrace them, where Valerie reveals that she is pregnant with Väder's first grandchild.

Heartbroken, Valerie and JT pleaded Väder to stop and come back to the Light because they loved him dearly, hoping their was still good within him. Väder, now obsessed with power, refused, instead trying to get his children to join his coup of overthrowing and killing the Chancellor and ruling the galaxy the way they want. Seeing Kyle emerge onto the boarding ramp of JT's ship, Väder incorrectly that his children sent his brother to kill him. The Shadow apprentice strangled his children with the Will, while Kyle demanded he release them. Enraged, Väder believed that Kyle had poisoned his children against them. Kyle was in disbelief that his older brother had allowed Valdemar to twist and corrupt his mind. Unable to see eye-to-eye with his brother, Kyle drew his foil. Väder followed suit and charged at his little brother with his own ignited, internally finding it ironic that the little brother Joseph swore to protect was now his greatest foe.

The fall of Väder
"You're the Son of the Mountain!! It was said you would bring peace to the galaxy, not fear! Overcome the darkness, not succumb entirely!" "I hate you! I always have!" "You were my brother, Joseph, I loved you, I idolized you!"

- Kyle Everest and Zwarst Väder