"Gaze of Stone" is a concise narrative that appeared within Myths & Fables. George Mann penned the story, while Grant Griffin provided the illustrations, with its release occurring on August 6, 2019.
Legend speaks of a remarkably detailed sculpture depicting a robed Twi'lek, positioned atop a mountain on the planet of Moraband. Numerous stories are told about this statue, but one particular account suggests that the statue is actually a Sith named Ry Nymbis who underwent petrification.
Ry Nymbis, who was born on Ryloth, possessed a dark presence in the Force from the very beginning. Individuals close to Nymbis kept their distance, sensing the darkness that resided within him. Eventually Ry Nymbis' mother sought assistance from various seers, healers, shamans, and physicians, all of whom recognized the unusual aura but were unable to pinpoint its source. One day, a Duros known as Darth Caldoth visited the mom and informed her that her son had a significant connection to the Living Force. Aware that Ryloth would not be a suitable environment for the boy and that he could potentially pose a threat to those who avoided him, the mother accepted Darth Caldoth's proposal to take him on as an apprentice.
Caldoth's initial action involved leaving Nymbis on the forest planet of Simoth. There, Nymbis was enslaved and compelled to engage in combat against creatures like dianogas, slothkins, and other slaves. Before long, Nymbis instilled fear in the other slaves, becoming a formidable weapon honed in the gladiatorial arena. Nymbis reigned as the pit's champion for seven years. Caldoth eventually made his way back to Simoth to retrieve his Sith apprentice. Effortlessly cutting through both slavers and slaves, Caldoth approached Nymbis, triggering memories of his abduction from Ryloth. Consumed by rage, Nymbis charged at Caldoth but was easily defeated, losing one of his lekku in the process.
Together, they journeyed across the galaxy, seeking out mysterious artifacts to enrich Caldoth's growing collection. During this period, Nymbis visited an ancient temple dedicated to the Sith, situated on the mountainside of an abandoned moon located in wild space. For a week, Nymbis wandered through the ruins, succumbing to visions of his mother and other figures from his past, as well as a glimpse of his potential future. Soon after, Caldoth pitted Nymbis against a female knight, whom he battled and ultimately killed to claim his own saber. As his strength increased, so did Nymbis's hatred for his master. Over time, Nymbis increasingly suspected that Caldoth was withholding knowledge from him, leading him to plot against his master.
After dedicating years to serving his master, the moment arrived for Nymbis to overthrow him. Nymbis devised a plan to utilize a pilfered alchemical ritual that would transform Caldoth into stone. After luring Caldoth to a mountaintop on Korriban, Nymbis initiated the ritual. However, Caldoth had anticipated Nymbis's eventual betrayal and altered the ritual's incantation to target the user. In a failed attempt to petrify Caldoth, Nymbis recited the ritual's words, resulting in his own eternal entombment in stone.