A Hawk's Tale

[Arekk]

After quickly realizing that the whole technique he was using during the sparring was the wrong one and he hadn't been seeing things through entirely, Ar'ekk decided to back off and try again. Improvisation at its best that's for sure yet he couldn't still grasp entirely what was being taught. Perhaps his own stuborness or lack of vision was blinding him through and through but it wouldn't take too soon until he saw the path clear up.

This time he would be making use of the same overhead maneuver. Running forward with a considerate speed, Ar'ekk tried again to leap over Tugoro's head, attempt to slash his head.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Ataru was a very taxing form on the body, often used as a last resort by the Jedi to throw an enemy off guard, using that moment to escape or push whatever advantage they could grasp. [member='Ar'ekk'] was lucky, for his lightsaber allowed him to keep fighting past his usual limitations. Tugoro kept his stare upon the younger man as he approached, knowing the maneuver he was about to perform. There were only a few variants to it, usually being where the Jedi decided to attack.

Lifting both of his arms above his head, Tugoro kept a firm two handed grasp on his saber, swinging it overhead to impact with Ar'ekk's own blade. He managed to prevent his head from being sliced in half, transferring that momentum into a quick full body spin*. He brought his blade down low, attempting a light slash at his apprentice's leg as he was landing.

 

[Arekk]

The young man felt like time had stopped right there and then once going over Tugoro's head, their blades clashing in the process and his own being deflected thanks to the mentor's quick thinking and his momentum allowing him to turn around once the half masked warrior touched the ground.

Once his feet were pressed against the dirt, he saw the light slash coming his leg's way and managed to promptly avoid it by jumping. Whilst mid-air, thanks to being vigorously attuned with the Force and with the conviction of a warrior, Ar'ekk sent a powerful flying kick Tugoro's way.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Tugoro's blue blade swung low, slicing through the air in a miss against its target. [member='Ar'ekk'] had kept himself moving, one of the most important elements of Ataru. With both of his hands firmly gripping his saber handle, there was little defense Tugoro could muster, only shifting his body sideways slightly, absorbing some of the impact from the kick.

It landed on his torso, forcing him backwards a step or two. Now that there was distance between them, Tugoro released one of his hands from the saber hilt, aiming an open palm towards his apprentice. A burst of concentrated force energy surged forth, hoping to knock Ar'ekk to the ground. It was strong, but not insurmountable.

 

[Arekk]

His lightsaber replenished the energy lost ever so slowly during the struggle as at the same time the distance created by both gave him the momentum to think his next move. Swinging his lightsaber around frenetically, his body shifted to face his opponent which delivered an impactful wave shortly before they clashed glances.

Seconds before the burst of energy impacted his persona, Ar'ekk shifted out of harm's way thanks to the strong attunement with the Force that served as his guide during combat. Tugoro was served the exact medicine since a telekinetic blast was unchained by the young masked warrior through his open palm, desiring that it reached his mentor as well.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

After the brief clash of sabers, there was a lull in the blade duel, as the two Jedi began to call on the force. They moved quick and precisely, the entirety of the spar having transpired in less than a minute. With the force already flowing throughout him in a controlled manner, Tugoro was ready for Ar'ekk's retaliation, which just so happened to be a force push of his own.

Lowering his saber and taking a step forward, Tugoro was just barely able to stonewall the wave of energy, his free arm curled and in front of his body as to protect himself from the impact. However, it was the force that protected him, forming into a strong protective barrier that was different than one's natural force wall. Continuing with the single step taken, Tugoro attempted to move towards his apprentice, swinging his saber upwards in a vertical slash from its lowered position, aiming for Ar'ekk's robotic arm.

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

The attack on Tugoro was unfruitful on his attempt to rock him off his feet, being able to cope with the dangerous shockwave that smashed the blade of his weapon. Ar'ekk's understanding of Ataru and its intricates seemed to progress by the minute as he grasped each movement and technique with ease.

By taking a defensive posture, the masked apprentice watched his mentor approach at a steady peace with their lightsaber aimed dangerously upwards in an attempt to deal a deadly strike that would certainly put him out of the fight. If it wasn't for his quick thinking to do a saber block, Ar'ekk would be telling another tale. Delivering a strong instep foot kick to Tugoro's lower leg as they clashed blades, the young man hoped to create some distance between the two.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

The swing was blocked, the connecting beams of plasma carrying intense weight between them. Always with a keen eye, Tugoro watched and dissected [member="Ar'ekk"]'s new movements, noting that he had started to add hand-to-hand elements to his style. From what he could tell, Ar'ekk now had a firm grasp on Ataru, and was likely to improve over time.

Pushing off against the block, Tugoro would pivot on his forward foot, shifting the one that had been targeted away from Ar'ekk's kick. The man then ducked, carrying the moment from his pivot into a spin, as he attempted to get under Ar'ekk's guard, and deliver a powerful elbow to his sides.

 

[Arekk]

Sweat beads dripped down the young warrior's forehead, a clear example of how exhausting yet rewarding this training session was. Focused solely on his mentor's movements, Ar'ekk watched Tugoro with a keen eye, staying on high alert for his next attack. Tiredness had begun to sink in as minutes started to feel like hours, the grip on his lightsaber tightened.

The master's movements were precise and quickly executed, finding impossible to dodge the blow to his sides. Being hit full on by Tugoro's elbow, the half masked warrior held his stomach in clear pain and finding it hard to breath for a moment. He remained motionless with a knee touching the muddy ground and with his palm hovering over his chest trying to gasp for some air.

"Can we take a break, master? I'm exhausted."

He wasn't one to easily give up but certainly Ar'ekk took a firm grasp of Ataru thanks to his mentor's years of experience. More practice would come in handy to polish the little details yet to fix with his technique.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

After successfully landing the elbow strike, Tugoro would straighten his posture, slipping back into a more casual stance. Wielding his saber by his side, he deactivated it, nodding in confirmation to [member="A'rekk"]. He too was tired, for he had yet to truly hone his saber skills that had been somewhat rusted over time.

"Don't worry, you're supposed to be exhausted, that's part of the lesson," Tugoro spoke, clipping the metallic hilt of his lightsaber back onto his belt. "Ataru is taxing, if you are unable to overwhelm an opponent with your initial assault, it is recommended to either switch tactics or retreat." stepping towards his apprentice, the man would extend his arm, offering a hand to help Ar'ekk back up on his feet.

"You should meditate for the rest of the night. We'll leave first thing in the morning. Might make a slight detour at first, too."

 

[Arekk]

His hand grappled Tugoro's arm and used it as an anchor to lift himself up from the ground, clipping his lightsaber to his utility belt. Wiping the sweat off his temple, Ar'ekk nodded back to his master to acknowledge the explanation of the technique and taking into account the most important bits.

"I missed this type of training, master. It's been too long but I'm glad we crossed paths again. Brings back old memories from when you first took me in."

Nostalgia sunk into the young man's memories as he reminisced of the good times back when the Galactic Republic shun its light across the galaxy with a strong will. Those were other times of much more positiveness yet it was time to let them go and focus on building a better future. They never ceased to be Jedi, that's something certain.

"We'll see each other in the morning. If you need something, I will be resting in my tent."

And as such, the night had fallen and the sky was filled with stars with the moon bright as ever. It was time to rest because the next day would be more exhausting, perhaps.

The Force acted in mysterious ways...

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

The next day


It had certainly been quite a journey. The detour took the two Jedi far from their original destination, placing them nearly half way across the galaxy from Sanctuary. Getting their was the easy part, for travelling through Galactic Alliance space was usually easy for Jedi. The recent outbreak of war however had seen extra security measures taken, scout patrols on the look out for enemy fleets along most of the hyperlanes. A planet surrounded by the First Order, it was no surprise to find Sith over Lothal.

A brief skirmish above orbit was cut short, with Alliance forces showing up to combat the ominous Imperials. The Ebon Hawk's shielding held sturdy, [member='Ar'ekk']'s piloting along with Tugoro's aim keeping them out of harm's reach. Once the atmosphere was breached, Tugoro gave directions to his apprentice, having them set down in the northern hemisphere of the planet. The Ebon Hawk's engines began to cool, the ship's hum quieting, replaced by the hissing release of the boarding ramp's airtight seal.

The ground around them was that of solid stone and dirt, littered with large rock protrusions, all surrounding one giant stone spire.

​

"It's taken longer than it should have," Tugoro spoke, shrugging his leather flight jacket upon his torso, before approaching the looming structure. "But we're finally here." Once the duo got closer, they would notice what appeared to be a cave at the base of the spire, though it was far too refined to have been natural. No doubt an entrance, carved by Jedi thousands of years ago. However, the force here felt... Violated, in a sense, as if disturbed long ago by uninvited guests. The path ahead was pitch-black, bathed in darkness with a faint light in the distance. "Ready?" Tugoro questioned, turning to Ar'ekk with a quizzical look.

 

[Arekk]

"I'm prepared, master."

The young Jedi said back to his mentor reassuringly, staring into the deep pitch-black cave entrance that called out for the two of them through the Force intensively. Such a strength could be felt inside that felt drawing and empowering yet cold and frightening, almost becoming an eery sensation for anyone able to focus on whatever was disturbed between these cold walls. This wasn't the first time that Ar'ekk would go blind inside a dark and scary cave, being Voss the first place to explore when he was accompanioned by Rasu Gan.

"What is this place?"

Without hesitation he set foot inside the cave and walked inside at a slow pace, mindful and careful of every step taken as if to avoid any unnecessary encounters or even set off a secretive booby trap of some sorts as it was common to witness such a thing in places like these. Perhaps whoever violated this sacred place did something that only meant death loomed around.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

"Even I'm not exactly sure what to call this place," Tugoro replied, a bit less cautious in movement than [member='Ar'ekk']. The old stone temple was dark and silent, not a sound coming from further within.

"I heard this was an old Jedi temple," he continued, pausing briefly as he walked further along the rock corridor. "Also heard it was a Jedi tomb." He couldn't help but smirk, only for a moment, pushing down the sense of anxiety he experienced.

The light at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, eventually leading the duo into a circular chamber, the ceiling opened to let the ultraviolet rays that had guided their way. They had reached the center, surrounded by structural pillars that jutted from the smooth walls, between them frames where doors should have been.

Gathered in the center of the room were two robed, humanoid figures, sitting in meditative stances within a circular pattern along the floor. Now closer to the source of light, Tugoro could tell they were no doubt Jedi, but they were also dead. Lifeless skeletal frames, though their seemed to be no physical damage, even upon their clothes.

"I wonder how long they have waited for," the man spoke, trailing off from his sentence as he stepped around the old bones, making sure not to disturb them.

 

[Arekk]

Passing through the center of the room, Ar'ekk made sure not to step on the bones of those that had passed away long ago. It seemed like time had taken its toll around this Jedi temple, a stench coming from within clearly affecting his view of this place. Everything screamed creepy and scary but also a sense of danger crossed his mind from time to time. Something had gone wrong here, perhaps.

"I wonder that too. It seems they weren't hurt in any way possible, you think they were doing something and it turned out bad?"

His finger pointed at the center of the pattern, making an allusion about a possible ritual that hadn't gone the way they thought. A dark force that took over and drained the life out of these Jedi that turned into mere skeletons?

"Either way, something feels very wrong here master."

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Done examining the corpses, Tugoro stepped away, slowly turning his head to look around the chamber. "I really can't say," he replied, unsure of what to think about the scene before them. The skeletons looked to be in a state of peace, as if they had meditated until death.

The force was strong here, and as he glanced about the room, it almost felt as if time had slowed. That wasn't the case, but one could not help but feel such as they entered the ancient, forgotten temple. In the corner of his eye, Tugoro noticed the faintest shimmering of light, fully turning to see another doorway, leading further underground most likely.

Beckoning for [member='Ar'ekk'] to follow, the man made his way over to small entrance, shaped just as the others that remained merely carved imitations between the structural pillars of the temple walls. The path now was less refined than before, a dark and dusty rock tunnel that went on for some time.

Soon, they came upon an opening into a larger cavern, their path along the wall, and just meters away from an expansive chasm that went on forever into the pitch black. The place was strange, and there didn't appear to be anywhere else left to go.

 

[Arekk]

Moving forward at cautious pace behind Tugoro, Ar'ekk followed him suit. He felt a tremor in the Force and something didn't really add up to the equation inside the cave. What happened here? So many questions without an answer to be given, certainly they wouldn't want to become the response to what led these Jedi deaths. The larger cavern was entirely dark and there wasn't any other way to go further which certainly brought a certain sensation of peace to the young Jedi, his breath increasing by the minute but keeping himself in check.

"Careful with your step, master. We don't want to set any traps, right?"

You could assume as such considering that this was an ancient Jedi temple and anyone who would want to guard what laid beneath these thick walls would put a complex security system in place to protect the items stored, if any, safely.

"I don't think we can keep going and I wouldn't anyways. We don't know what's ahead."

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Tugoro hadn't responded yet, still scouting out the dimly lit area, glancing down the cliff side that held only darkness within. [member='Ar'ekk'] was right, there was nothing left along the path they had taken. There were no traps hidden about, it was just an abandoned tunnel system, most likely used by other Jedi for some purpose, centuries ago.

A few moments passed, and Tugoro finally stepped away from the ledge, turning around to regard his apprentice. The cave was basked in a sudden vermilion glow. Only a strained gasp escaped the Jedi's mouth, as a green blade of plasma burst into his back, protruding visibly out of his torso. The saber retracted, remaining active as Tugoro slumped against the cold ground.

Behind him was a tall figure, draped in a black hooded cloak that shrouded their identity. The individual stepped over the collapsed Jedi, slowly beginning to position himself between Ar'ekk and the tunnel exit.

 

[Arekk]

Everything that evolved in front of his eyes felt like a dream, a nightmare that you could never wake up from coming true. The monster that was coming to haunt you and every step you took felt slow and inaccurate had become reality in that instant, his mentor and old friend impaled by the green plasma beam of a lightsaber. Dreams have a nasty habit of going bad when you're not looking.

A dark robed figure emerged from the dark which was an irony of life, perhaps this was Death itself he was about to deal with. Ar'ekk's ears were suddenly filled with voices that suffered and screams of innocents as if he was relapsing from whatever had taken him on Malachor V.

A virulent need for revenge fueled by rage was broadened in his heart and body, the iris of his eyes changing to a crimson red mixed with yellow.

The feeling hit him like a point-blank shot straight in the face.

"Noooooooooooooo!"

He screamed at the top of his lungs, lightsaber already ignited at hand and his body shifting to face the hooded figure that stood by the exit of the tunnel.

A tear ran down his only visible cheek as the mask covered half of his face.

Watching his mentor collapse afflicted him painfully. If they were to die right there and then, it'd be by giving a fight.

It was only just.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

A grin could be seen beneath the hood of the dark one, as [member='Ar'ekk'] went to activate his lightsaber. The weapon of a Jedi, yet it refused to ignite for the apprentice, no matter how many times he tried.

"Angered by his death, or afraid of letting it be in vain?" The voice asked, recognizable as that of a man, his cloak flowing briefly as he came to a stop, the green saber in his hand still illuminating the cavern they stood within.

A pale hand revealed itself, extending from the long sleeve of the cloak, to release a burst of force power that was many times greater than anything Tugoro himself had ever conjured. It moved fast too, attempting to violently slam the apprentice against the jagged rock wall, opposite of the tunnel's exit.