Faction Going Away to College | Sith Academy

[Soldane Talon]

Soldane watched as the crowds moved and maneuvered quickly after the Corpse Priest's proclamation, desperate to get themselves the strongest - or in some cases weakest - allies they could. He predicted their angle as they approached one another, this for this quality, that for that. It was interesting to see how people chose people over the traits they had shown in the trials - and more interesting yet to see who pushed themselves to serve as each triumvirate's leader. Or rather, who tried, and who failed judging by the nearby arguments.​

​

He turned back to Lunaria Talon and nodded;​

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"It would seem we do.", he inclined, testing to see if she had a preference - giving subtle glances to their prospective choices. He hovered on Udren Zeln before sensing their mutual agreement. Soldane quickly turned, smiled in his Rivan slightly dumb fashion, and spoke quick;​

​

"Hey, would you like to come with us?", he asked to Udren Zeln . He hated how he had chosen to personify a ditz who had more power than he knew what to do with. The assumption wouldn't last long, especially for who they brought with them, but it would suffice for the moment - at least while everyone else was watching.​

​

Though the thought of fighting with Aerik Lechner over his anger issues was becoming a more common thought in his mind.​

​

He motioned for Udren Zeln to follow, and gave a non physical message to Lunaria for much the same. They had to have some privacy for what he wanted to propose - he only opened the Echani with the scar was more sensible than he imagined the others would be. When they were suitably away, he turned back to him with a more serious look, the ditzy persona he had faded.​

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"Listen, we need a third and I have a plan. The Sepulchral Priest entered the Tunnel we are supposed to go through - but there is no way he would go through the maze like we would. It's too time consuming, too dangerous, his movements would cause issues with the test. I propose that when we enter, we find the path he took - it should be before the Maze itself. We manage to open it, we get a free ride past the trial."​

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"Well? You in?", he re emphasized.​

 

[Fiolette Yvarro]

Fiolette stood with her hands clasped behind her back, her gaze unwavering as she listened to Dark Councilor Lechner. The grandeur of the Royal Academy on Jutrand seemed almost hollow to her, a façade covering the cracks in the current Sith Empire.

"The Empire I recall was far from perfect, Councilor, but it had a purpose, a direction. Now, I see countless worlds being burned under the Sith Empire's boots, yet none are being cultivated. We are not merely conquerors; we must be builders. The current state, however, suggests a different narrative."

"It suggests," she began, "a lack of strength, strength makes one capable of service not rule. There are countless worlds that burn under this war machine, when they could be cultivated. Made stronger, for their strength is our own, but then I suppose... You are correct, perhaps it is a good thing we are not the Sith Empire of old, because those who support this charade of nepotism and blind fanaticism would not have survived it." Because the attitudes of the Dark Councilor would've seen the Empire fall long before Tavlar and his followers broke the Sith Empire in half. Her gaze narrowed on the wolf, studying him the way any military commander might study their opponent, with cold precision.

Her eyes moved to the screen, where the young acolytes were displayed. "Your exams might separate the wheat from the chaff, but that alone does not ensure strength. Leadership must be earned through merit, not handed down through bloodlines or backroom deals. If these children can learn anything from this academy it would be that their failures are not a source of weakness. They are a source of strength, and those who burn brightly now may very well perish when they've reached their zenith."

She turned her gaze back to Gerwald, her voice firm. "Nepotism is a plague, not just among the youth but within our ranks. If we are to build an Empire that stands the test of time, we must be vigilant. We must ensure that those who rise do so because they are deserving, not because they have manipulated their way to power. You would be wise to maintain such awareness."

When asked if there were any she felt had distinguished themselves, Fiolette's expression remained inscrutable. "I have seen potential, but it is not my place to reveal more. Those who truly deserve to lead will make themselves known, not through words, but through actions."

Her tone left no room for argument, embodying the Tarkinist principles she held dear—order, strength, and hierarchy, all grounded in merit. Without another word, Fiolette turned her attention back to the display, her silence a testament to her unwavering conviction. The Galidraani glanced over toward the Empress but her expression remained unchanged. She shifted her expression toward the screen and watched as the next phase of the trials continued. There was a candidate that had begun to stand out, but Fiolette would await their performance as the trials continued, the candidate question had isolated themselves for the time being.

Fiolette knew of what the Empress spoke, but little with regard to the Sepulchral. The Empress was wise to speak of moving forward to leave behind what would bring the Empire into stagnation. Except, the Sith Empire in its current state was stagnate. Sith Lords bickered with one another over how to complete a task and who had the better idea of it. Rather than just seeing the task through, they fought for a prestige that mattered little beyond the backrooms and politicking within the Sith Order itself.

The Admiral glanced toward the screen as the acolytes moved forward in their trials. She saw little of potential for the moment but there were a few who she found intriguing to watch. She turned back to the Wolf and the Empress. The Empress addressed the Wolf, and Fiolette had only this to add.

"If we are to move forward as an Empire, there can only be room for those who share this vision. Empress." Fiolette said respectfully, "as you said."

"Let tyranny reign."

Srina Talon | Gerwald Lechner​

 

[Adean Castor]

Objective: Chameleon + Enrollment
Tags: Ilentos Kalosi | Open

It was both a blessing and curse to blend in, one that had seen Adean far in her comparatively short years. If she had picked anything up in her experience, it was that people were far less likely to question you if you simply agreed with them. Behind a face of ill-placed sincerity, of sheer commitment to the bit, a tongue of precious silvers was forged.

Said tongue was locked behind clenched teeth and pursed lips as Adean clocked another hopeful being led away. Her brow furrowed, a nagging sensation suggesting wherever they were being led was no place to follow. Not one to doubt such a feeling, the Epicanthix slipped further into the forming crowd of hopefuls as they trickled in from the first test. A fortuitous move, no, not fortuitous. Not 30 seconds after she moved, a hopeful who'd taken her position was escorted away. Whatever had compelled her to move was beyond fortune.

Her attention shifted as the priest and his dreadful guard entered the room. The hairs at the back of her neck stood at full attention as she took in the corpse, senses working overtime taking in the new directions and planning escape routes should someone or something come to whisk her away mid-instruction. She was one of many to glance over at Viers Connory , Jarek Voss , and Irina Jesart as they were praised for their performance. Her gaze lingered for maybe seconds, aiming to avoid accidental eye contact. It wouldn't do to make herself a target of the targets.

Adean's brow furrowed as she considered the test at hand. An escort for each trio suggested simply sneaking by would be difficult, if not an impossibility. As more groups formed, such an idea was cast aside as a backup, abandoned in fear of failing and there being no more acolytes to group up with.

The green-haired girl cast a glance about the remaining acolytes, settling on Ilentos Kalosi . The Tigerkin wouldn't have been her first choice had time and nerves been on her side. He seemed sure of himself and likely had her beat several times over when it came to physical strength, that much was a plus. But brains and subtlety? Well, that remained to be seen.

"I'll go with you," she addressed the titan as he too grappled with finding partners. "If you don't mind, of course. Though I do think the faster we form groups and get in there, the better."

 

[Udren Zeln]

Groups began to form, aspirants sought out those familiar or those believed capable of working together, and Udren watched the pairings and trios unfold. There had been some concern he would need to join relative unknown individuals for the purpose, which would have been both advantageous and disadvantageous in different ways... but then Udren saw a motion to his left, and he turned to look.

Rivan.

In response, Udren walked over, content to team up with someone he knew the names of. There was concern, though, as he noted the mannerisms presented by Rivan, the off-smile, the sense of awkwardness; perhaps the Echani boy was a little air-headed, or absent minded, though Udren had been taught not to judge a holobook by its cover. Still...

"Very well, what is on your mind?"

Udren walked with the pair anyway, believing it never hurt to be curious. When the three were away to a more private portion of the academy floor, the change in demeanor and personality was immediately evident from Rivan, even as Udren felt a smirk tug at his lips. The convincing persona had been performed well, likely presented to the general assemblage as a means of misleading, which spoke of a far deeper and more cunning personality under the surface.

Interesting.

As Rivan spoke of the proposed idea, Udren glanced to Artemis, wondering if she also projected a mask for others. There was something exciting about realizing a truth that others - potentially - didn't know about, concerning the twins. In all honesty, Udren now had far more confidence in their collective ability to pass through the Labyrinthian.

"The plan makes sense," Udren said with a nod, as he stepped closer to Rivan and shielded him from as much view as possible from any onlookers, to preserve the mask. "I'm not sure if it helps, just yet, but I have studied the Sith language for many years. If there are hints or hieroglyphs, I should be able to translate them accurately."

The idea of overtaking the other groups, some of whom had already rushed into the maze entry, by way of using the alternate approach was appealing.

"I am ready, yes. Are you both ready?"

Udren looked from Rivan to Artemis, white eyebrows raised, before he prepared to move...

___________________________________________________________________

Soldane Talon | Lunaria Talon​

 

[Alaqai Temuha]

Interacting with: Eira Dyn

Alaqai lingered at the edge of the room, her back against the cold, obsidian wall. While other acolytes around her had already begun to mingle and chatter, she continued to remain silent, her eyes scanning the room with a nervous intensity. She’d always had more of a reserved introverted nature and approaching others and being the first to engage in a conversation was no easy feat to the young teenager.

While she was more than eager to start building alliances already, her quiet nature held her back. A lack of interest or motivation was not a concern for her, and she had the ambition and goal to succeed. Alaqai's heart pounded in her chest, but she kept her expression as neutral as possible, her emotions tightly controlled.

Her tutors had taught her that revealing too much could be seen as a sign of weakness and she did not want to make herself appear as a weak target to be taken out already. Alaqai's attention was then drawn towards the arrival of a Sepulchral priest along with a dozen warriors clad in vibrant red armour, the mighty Praetorians themselves. She had heard much about them and watched them in awe as she waited for the priest to speak. The Praetorians, imposing in their crimson armour, exuded an air of menace that stifled any remaining chatter.

It was then that the announcement of their betters came, and the identities of the three outstanding acolytes were revealed. As the three faces appeared in the flames—Viers, Irina, and Jarek—Alaqai felt a pang of envy but quickly suppressed it. She had no desire to draw attention to herself just yet. Her mind had quickly processed the information and realised that those three now had an extra burden hurled on their backs. They had become targets of any opportunistic acolyte that remained and their work was now cut out for them.

The Labyrinthian. It would test not only their individual skills but also their ability to work as a team. Alaqai knew she had to find herself a team to join, but her reserved nature made it difficult to approach others. She preferred to observe, to understand her potential partners before committing to a decision. She continued watching as other acolytes began to form groups. Many were quick, while others like her struggled to find groups that suited them.

She casted an anxious glance around the room as she thought about who could possibly increase her chances of survival. That was incredibly difficult as she knew no one, and had to simply go by mere appearances along with her gut instinct. Her mind finally decided on someone, and Alaqai began to make her move towards the individual who had just called out to everyone in the room that was still looking for members to join their group.

The other girl seemed to have a confident air around here, and gave her a positive impression that she could be the one to get through the next stage of the trial that they were presented with. “Hello. I like your confidence. I’ll join you. Let’s find one more and get through this.”

 

[Kal-El]

JUTRAND - THE ROYAL ACADEMY TRIALS - THE LABYRINTH
Sasha Stellacend | Karok | Adean Castor | Ilentos Kalosi | @Everyone Else

Ana na Tutsatsa. Walk with Strength.

An almost amused eye-roll followed as Kal-El let his eyes scanned the applicants around him. Each and every single one of his fellow applicants repeated the words in kind, slamming their fists over their heart. Kal simple chose to keep his hands at his side, prepared to use them for anything that the application process would throw his way. The only thought in his mind became a reoccurring impatience at how slow everything was moving. The only saving grace here was that he knew the application process, if it could be called that, would whittle down a large number, and future tests and trials would move at a faster pace

Right now, Kal's first obstacle would not be passing the blood test. He met the minimum and then a little. No, it would be the simple fact his blood would be on file for any Sith or, worse, a Marr to peruse, assuming they kept record of these blood tests. There was no cheating the test. There was only buying himself a little time. Maybe enough to pass the first test without any possible interference from the Marrs.

If he was even important enough for their notice. Still, better to safe than sorry. Rubbing his hands together before outstretching a lone finger, all it took was waiting for the needle to prick his skin, and then focus. It needed to imperceptible and as easy as breathing. A small almost-static shock escaped his finger. It had taken months of practice to get this one trick down. And it had not even meant for a little prick.

A calibration error was an ingenious method of circumventing the system or, more accurately, a signal error. He just wish he thought of it beforehand. Kal would need to thank the applicants ahead of him for the idea. It would take a few minutes for the signal to reconnect, to broadcast his DNA and heritage to all interested parties. By that time, there would be no issue with his blood sample and he would be sent on his merry way to the next tests.

The test with the rocks was not difficult either. Most would destroy them with their mind or float them through the air. His amber eyes watched each and every performance. There was a certain lack of self-control. Potential, yes, but no control. Unless it was a ploy and they were saving all their tricks for later tests. Either way, he was in favor of the direct yet simple approach when it came to these tests.

It would be as simple as breathing. He had practiced this. Breathe and grasp the rock with his bare hands. Then stone gave way under his fingers until he found purchase. Then he lifted one stone over his shoulder. Then a second. He would have gone for a third, stacked the boulders like building blocks. A real hat trick.

Breathe.

He refrained. Instead, he cast a sidelong glance over his shoulder, staring directly into the eyes of the proctors.

"You want me to try for a third or should I set these down? Not a problem for me, either way."

An innocuous question. One that got him sent to the next phase of the tests. Three locks. Unlike the rocks, this was less of a numbers game—where a certain number of boulders needed to be lifted or destroyed in certain cases—and more so a task that needed to be completed in its entirety. Rubbing his hands together once more, Kal-El let the static between his hands build before setting his palms and splayed fingers upon the cool metal. There had been those who had manipulated the locks with the force, either manipulating the mechanisms themselves through a form of telekinesis or manipulating the electronics connected to such locks.

Kal-El chose the middle ground approach. Manipulating the force or electronics took far more effort than his chose tactic. Tearing through the metal pins took even more so effort. Manipulating something that was far more apparent and visible in the universe, that was simpler and took far less effort. Electromagnetism on the very metal locks would have them bend and turn. All it required was focus to manipulate all three at once. Almost easier said and done. One lock had enough pins to manipulate to give anyone a headache, Force user or not. Three at the same time? That was nearly thirty pins, if not more.

Push each pin together slowly at once, make sure each is secure, then turn.

This is where all the practice paid off.

Click. Click. Click!

The final test complete. Onto the next trial. The labyrinth. Groups of three and a maze? This is where he would need to excel most, assuming the next trial was not any more difficult. Kal-El only needed the right partners. His eyes scanned the applicants, measuring each one up. He had a plan of action here. Maybe it had a little touch and go here and there. But he knew he could execute it with the right teammates.

———————————​

Too many egos and self-assured applicants. That and he needed to make sure he avoided any relatives. Kal needed someone who was open to the prospect of a genuine partnership. Several someones, actually. And he had an idea of who to approach first. The most anxious and shy of the entire lot. Someone who looked like they would prefer to curl up and die rather than talk to anyone.

Tilting his upper body and head to the side—lowering his face and body so Kal would be within Sasha Stellacend 's hooded and obscured field of vision—Kal simply passed along a small wave with one of his hands. A simple, small smile and a raised eyebrow would be his only expressions as Kal-El introduced himself.

"Hey. I like your hood. Aaand don't mind the scars," a simple wave of the hand followed as if Kal were brushing off the issue with his slightly intimidating scarring, "I got them for the aesthetic."

A little humor never hurt anyone.

"My name's Kal-El, but Kal is fine too. What's your name?"

After introductions, Kal jutted a thumb over his shoulder before turning his head a little and pointing more accurately at two other applicants, Adean Castor and Ilentos Kalosi .

"Because I am going to need your help to convince those two to make an alliance with our team. If we work together and with more numbers, there's less of a chance we all fail the labyrinth or another group takes us out," Kal-El laid out the beginnings of the plan, "And, if you think I'm setting you up for failure, take a look at the guy I need to convince to be on our team."

Jutting his thumb and motioning with his head at the same time, Kal indicated the applicant he would need to convince to join their ranks. The local Gen'Dai Karok .

"Trust me, he's nowhere near as fluffy or cuddly as the company you're about to keep. So, what do you say? The plan doesn't work without you. I can't talk to both of them at once before one of them heads off into the labyrinth on their own," Kal did a small, friendly fist bump on Sasha's shoulder, "You're an important part of this whole deal. You in?"

 

[Sasha Stellacend]

TAGS: Kal-El

Sasha was bewildered by Kal's proposal. He wanted help from him? "I... Uh... I'm S-Sasha," he stammered nervously, wrapping his arms around himself and glancing at the others Kal had mentioned. "Y... You wanna make a team with me?" He pointed at himself, seeking confirmation. "And you want to have two teams work together?" Sasha needed to ensure he understood Kal correctly. He looked back at the others Kal had indicated, studying them intently from beneath his hood.

 

[Renora zambrano]

Irina Jesart Jarek Voss

Renora fed off the ambient hate and anger filled in the testing grounds as she watched her fellow students team up and as she watched and followed Irina as Irina approached jarek she listened to their short exchange. "I'm gonna be your third" renora said standing out do to the fact she was taller than most of the other students. Awaiting jareks answer renora would examine other groups she figured having Two students where in the lead would make this next test a breeze. Plus it would drive her to do better than the previous test which was a Sinch but she did better in live combat scenarios anyway.

 

[Karok]

Now it was time for a more social aspect. Only I dont speak the best Galactic Basic.

The next room was buzzing with activity and once again Karok was late to the official announcements but with how many were gathered to socialize and looking around, the young Gen'dai could only assume what was to come. It reminded me of the gatherings before the my Hutt Masters had us slug through Hutt-ball for hours on end.

Who was the strongest. Fastest. Most agile and all the poodoo.

The answer was me. Period.

Karok was taller the rest of the students, dwarfing some overseers and even some praetorian guards. I like that armor. Black abyssal eyes peered through the space between himself and the entourage of body guards. Are these what pass as the elite here now? A brow was raised and a smirk was etched across his visage. An expression that was partially hidden under the shadow of his hood.

" Their planning to send us through this next task and the overseers wont even go in. The speaker was clear how dangerous it could be in there." a student said as Karok passed by. It seemed to be the topic of conversation and by the looks other youth were getting paired up in trio's. Which means I will be expected to play nice.

"Wonkee woy uba saconba? Joppay uba caiot hhiba kae bantkoke. Karok stared at the Echani and then turned to the boy with an accusatory glare. "Uba tee dotke kolka bai mesohba. Moova koumhaptecee doi mi. Ateema." Karok scoffed at Sasha Stellacend as they addressed Kal-El . His words thick in Huttese. The tone of his deep alien voice suggested something rude was said.

Translations:
Why do you ask? When you could impose.
You are not pleasing to look at. Turn away from me. Now.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Nwul's power could have been great had it been honed, but it was instead spent frivolously. Now it has amounted to nothing." The Dark Lord's cloak came back about His shoulders to wrap around His body like a funeral shroud, completely concealing His body's sihlouette. The black fabric shimmered slightly in the light, revealing intricate patterns woven through with shiny copper metal. Runic inscriptions, depictions of beasts, and other things half-glimpsed as the Dark Lord pivoted and began to walk back the way He had originally came.

"Follow."

Was all the command He gave, expecting the young Marr to obey. Beyond this main courtyard, there were a myriad of smaller ancillary yards that were often used for sparring and training by the acolytes and instructors. It was one of these courts that Carnifex led Malum to, sweeping into the wide, flat expanse with a flourish of His cloak. After a time, He turned to face the younger Sith.

"If it is a test you wish to undertake, then I will oblige you. You are to strike at me with all of your might. Do so without restraint, for it may be the only opportunity afforded to you."

Darth Malum of House Marr ​

 

[Matteo Guo-Yian]

Tags: Rosalia Aros | Soah Ty’Jyn

Rose had 'some' weapons.

Soah had a knife whose edge can be (presumably) poisoned.

Oh, yeah, totally normal things to bring towards the first day of school. Matt nodded and as they stepped into the labyrinth proper their traversal through the magical barrier transported them to a random place inside the maze. That was the only way for all the groups to begin separated after all.

Otherwise you'd end up with a pile at the very entrance.

"I got some gifts from my family." He raised his hand and the air shifted in quality before a knife appeared in his clenched fist. It was unassuming, simple steel with leather wraps around the pommel. But when Matt shifted his hand the light seemed to shift with the knife's edge.

"Won't do anything against a proper Sith Lord but what was it they said? 'Beasts, machines, traps, and guardians'." Matt shrugged there. "I don't think we will be getting out of here until we take down 3 out of the four mentioned. Three trials, right?" So if they killed a beast, disabled a machine and took down a guardian... while avoiding any traps?

Maybe they'd be able to get out of here successfully.

It was a bit optimistic, of course, hopeful.

"You guys hear that?" Matt tilted his head as a faint whirring sound clinked in the distance. "Pretty sure our first trial is coming up..." They didn't even give them any time to recover. The teleportation had caused his stomach to do several somersaults, but here they were. The whirring clinking sound assumed they had machines incoming.

Best not to assume however.

It could be anything.

 

[Ilentos Kalosi]

A voice. Soft and unassuming. But a voice had spoken up. One that thought to actually accept Ilentos' invitation to reach the next stage at his side. He almost laughed at this one. They had to be really stupid or really brave. Either way, he could use them to meet his own ends. He leaned over and peered into the eyes of the one before him.

"Very well. Do you have a name, creature?" he questioned.

This one was at home in the shadows, hidden from view. From the glory that he sought. He could smell it on her. Maybe this was a mistake. Even so, it was far too late for that now.

"Can you even fight?" he chuckled.

Adean Castor ​

 

[Thelnic Vath]

Objective: Start the next trial with team
Location: The Royal Academy of Jutrand
Equipment:

• Datapad
• Lightsaber
• Hover-crate with various research instruments
• Academy Uniform

Tags: OPEN | Nevheda of Tsis'Raki | Sage Lumiya

The focus of Thelnic’s attention responded with grammatical errors. Thelnic was a scholar, but he didn’t expect everyone to be on his level and he never corrected another’s speech. As a scientist he found it much more interesting for a being to be themselves and Thelnic could form theories as to who they would be from a truthful expression rather than a molded one. He returned Sage’s smile, her pleasant response was a bit of a surprise but Thelnic was happy that not all of the potential students of the academy were taking the trials in a cutthroat manner. ”To be fair, I suppose I should amend my statement to say I’m durable more than strong.”

When the aquatic female made the statement that she’d best be served underwater, Thelnic wondered if she would be able to put that specialty to good use. ”I would suspect that you are best suited for any water challenges,” Thelnic responded as he gave a quick look around to see no other obviously aquatic species nearby. ”If they do throw something like that at us we will be quite lucky to have you along.”

At the offer of an apple Thelnic tilted his head to the side. He looked at the long thin digits that held the apple out and then concentrated on the apple itself. Thelnic valued a well-rounded diet and a little extra sugary energy for the next trial would not be something he should turn down. ”Thank you. It looks quite tasty. Perhaps we could split it?” Before the girl could respond to this she remarked about screaming and the trial being fun.

”I’m not sure if fun is what the testers had in mind when they set up this trial,” Thelnic said with a smirk. ”But I am sure that viewing this endeavor as fun is much better than entering with trepidation.” The green-skinned girl then invited Nevheda to come along and started towards the entrance of the labyrinth. I gave Nevheda a nod and motioned for her to follow along as I hurried to catch up as Sage gave a proper introduction. ”I’m Thelnic and this is Nevheda. I think we’ll make a good team.”

 

[Adean Castor]

Objective: Chameleon + Enrollment
Tags: Ilentos Kalosi | Open

The green-haired girl met the feline's gaze with an even facade of a practiced charlatan, unwavering under scrutiny. No, the wavering would come later, when she had time to really think about where her lies had taken her. At the moment, she was operating on an instinct that had taken her far. Arguably, too far.

"Brassius," She responded, the stolen name of a Zambrano she'd hopefully never meet weighing about the same on her tongue as 'Adean' or any other moniker she'd picked up in her travels. The only indication of something being off from the norm was a twitch of the mouth, remembering Darth Carnifex had been one of many observing the trials just as the name slid past her tongue. The Epicanthix could only hope the name wouldn't travel beyond the trial floors. "And you? What do I call you?"

Adean met his next question with an easy smile, borrowed confidence. "And deprive you of your moment of glory? I could never." She hoped to leave the non-answer at that, with sheer personality enough to suggest she'd hold her own one way or another. "Now let's grab another before there's no one capable remaining."

She paused, attention grabbed by the voice of Kal-El . An alliance was by and large a smart move, at least until they had a better idea of the scope of the labyrinth. More people to hide behind, more opportunities to slide under the radar, more names to borrow should things go south. "I don't see why not," she started, casting a quick glance at the Tigerkin to give him a chance to object. "Nothing was said against banding together, at least."

 

[Jarek Voss]

TAGS: Irina Jesart , Renora zambrano​

---

Jarek stared off into the distance, recalling Renora zambrano performing her trials earlier.

"Renora... Yes, I remember your trials. The three of us will make a formidable team." Jarek looked at both Irina Jesart and Renora zambrano , "We should start, it seems many have already started their journey into the Labyrinth."

Jarek turned towards the open doors leading into the darkness of the Labyrinth, and towards the formidable Praetorians. The young Echani felt a twitch in his chest, something preventing him from taking a step, a hesitation. "What's wrong with me?" Jarek thought to himself. He gave a slight shake of his head, and marched towards the Praetorians. "We are ready." Jarek said, trying to muster an authoritative tone. The Guards did not speak, at least nothing that Jarek could comprehend. He was focused on the darkness. The darkness looked, felt alive, calling to him. Jarek felt static in his mind as the Praetorians led the trio to the Labryrinth, a gnawing at the edges of his consciousness of indistinguishable voices. As Jarek followed the Praetorians through the doorway, into the unnatural darkness, he felt it's cold arms wrap around him. But not his body, it was far deeper, his very soul was being engulfed by the Abyss. His heart began to race, a bead of sweat fell down his cheek, "fear.. I'm.. I'm afraid.",
It was both exhilarating and terrifying, the Dark Side was incredibly powerful here. Jarek was nearly in a daze, so much so that he almost ran into the Praetorians. They pointed down the way, the darkness clearing. If they were talking, Jarek could not understand them. As the praetorian's turned to leave, Jarek looked around and tried to gather his senses. They seemed to have been lead to a long corridor. Every step could be trap, a wrong turn, death. Jarek looked down,

"Is this... obsidian?"

It was truly beautiful, the obsidian playing with the darkness they travelled through. Jarek turned around, nearly forgetting he was with people. "We made it." The edges of his voice had a tremble, his eyes wild, the power and presence of the Dark Side was overwhelming.

 

[Rosalia Aros]

Tag: Matteo Guo-Yian | Soah Ty’Jyn
​

Rosalia's brows arched as Matt demonstrated his knife-wielding skills. The way the knife appeared seemingly out of the air was quite impressive, though she wouldn't say it out loud. For a moment, there was a tiny pin-prick of jealousy... it seemed his family supported him. The teen spared a thought for her own family and how they must be back home... sitting in a near vegetative state. The very drained and zombie-like state that she had left them in.

"Mmhmm," she answered in the affirmative, she heard it, too.

Machines of some sort. She eyed her team-mates, they had both revealed their knives. Still, it seemed all three of them would need to get quite close to attack their would-be opponents. As she tried to hone in on the sound, she felt nothing -- no life. The teen craved something more, though the feeling was difficult for to understand. Still, maybe it could be fun to wreck up a bunch of machines.

"Ready?" She asked, glancing to her team mates.

The walls were already moving according to her will, two sections of the maze parting to reveal their first task: droids. She willed her claws to stay in for the time being. After all, she didn't really feel like getting them twisted up in machine parts... or broken! As she ducked out of the way of incoming bolts, she was fortunate enough to find what she guessed was a mace -- not in good repair, but still good enough to smash some stuff.

Rosalia swung hard. The teen watched amused as the exposed wires sparked and the droid twitched. Another hit with the mace finished the job. Turning, she watched for any signs Soah or Matt needed help.

 

[Eira Dyn]

Location: Jutrand
Outfit: Academy Uniform
Tags: Alaqai Temuha | Iuuna Talon (Sponsor)

Her speech had garnered some attention. She spotted someone approaching her and nodded her head to the stranger, "confidence is half the battle." Eira fully believed that. Confidence became truth. They wouldn't have weapons wandering in there but those who made their bodies living weapons would triumphant and demonstrate reason to be highly placed among the new students. With her nature skills in Force Lightning and the limited training with her mentor in Echani marital arts, Eira felt some confidence in her skills.

Looking around, she had spotted Meili Feng who had not been approached yet. Pointing out the other acolyte, Eira looked over to the woman who approached her, "she could be our third." Eira mentioned, she then led the way over to recruit the new person. Eira wanted to get into the maze and demonstrate her skills as soon as possible.

"Hi. I'm Eira," she nodded to Alaqai to introduce herself, having not provided Eira with her name, "we're looking for a third to get through this trial and noticed you hadn't joined a group yet. Want to join ours?"

 

[Soah Ty’Jyn]

Tag: Matteo Guo-Yian | Rosalia Aros
​

Soah gave a curt nod. Good, I selected well. There was a distinct scent to the dark-haired girl; the sort that would recognize another predator. What was it? It wasn't a scent the Felacatian was familiar with. However, it was evident to Soah that Rosalia wasn't all that she appeared to be. Then again, neither was Soah.

Matteo was no different, but the Felacatian couldn't quite put her finger on what he was either. Both were not quite fully human or perhaps were something else entirely. Either way, they were already making their way into the labyrinth. Keen ears perked at the distant dissonance of whirring gears just as Matteo mentioned that something was approaching them.

Droids.

Distaste rose in Soah's mouth, a bitter taste of bile. She despised them. Much like ships, droids had a tendency to make Soah's skin crawl. They were just unnatural. A growl rumbled in her throat, and Soah felt her muscles coil to spring as Rosalia's body moved with swift agility. Sharp fangs flashed in Soah's broadening grin as she sprung and followed Rosalia in charging at the droids.

Sure enough, it appeared that there wasn't just one type of droid coming at them. No, the whirring became louder, and as Rosalia's mace smacked, sending shards of twisted metal and sparking wires to the floor, up ahead, two hovering droids with bright red oculars came into view. They hovered in the air, sending bolts of live blaster fire right in their direction.

This was no game, as Soah had to jump out of the way, a sizzling scorch mark smoking where she had been standing. The growl intensified in the back of Soah's throat. She bolted forward with uncanny precision, muscles flexing and contorting as thighs and calves pumped like powerful pistons, weaving left and right before leaping into the air.

A savage growl ripped from her throat, the droid giving a screech as sharp claws ejected from Soah's fingers. She clamped down on top of the droid, attempting to rip and tear it apart from above. The droid wove and waved left and right, doing its best to buck her off, dropping in elevation as it struggled to fight off her weight.

With every swipe of her claws, Soah's predatory instincts took over, her eyes glowing with feral intensity. The thrill of the hunt coursed through her veins as she tore into the droid, sparks flying and metal screeching. She would dismantle this abomination piece by piece, until nothing remained but a heap of destroyed machinery.

 

[Alaqai Temuha]

Interacting with: Eira Dyn , Meili Feng

Alaqai inclined her head slightly, acknowledging Eira's comments with a simple nod. She kept her gaze steady, masking the unease she felt within. The trial that awaited them was vital to moving on to the next stage, and any misstep now would be met with failure, and that would be an acceptable outcome for, not when she had spent a good portion of her life training for the opportunity to raise the prestige of her fallen house.

The stakes were too high for unnecessary mistakes to be committed by anyone on her team. The confidence shown by Eira was displayed once again, as she moved off to find a potential candidate for their last spot in the team. Alaqai was more than happy to follow and see what the other acolyte had in mind.

She pointed out another acolyte who looked alone and the pair soon made their way to her. As they approached the lone acolyte, Alaqai's eyes narrowed slightly, scrutinising her posture and movement, her mind filled with a flurry of internal mental calculations. With no idea of each other’s performance, Alaqai could only hope this third member would provide the strength and balance their group needed.

Eira's leadership was evident, and Alaqai respected that. She stayed a step behind, letting Eira take the lead in the conversation. When Eira gestured for her to introduce herself, she did so without hesitation. “I’m Alaqai.” That was all she said, as that was all that was necessary for now.

Depending on the response they got from the other acolyte, their group would be complete or they would be left wanting, and on the search once more for the last member of their team.

 

[Matteo Guo-Yian]

Tag: Rosalia Aros | Soah Ty’Jyn

Both his companions were making short work of the droids in front of them.

Matteo held back instead of joining the fray. The corridor was cramped as is and they had no experience fighting together. Another set of limbs would only cause them to stumble into one another. Instead he snapped in and out of reach, carving through stalking droid that had been planning to pounce on Rose and then snapped the head off a venom droid that had been about to spit acid at Soah.

So focused Matt was on keeping the pressure off of them he didn't notice the ground shuddering underneath him.

Until a serpent-like droid snapped out of the sand and wrapped its metallic body around his leg. Matteo cried out in pain as sharp parts dug into his robe and the flesh beneath. His knife was practically useless against the chitin like corpus keeping the inner machinery safe. Until the sharp point finally managed to hit home into one of its eyes.

It screeched and whirled and fell to the ground.

His leg was bleeding, which was problematic, but the sound of battle seemed to quiet down.

"All alive?" He asked them as he crouched down to take a better look at the gaping wounds left by the sharp bits of the metallic viper.