Faction Going Away to College | Sith Academy

[Alaqai Temuha]

Interacting with: Eira Dyn

Alaqai watched Meili walk away without a word, feeling a mixture of anger and disappointment. Were they so poor in the other girl’s eyes that she deemed them not even worthy to speak to? Her own insecurities echoed Eira’s, though she struggled to keep her emotions controlled. She nodded in agreement as Eira shrugged off the rejection. It would do them both well to proceed on and not dwell on things that were now in the past.

"Indeed, it is her loss." Alaqai mentioned, her voice betraying a hint of anger.

She scanned the room, noticing the dwindling number of ungrouped acolytes. The menacing maze loomed ahead, a reminder of the challenge they needed to face together. When Eira pointed out the Duros, Alaqai's eyes followed, assessing him quickly. He didn't seem particularly strong, but they couldn’t afford to be picky at this point.

She also reassured herself that appearances could be deceiving.

"Agreed." Alaqai said softly. "A third is a third. A number is a number." She followed Eira as she led the way to the Duros, standing slightly behind her as she made the introduction. Alaqai studied the Duros’s reaction and was relieved when he agreed. She was not looking forward to another rejection.

When Eira introduced them and laid out her own strengths, Alaqai stepped forward, her expression calm but focused. "I'm good with the force and handy with blades. I am also adept at analysing situations and adapting quickly." Her voice was steady and measured.

She didn't see the need to elaborate further, keeping her capabilities vague. It was a strategic choice—revealing too much could be a weakness, especially in a place where alliances could shift rapidly.

Alaqai remained silent as the trio approached the maze, her eyes scanning their surroundings. This trial would not only test their physical and mental capabilities but also their ability to work together under pressure.

 

[Matteo Guo-Yian]

Tag: Soah Ty’Jyn | Rosalia Aros

He watched with caution as Rosalia went over the bridge, looking for any signs of trouble or deceit, but the girl got across safely and waited on the other end for them. Instead of immediately running off with a head start. He had hoped she was to be trusted considering their side deal, but you could never truly know what you had in a person until you were already in the thick of it.

The feral one once again seemed concerned about his wound or perhaps probing him for a weakness.

"I will be fine." He said firmly as he watched the bridge. Did it seem to sway a bit wilder? As if to prove to them all that he was fine he already stepped up to the bridge. His fist closing around the rope as Matt took a deep breath and began to walk.

Rosalia had made it seem so easy, but it really was not. Every step made it shake and shudder. This made him hold on tighter, but that only made it shake even more. It felt like an eternity, but really it couldn't have been more than half a minute as he jumped to the other side next to Rosalia. That was when the worst happened.

The fraying ropes that had been slowly decaying beyond their observation finally snapped.

Matteo's eyes widened and he leaped in, grabbing hold of one of the ropes, grunting as the weight of the whole bridge settled against him. "Rose, quick, the other rope!"

Together they could probably hold it up long enough for Soah.

"Get a move on it!" Screaming into the air without looking at the feral one, because all his attention was currently at holding this chitty thing up.

 

[Eira Dyn]

Location: Jutrand
Outfit: Academy Uniform
Tags: Alaqai Temuha

The Duros mentioned that he was okay with a pistol and dagger. Which made him good fodder to throw at enemies in Eira's mind. She did not think he would likely get further than this trial in her mind. At least, from the exceptionally high standards that the academy reported to have, it made no sense that this Duros would get further.

Entering the maze after being searched to ensure that Eira was not taking in a weapon, she let her blood red eyes look around and inspect the surroundings. She was curious what would be threats that they could be facing within the maze. There seemed to be about anything and everything from what had been stated by the overseer for the trials. It had her fingertips twitching and electricity sparking from them in anticipation. She moved forward and looked around.

"We need to push forward. Avoid what dangers we can and also trying to either handle threats quickly or escape." They were being timed on this task, so while it would be impressive taking down everything they came across, it would also be wasting precious moments in time that could cost them progression. "Call out quietly if you see anything."

Eira also attempted to think what would be the fastest or the best route out of a maze. Keeping to one direction was something she had been told as a child when going to farmer makeshift mazes. But Eira had her suspicions that these mazes would not be as easy.

 

[Soah Ty’Jyn]

Matteo Guo-Yian | Rosalia Aros
​

She had to move fast.
​

Matteo had made it clear. She had to move. Darting forward, the Felacatian grabbed at the rope and stepped onto the precarious line. With no boards, it meant that crossing the remnants of the bridge was not only a race against time, but an act of balance. Thankefully, her skills gained in the Jungles of Felcat allowed her to move quickly.

Soah narrowed her eyes, the distant roar of the river below echoing through the deep, dark ravine. With each step, the rope bridge creaked ominously, fraying strands whispering their impending doom. She glanced back at Matteo, who was gripping the ropes with all his strength, trying to hold the bridge together.

Soah's cat-like reflexes kicked in, every muscle coiling with tension. She was used to climbing jungle vines back home, and this wasn't much different -- except for the deadly drop beneath her. She took another careful step, her feline grace allowing her to navigate the precarious path with ease. But then, with a sharp snap, one of the main ropes gave way.

The bridge lurched violently, and Soah felt her heart leap into her throat. She clung to the remaining rope, her claws instinctively extending to grip the fibers. Below her, the ravine yawned like a hungry beast. Soah let out a scream before she managed to catch herself.

The frayed ends of the bridge swung wildly, and for a terrifying moment, Soah dangled in midair, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She gritted her teeth, muscles straining as she fought to keep her grip. Inch by agonizing inch, she started to climb, her body a testament to years of survival and training in the wild.

The wind whipped around her, the abyss below seeming to beckon with every slip of her fingers. But Soah refused to let go.

 

[Lunaria Talon]

Direct Tag: Soldane Talon | Udren Zeln [OPEN]
Alias: Artemis Dreadmoor
Wearing: School Uniform

Lunaria was quiet.

Hiding in the shadow of her twin wasn’t at all uncommon. She was more emotionally aware by half but when something bothered her—She could often be found there. He was her best friend. Her solace. Her shield. Even when he was playing the part of someone else entirely. There were some things she wasn’t a good enough actor to lie about…So she wouldn’t try. In a world where they had grown up with rarely anyone else to keep them company, they had come to rely on one another for everything. She mentioned their third and Soldane allowed her to have her thoughts on the matter.

Luna hadn’t said a word…But…

He knew.

There was something cold about Udren Zeln that she found to be a familiar comfort. He had what felt to be a little more experience with the outside world. They could use that knowledge, even if, he didn’t know how sheltered they’d been. The pale child fell in line with her brother without needing to be told. It would be vaguely eerie how they moved—Orbiting, one another, like satellites. She moved.

He moved.

Before Sol even opened his mouth, she knew he had a plan that would probably cause their Naneth to have a silent heart attack somewhere in the stands. He was nothing, though, if not creative. The proctors hadn’t really detailed how they needed to get through the maze. Only that they needed to do so alive and intact. “If we can’t find it, we’ll lose time…”

“…But it might be worth it and less risky if you join us…”

A touch more encouragement for the much taller student, words, that seemed to be in earnest. There was nothing in her that gave away she was wearing a mask in the way her brother was. But…There was something. Something, off. Whether it was the way she carried herself or the way she seemed so content to downplay her skills…It didn’t fit. The way she moved spoke of a flame dancer of Eshan but her innocent stares seemed to wash it all away.

Just a child—Focused hard on winning a deadly game.

At the mention of hieroglyphs Lunaria, rather Artemis, glanced at Rivan and nodded her head in the affirmative. That could indeed be useful. “I wouldn’t put it past the Academy to test us for knowledge of things that ought to be beyond us. We have limited experience with runic inscriptions…”, she offered, but then, a light blush stole over her cheeks while she almost shyly admitted…

“I like puzzles.”

In truth…She referred to a deeply evolved study of ur-Kittât. She was just as fluent in the forbidden language as she was in Echani and several others. Naneth had deemed it important. The tomes that their mother borrowed from the Malsheem to teach them how to understand the nature of their roots had rarely every been translated into basic. Eventually, the lines and spacing began to make sense. Their eyes adjusted to what was not there as much as what they did see.

But…Admitting that? No. Not a good idea.

Two children sponsored by a lesser noble wouldn’t easily have access to that sort of education. Artemis nodded her head, then, with a final decision and began to move toward the mouth of the maze.

“Ready as I’ll ever be…coming?”

Her smile was…Impetuous. Infectious. It was almost as if she wasn’t leading the trip into a place where unknown beasts might soon feast on their bones.

 

[Alaqai Temuha]

Interacting with: Eira Dyn

As the trio entered the labyrinth, Alaqai’s senses remained on high alert, feeling the palpable tension in the air as her pulse quickened. She took in every detail of the maze’s as they walked through it, noting the high thick walls and the dim light that cast eerie shadows. When the Duros mentioned his proficiency with a pistol and dagger, Alaqai silently made a mental note of his limited combat capabilities.

She shared Eira's skepticism about his chances, but she understood the value of having another body to draw enemy attention if needed. Even as this thought crossed her mind, another too made its presence known. This thought was a more optimistic one, and knew better than to underestimate anyone, hoping that the Duros would still be an equally valuable contributor in their journey through the maze.

The academy's trials were designed to test more than just physical prowess, and she could tell that the skills each of them had would be tested well before they saw the end. Alaqai nodded and acknowledged Eira’s comments. “Efficiency and speed are crucial. We can't afford unnecessary delays.” Her eyes continued to flicker over the maze's walls and pathways, mentally processing and mapping out potential routes and strategies. The overseer's warning about the variety of threats echoed in her mind.

Alaqai's instincts along with the teachings of her previous instructors urged her to remain vigilant and observant, ready to adapt to any situation. It was then that she came up with a suggestion for silent communication. "We should establish a signal for silent communication," Alaqai suggested, her voice barely above a whisper. "Something simple, like hand signs. It might save us crucial seconds."

She then proposed several hand signals to her team for their consideration before they moved deeper into the labyrinth. Once that was settled, she continued. “We'll also need to stay alert for traps as well. They would have ensured that brute force alone won't get us through as that would be too easy.”

 

[Rosalia Aros]

Tag: Matteo Guo-Yian | Soah Ty’Jyn
​

From her vantage point across the divide, she watched as Matt and Soah conversed, likely deciding which of them would go next. Then, Matt stepped up to the bridge next. Rosalia canted her head to the side slightly, watching curiously as the boy began his journey across. Even from where she was, she could see his muscles tense with the effort of not falling to his death.

A sound caught her attention, off in the jungle brush.

Her head turned in the direction as she listened. Whoever -- or whatever -- lurked there had quieted down, perhaps knowing that she'd heard. It would be easy to leave the other two behind, but it could be far more dangerous to go ahead alone. Rosalia didn't have to make the choice, thankfully. The sound of Matt's voice shouting for her made her move.

"What--" she started to say, but quickly saw the issue: the ropes were breaking.

And Soah seemed to be holding on for dear life. Rosalia moved up near Matt and took hold of the other rope, she pulled hard to steady it... but even with her enhanced strength, she wouldn't be able to hold for long. For a frightful few moments, she was almost certain that Soah would fall, but the girl was strong. "Come on," she said, gritting her teeth.

 

[Ilentos Kalosi]

Ilentos was a bit perturbed. She thought to give the tigerkin orders? How stupidly bold. "Whatever," he thought. "Merely a lapse in her judgement."

Though, it was a good idea. Another body to use instead of Ilentos' should it be needed. He walked up to one of the escorts, stared him down for a moment before speaking. "We're ready to go in."

"Have you found a group of three?" Their voice was cold and robotic.

"Indeed. I believe my acquaintance is acquiring our third."

"Very well. Lets-Wait, what?"

The guard's attention was dragged away by two acolytes fighting. The commotion behind Ilentos caused him to twist his body to see what had happened. All he could see was the aftermath. Another acolyte had found themselves thrown off their feet and into other acolytes. Someone had to have upset another greatly to grant them such an offense. To be tossed like a piece of garbage. To be so belittled by another that you are nothing more than something to be tossed aside.

Ilentos quickly forgot the moment and noticed Brassius speaking to another. They were also small, but there was a certain danger to them. Somewhere hidden deep. They would have to bring that out of them if they were to survive. Ilentos walked over with the Praetorian Guard in tow.

"I've got our escort. Who's this?"

That's when he yelled to run.

Kal-El | Adean Castor ​

 

[Eira Dyn]

Location: Jutrand
Outfit: Academy Uniform
Tags: Alaqai Temuha

As they progressed as a careful but steady speed, Eira nodded her head, "the ability to communicate without words is ideal." She copied the gestures to demonstrate her understanding as did the Duros. She also acknowledged that there would be traps around that they would need to keep an eye out on. Looking over to the other two in her group, she wasn't sure how well they would be able to locate and disarm traps, it might be something that they needed to keep an eye on. Or hope that one of they could handle the traps when the problem arose.

Stepping slowly, she heard growling in the distance. A rumbling of a predator as it stalked around. Using the hand gestures, Eira warned the other two and dropped to a crouch, which was a hassle but she crouched walk slowly so she could reduce the noise she made. Hoping to get a glimpse of the predator before they interacted with it. Given that they did not have a weapon, they couldn't rush the beast. Sneaking closer, she peered out and spotted the creature. It was a beast that she could not recognise. Definitely not a kinrath or other predator from Dantooine. Her knowledge of alien fauna was not comprehensive currently.

Shifting back towards the other two, she shrugged her shoulders, "I don't recognise it but it definitely will catch us if we try getting too close." Eira whispered before looking in the direction of the beast, "and we need to head that way if we want to avoid getting lost." She mentioned as well. Part of her wanted to just use the Force and win that way, but she held back.

It made sense to let the other two get a glimpse and hear their suggestions first.

 

[Alaqai Temuha]

Interacting with: Eira Dyn

Alaqai nodded in response, appreciating her team’s quick grasp of the hand signals she had thought of on the fly. Completing the labyrinth would need them to perform this quick thinking and adaptation if they would want to be alive at the end of it. Moving cautiously through the maze, Alaqai kept her eyes and ears alert, scanning for traps and any sign of danger. The growling sound made her freeze, her body tensing.

She saw Eira's hand signal and immediately dropped to a crouch, moving with as much silence as she could muster. Her heart rate quickened slightly, but she maintained her composure.

Alaqai knew full well that panic would only make them more vulnerable. Using the hand signals, Alaqai acknowledged Eira's warning and edged closer to get a better look at the beast. As Eira did not know what the beast was, and the Duros made no attempt to look, it was up to Alaqai to check it out.

She cautiously crept forward, peering around the corner to get a look at the creature. Her heart rate increased as she recognized the beast—an Acklay. Native to Vendaxa, these six-legged predators were known for their lethal speed and razor-sharp claws. She moved back into the shadows to discuss their plan.

“It’s an Acklay.” she whispered. “Extremely dangerous and fast. We can’t afford to attack it directly.” She glanced at Eira and the Duros, weighing their options. "We need to outsmart it. If we can find a way to divert its attention or trap it, we might be able to get past it without a confrontation."

 

[Soldane Talon]

Even with the revelation that 'Rivan' wasn't as dumb as he appeared, he acknowledged the secrecy Lunaria Talon intended to keep. They had been as fluent in ur-Kittat as any Sith could hope to be - he wasn't even sure what his first language was with how their tutors had raised them. Their runic inscriptions were second nature, but to reveal any of that would give them away as something more than they ought to be.​

​

So he didn't mention it.​

​

"It'll help.", he offered Udren Zeln .​

​

"Let's let the Praetorian know we're ready. We need to find a way to lose him in the tunnel before the Maze - alcoves, ducts, or the door the Priest would've used. Keep an eye out for it...", he mused with a final glance towards one of the silent giants that stood watch, blade in one hand, a blue flamed torch in the other.​

​

"We're ready over here!", he called out as he ushered the group forward.​

​

"Let's get this over with, I'm getting hungry.", he mused while the other students remained in earshot. One gave him a mocking look of disgust, but that wouldn't matter unless the student made it through the Labyrinth. Then it would be an issue they could work on, together, with their fists.​

​

As the Praetorian gave them nothing more than a nod and began to lead them into the utter blackness of the entry way, Soldane glanced towards the others, but more notably Udren and whispered;​

​

"Do you have any weapons? A knife or something? We might need it."​

​

Even as he spoke, he kept an eye out for the sign of somewhere to lose their guide. He wasn't sure yet if the Praetorian would be ordered to stop them or not.​

 

[Aerik Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Meili Feng | Soldane Talon | Lunaria Talon | Udren Zeln

Groups began to pair off, and Aerik knew his sudden outburst had cost him any chance of forming any friendships in that moment. What did he care anyway, he had his siblings. His eyes moved to them. They had always had each other. The pack mentality of their species was one which guaranteed they would be close. It was not a force bond in the sense that most understood it, or was even displayed in the Echani twins, rather it was something deeper, inherit in their genetic makeup.

Yet, Aerik was curious about life outside his family circle. Adolescence for him was quickly coming to a close. His display was proof that he was close to his first change which meant there would be other outbursts as the revelation of what he was growing into neared. His cheeks showed the color of his embarrassment at what happened, and it followed with a quick apology.

“I am sorry.”

He turned away as the provost made his announcement. It seemed he might have been saved by the unveiling of their next challenge. This one required a team, and the Echani were quick to pair off with each other. In fact, most of the hopefuls found their teams rather quickly and made it off to the maze in a rush of pride, caution, excitement, and trepidation. It would have been natural for him to pair with his siblings, but in an ironic twist of force or fate Kole seemed to have found himself with two of the Echani that did not have their third.

“My brother is… not handling this transition well. He is usually the calm one.”

Aerik shook his head as he overheard the explanation his darker haired brother gave to the others. Normally Aerik was covering for Kole. It felt odd that the role was reversed for the moment.

“It’s okay, Aer,” Vyra whispered so low only he would hear it. Hearing her voice did more than a telepathic message ever would have. “They don’t know. They can’t know. I am sure once you change you will feel more in control of yourself again.”

His eyes closed as he nodded. Vyra always seemed to know what to say at any given moment to keep him calm. It was rare that Aerik let his temper get the better of him, but he also was not used to someone questioning his intelligence or motives. What had been meant to be an act of kindness, an ice breaker to get to know the Echani twins, had been twisted into something else. What was the point in being at the academy if all they did was see each other as competition.

It was the cruelty of the Sith way. They were both rivals and allies. It was what was necessitated for strength. Aerik knew it was possible the academy may turn the triplets against each other as well, or try to. They would have to fight hard to keep that from happening.

The girl which Aerik had waved over sat and watched the varying scenes around her quietly. She seemed to have no issue with drinking the water, and neither had anyone else. Aerik wanted to roll his eyes as he thought about what just happened, but this time he kept himself in check. She stood and addressed him.

Did he need a group?

His eyes turned back to Vyra who nodded.

“We need a third. Our brother decided to make friends with some of the Echani. Hopefully he did not walk into a trap.”

“He can take care of himself, Aer. You’re not the alpha yet, stop acting like it.”

Ouch.

He shrugged, trying to act like Vyra’s words had not stung, but they did. She did not just keep him calm. She kept him humble. Aerik was technically the oldest, but that did not mean he would take their father’s place in their family one day.

They walked toward the priest to report their group, and they were taken to the maze entrance.

“When it opens, that is when the exam will begin,” the priest paused. His lips turned upward into a devilish grin revealing crooked and yellow teeth. “Don’t die.”

As soon as the wretched thing departed, the gate opened and the trio stepped into the maze.

 

[Matteo Guo-Yian]

Soah Ty’Jyn | Rosalia Aros

It became clear quite quickly that it was a race against time.

Both of them were holding onto the ropes to give Rosalia time to climb. In the meantime Matteo was starting to hear the same sort of noises that Rosalia's keener senses had detected earlier. Rustling, growling behind the forest line. As Soah climbed, Matt took a chance to sneak a glance over his shoulder.

Amber eyes, hungry and evil, staring through the leafs.

"Get a move on it, Soah." He cried out in sudden agitation as he snapped his hand and that same dagger appeared in it. "Rose, can you keep holding on alone? I will-"

Matteo didn't get a chance to finish his sentence and Rosalia didn't get a chance to give him an answer.

The snarling Sithspawn already dashed out and leaped towards them both. Matteo let go of the rope and immediately jumped to meet the creature, standing between Rosalia and it. He managed to score a gash against the creature's nose that send it back, snarling and whining, but it would take more than a little slice to send it fleeing.

He just hoped that Rosalia would be able to hold it for long enough so that Soah could climb up to join them.

 

[Adean Castor]

Things were all coming together. Adean seemed to have secured a third teammate, the Tigerkin was getting their escort. A source of anxiety was nearly quelled - the anxiety was still there, running rampant, but at least mitigated a tad.

The inkling of hope, of things going to plan, came to a sudden halt.

Adean's eyes widened not unlike saucers as the acolyte she was speaking to was unceremoniously lifted and thrown. They grew even larger as Kal-El spoke, the friendly smile that had stretched her lips changing to a look of horror. "I-what? I said no such thing!" The last thing she wanted to do in the moment was burn bridges, and the bridge that was the poor acolyte launched into the air was an inferno.

The moment of panic was temporarily postponed with the return of Ilentos Kalosi , her posture stiffening as the guard with the taller acolyte approached. There were eyes on them at all times, she knew this logically. But having a physical manifestation of the eyes watching them (and for all she knew, waiting to spirit them away to horrors not mentioned in their briefing) brought a gravity to the exchange. "Uh, great. I guess we have this gu-"

There wasn't time to ruminate on the social massacre, the call to run sparking a deep-seated survival instinct that spurred her boots forward, though not before casting an apologetic look in the direction of the thrown acolyte.

Ilentos Kalosi Kal-El ​

 

[Jarek Voss]

Irina Jesart​

---

Each kick, each block sent fire through Jarek's right leg. His thigh ached from the blaster bolt that hit him, but he did not have time to inspect the damage. He was in the fight for his life against three other acolytes. The young Jarek used the full strength and range of the Echani Martial Arts against his three opponents. They, however, were relentless in their attack. He was one of three that were singled out, and they wanted to eliminate him. Every hit fueled his anger and hate, the silver of his eyes flashed flames of red.

"AH!"

Pushing out with both hands, Jarek sent a wave of Force energy, knocking his opponents back away from him and allowing him a moment. Jarek looked around him, standing alone amongst enemies. He could hear the abyssal whispers of the Dark Side, and in that moment, Jarek realized that the Darkness had been the only thing he could rely on through his life. His path to knowledge and power was his alone, and it was time to take it.

Jarek shifted his attention to the nearest acolyte. Using the Force to augment his movements, he knelt down and dashed with speed. Stopping right in front of his first opponent, he hit with four consecutive punches on their chest with lightning speed. Before they could collapse from the attack, The Echani quickly turned his head to the next opponent, and jumped, spinning horizontally and landing a powerful kick across the next acolytes head. Looking at the next acolyte, it was the one that had force pushed him initially. In an instant, Jarek lunged with the Force upon the last acolyte, and placing his hand on either side of their head, Jarek picked them up to eye level.

Staring into their eyes, he could only see, and sense, fear.

"Pathetic."

Without any hesitation, he headbutted his opponent across the bridge of their nose, dropping them to the floor.

Jarek slightly turned his head back to his companions,

"Follow, or don't."

The flames of the Dark Side flashed across his eyes once more, and The young Sith acolyte continued in the labyrinth.

Figuring out how to move panels in the walls, Jarek used the Dark Side to move through the hallways and corridors of the labyrinthine. Coming upon a gigantic room, he wondered how such a place fit within the labyrinthine , let alone the Academy. Walking in, a massive gap separated Jarek's side, and the side he needed to reach. He eased his way to the edge, looking down to only see darkness. It was impossible to tell how deep it went.

"This seems simple enough."

Summoning the Force within him, he ran and leapt through the air, the Force helping him reach the other side. Starting his decent and getting ready to land, a large Tuk'ata seemingly appeared from nothing, it's red eyes staring right at Jarek. Having broke his concentration, Jarek had to give a small Force push to keep the Sith hound from biting him, causing him to miss his landing and grab onto the edge of the landing so as not to plummet to his death.

The hound slowly approached the edge, it's red eyes coming into view, growling for the opportunity to bite. Jarek glared into it's eyes, a different whisper crawling through his head in a language he didn't understand.

"Is the beast speaking to me?"

Jarek continued to stare at the beast, "Obey me.", Jarek intertwined the Dark Side with his thoughts to the beast, vocing his conviction. The Tuk'ata growled and snapped in response. "Obey me, beast!", yelling louder, trying to force his will upon the beast, his hands beginning to ache from holding onto the edge. The beast edged closer, one bite away from Jarek falling to his death.

"Obey me!"

His voice echoing throughout the monstrous room. The Tuk'ata growled loudly when suddenly the foreign whisper in Jarek's head stopped, and the beast's blood thirsty eyes soften. The young acolyte waited for a moment, "fall into the void, beast." The Sith hound stood for a moment, and calmly walked off the edge, falling into the darkness below. Jarek used the Force to pull himself up and over the edge, taking a moment to catch his breath, and continuing on.

With only the power and whispers of the Dark Side, he ran across traps, droids, sithspawn, and various other obstacles. Using the Force to move a wall, Jarek walked down an obsidian hallway that lead into an open room with others standing about. Standing tall, and proud, not showing the pain his leg still caused him.

"My Lords, I have completed the trial."

 

[Soah Ty’Jyn]

Matteo Guo-Yian Rosalia Aros
​

There was another cry as all of a sudden, the rope from the bridge went slack, prompting Soah to fall several feet before the panic prompted the worse; she began to shift.

The cry out of her throat turned into a growl, and the hands that had used the rope to latch upon became paws. Razor sharp claws immediately extended in her struggle to cling to the rocky surface of the wall then. Jagged rocks slashed at her side and clothing; not that it mattered because the leather and fabric began to rip as muscles and bones snaped and elongated.

Desperation was the name of the game, and Soah's snarl of survival erupted from her throat. With tremendous strength, she clawed at the rocky surface, those powerful claws digging hard and deep. She managed to collect herself, the Felacatian now shapeshifted into a massive feline the size of a Vornskyr. With powerful hind legs and equally sharp claws, the acolyte began to bound and use her claws to climb her way up.

 

[Eira Dyn]

Location: Jutrand
Outfit: Academy Uniform
Tags: Alaqai Temuha

An Acklay. Well that was annoying.

The thing looked like a bug with the many limbs and the movements it had but if it was an acklay then technically it was a reptile. Something that Eira was not as freaked out about. She could handle reptiles, even large ones like this. Looking over the other two, she could see that their Duros companion looked more fearful and concerned. Eira was less concerned since all they needed was a plan to get around it. Her mind was already racing with ideas and what they could use with no resources.

Looking on the ground, she hoped to find a pebble or small stone. "If we could throw something, use the Force to throw it pretty far, we could send the beast's attention in that direction then slip past?" Eira mentioned as she continued to look for a pebble or a stone. "It's that or one of us attempts to call attention to the beast or even mind trick it with the Force. How are either of your skills with using the Force on beasts?"

Eira hadn't gotten much chance to use the Force when she was on Dantooine, it was only once she left that she felt stronger in the Force. That she was more connected and able to utilise it to her full potential.

"We want the plan to work, we all need to agree on the approach." She looked over the two of them, waiting on their answer.

 

[Alaqai Temuha]

Interacting with: Eira Dyn

Alaqai moved to take the lead, sensing her two other team member’s hesitation. She once again looked back at the Acklay, its head swivelling as it scanned the area, hunting for any movement. As the creature did so, its massive claws snapped together with a sharp, metallic sound. Using the silent hand signals, Alaqai communicated with Eira and the Duros. "Hold position. Stay low. We’ll use the Force to distract it and move around."

She gestured toward a narrow passage on the right, just beyond the Acklay’s line of sight. It was a tight fit, but hopefully it would lead them around the creature without attracting its attention.

She knew that all it would take was one bad decision for their lives to be hanging on a thread, and them all losing their lives today. She moved closer to her team, so she could whisper to them for easier communication.

“I’ll use what I know of the force to distract the Acklay to head in the opposite direction, while you two make a run for it. Once you’re clear, Eira, you cover me in the event things go bad.”

They didn’t have time to wait all day for each other to come to a decision. Just like what she had learnt from one of her teachers, Alaqai focused, drawing on the Force to cloak herself, manipulating the light and sound waves to render her more difficult to detect to the naked eye. Picking up a stone, she threw it a distance away in the other direction. The Acklay screeched as it scrambled towards the direction of the sound.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord remained unmoved even as the first arcs of electricity danced between Lord Malum's fingers. Cold eyes watched impassively through a perception of time greatly reduced, each action happening in slow, methodical sequence; all interpreted before Malum's brain even began to send electrical commands to his limbs. All the power of the Dark Side flowed freely from the Dark Lord, so easy it was to bend it to His will. He did not even have to gesture to inflict His desires upon the universe, it simply happened.

Simultaneously, the lightning struck a barrier of scintillating energy, crackling violently as the energy was blunted and then dispersed, just as six imperceptible slivers of energy lanced out from around the Dark Lord's body. Each one struck the oncoming darkshears straight through their core, transmuting their energy until it turned combustible and thusly detonated with a resounding roar of flame and heat. The conflagration surrounded the Dark Lord, but again He was unmoved.

In His long studies of the Force, the Dark Lord of the Sith had become a master of the manipulation of energy and, consequentially, its transmutation. But it was not His only mastery, for through the teachings of Ahani Najwa He had come to tap directly into the power of the Aperion; that aspect of the Force that gave shape and cohesion to all matter, encompassing space and time. Through it, the Dark Lord could manipulate gravity itself. He did so now, causing the area around Him in the courtyard to greatly increase in gravitation as the stone cracked and buckled.

It would not be enough to kill someone like Malum, but the effects would be quite debilitating.

Darth Malum of House Marr ​

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Tch.

He had not truly expected the strikes to hit, but to counter them like that felt more mocking than anything else. Whereas the Jedi Grandmaster had burned herself in the attempts to stop hi- he- their lightning, even if she had indeed stopped it in the end, whereas most would have either attempted to dodge or block...

...Kaine had simply nullified it without any more due consideration or thought.

To add insult to injury, every single Darkshear did not even reach the invisible shield which had protected the Twice-Failed Emperor, the explosions which strummed through the air were a war drum that heralded that the opening salvo of the battles had been fired and answered for. Could they even be called misses when they had been responded to in such a manner?

No matter, Malum dragged on foot along the ground, placing it behind him, one arm following, as he widened his whole stance, the blood flowing freely across his form, as he breathed in, preparing for a second salvo.

Only for a shallow gasp to leave him.

Red eyes trailed up to the environs, watching as the stone bent, cracked, an unnatural force acting upon them.

As they acted upon him.

A cough broke his lungs, as his eyes bulged, feeling an incredible weight upon his shoulders, upon his back, upon his spine, and every limb of his body begged.

Begged to fall upon the floor.

To kneel.

To kneel before him.

The spite was enough for him to stand, even if upon wavering knees it felt as if the weight acting upon him doubled, tripled, quadrupled, as his breathing lost all sense of measure and simply gave in to wild breaths, as his body begged to crumple, begged to simply taste the sweet ground below them, to stop resisting a power that was simply beyond them.

He raised an arm, even as that was agony, an invisible, an impossible giant weighing upon it.

Flames engulfed his fingers, as his ring glowed.

If only he could distract him for a second.

He might have a...

He coughed again, droplets falling upon the ground.

As his eyes glimmered gold.

And he fell straight through the ground.

The flames engulfed the area rapidly burning brighter, a shimmering orange turning to a blinding white, before settling into a pale blue, as the winds themselves seemed to rush away from the Dark Lord of the Sith, the oxygen drained away to the wall of flames surrounding the arena.

If he was impossible to attack, then as Malum rose from the earth some avenging demon, standing outside of the flames, red eyes burning, as they gold flavoured underneath.

Darth Carnifex