The First Pillar

[Akhilleus]

Hoth a world with an unbearable chill to it, at least for the more mundane beings of the galaxy. Feet crunching through the snow Akhilleus looked up to the sky his golden eyes watching for the arrival of his apprentice. Being apart of the Silver Sanctum many would think that the training would take place at the Voss temple... NO! Akhilleus' apprentice would not be pampered by the jedi, he would not let his apprentice become complacent and weak. Akhilleus planned to tear Richel down and build him back up into a force user to be feared by the Sith. A weapon that could fight alongside him in the days, months, maybe even years to come. Black and crimson hair whipping wildly in the gusts of Hoth's weather Akhilleus didn't even budge. Nor did a shiver retreat down his spine, all the dark jedi wore was a thin jacket and a pair of black pants. It was all he needed as the force provided everything else.

What made you take an apprentice? Still trying to follow in your brothers steps? Akhilleus questioned himself not quite sure in his decision to waste time that could be spent hunting down Nikias' past enemies training a padawan. But deep down Akhilleus knew why, if his endeavor to avenge Nikias failed he wanted at least one person he could pass the legacy of the Hellyni on to. There were no more blood members of the royal Makrosian family and no one else to carry out their revenge if Akhilleus failed. Richel would be his insurance policy, but there was also something different about the privateer. While Richel was older than Akhilleus by quite a few years his mind was still like a sponge and could be taught and molded.

Yes Akhilleus had made the right choice in picking the environment that Richel would be introduced to the force. While training the mind and meditations were important one must also train the body and get rid of the writ responses bred in them. They needed to be broken and only after that could a truly different person rise from the remains. If Richel couldn't handle the training he would die out here.


[member="Richel Dontez"]

 

[4ND-R0]

[member="Akhilleus"]

A shuttle craft descended down from the atmosphere into the frigid wasteland of Hoth. Out of it came Richel Dontez, self-exiled heir of the Onderonian House Dontez. Unlike his new mentor, he was dressed in a more thermal variant of his normal clothes. He was born and raised for most of his life in the temperate climate of Onderon. Hoth was jarring and bitter to his body. But, his mentor beckoned to him to be here. The only things he brought were his clothes, his body, and his lightsaber. If he understood, this was to be training in the ways of the Jedi arts, not blaster training.

The former noble walked out into the snow, the icy wind striking his face, biting him like microscopic blades. He turned to the knight of the Force that stood before him, bowing his head. "Your majesty." He said, feeling it was the right thing to say. If he recalled what he had been told about his new master, it was that he was of royal blood to some kingdom he was unfamiliar with. He kept his singular eye forward at his teacher, who was much younger than him, but had attained the wisdom of the Force enough to take him as an apprentice.

 

[Akhilleus]

Finally. The shuttle was finally there which meant Richel had arrived. Once he stepped off that shuttle he would be Akhilleus' to do with as he pleased. There would be no complaints from the Jedi at the Voss temple as none would know of what happened between Richel and Akhilleus unless the apprentice went and told on the Hellyni. It wasn't something Akhilleus could recommend, one thing he did know was that at the end of Richel's training he may end up hating Akhilleus. Usually that was something strictly for the Sith but Akhilleus had to ensure his apprentice wouldn't be killed by the first Sith or thug that walks by. Having dug into the history and background of Richel he knew about his nobility. It was as if the force had brought them together. As Onderon was a more tropical climate Richel would be used to the heat so training in the forests of Endor or Dxun while daunting wouldn't teach him how to summon the force to survive unfamiliar environments.

Hmm, that eye. Akhilleus thought looking into Richel's remaining eye. HE had known about Richel's loss of an eye but why not simply replace it with a prosthetic? It would certainly be more functional than running around missing half your vision. It didn't matter now, no prosthetic could match what the force provided. “There is no need to bow to me... Here we are away from the binds society holds on us. We are able to be free, so you shall call me Master or Akhilleus. Those are your only two choices.” Beginning to circle Richel, Akhilleus took in his clothes. He had indeed come prepared for the environment. Shame that it had all been for naught. Finishing the circle and being a breaths way from Richel, the Hellyni placed his hands on the jacket as though examining the fabric and with a thought tore the fabric opening Richel's chest to the cold. “You wish to learn the ways of the force and I will show you. But this will not be some plush lifestyle. You will not know the comfort of a bed. The ground will be your bed, your willpower will be what sees you through this weather and when you feel on the edge of death and the force cuddles next to you like a lover you will embrace it." With a thought Akhilleus and slight outpouring of the force the dark jedi would rip the rest of Richels's jacket away. He would wait to see the apprentice's reaction to such treatment. Most likely shock and horror after realizing what he had signed up for.

[member="Richel Dontez"]

 

[4ND-R0]

[member="Akhilleus"]


The first thing that he felt was the biting and chill of the Hothite winds against his torso. His flesh immediately covered itself in goosebumps in an attempt to capture any warm air particles. There was a little bit of shock and anger from the privateer. Rather than expressing it, he had a rather rebellious grin on his face. He looked to the Hellyni warrior that was now his master. "Huh. Didn't know the Hellyni swung that way." He quipped, "If you wanted to have a peek, you could've just asked."

And there was the infamous cocky attitude. It had long been a problem for him. He was very skilled in the potential to become a student of the Jedi arts, but his individualistic and free spirited nature often got him in trouble. Hence why he was moved around from master to master when it came to it in his career. However, he had a reason for it. He was far beyond willing to comply to either the Sith or Mecrosa Order that instigated his self-exile. He would not do the same for any Jedi.

 

[Akhilleus]

Head leaning back Akhilleus laughed at Riche’s pure arrogance and the attitude he carried. IT was a refreshing thing to see when compared to the other jedi that simply sat back letting themselves be seen instead of heard. This will be an interesting relationship. Akhilleus thought finally focusing on Richel again seeing the goosebumps on the jedi’s chest. That would only be the beginning. When the sun fell the temperature would drop even further. The chances of anyone surviving the freezing cold of Hoth alone during the day was low. At night and without proper shelter and clothing it was near zero. That was why Akhilleus was doing this. The jedi’s teaching methods were too easy on their students. HE wanted Richel to succeed.

“To understand the force you must first understand fear, pain, anger. By the end of this day you may hate me more than any other being in the galaxy but its to make you stronger. So that you can be able to take on the sith without fear, with the skill required to kill them. Now… feel pain.” Holding out his right hand Akhilleus would snatch up Richel in an invisible grip and throw him to the loosely packed snow. “Feel the chill bite into your flesh. Let the burning absorb your being, feel your rage and hate well up inside of you.”

Richel should be happy, Akhilleus’ training had been much harsher and had involved not only live fire exercises but included many of his bones being broken and weeks spent in bacta tanks at a time. Richel was going through the lighter version of Akhilleus’ training. He would keep the young man pinned down to the snow through the force waiting to see what he did and reacted. Richel would have to also understand what death felt like so he could truly embrace the force but that would be for later. Now he must understand his emotions and pain. Those were the first ways to draw out someones force abilities and teaching them to harness them.

[member="Richel Dontez"]

 

[4ND-R0]

[member="Akhilleus"]

Slowly, the Onderonian's body started to go through the processes when it is exposed to far below average temperature. Slowly, his torso began to go numb, starting to turn red from the cold. But he listened to his new mentor's words. Yes, he rightfully angry at the Makrosian. He began to draw on the Force, mentally picturing his objective. He attempted to warm himself up, but it took great concentration. The air molecules around his exposed body vibrated faster, creating a pocket of warm are around him. But, it was only enough to be sustained for a couple seconds. He lost concentration and he felt the cold started again.

"Damn you." He growled at the Hellyni, "I can only wonder what the Council thinks your...methods."

He concentrated again, once more drawing upon the Force to call a flurry of warm air around him. He kept his concentration going, letting the warmth keeping him from the edge of hypothermia.

 

[Akhilleus]

Looking down at Richel that lay pinned and buried in the snow Akhilleus noted how he felt no satisfaction in what he was doing. This was simply him teaching the young privateer how to survive. By putting Richel through real life situations where he faced death Akhilleus knew it would help improve him and speed along the training process. He aimed for Richel to be better than any other knights that the Sanctum turned out from the safety of their walls. No this Onderonian would know fear, he would know the sensations of being near death and he would know hatred. So much hatred.

Even now Akhilleus could hear the anger in Richel’s voice, it was obvious he hadn’t been expecting such a Spartan training but it was for the best. At least Akhilleus wasn’t dropping him into a pit of hungry beasts or locking him in a room with criminals… Well not yet. Feeling a few wisps of warm air float by Akhilleus shook his head. Richel was doing the rote jedi response. He was reaching out for something to aid in this endeavor but it was all wrong. “The council doesn’t know about my methods, nor would they dare stop me. Even if they did they couldn’t stop me.”

“Now that anger you feel use it. Dig deeper into yourself feel that burning in your chest as you think of this demeaning position. Draw on it, let it spread throughout your entire being but keep it tame. Let it be what warms you. You can feel the force, draw on it from within that is the only way you will survive. If you can’t you will die... In a matter of seconds in fact. If not then when the sun falls you certainly will. Do you understand?” Akhilleus asked his voice calm and cool as the Hoth air. This was only the first step and Richel was already upset, how would he feel about the later lessons when things began to truly pick up and he was dropped into live fire?

[member="Richel Dontez"]