Private Trial of Skill

[Placeholder 0128]

A violent storm threatened to ravage the surface of Tython.

Cedric had marked the day it was said to arrive. There were two amidst his burgeoning order that had finished their tutelage as padawans of the Jedi way. The path to knighthood was not simply one of statement, however, but a series of trials to test the worth of the participants. Cedric didn't know either of the two students taking the trials particularly well, but he had faith that they would not fail in their endeavor.

He'd called Tasha Blackmoor and Leon Gallo to meet with him in the southern half of the Tythos Ridge. His speeder was parked atop a large cliff that overlooked a valley below. That valley was surrounded on all sides by the mountain range. Up above, angry gray clouds lit occasionally with spatterings of lightning, though rains had not begun to fall. The storm had traveled across Tython's surface for several days, and had only just reached the ridge.

Clad in the robes of his order, Cedric stood at the precipice of the cliff, delving deep into the empyrean as he awaited the duo.

 

[Tasha Blackmoor]

Tasha had worn her armor, worn her weapons, her gauntlets. Whether or not she'd get to use any of this was unimportant. They were her attire. She sped across the Tython terrain. She had joined the Grayson Imperium pretty recently, but she'd been training herself ever since she escaped the slavers. As a result, in many ways, Tasha was already a master. But in many others she had not even reached that of Knight. Officially, she had no rank. And had to go through the trials, that was what she was here for. She took a speeder to arrive, getting off at the southern half of Tythos Ridge just as ordered. She saw that P Placeholder 0128 was already present and stepped off, the rancor hide cloak around her armor flapping as she approached him.

"Sir, I've arrived." she said simply, folding her hands behind her back as she stepped forwards, her helmet still sat on the speeder. Some might call her reliant on technology. She would say that since even a lightsaber counted as technology, the same could be said of most. But more importantly, technology was a good thing. It was another tool to be used and it made a force user an even greater asset should they learn how to use it properly.
P Placeholder 0128

 

[Leon Gallo]

Leon had worn nothing but his robes, boots, and a heavy leather coat. The storm looked bad from a distance, and up close he was glad for the coat. He had his saber with him, but nothing else. His master had told him all he would need for his trials were trust in the force and his saber.


Of course, Leon had left his master five years ago, without facing the trials. He had no clue what to expect, and he was out of practice. Nevertheless, he was determined to complete them now. His master had put faith in Leon, and Leon let his master down. He had to correct that, and nothing would stop him.

After he parked his speeder alongside another, this one with a helmet resting on it, Leon walked up the ridge, as he had been instructed. Two figures stood on the hill, one bowwing as if they had just arrived. Leon picked up his pace, and met them soon after Tasha Blackmoor finished her greeting.


"Hello." Leon bowed, showing respect.

P Placeholder 0128

 

[Placeholder 0128]

His cloak cracked in the wind as the storm drew nearer. He could feel its energies rolling throughout Tython, the rumble of thunder reverberating in his chest just as it did the planet.



“Leon, Tasha,” he turned from the storm to regard both of them. His visage was enshrouded one an ornate helmet, a cowl dawn over it to hide its features from the world. “I’m glad you’ve both come.” He knew Tasha moderately well, but he only knew of Leon from the race on Vulpter. The young man had proven himself to be an asset.



“I’m the earliest days of the Jedi Order, Padawan we’re tested amidst Tython’s great storms. This is a return to tradition,” he gestured our toward the storm, then beyond it, toward a solitary mountain that jutted our at the edge of the valley. It had the look of a a craggy hand rising up from the earth to reach for the heavens.



“This is the trial of skill, and that is your destination.” Thunder rolled again. A spattering of rain began to fall with it. “There are droids in the valley. They’ll attempt to incapacitate you, and if you get past them, then you’ll need to watch out for Tython itself. This storm was ripping up trees on its path here.”



His helmeted gaze shifting between the duo. “I will be monitoring your trial. If it proves to be too much for you, then yell for me, and I’ll see you to safety. Otherwise you both are on your own.”



He gestured toward the valley below. “I’d recommend jumping sooner rather than later. If the storm passes before you reach the mountain, the trial ends.”

Leon Gallo Tasha Blackmoor

 

[Tasha Blackmoor]

Someone else joined them, Leon Gallo . Not a particularly intimidating fellow. Also not as very armed and armored as she was. However, he seemed to be here for the same reason. She nodded her head towards him as he approached. P Placeholder 0128 turned around and spoke. Explaining to them the situation they were facing. He explained the test they would run, the storms of Tython, and the droids.

She let a slight smile at that. Droids. If they were a serious threat then she'd take control of them, at least that's her intention. Technopathy was always one of her greatest strong suits. So there was little concern on that matter. Besides she was in armor and had a gauntlet to produce a shield on one arm. It'd make running past them much less concerning.

One final suggestion from him, start jumping. She gave a nod, breathing in, reaching out one hand and her helmet flying over to her before being placed on her head. She glanced at Leon, "May the force be with you." as a type of good luck.

She stepped to the age, breathing in once more and then leaping off. Using the force to slow her fall not long before the landing. Her landing as a result was smooth, Guard Breaker and her original lightsaber on her belt along with a Blackmoor Sonic Blaster and a Kueget_LN-21_blaster_pistol. Blackmoor-personal-combat-deflector-shield on one arm, and of course the Cirgun-plate-body-armor covered by the Rancor hide cloak.

And then, she started to run. The force aiding her in her efforts. She glanced to see if Leon had followed after her or if he was taking another route around. It did seem like he was suggesting they wouldn't be using the speeders. Nor did she assume they should be required to work together, at least by much. Should she see if he was in help she'd certainly come to his aid, but she hoped this would not be needed.

 

[Leon Gallo]

Leon nodded back to Tasha. He didn't know her, but he took quick not of her facial features and armor. She'd come with much more than he had, and Leon thought kn that briefly. Perhaps other Jedi embraced technology in unison with the Force. Or perhaps he was severely under prepared. Leon pushed the thought away to listen as P Placeholder 0128 explained their task.


The two of them were to get from this point on the ridge to a mountain, across the valley. The storm would be the main opponent, but droids would also attempt to impede their progress. While cooperation was not directly implied, it also wasn't explicitly banned. Another useful note.


As the Imperator spoke, Leon observed the valley closely. The storm, ravaging it as it approached. Trees shook in the strong wind. The site was awe-inspiring, something Leon intended to paint at some point. For now, the scene would have to be stored in his memory. From this view, he could see a route which seemed clearer than any other. It would still be difficult to traverse, but it looked far faster.


Once he had chosen his route, Leon found that Tasha Blackmoor had already leapt forth. It seemed they'd be taking different paths. Cooperation was still possible, but he'd only seek it out if neccessary. If Tasha needed help and he could hear, he'd try to help her.



Leon took a deep breath, and took a running jump over the edge.

 

[Placeholder 0128]

A light smile found its way onto the lord's face as the two Knights-to-be descended into the valley below. The empyrean would be with them here, of that he was certain. Not keen on simply waiting for them to finish, Cedric took several measured steps toward the side of the cliff. He chose a position a certain distance away from the duo, not wishing them to know he was falling.

A deep breath was drawn in. The empyrean rushed to coalesce about his body, and he muttered a silent prayer to the Ashla. All that was required was a slight lean forward, and then the armored knight was falling for what felt like an eternity.

Below, Tasha and Leon would find themselves at the opposite end of the valley they wished to be in. The ridge they were to reach loomed high above the clouds on the other end of the valley, and a sea of black craggy rocks, gravel, and hardy plantlife colored the path they would need to traverse. Only time would tell what lingered in the darkness.

Tasha Blackmoor Leon Gallo

 

[Tasha Blackmoor]

Tasha landed skillfully, it was a long path between here and the target location. This was going to be a test of endurance more than anything else. Well, she was willing to push herself to achieving it. The target was high. And the ground was rocky and barren. She moved at a pace that was somewhat faster then a jog, mainly aided through the force so that she would not exhaust herself too early. She did make occasional glances behind her to see how Leon Gallo was doing, but they hadn't run into anything serious yet, so she wagered that if he was up for taking the trials he better be up for where they were at right now.

She also noticed that P Placeholder 0128 was no longer on the ridge over looking them. But, that was his business. He knew what he was doing. She kept her eyes and senses open of course, the suit would protect her from most of the environment, allowing her to put most of her focus on her body and the enemies they could be facing. Along with avoiding any crags or pits to fall into.

 

[Leon Gallo]

Leon hit the ground with a roll. He got up quickly, and began to continue at a jog, much like Tasha Blackmoor , who was ahead of him. Right now, there weren't any issues, and if there were, she'd likely reach them first.

Leon wished he could take a moment to look at the scenery. It wasn't the prettiest area, being mostly barren, but that wasn't an issue. Leon didn't glance back, but he did keep a focus on the area around him.

P Placeholder 0128

 

[Placeholder 0128]

Cedric stayed far behind as he watched the two would-be-knights begin their trek.

The storm seemed to respond to their journey, its pregnant cloud flashing with blue lightning as rain began to fall. It was an immediate torrent,. falling in rapid heavy drops that would have sent any sensible being running for cover. Not these two though. Along with the rain came wind - wind so strong that it would threaten to throw them onto their backs, should they not brace themselves against it.

The weather was only the beginning of the trial, but it would serve as a worthy opponent. It seemed as if Tython herself was keen on making sure neither of the participants survived their trial.

"May the Force be with you," Cedric muttered under his breath.

Leon Gallo , Tasha Blackmoor

 

[Tasha Blackmoor]

Tasha looked into the sky as the rain began to pelt towards them, feeling the wind began to pick up. This was part of why wearing armor was so good, especially armor that was designed for environments. Including allowing her to remain completely dry underneath as it was able to be both air and water tight. He jog continued until the wind really started picking up, nearly knocking her down before she used the force to correct herself, she glanced behind her trying to determine if she could still see Leon Gallo or not. Not really, the rain was getting too thick for that. At least without the sensors or through the force.

So she continued, bracing each step but continuing, if this was to be a trial of endurance, she would thrive. She'd been fighting herself for the past decade to succeed in her abilities and to try and resist the fear and pain of her own memories. This was not a race between her and Leon, they were simply doing it at the same time. But it did not prevent her from trying to do this in a swift manner as she could without over-exerting herself. If the rain or wind ever started getting too threatening, she'd take advantage of the force to turn it out of her way.

Made her wonder if the droids P Placeholder 0128 warned about were actually going to make it by the time they reached them.

 

[Leon Gallo]

Rain. Thick and heavy rain began to pelt down on Leon and Tasha Blackmoor . The wind quickly made the drops begin to fly almost sideways, hitting the pair head on. Leon leaned into the wind, and kept one arm raised pver his face to block the large raindrops. His cloak fluttered behind him, letting his legs be soaked.


Leon understood now. The test was not to outmatch droids, or perhaps even the Imperator when they reached the peak, but to outmatch nature itself. The ground was quickly turning into mud while thunder boomed over the howl of the wind. This was going to be a difficult journey.




P Placeholder 0128

 

[Placeholder 0128]

Many Jedi had undergone this trial in the past. This valley was quite well known, though much of the history regarding it had been lost to time. Cedric had chosen it for the same reasons his predecessors had: the environment was hostile, the fauna was similarly unpleasant, and its spiritual aspects. The Jedi Master had seated himself just beneath the ridge, legs crossed over one another as he observed the progress of the duo through the empyrean. They were making good time.

Unfortunately for them, Cedric had elected not to explain just why this place was of spiritual significance.

It began as a boom. It was akin to thunder, but far louder and closer than one would expect. Then came another, and another. Rocks and foliage were spat into the air violently all around the duo, as if the field were being shelled by unseen artillery. This wasn't actually happening, but most organics would experience it as if it were. It was a shared hallucination, a remnant of the thousands slaughtered here during the Force Wars, and as men and women clad in ancient Jedi battle armor began to charge at one another with katanas and outdated blades, Cedric wondered if the apprentices would realized just how dangerous the illusion truly was, or if they would even be able to tell that it was not wholly real.

Leon Gallo , Tasha Blackmoor

 

[Tasha Blackmoor]

Tasha kept her pace, but things began to become more intense. There were some things that Tasha was very familiar with, and one of those, was war. The crashing and exploding of the field as if by artillery brought her attention to it. She tapped Guard breaker to ensure it was there and easily accessible. However, she was not so sure how much of this was real. Because she did not sense the machines. She did not sense the enemies. She saw them, she heard the crashing and the clashing of blades.

It was too sudden to be real. Was the battle legitimate, they would have known of the presence of the enemy long before making it to this location. But that did not mean it did not matter. Tasha was not familiar with every method of the force, she had not learned every technique. But she knew of illusions and projections, she knew of ghosts, and she knew that sometimes even something completely fake, constructed by another, could hurt you.

So she decided she had to test that, she breathed in, and reached out, keeping her attention so that she would sense attacks from behind as well. And then she attempted to yank two of the combatants towards her through the force by jerking on their armor rather then their bodies. To ensure whether or not this was something that was a complete fraud, or something that had taken form.

Leon Gallo P Placeholder 0128

 

[Leon Gallo]

The ground seemed to erupt in an explosion ahead of Leon. Leon stumbled back briefly, shocked. He narrowly regained his footing before another gust of wind hit. Ahead of him, more explosions seemed to go off, and Leon began to make out people in the distance. Dozens, then hundreds of figures, locked in vicious combat spread out across the valley. It looked as though he was in a war zone.

That had to be impossible. If a great battle was occuring in Tython, the pair of them would have known by now and have been summoned to fight. Something had to be off, but it felt and looked too real. Leon could feel death in the Force. He shuddered in fear. Something about this valley was special, touched by the Force for a great tragedy. A tragedy and specialness that P Placeholder 0128 must know about.

Leon looked around. He couldn't see Tasha Blackmoor anywhere, and he couldn't pick her out of the battle if he did see her. Leon stood, watching and thinking. What if the combatants could physically touch him? That explosion had seemed real. If they could, could he fight his way through in the storm? Could he even get through the storm without worrying about the battle? But each moment he delayed was a moment his trial would become harder. The mud was starting to become a problem already, so he couldn't wait long.The knight-hopeful needed to move. So, on he went, saber up and ready.

 

[Tasha Blackmoor]

The images came at her as she yanked them towards her, which was enough for her to get the hint. She used the force to toss them up and away and then leapt into the fray hiding herself among the chaos. And yet, now, she could be mostly ignored. They did not come after her like she might have thought. They did not have the intellect of a common mind, they were simplistic. Like basic computer programing. Ignorant of anything that does not fit into a category.

She still wasn't sure of where Leon Gallo was at, but she hoped he'd eventually stand out. The ground was also beginning to get rather soggy, which was not making travel any easier. So she didn't have the time to wait for him. He was sent on this trial, he should be prepared enough for this. Sos he continued, weaving her way through battle in as much of a rush as possible. The sights did not concern her so much as avoiding the dangers of it. So that was where all her focus was, avoidance of people trying to come for her, avoidance of stray attacks. Since they didn't hunt people down, as long as you kept on the move and you were faster then the person chasing you, there was no real danger.

However it did occur to her that this was something that Leon might have a problem with. She knew they interacted, but only because she tested the waters. If he tested them, and perhaps tested too many at once. Things might not go so well. But she couldn't shout over the roaring of the rain and battle, nor could she find him in all this rush. And she had no idea if he had a communicator on him, or if that'd even work in this weather. P Placeholder 0128 had made it interesting. But she wondered how much more difficult it was going to be. So far, this was a test of endurance, and a little bit of observation. Although, perhaps it would be a good deal more difficult, if she had done this without armor designed to be used in environments.

 

[Leon Gallo]

Leon slogged through the mud, saber high. He'd entered the battlefield and was instantly surrounded bythe swirling combatants. So far, none had taken a swing at him. The wind and the rain continued to batter him, but the manifestaition seemed to be unaffected by the storm. If anything, it intesnified their fight.



A blade swung at Leon from behind, nearly catching him in the back. He managed to turn around and catch the apparition's saber with his own. They were physically there, then. Leon parried a few swings from his corporeal opponent before managing to disengage and continue on. The journey had become far more difficult.


Tasha Blackmoor P Placeholder 0128

 

[Placeholder 0128]

The chaos had begun.

Cedric watched from afar, his section of the valley having been untouched by the ravages of the storm or the battle. He'd already passed his test: the empyrean regarded him simply as the observer that he was.

"I wonder if they'll figure it out," he mumbled to himself as he watched Tasha and Leon sway through the mass of bodies. The trial of skill was as much one of endurance as it was technique. Time would tell if they possessed either.

The storm refused to let up, but the figures would grow sluggish. The illusions would slow, their strikes having far less strength. The slowing continued until some halted in place entirely, their bodies fading to dust.

That dust coalesced in the winds of the storm, forming into a humanoid figure. It rose quickly, a mass of whirling sand that barely retained a structures form. It stood easily fifteen feet tall, its flowing limbs stretching near half as long. The monstrously proportioned creature bore down on the duo, lightning crackling from the storm cloud above and flickering through its body as it opened its gaping maw, a ground shaking scream issuing forth from lungs that did not exist.

The manifestation of all the pain those had suffered upon the battlefield almost seemed to grin as it swung its pillar-arms at the duo.

Tasha Blackmoor , Leon Gallo

 

[Tasha Blackmoor]

(SORRY FOR DELAY!!!)
Tasha figured this would not be as difficult as it might have been, they weren't armed in the necessary way to make this completely an issue for her. The issue was if she'd get tired before she got to the end or not. The ground was muddy, there was plenty of rain and wind, she was having to pay attention to things slamming against the ground and past her. It was only a matter of time.

And then things got worse. Just when the figures seemed to be growing weaker, another emerged. Massive and more powerful than the others. She groaned. Hopefully Leon Gallo was fine. Now would be the time to check. It screamed towards them, a scream of pain from the past. Tasha focused, to keep her mind steady. To keep it un-impeded by the darkness without. She had enough issues with that from within. Now was the time to find Leon indeed, the being swung its arms at her and now she finally saw the fellow jedi to be confirmed. She breathed in, using the force to launch herself out of the arms path and towards Leon, "Sorry if I left you behind. I don't suppose you know what this thing is? I'm not particularly versed in...well I'd honestly call it a force wound, or a Nexus, or something. I know next to nothing about the intricacies." she prompted, very loudly to ensure he could hear her, but while keeping her eyes on the being, ready to move in an instant. There was a slight push to simply...let it go. See what would happen if she let it hit her. It shouldn't exist anyway. And yet here it was. She wasn't going to risk something without any kind of reason to do so. If outrunning it worked, she was quite willing to just do that.

P Placeholder 0128 .

 

[Leon Gallo]

Leon carefully made his way through the chaos. He swatted away the occaisional attack, and forced himself through the storm. The mud was becoming worse with each step. At one point, his boot got caught on something he couldn't see. As he tried to free himself, the ghosts seemed to slowly fade. Leon quietly thanked the force and he dove his hands into the mud to pry his boot free from what he could guess to be a root.


While the young Jedi did this, a massive figure began to from before him. It stood far taller than him, and definetly far stronger. It had no real form, as its surface was constantly shifting, but it looked vaguely humanoid. A massive roar shook Leon to the core, and one of its massive arms swung down at him.


Leon swore as he managed to tear his boot free from the root. He lept out the way of the arm, barely avoiding the attack. Moments later, Tasha Blackmoor landed a foot or two away from him. She shouted at him, apologizing and asking about the thing before them.


""Its alright. As for that--" Leon gestured to the monstrosity infront of them "--I'm afraid I'm just as clueless as you. But, it's definetly dangerous."

P Placeholder 0128