Private Trial of Stone

[Von-Kri]

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Jutrand Academy​

Artificial Arena​

876 ABY​

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The arena was built in the first few months of their occupation, massive drill droids working tirelessly to create a great enviroment for the Sith to train in. Overseer Seki brought the class of Acolytes down to the lower levels and explained the various artifacts along the way - some being tended to by Sepulchral servitors. The rest were immaculate, lacking any dust, yet the deeper they went the worse the conditions became.​

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Leftovers from construction, the ground was covered in the dust of stone crated by the mining operation, and the busts of great lords were noticeably lacking now that they were deep. Eventually, it opened up into a massive cavern lit by artificial and alchemic lights - a central plateu of stone surrounded by eight doors of great height. Overseer Seki motioned to them and began to speak;​

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"You will be seperated into eight teams of four - and your goal is to enter the tomb in the center. There are certain runes in place that upon your mortal wounding you will be teleported from this place to my care; so feel free to not hold back. Do everything at your disposal and leave nothing behind - there are supplies and weapons within the tomb. You will enter with nothing but your robes and a pair of boots - and beyond that, it is up to you to survive."​

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She moved through the teams, laying them out. The greatest threat quickly showed itself as the team led by Oryn Khan - his lackeys all being great melee combatants. They were known well as the bullies of the school, and many instructors had favored them for this strength - others still reminded themselves of the story of Bane, and how poor it was to assume you were so strong so young.​

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Eventually, Seki named their team;​

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"Von-Kri, Bis No Mi, Harkin Toth, and..."​

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" Adeline Noctua ."​

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"Any questions?"​

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---​

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As the groups formed, Von-Kri rubbed at the back of his head as he glanced across the large artificial dunes towards the door they had to enter. He exhaled slow, turned back to his group and tried to introduce himself;​

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"I'm Von-Kri. I don't think I've seen you guys before.", he said, simply - a touch awkwardly, but he lacked timidness.​

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"Bis No Mi.", a Firrerreo woman said with a wave, his wolf like features overtly obvious. "Just started the other week."​

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"Harkin Toth.", the last human man offered. He was a bit older than the others, he'd been an acolyte for some time. His expression was one of annoyance, like this entire trial was more burden than worth it.​

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Then they turned to Adeline, waiting for her introduction.​

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio
Location | Jutrand
Tag | Von-Kri

Her time at the prestigious academy here on Jutrand had produced a bit of a reputation for the pale woman, known to be a dedicated student that hardly spoke to any of the others. Such things were not the mainstay of said reputation, rumors of people vanishing, strange scribblings... To some they say a brilliant mind, to others they saw one soaked in madness. Yet, despite the rumors, she had always been soft spoken.

While it may be true that those people did in fact disappear, no damning evidence could link those who were missing to the strange woman... The only thing worthy of note being that they all had crossed her, or had a dispute at some point. Adeline had considered herself quite the sly fox, perhaps born to be one with the dark just by nature? One thing is for certain, she had quickly adapted to the ways of the Sith, and became much stronger for it.

Today would be the day, it seemed like a simple enough task. Adeline finding herself standing amongst the rest of the class, silently within the back row, listening to Seki explain more about the course. It wasn't too thrilling to know that the wounded would be swiftly taken away, but perhaps if she could do more than a wound... Well, then that means less competition right?

As her assigned group assembled, Adeline gives them all a simple curtsy, not speaking until the rest had introduced themselves first.

"Adeline Noctua, a pleasure.."

Her soft voice and general form didn't seem the most physically fit, to the rest of the group it would appear that they just unluckily got paired with a pencil pusher who was all brain and no brawn.
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I don't think I've seen you guys before

"I tend to keep my distance from menial social activity if I can help it, my room is where I like to spend most of my time of course."

Being the observer that she was, her mind instantly made note of Toth's attitude. Why push herself to the front when she could use this man and his ego? Simply push him ahead like a pawn on a chess board.

 

[Von-Kri]

Tag: Adeline Noctua​

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Toth scoffed at the mention of avoiding social interactions, while Bis No Mi nodded in agreement - the likely reaction of a person still trying to find their place in the grand scheme of the Academy. Von-Kri offered neither of these things, his placid expression seeming to barely acknowledge what she said - as though he wasn't listening, or perhaps too focused on the distant arena. Even now it stood great and dangerous in the distance.​

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He coughed into his hand violent, breaking the placidity. Bis gave him an awkward look, raising an eyebrow as though she meant to ask him if he was alright - but he waved her off as he finished the cough. Harkin offered no such pleasantries, mumbling something about a 'burden' as he walked by them all towards the valleys of the dunes leading to their predetermined entrance.​

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Von-Kri took a moment to catch his breath, pulled a black hankerchief from his back pocket and wiped his mouth of the blood - then began to follow Toth, a small distance infront of Bis No Mi who carefully placed herself next to Adeline at the rear of the pack. She glanced up to the alchemic lights above them, quietly speaking with a tone of wonder.​

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"It looks like stars, doesn't it?", she said with an innocence that betrayed her status as a Sith acolyte.​

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"Is this really what the Sith can do?"​

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All the while, Von-Kri clenched that hankerchief in his hand like life depended on it. Beneath the glove, it was surely a white knuckle hold, but from the back Adeline would find no other sign he was struggling in his place. Only walking ever forward, eyes dead set on trailing behind Toth.​

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio
Location | Jutrand
Tag | Von-Kri

Oddly enough, his scoff had made the woman smile in response. Her eyes flicking to Bis for but a moment as they huddled closely to Adeline, the Sangnir didn't seem to mind.

For a time her attention had been taken by the blood that had been coughed up by Von, as its scent was picked up by her nostrils it smelt... Sour. Perhaps he was sick?

"Have you come down with something? Perhaps after this you should go to the medical wing of the academy and see what they can do, your blood smells sour."

A pretty evident clue that she wasn't human, no human could get such a quick and vivid smell of someone's blood like that.
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"It looks like stars, doesn't it?", she said with an innocence that betrayed her status as a Sith acolyte.

"That they do, though the stars hold a lot more than just beauty. Mmm... Perhaps it is still beauty, just more of a preference."

As they walked, Adeline peeks up ahead, her blackened boots crunching the sands beneath.

"Have you done a test like this before? You seem rather confident, Toth."

 

[Von-Kri]

Tag: Adeline Noctua​

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Von-Kri glanced back at her, a certain tired annoyance she could tell only came from being told the exact same pointless advice a hundred times. In that moment she could see how tired he looked - deep bag under black, corrupted eyes, lips that seemed a touch more blue than they should have. Even the scar across his face seemed to flare a bit with the onset sickness.​

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"You know...", he said, beginning with an annoyed tone that surrounded itself to a quiet cough.​

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Whatever attitude he had surrendered itself as he turned back around and muttered a simple, "Yeah, I'll do that..."​

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Bis glanced between Von and Adeline with a bit of a shrug, unsure how to react to him - but defaulted back to a gentle smile. She mouthed 'He's probably just not feeling good', but carried on with a touch more of a hop to her step. Her gaze continued to be on the sky, obviously contemplating just what else the star's might hold.​

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Toth, however, grunted as his demeanor had thus far demanded. He responded without looking back;​

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"Plenty. I served in the Odavessa Academy, I know how these things go.", he said, like it was a point of pride she should've noticed. Really, a Sith who knew the years ago that was would probably be more dissapointed he was still an Acolyte.​

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"Always the same - we go in, we fight until someone 'dies', then we wait for our combat reports. They've got eyes on us at all times.", he said, motioning to the stars above them.​

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This made Bis frown a touch, asking the rather obvious question;​

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"Those lights can see us?"​

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"Yes. Careful what you say.", Toth said back to her, his annoyance not subsiding even her to gentle question. It forced her to retract a bit, bringing her gaze to the sand beneath them - careful to now step in Von-Kri's foot steps in the sand.​

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After a moment of silence, Von chimed in, his sickness seeming to subside and his stride regaining some strength;​

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"Hate to ask, but that sense of smell of yours... It a gift, or a near-human ability?", Von-Kri said with a glance back to her.​

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The dunes began to part as they closed in on the entrance to the tomb arena, giant doors offering themselves for the team. The lights surrounded it, floating like fire flys, but they lacked the careful dance the insects practiced. These stood still, carrying their cyan light far but steadily. Toth glanced around for a moment, seeming to run his hands along the wall, then stepped inside as he spoke;​

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"Sometimes the last team puts a trap on these. Always best to check."​

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The inside of the tomb arena offered them a small entrance area. As the last entered, the door slowly slid shut with a loud grinding of rock on stone. For a brief second, all was dark, then the lights came alive again - shows a few training sabers, a synthetic heater and power pack, and some rations of food and water. Enough for a few days at least. This revelation seemed to force a further deepening frown on Toth's expression, swearing as he moved to pick up a sword.​

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"Can't believe I'll be stuck in here. You guys carry the supplies.", he commanded.​