Crosses to Bear.

[Logan]

Vecna's most recent trip to Ziost has been incredibly disappointing. The acolytes that resided in this temple seemed to all be so stupid, so simple minded that he wondered if there was any hope left at all for the Imperium. Of course, the Imperium as it stood having no hope at all to survive was exactly what Vecna wanted as an active member of the Coterie, but that wasn't a viewpoint that he willingly broadcasted to the world at large. Regardless of the failures Ziost had thus far shown him, Vecna had decided to stay for a short while longer to get a true test sample of the acolyte base. He'd browsed through some of the Imperial records dismissing nearly all of the files he came across almost instantly, that was until he came across one regarding a young Yu named Matsunaira Hitomaro. Judging from the files alone, Hitomaro had all of the relative skills that Vecna looked for in an acolyte as well as a potential apprentice, but he'd learned long ago that many acolytes looked good on paper and very few of them were actually able to back up their listed skills with real life action. Deciding to give this young man a chance to impress him, Vecna sent Hitomaro a message to meet him just outside of the temple in the frozen wastes near the entrance to one of the abandoned ruins that littered Ziost.

Unlike his usual first time meeting with acolytes, Vecna had no plans to instantly meet Hitomaro face-to-face. This Yu man was going to be the singular shoulders on which the failures of Ziost would burden, and his performance in the coming minutes would be the standard by which Vecna would judge all of the acolytes that called this planet and temple home. Sitting near a rocky outcropping that overlooked the ruin's entrance, Vecna sat with his eyes on the horizon and his body, mind and aura completely cloaked in the force. There was a near zero chance that Hitomaro would be able to detect his presence there and that's precisely what Vecna wanted. He was going to ambush this hopeful acolyte and give him a true test against an opponent much more dangerous than he was, and Hito's response to this adversity would tell Vecna everything he needed to know in order to make his decision.

His breathing slow and methodical, his heart-rate so low you'd almost think him dead, Vecna sat in resolute silence and simply waited. He'd informed Hitomaro to meet him at dawn, and the Ziosti sun was just now starting to peak it's white-orange tendrils above the horizon. Hitomaro's life would be in much less danger if he arrived on time.

Vecna didn't really care either way.

 

[Hitomaro]

So, someone had finally taken interest on him, Hitomaro let his thoughts run wild as he headed out of the temple, towards the entrance of some forsaken ruins not far from his usual training grounds. Took long enough, as he considered himself superior to most other Acolytes in the, in comparison to the others, small, in number of apprentices and in skill of those, temple, and longed for some superior member of the Order, one formally bearing the title of Sith, one experienced in the Dark ways of the Force, one that had actual experience fighting out there in the black, and was not some lowly, unskilled and weak teacher that spent his time meditating in one of the temples, to take him out of that planet he had grown so much to hate.

However, he did enjoy, and would most definitely miss the snow, Hitomaro thought, as the frigid whiteness touched the lower parts of his legs, through the typical light footwear of his people, getting closer and closer to the rendezvous point. Only now the notion that the next couple of minutes would determine whether he spent his next few years still in Ziost, training with those he considered lowly, or alongside a powerful ally and master, learning through practical use of the Force, after all, this Vecna must have had something planned for him, he would not meet him all the way out there for a simple interview. In the outside apparently completely calm and in control of himself, the inside of his mind told a different story, as expectation rapidly grew. Hitomaro now regretted his decision to not thoroughly research his possible new, and first formal, master, seemed like such a good idea at the time, came the bitter, now full of insecurity thought.

His slow paced walk, one that started because of laziness, waking up at such a time in the morning, but then kept its velocity as confidence dwindled, got him there faster than he thought it would, or maybe he lost account of time, lost in his thoughts. Either way, he was there, and could not feel a single other presence in the Force, although the rising sun to his left signaled he was definitely in time. Thinking the Sith that took interest on him would not let a possible apprentice wait, something was definitely up, but even concentrating to his best ability, Hitomaro was not able to detect Vecna's presence.

Letting out an audible sigh, as he underestimated Ziost's cold morning winds and wore just his common light robes, the Acolyte, resting his hand on the hilt of his trusty Songsteel blade, held in place across his back by a belt resembling those of the Yu monks, calmly and quietly awaited in front of the entrance of the ruins, unknowingly turning his back to the Sith Crusader.

 

[Vecna]

For whatever reason, Vecna had no real justification for it, punctuality was one of the most important things for the Kushari. To arrive late to something showed not only disrespect but laziness and an shitty attitude, as far as he was concerned anyways, so Hito already had a check-mark in the positive qualities column of the mental list Vecna was keeping. Making no attempt to move from his position, Vecna studied Hito intently as he tried to assess whatever information he could glean from the acolyte during his approach. It was obvious from his relative lack of concealment, especially of his aura, that Hito wasn't very heavily trained in the ways of the Force, but for Vecna that fact was far from being immediately damning. Nearly all - well, save for Ayindri - of the acolytes Vecna had taken under his wing had come to him as raw force talents and truth be told, he preferred it that way. It was much easier to mold a proper Sith from untouched clay than it was to shatter a previous Master's ill attempts and start over, there were always cracks left behind where moronic ideals and preconceived notions could filter through. Vecna was in the business of creating ideal Sith using the thoughts, ideas, beliefs and tactics in which he was taught the arts. He would instill the values bestowed upon him by his deceased father and the Zeison Sha, as well as the invaluable lessons Darth Umbra had granted him during their time as Master and student into any acolyte he deemed worthy of such time and effort. He hoped that his invitation to Hito didn't turn into a colossal waste of time.

Reaching out with the force but still maintaining his camouflage, Vecna manipulated several large stones with telekinesis. They rose silently into the air at his command, the rocks themselves around five or so meters away from where Hito was standing. They were close to where Vecna was hidden so with Hiro having his back turned it was unlikely he would notice them moving. With a subtle nod of his head Vecna sent the rocks flying, them being big and heavy enough to surely crack bones or concave chests should Hito not sense the incoming danger and allow them to strike hm at full force. Vecna had higher hopes for this acolyte, though, and he was under no assumption that this little ploy would take the boy down so easily. Slipping from his perch Vecna fell to the ground without a sound, the thick pads on the bottom of his feet muffling any thud his descent may have caused. He moved closer to Hito, though he still kept a distance of a couple meters away from him, as other stones littered throughout the ruins began to rise from the ground and fire towards Hito like tiny little rockets.

Quick reflexes and the ability to think on your feet were paramount qualities that Vecna looked for in his apprentices. This little test would only be the first of many Vecna would put Hito through today, well assuming the kid didn't accidentally die, but even if that was the case Vecna would just chalk it up to doing the Sith another favor by weeding out the weaklings from their ranks. Not like he didn't do enough of that already.

 

[Hitomaro]

There's always a calm before a storm, or so Hitomaro remembered hearing. Waiting alone above the thin layer of snow, he contemplated the architectural properties of the probably centenary ruins in silence, hoping the storm would quicken its arrival, oblivious to the rocks fluctuating behind him. When they started moving, only now sensed by the Acolyte and fast to the point of being fatal, Hitomaro let out a smirk, as he turned his head, readying himself for a fight, or to at least divert the path of the rocks aimed his way.

So it begins, came the quick thought, promptly interrupted by the surprising size of the boulders, nullifying his natural instincts of stopping them using the Force. This Vecna, possibly his future master, did not seem to be holding much back, and, by the sheer proportion of the stone he was manipulating, a contest using the Force would certainly end in defeat for the Acolyte, who now, with some trouble caused by the abruptness of the Crusader's attack, dodged the first rock, enhancing his movements with the Force. Hitomaro did not know much about this Sith yet, but so far, on account of his fierce strike, seen by the Acolyte as some kind of consideration, maybe even respect for his abilities, he already liked him.

The second boulder came soon after the first, this one, now that Hitomaro was ready, expecting it, was comfortably avoided, its landing, near the apprentice, scattered both snow and dirt through the air, deeply affecting visibility. Next, a barrage was again dodged with ease, as the Acolyte nimbly Force jumped high above, a bit higher than all the dust, to try and find Vecna, who, no matter how hard Hitomaro attempted, could not be sensed.

Now back on the ground, a few other rocks were skilfully avoided, relying more on his quick, agile steps, than his aptitude with the Force, used mostly to sense incoming threats, as all the dirt in the air made it nearly impossible to rely on eyesight. Soon, the Crusader started using smaller, much quicker rocks, that Hitomaro, concentrating on it, was able to stop, or at least divert the path, using the Force.

Dust starting to settle, the last rocks fell to the ground, to the sides of the Acolyte, that, although seemed to not have broken a sweat on the outside, confidently standing, struggled to keep up with all the small pieces thrown at him, lacking a shielding ability. Silence took over their small field of battle once more, as Hitomaro, ignoring his newly acquired lightsaber, readied his songsteel blade, attentively sweeping his surroundings for any signs of Vecna's presence.

Slightly bowing his head, as to not affect his combat-ready stance, Hitomaro greeted the Sith. "A pleasure to finally meet you, master."

 

[Vecna]

"You've far from earned the privilege of calling me master, acolyte." Vecna's voice would echo inside of Hito's head, coming across low and booming like thunder descending on a valley. "There is still far too much for you to prove."

So far, Vecna wasn't overly impressed but he wasn't disappointed either. Any acolyte worth his salt would be able to dodge a few rocks thrown their way, even if those rocks were thrown telekinetically by a Kushari and large enough to kill them. Maintaining his force camouflage, Vecna circled around Hito giving the acolyte his first proper once over. He seemed mostly average as far as stature went, but Vecna had spent enough time around humans to know that the vast majority of them differed very minutely in their appearance yet very vastly in their aptitude and potential. And, above all other things, it was potential that the Kushari was looking for. The potential for greatness in whatever path Hito chose to walk, it didn't matter in the end. It was the same thing Vecna wished for for every acolyte that he allowed to grace his presence as a student, and the amount of souls that had been allowed that opportunity he could count on one furry hand.

Taking retrieving the hilt of his lightsaber from its place on his belt, Vecna held the weapon un-ignited his right hand as he slowly approached towards Hito's front. His footsteps swift and silent, the force would seemingly peel away from Vecna allowing his full form to become visible in a matter of seconds. The blade of his weapon coming to life, signaled by the unmistakable snap-hiss, would culminate this apparent divine revelation. "Let us hope you wield something more than just simple steel."

With a simple one handed motion Vecna would slash diagonally from Hito's right shoulder down towards his left hip. The maneuver wasn't complicated or overly flashy, in the back of his head Vecna wasn't really trying to kill this acolyte, but he wouldn't pull back any of his attacks either if the kid managed to miss a parry.

He was starting to get mildly hungry, after all.

 

[Hitomaro]

Surprised by the Crusader's thundering voice, Hitomaro suddenly widened his eyes, silently waiting for Vecna's next move, while the dust still settled around him, not giving much opportunity to see. The Acolyte still had no luck sensing the experienced Kushari, and, as the tense moments of silence passed away, he started worrying not only for his spot as formal apprentice, but also for his life. Of course, as was his nature, the Yu did not demonstrated this insecurity, and hoped his possible master wouldn't be wise enough to try and break through his mental blockade.

All thoughts came to a halt as the monstrous creature suddenly appeared in front of him, letting go of his cloak, one that shocked and impressed Hitomaro for those milliseconds, while he hadn't noticed the lit lightsaber coming towards his torso. Again widening his eyes, the Acolyte only now showed some emotion, opening his mouth in awe. Vecna's actions gave him just enough time to fully draw his sword, that, although his father always said to be forged from special, extra-durable metal that could withstand even lightsabers, Hitomaro had never truly tested against one. That was it, his life could be over in the next couple of seconds because of that simple choice, because he decided to go with the Matsuinaira blade, the weapon he was the most comfortable with, instead of his, considering the other choice, newly acquired red bladed lightsaber.

Dragging his right foot on the ground to behind his body, trying to mitigate the blow, Hitomaro drew the blade with his right arm in a circular motion, wielding it towards his own body on the outside of his arm, putting it right in front of Vecna's lightsaber, also in a diagonal position, contrary to that of his foe, successfully blocking the attack. Relief was all he felt for those possibly awkward following seconds, while the two weapons stayed in contact, until he, using the Force, jumped back through the air, gracefully flipping on his back to land a few meters in front of the Sith Crusader, that was most likely, as for his size, not affected by the sudden rush his jump created.

This time, however, the crimson light emitted from his own lightsaber, taken with his left hand from his belt during flight, could be seen growing, while Hitomaro used those calm moments to examine the ancestral blade of his family, seemingly untouched, not exhibiting a single mark from the previous parry, before putting it back in its sheath to give space for the saber.

Trying to mix things up and maybe take Vecna by surprise, Hitomaro used Telekinesis like his superior did earlier, raising a few of the boulders that were now all around the Sith. Differently than the Kushari, and to the utter disappointment of the Yu, his attack was a mere fraction of what his opponent threw at him, only being able to maintain a few of the medium-sized rocks on the air. Hitomaro also remembered once hearing that if one lacked the raw strength, one should use his brain, and that's what he did, swiftly devising a plan, simple enough that it could possibly work.

Throwing the bigger fragments at his adversary, he held a single smaller rock, a bit bigger than an average human head, still on the ground, patiently waiting until the Kushari's inevitably dodged the others to throw it against him.

 

[Vecna]

The swift parry and subsequent backpedaling of Hito was precisely what Vecna had expected and in this instance, exactly what he wanted to see. Despite the prevailing attitudes of most idiotic acolytes there were few beings in the galaxy that could hope to stand up against a Damarian Kushari in close-quarters combat. To some Hito's swift retreat would have seemed like cowardice, but to Vecna it spoke of a greater intelligence hidden behind the Yu's stern, stony eyed expression. It seemed only his aptitude was holding him back and inside Vecna smiled at that premise. Pure intelligence, cunning and problem solving wasn't something that could be taught, unlike skill with the force. You either had it or you didn't, and it did indeed appear as if Hito had it in spades.

Raising a single open hand Vecna focused on the stones that Hito had sent flying his way, his superior ability with telekinesis more than enough to stop them from coming any closer. Balling his hand tightly into a massive fist Vecna caused the stones that had been floating mid air to compact in on themselves like a pseudo-black hole and, releasing his grip, fall back to the ground as nothing more than a fine powder blown on the wind. Pressing the thin red button on the side of his lightsaber Vecna deactivated his weapon and gave it a gentle toss to his side, sending it skittering until it landed a few meters away from him. Keeping a firm and resolute gaze on Hito, Vecna raised an inquisitive eyebrow, curious to see how the acolyte would react to a suddenly - seemingly, anyway - defenseless adversary.

"Show me what you're capable of." It was the only thing that Vecna had to say, the words coming out as less of a suggestion and more of a firm command. This would be Hito's first real opportunity to prove himself worthy, Venca hoped that he wouldn't squander it.