A Trial Run

[Vuthari]

Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth

On a star-filled night, the lands of Ryloth below the stars were visible for miles. Even more spectacular was to be standing beneath the Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth . Huge rocks and boulders, some even the size of starships, could be seen floating high in the night sky. The entire area was a constant torrent of wind, whipping about the rocky terrain. Most of the tourists had left when nightfall descended. Though some tourists remained, scattered throughout the area, Vu’thari and his two padawans stood atop a plateau a distance away. For many moments, the three of them stared at the beautiful scenery of the twi’lek homeworld.

Interrupting the peaceful moment and loud enough for his voice to carry over the wind, Vu’thari said thoughtfully, “This place reminds me of my grandfather. He was a traditional Jedi who followed the Jedi Code, every single word to the core. The Code asks for no emotion and that is exactly what my grandfather did…”

Silence. The wind continued to soar across the plateau as the Jedi “Master” continued his reflection.

“Here, on this plateau, was the first time I ever saw my Grandfather show any emotion at all. When I returned to this place, successfully completing my trials to become a Jedi Knight, he wept tears of joy. I will never forget that moment. My grandfather apologized to me and told me it was a moment of weakness. As a twi’lek of 15 years old, I told him not to apologize—it let me know he cared about me and he was still my grandfather.”

Pause.

“It was at that moment I realized that a literal translation of the Jedi Code was not the way I wanted to live my life…if we do not feel, why do we do what we do?”

Seeming to shift his reflection to attending to his padawans, he looked over at Prax, then Ayasha and said, “I am proud of you both. You have both come so far. You are here to undergo the Trials of the Jedi Knight. If you are able to return to this plateau when you are done, Padawans, you will return as Jedi Knights. I underwent these trials as a Padawan, conducted by my Grandfather. I have set up these trials for the two of you. Your trials are similar, yet different. You will both be undergoing these trials at the same time, but you will be alone. These trials are not easy. In fact, these trials have killed aspiring Jedi Knights in the past. Be mindful of this, but do not fear…”

Looking at the two of them with pride and love, Vu’thari said, “You are ready, Padawans…”

It was almost as if this moment was foreseen…

@Critas
@Wolf

 

[Ayasha Waya]

The stars were brilliant, dancing in the sky above Ryloth in a way that reminded Ayasha of Galtea. In spite of the pain nestled deep within the memories of her past, she missed her home from time to time, primarily for its beauty. The padawan's eyes searched the breathtaking view ahead of her as a peaceful quiet hung over the trio gathered atop the plateau, even in spite of the wind.

This place reminded Ayasha of a moment she and Vu'thari had shared some time ago. It was at the top of one such plateau that the pair had shared their feelings for one another, promising to put the greater good ahead of their attachment. It was also the place where the twi'lek had vowed to the raven haired woman that when she was finally made a Jedi Master, they would look at the future and walk the journey there together.

The padawan drew in a deep breath, realizing that this was the day she had been created for. She stood now at the threshold between student and Jedi Knight. “This place reminds me of my grandfather,” Vu'thari's voice broke the silence among the trio. Ayasha smiled, noting that her mind was not alone as it drifted betwixt memories. She wondered briefly what Prax was thinking of at that moment. His journey had been one of great struggle and of even greater triumph. She was proud to call him a friend and brother.

Vu'thari told the story of his grandfather and the pride he had felt the moment that his grandson had achieved the title of Jedi Knight. The elder twi'lek had abided by the Jedi Code to the letter and viewed his emotional response as weakness. The pink skinned alien admitted that it was at that moment he realized that he did not want to live that way. Ayasha nodded silently as her eyes continued to drink in the beauty of the scene in the distance.

The Jedi Master shifted his attention and his gaze to his students. “I am proud of you both. You have both come so far,” he began. The Galtean native smiled as her golden eyes moved to meet the emerald pair of the twi'lek. “You are here to undergo the Trials of the Jedi Knight,” he continued while explaining the difficulty that each of them would face. Though their trials would be similar, they would also be different. Ayasha shot a quick glance at Prax as Vu'thari made mention of the fact that though they would be testing simultaneously, they would be doing so separately.

“These trials are not easy,” he continued, concluding with the fact that other aspiring Knights ahead of them had been killed during this undertaking. “Be mindful of this, but do not fear...” The young woman nodded, a somber look upon her face. While somewhere within her depths she was filled with joy and pride in the moment, she was also aware of the serious nature of the task that was now before her. “You are ready, padawans...” Vu'thari said with pride and love upon his face.

Ayasha suddenly remembered a moment at the Life Tree shortly before the strange, supernatural experience was over. Each gathered there had shared a vision of a moment similar to this. The young woman's gaze shifted from Vu'thari's face back to the Floating Rock Gardens as she pondered the tests that awaited her. Whatever was in store, she had resolved to meet the unknown with all the strength and courage befitting a Jedi Knight.

@Critas
@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth

Looking over to Ayasha, Vu’thari addressed her with a smile and a nod, “Your trials await you to the west. Travel atop the plateau and find the small opening wedged between an outcropping of rocks. There will be a significant drop to the stone floor below, so be ready. Once within the stone chambers, you will be on your own and it is up to you to navigate your way out. A series of trials await. Some require you to finish quickly while others will require patience and deliberation. If you fail any of the trails set in front of you, Jedi Knight will elude you this day…”

Pause.

She was met with an encouraging smile and a quiet voice, “May the Force with you Ayasha. You may begin…”

@Wolf

 

[Ayasha Waya]

Ayasha's honey colored eyes met Vu'thari's emerald pair. He smiled at her warmly and began describing, with very little detail, the trials that she would face this day. “Your trials await you to the west,” he began with a nod over her shoulder. The Jedi Master instructed her to travel across the plateau until she reached a small opening between an outcropping of rocks. He warned of a significant drop to the stone floor below, and the padawan took a mental note of the detail.

“Once within the stone chambers, you will be on your own...” he continued, adding that it would be up to her alone to navigate her way out of the system of caverns where she would face a variety of tests. “Some require you to finish quickly while others will require patience and deliberation,” he added. Ayasha nodded silently, not allowing her mind to wander too far into what could possibly be on the other side of the plateau.

Vu'thari's words from earlier did sit just below the surface of her spirit however, reminding her that other Knight hopefuls that had tested before her...had met death during the trials. She swallowed a hard lump that had formed in her throat while listening to the remainder of the Jedi Master's instructions. He concluded with the fact that should she fail any of the trials set before her, the title of Jedi Knight would elude her this day. The woman nodded with a sober expression upon her face. She was determined to complete each of the tests awaiting her, and she was determined to leave this place as a Knight of the Jedi Order.

There was a long pause as the pair stood with their eyes fixed upon the orbs of the other. Vu'thari smiled once again, encouragement and something deeper upon his lips. Ayasha could not help but smile broadly in return. The twi'lek was seeing her off on the most important leg of her journey thus far. “May the Force be with you Ayasha. You may begin...” he said in a quiet voice. The young woman briefly shifted her gaze to Prax and she gave him a reassuring nod. “May the Force be with you...brother,” she said warmly before shifting her eyes back to Vu'thari and then turning to face the west.

With a deep breath, the young woman began to walk across the plateau under the cover of the starry sky. She did not look over her shoulder but instead, shifted her gaze upward. All of those years on Galtea, she knew that she had been made for more. All of the hurt and sorrow that told her she would only amount to a backwater scout with above average hunting skills were the voices that had driven her to dream big. The moment had finally arrived and those voices fled the raven haired woman. As she stood at the outcropping that Vu'thari had told her about, she smiled up into the sky, knowing somewhere out there was Galtea and her past. The next step she took would be into the future...and she would never look back.

Ayasha stepped into the hole and held her breath as she fell for what felt like a century. Without warning, her feet slammed into the stone floor below. Her knees bent to absorb a bit of the shock from the landing and then she slowly rose to full height. The young woman pushed a stray clump of hair behind her ear and cleared her mind as she drew in a deep breath. The Force was overwhelmingly strong within this place, within the darkness. She was not afraid as she called upon the peace from deep within the energy that flowed within, around and through her.

She was ready.


@Mithias
@Critas

 

[Prax Dek]

The Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth were another of those tales told in the pens that Prax had heard but not really believed. Sort of like tales of the Jedi, they were discouraged and even punished if the wrong overseer heard. Tales such as those gave wonder and hope to the occupants of the pens and those were two commodities that the slavers could ill afford. Looking at the sky all around him, Prax could understand the stories and the hype. It was breathtaking in the extreme, it made him believe that anything was possible and that there was no such thing as impossible.

As he listened to Vu’thari, he heard his words with more than just his ears, but he also listened with his heart. He felt the connection that the twi’lek who had become his teacher and friend, had with this place. The deep roots that had been developed here and the connections between master and padawan that had been fostered in this place. As the jedi mentioned trials, Prax felt his focus tighten to a laser precision. This was life or death and Prax had already made that choice many times, it was time to prove himself right.

The plateau they stood on was quite solid and the wind was such that it threatened to test the padawans ability to fly. Prax swelled when the Jedi told them that he was proud of them. To be mindful but not fear, Prax had little to fear. He was now convinced that he had been born for this. Like a tempered steel blade, he had been molded by his experiences into he man he was today. Today, this day, would determine if he was a Jedi.

Prax’s hands went to his belt and felt the twin light sabers clipped there. He could feel the leather of the grips, the leather that had once been Master Ezekiel’s belt. They were tighly wound around the hilts of the sabers to remind Prax of that cave where he had truly known what it was to be a Jedi. He had taken the material when Ezekiel had passed into the Force. It tied him to that place and that moment for all time. Reaching down, Prax picked up two pebbles and placed them into his pocket. More reminders of the important times in his life. They would be his reminders of this place and this day, not that he felt he would ever forget it.

Vu’thari had spoken of trials and Prax had little idea what all that meant. He knew he would face it alone but the knowledge that Ayasha would be facing her own trial at the same time bolstered his spirits. The story of Vu’thari’s own journey and his interpretation of the Jedi code made sense to Prax. He too would be walking his own road as Jedi. He would not fall into the cookie cutter mold and would be what some might consider outside the box. That was fine with Prax, he had his own unique connection to the Force, and he would walk his own road.

Prax listened as Vu’thari gave Ayasha her own instructions. He smiled and tried to appear as positive as possible to keep his fellow padawan’s spirits up. He knew she had just as many doubts and concerns as anyone might in this situation. He did not want to add to that list by seeming melancholy or somber. As she shifted her gaze to him and said, “May the Force be with you…brother.” Prax returned the look and smiled in return. “May the Force be with you as well sister and friend. I will see you on the other side and toast your achievement.” He watched her go, heading across the plateau to her own trial and after she dropped out of sight, he turned to face Vu’thari and get his own briefing.

@Mithias
@Wolf

 

[Vuthari]

Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth

Vu’thari looked after Ayasha as she left and disappeared out of sight. He then turned his head and looked at Prax. With a smile and a nod, “Your trials await you to the east. Travel atop the plateau and find the small cave just down the side a bit. The path is lit to guide you along. Once within the stone chambers, you will be on your own and it is up to you to navigate your way out. A series of trials await. Some require you to finish quickly while others will require patience and deliberation. If you fail any of the trails set in front of you, Jedi Knight will elude you this day…you are a slave and assassin no more, Prax. Remember that. You are something else now…”

Pause.

He was met with an encouraging smile and clasp on his shoulder, “May the Force with you Prax. You may begin…”

With a nod, the twi’lek released his hold on the young Padawan…

@Critas

 

[Vuthari]

Chamber of Trials
Outskirts of Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth​

Pitch black.

As soon as Ayasha fell to the chamber floor, the hole far above her slid closed with the grating of stone, seemingly of their own accord. Something crunched beneath her feet when she landed. It is quite possible it was bone. The darkness was smothering. With the chamber sealed, it seemed air would eventually run out, but that would take days…if one was still within the chamber.

If the sides of the wall were felt, they would be semi-smooth, seemingly worked stone…

If the ground was searched in the darkness, there would indeed be a skeleton, cracked and broken, able to feel the last vestiges of thread, perhaps they were robes…

If sensed, there were no signs of life within the chamber…

@Wolf

 

[Ayasha Waya]

Ayasha found herself in the dark. This was not the same kind of dark that fell at night. This was the absolute absence of any light. She could feel heart heart rate increase within her chest and she heard it beating within her ears. The padawan drew in a deep breath through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. She called upon the Force to fill her with peace as she moved forward in the inky blackness.

The woman's hands reached out ahead of her to feel for the walls she was certain were there. Indeed, her fingertips met a worked stone surface. She reached out with the Force and felt absolutely nothing. There was not a single life form within, save for her. With a sigh, the young woman retrieved her lightsaber from beneath her tunic and flicked her finger over the ignition switch.

The blade hummed to life and a brilliant turquoise light filled the chamber. Upon the floor there were several bones scattered among some fabric that had, at one time, resembled a set of robes. The woman frowned. She immediately resolved not to allow that to be her fate. Ayasha's eyes scanned the floor, the walls and the ceiling of the chamber.

The small hole which she had fallen through was quite high above her. She knew that there was no hope of jumping to reach it. Her arms were not long enough to touch it with the blade of her lightsaber. At this point, the method of leaving this underground room behind eluded Ayasha. She began moving about the chamber, searching the stone walls for a clue. Perhaps there was a loose stone to push that would cause an unseen door to open.

The thought of levitating herself or her lightsaber back up to the stone door briefly crossed her mind, but she thought the probability of such an action working out would be slim to none. “Vu'thari mentioned that once inside, I would face several trials and I would have to navigate my way out...that means that the way forward is somewhere within this room,” she thought to herself as she continued searching the walls and the floor for whatever that way could be.


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

Chamber of Trials
Outskirts of Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth​

The turquoise lightsaber illuminated the round chamber. Now visible, the chamber was 12 meters in diameter. The walls and floor were featureless, carved stone, smooth all the way up to the top, some 60 feet up which came to a rounded point at the zenith. The skeleton was laying on the floor, tattered brown robes clinging to the bones. Curiously, there was an ornate blindfold over the eyes still in relatively good condition. It seemed this was the remains of a mirakula. The species was known as humanoids that were born blind, but were able to perceive the world through the Force, a Force Sight, known to Jedi. To the naked eye, it seems that there is no way out of the stone “prison”…

@Wolf

 

[Ayasha Waya]

Ayasha glanced around the chamber, her hands unable to communicate an escape to her mind. She looked back at the skeleton and noticed the blindfold lying atop the tattered remains of the robes. Just then, an idea struck the padawan. She pondered if perhaps the lost soul had been right on the precipice of discovering the answer to this test...but then did not give themselves over to the Force.

The caramel skinned woman slipped her finger over the ignition switch of her lightsaber and the blade hissed into nothingness. The inky darkness met her eyes once again as she returned the weapon to its place beneath her tunic. Ayasha drew in a deep breath and immediately slipped into the depths of the Force, her eyes closing as she did.

The woman began to imagine what the room around her looked like when she had been able to see with her eyes...then suddenly she began to see it with her mind. It was the same ability she had relied upon to see around corners and through doors. This time, she would use it to find the exit. The room within her mind looked the same except the structure seemed to be somewhat translucent. A soft glow began to emanate from the stone and the Force pulled her in its direction.


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

Chamber of Trials
Outskirts of Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth​

As the chamber slipped into darkness with the lightsaber winking out, Ayasha closed her eyes, reaching out with the Force. The environs around her began to slowly take shape…included a small section of the smoothed wall. Walking over to the area that was illuminated as “out of place”, Her hands reached up far above her head, requiring her to reach up on her tiptoes and applied pressure. A section of the floor began to groan and grind, slipping away to reveal another hidden chamber below it. As she plopped down to the bottom far below, the stone grinded and closed behind her…

The Trial of Insight was completed.

In this newest chamber, it was a long open chamber that seemed to be a natural obstacle course of rocks, outcroppings, rocky shelves and mechanical platforms zigging back and form on their own power. The chamber was illuminated by interspersed lanterns that flickered on as soon as the rocky hatchway from above closed behind Ayasha. It seemed the moment she entered the vast chamber, the mechanical platforms came to life. It was a path traversing 150 feet of treacherous, dangerous obstacles all the way to the doorway that was closed all the way across the way. The walls were slick, seemingly against any sort of navigating them to pass by the laid-out course. Looking down, Ayasha could see that this seemed to be a vast chasm that went down as far as the eye could see.

The Trial of Skill had begun...

@Wolf

 

[Ayasha Waya]

As soon as Ayasha hopped down the long chute, she could hear the stone door closing above her. The sound was somewhat unsettling as the woman realized she was now even deeper down inside of a cavernous system, having no idea where it would lead or how long before she would be out. These were things she simply had no time to worry about though as there were tasks at hand that would bring her training as a padawan to a close.

It seemed that the moment the caramel skinned woman's feet touched the floor of the second chamber, a series of mechanical platforms came to life. The enormous stoney room was dimly lit by lanterns that flickered on as soon as Ayasha entered. She stood staring at the obstacle course ahead of her. Memories from early in her training flooded her mind and brought a smile to her lips. This challenge would require the same set of skills that she had learned and honed while training on Tatooine.

Without hesitation, the padawan stepped up to the first static platform. Naturally, her gaze shifted down, noticing that the cavern seemed to have no bottom. She swallowed hard, pushing the frightening sight out of mind. Her eyes moved back to the set of obstacles before her as she drew in a deep breath and set her focus within the Force. She drew upon the power around her as she backed up several steps and then launched herself to the first moving platform.

Her timing was perfect and she landed upon the stone which carried her close to another floating rock about ten feet above her. As she neared the other platform, her eyes lifted to it. She chambered the Force within her legs and then leapt from the moving plank. Her hands stretched outward and grasped onto the edge of the stationary stone above. The woman resisted the urge to look down, knowing that there was an endless chasm of darkness below.

With a grunt, she pulled herself up to the next platform. The obstacle to follow was a series of short stone walls across from one another, a bridge of sorts without a floor. The object would be to push off of one to the left or right and connect with the opposing plank, doing so until across the inky gap. Ayasha studied the challenge and then called upon the Force to guide her movements and give her a supernatural physical edge. Hardly a moment passed before she leapt toward one of the stone walls to the right and immediately pushed off to the left. The padawan felt the Force coursing through her as she continued moving from one side to the next, her legs doing a fair share of the work.

The bridge of sorts was eight planks long on each side and as Ayasha launched from the final plank from the left, she stretched out to grab hold of another moving stone tile. This time instead of climbing up onto it, the goal seemed to hang from the edge until reaching another moving square that would take her to the right. The padawan breathed deeply as she fought the fatigue in her hands and wrists. She closed her eyes and pulled the Force in, sending it to the joints, ligaments and muscles in her fingers, hands and wrists.

Before she knew it, she had reached the next moving platform. The woman timed her dismount perfectly and she landed upon the other moving stone. It moved slowly to her right until she reached a tiny ledge along the smooth wall. There was hardly enough room for one foot, let alone a pair of feet. There was nothing to grab hold of with her hands but even so, Ayasha stepped off onto the narrow ledge and ran across it. A casual walk, she assumed, would likely result in a fall to her death. She needed to get off of the wall as soon as she was able. At the end of the narrow walkway, another moving platform waited. Ayasha leapt to her left and collapsed upon the heavy stone.

She breathed heavily, shaken by the experience moments before. Sweat now poured from her forehead and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. Up ahead the padawan spotted a large circular landing, a welcome break at the midway point of the obstacle course. The moving stone slowly creeped closer and closer until near enough for Ayasha to leap onto the massive platform. She laid there for a long moment, catching her breath and refocusing her mind. As the caramel skinned woman rose to her feet, she glanced across the chasm toward the end of the course. The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel was now in sight!


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

Chamber of Trials
Outskirts of Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth​

Ayasha was making great progress. When she gets to the central plateau for a breather, she notices a shift in the lighting of the floating platforms between her and the exit. The closest one to her suddenly had an indicator light turn red and then the platform lost power and began plummeting down into the chasm below. Even as she was watching, the next one began illuminating an indicator light red…

@Wolf

 

[Ayasha Waya]

Something was wrong and Ayasha felt it within the Force first. Suddenly her gaze shot to the floating platform closest to the central plateau she was resting on. An indicator light on the side shifted to red and the giant stone began to plummet toward the bottomless abyss below. Her eyes caught sight of the hovering stone behind it as a light on its side moved from green to red.

The padawan's mind began to race in time with her heart. She immediately knew that if her feet did not act quickly, it was likely she would not make it across to the exit. Without hesitation, she pushed up from the surface of the mass she was perched upon and ran toward the edge with reckless abandon. The woman drew deeply upon the Force, feeling it surge through her along with a side of adrenaline.

Ayasha leapt into the air, kicking her legs and stretching her arms out as she did. She landed upon the falling rock but did not linger. Her feet continued to move as she stepped off of the platform and propelled herself with the aid of the Force toward the second falling stone. Each consecutive rocky mass began falling one right after another. The young woman did not miss a beat as she hit the surface of the next and launched herself from it, crossing the remainder of the bridge in an amazing physical feat.

By the time the padawan pushed off from the final platform, it had fallen quite a distance from its original resting place. She stretched her arms up through her fingertips as she reached for the ledge that would lead her out of this challenge. With every ounce of hope she could muster, Ayasha grasped onto the edge of the platform just below the tips of her fingers. She was holding her breath as she wiggled and shifted her hands until her palms were around the edge.

The woman closed her eyes and used the Force to pull herself up with every ounce of strength left in her arms. She collapsed upon the platform and gasped as if she had been deprived of oxygen for several minutes. This aspect of the trials had been incredibly difficult, but she had succeeded. A wide smile crossed Ayasha's lips as she pushed up from the floor and dusted her clothing off. Ahead of her was an open doorway. Without further hesitation, she approached it and then walked through, ready to face the next challenge.

@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

Chamber of Trials
Outskirts of Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth​

Going through the doorway, the barely illuminated path winded around for a couple of minutes, able to give the padawan a breather. As she rounded the next corner, the passageway seemed to open up into a large cavern. With a cautious approach, she was able to see a trio of advanced looking battle droids come online, with sickly green running lights giving away their position in the dimly lit cavern. Each of them carried a large blaster carbine and were beginning to turn in her direction. Ayasha figured she could probably get one attack off before they were all three fully operational.

The Trial of Courage had begun…


OOC NOTE: Dice Thread is HERE

@Wolf
OOC/Dice Thread

 

[Ayasha Waya]

As Ayasha entered the chamber, she did so cautiously, unsure of what would be awaiting her there. She took several steps forward, her hand hovering just above the place where her lightsaber remained out of sight. Suddenly three advanced battle droids began to come online, each glowing an eerie green. The young woman leapt into action quickly, retrieving her blade.

Her finger slipped over a switch which ignited the weapon, it's brilliant turquoise blade humming to life. She jumped toward one of the three droids, swinging her saber in a sweeping motion towards its head. The metal soldier ducked and she missed connecting with its frame.

As she did, the two others turned and raised their weapons in her direction. They were completely powered up and ready to engage the padawan in a battle it seemed.

@Mithias

 

[Ayasha Waya]

As all three droids powered up, Ayasha leapt at the first droid again. She swung her lightsaber in an arching motion across her body from the machine's right leg to its left shoulder. Sparks erupted from the center of the metal soldier as wires were ripped from within. The green lights throughout the droid flickered until they went out as it fell to its knees and collapsed in a heap where it had been standing.

The other two began firing off shots at the padawan as she swung her weapon into the first. One of the bolts connected with her blade and it shot back in the direction it had come from, hitting the droid in its left arm which became useless as a result. The caramel skinned woman turned her attention to that machine but just as she was about to swing her saber, a blaster bolt zipped through the air and slammed into her right shoulder. Though it was protected by the cover of armor, the impact caused her to drop her lightsaber. Beneath the layers of material, her skin burned from the impact. Pain coursed through her body and she winced from the sensation.

Ayasha's eyes searched the cave floor for her weapon. When it had fallen from her hand, it had disengaged, the blade retracting as it did. Just then, she spotted the Brylark hilt just a few meters away. The third droid fired off a series of shots at her just then and she dove out of the way in the direction of her saber, but one of the bolts connected with her left side, grazing the flesh just below the surface of her tunic. The woman yelped in pain from the surprising blow. She reached her lightsaber and took it in her right hand, immediately igniting it as she rolled out of the dive. The encounter had already left a mark and she was hurting as she raised her weapon, prepared to go another round with the droids.

@Mithias

 

[Ayasha Waya]

The remaining two droids began to advance on the padawan as she raised her weapon. She pushed the pain of her injuries aside and ran at the machines. As she got close to the second one with the disabled arm, it raised its blaster and fired off a round of shots, Ayasha deflected each with her lightsaber, sending several back at the machine. When she got close enough, she swung her blade in a sweeping motion across the droid's neck, severing its head from the rest of its body. As with the first, sparks erupted and illuminated the dimly lit cave. The remainder of its body stood in place for several moments, its green lights flickering as it did. Then suddenly, the body fell forward and ceased moving.

As this occurred, the padawan pulled her saber back to swing at the final machine, but in a surprising action the droid leapt in her direction, drew its arm back and slammed it into the side of the woman's head. She growled in pain but straightened and drove the blade of her weapon directly into the chest of the machine. It began to flicker as she pulled her saber back and gave the droid a solid kick to the ground. It collapsed in a heap, its lights continuing to flash for several moments until they went out.

Silence filled the cave, the only light illuminating the large space was Ayasha's saber. She exhaled a deep breath that it felt she had been holding during the entire exchange. Her head was throbbing and her body ached from having taken the blaster bolts from the droid's weapons. She huddled over slightly as tears stung at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall. The padawan was determined to not merely survive the trials...she would dominate them and leave this place as a Jedi Knight.

The reminder of her goal strengthened her resolve as she returned to full height. Her finger slipped over the switch upon the hilt of her saber, the blade hissing into nothingness again. She tucked it back into its place beneath her tunic and began to walk toward the exit of the cavern, knowing that whatever waited on the other side had better prepare to meet with her.

@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

Chamber of Trials
Outskirts of Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth
Ryloth​

The Trial of Courage was completed.

Ayasha moved on from the chamber and into the next. The corridor leading out of the cavern began to rapidly descend, further underground. As she moved further and further down, a coldness began to creep along her skin. It was a feeling of pressing gloom. While the Force was stronger the further the Padawan descended, the feeling of darkness also gained in strength. It was as if the dark side was tugging at her very soul.

Finally, the corridor opened into a chamber of inky blackness, with the slightest bit of illumination coming from an orb in the middle of the rounded chamber. A swirling of black with stains of red seemed to slowly swirl within the glass-like orb. It sat atop a stand of black stone that gripped the orb in its grasp, like skeletal fingers. The walls seemed stained by darkness, smooth and cold to the touch. The ceiling was high and rounded, also forming a smooth arc. There was no sign of a way out of the blackened chamber. Whatever was to occur in this chamber seemed to be centered on the orb. The energy within this chamber was undeniable, and it was definitely a wellspring of power…but not for light.

The Trial of the Spirit was underway.

@Wolf

 

[Ayasha Waya]

The corridor from the chamber that had held the droids was narrow and rapidly descended. Ayasha could feel herself moving further underground. The air around her was cold and damp, but it reached into her very bones. Her eyes rapidly shifted from one wall to the next, searching for anything that may surprise her on her walk into the unknown. The further she went, the heavier the air felt. It was an oppressive feeling as if dread and gloom were overcoming the woman....like the very Dark Side of the Force was tugging upon her soul. The sensations were very similar to her encounter with Ezekiel on Utapau when she had gone to retrieve the kyber crystal that powered her lightsaber.

After several minutes of walking down, down, down...Ayasha finally arrived at the next chamber. The stone room was a sea of darkness, not only for the absence of visual light...but for the absence of the Light that she had come to love and live by. Her gaze moved about the walls and the high arching ceiling. There was no way out that she could see with her eyes, but she had a sneaking suspicion that her escape was directly linked to the mysterious glowing orb at the center of the chamber.

Red stained black seemed to swirl slowly within the glass like orb. Even the stand it sat upon gave off an eerie feeling. Everything within the room seemed to be tainted by utter darkness. There was a feeling of power in the chamber, though it seemed to be emanating from the strange glowing orb at the center. The padawan slowly approached the ball of dark light and inspected all around it. There was an undeniable pull from within and soon Ayasha found herself almost involuntarily lifting her hands and bringing them down upon the orb.

As her hands made contact with the glass, something she could not have even imagined occurred.

@Mithias