Star Wars: Birth of a New Galaxy

[True North]

Luca's eyes widened further as he looked over his shoulder to see the second volcano spitting flecks of fire red ash. He shrugged the Gotal's hairy hand off of him and began to slowly panic. The masters did not inform him that putting the 'Potentials'' lives in danger was part of their trial. Something didn't feel right to Luca and it became clearer with each of the Gotal man's cackles. Young lives were at risk, and it was sickening to hear laughter toward the subject of great danger. Luca didn't have much time to think, so he used the force to push the Gotal away from him to buy him some time. The aquatic boy's heart almost stopped as his sea green eyes turned to spy small swivels of smoke beginning to rise from the crater of the very volcano he stood upon. He ran over to the turn handle and began to pull up, but was stopped at blaster point by the Gotal who kept a hysterical grin upon his face.

Below, the bottom of the Potentials' feet felt hot and began to burn and the chamber's ground became like the beginning of a heating pan. Fumes were now visible in the chamber air rising to the top, and it was starting to feel unbearably hot for the Potentials. If they did not leave, the inside of the chamber would cook their insides and kill them before the floor of volcanic rock would melt again into magma. One of the Potentials sprinted toward the group and told them the news of another Potential who had passed out in the tunnel of piercing crystals. A male Twi'lek was in the short tunnel and he had passed out from a heat stroke. If touched, the caged platform that brought them down the crater would burn their hands like a rack inside an oven. The clock was ticking and the magma chamber was growing hotter by the minute. Other Potential's were also showing signs of a heat stroke and the smell of volcanic smoke began to suffocate them slowly.

The aim of the Gotal's blaster startled Luca and caused him to flinch which caused his arms to raise in front of his face. He was secretly terrified of blasters and the thought of one pointed at him made him react in fear. His fearful reaction caused the force to sweep under the Gotal's legs and his feet fell out from under him. The Gotal's blaster went off and barely missed Luca, but hit the turn handle which cause the handle to break off! When the Gotal's blaster fell a few feet away from his reach, Luca reacted quickly by knocking the blaster off the volcano and down the crater with the force. He hoped his actions wouldn't cause harm to those below, but getting them back up was most important and he had to get rid of the Gotal's weapon quickly. "Please, let me save them. I don't want to hurt you." Luca said to the Gotal who got back on his feet. Luca refused to ignite his saber, because he was taught that it meant that he had to end his offender's life and his offender was now unarmed which would be against the code.

Luca glanced back and forth between the crazy Gotal and the turn handle that was now just a circular gear that needed spinning. He tried to focus and used his silvery white hand to try and swirl the axis and pull up the cage, but it wasn't working. His main force abilities as of now, were only to push and pull with the use of the force - he was taught how to rotate objects with the force at one point, but it was a technique he had struggled with. What kind of Jedi am I? Luca thought to himself as he felt like tearing up when he couldn't rotate the gear but he did his best to keep his emotions in check. He strained with all of his will and finally the gear rotated a half turn, but then stopped again. An ounce of hope sparked inside him, but his heart began to pound as he realized he was taking too long. Luca attempted to rotate the gear again with his inner force energy, and his eyes flashed in surprise as the gear began to spin out of control. He realized he wasn't focusing that hard, so it didn't seem real - that's when he turned around and saw it wasn't his actions.

Grand Master Valeruc stood at the top of the mountain with the Gotal raised in the air with one hand and pointed two fingers toward the spinning gear with his other. The cage that carried the Potentials clashed against the metal arm that extended the cable and they were now saved from the chamber that would soon erupt. Both Valeruc and Luca looked to see the other volcano already dripping and spilling with deadly hot, yellowy lava. Valeruc detached the cage from the metal arm and cable with the use of his force and lowered the cage safely to the base of the volcano. This allowed the Potentials to escape more safely and left Valeruc and Luca to deal with the Gotal. The volcano began to shake and Valeruc ordered Luca to jump down to the nearest ledge of the trail. The two of them jumped down from ledge to ledge dangerously and ran down the rest of the trail with the Gotal still raised in the air by Valeruc. When the group reached the dark tan shores both volcano's were now spewing with ashes and lava spilling fast down the sides. The Neomisian's faces were full of shock as the group ran toward the long boat.

"Why didn't you leave me to die?" The Gotal asked Valeruc as he was dropped into the boat.

"Because it's against what I believe in." The grey amphibious alien replied to the goat man's words with a breathy voice, and watched him carefully with squinted green eyes. This fool had some explaining to do. Luca just sat in silence, unsure of what to think. He felt great relief to know the Potentials were safe, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

When the long boat arrived back on the main island, Valeruc carried the Gotal with the force toward the group of masters who stood outside the temple to see what happened. There was some talk amongst themselves and the masters walked back in the temple with the criminal for questioning. Medics rushed to tend to the injured Potentials and the trial was postponed. Most of the Potentials were minimally wounded and the trials were approved by the masters to carry on that evening. Before leaving to finish their trial, they were asked to choose one inactive saber handle from some type of slot machine with a screen that displayed the different sort of handle styles hidden near the back exit. Each handle style had it's own informative description and off to the bottom was a quote that read: "A lightsaber is a Jedi's only true ally." They would bring the incomplete sabers to their next location for completion.

The Potentials were told to gather on the beach behind the temple at sunset. There, standing on the beach was a single master that would await them. Her crimson red hair rested on her left shoulder and her auburn cloak blew in the wind as the Potentials approached. As they arrived in front of her she spoke with a quizzical tone, "What an unfortunate incident you all had to experience earlier." She walked over to the middle of the beach feeling the smooth sand between her toes as she walked. "Such a beautiful day-Too beautiful for you to spend the rest of your second trial indoors." Alzora said with a seemingly pleasant smile. Her emerald green eyes shimmered as the baby blue sun began to set across Neomisia's sky. The outline of the six moon's were now visible above and the daylight was drawing to a close.

"Sit, we shall begin." Alzora sat herself upon the comfortable sands and retrieved her slightly curved saber from her waist. She let the lightsaber slip from her grasp and it floated beside her hand that kept it afloat. She twirled her hand in a light manner which caused the saber to begin deconstructing. Her saber came apart into several sections and near the middle was a crystal that matched the color of her eyes. She closed her eyes and spoke, "Imagine the handle coming apart as if pulling physically with your own two hands. When disassembled, place your crystal in it's rightful place. If done correctly, the crystal will cause the handle to close back together again like a magnet and bring life to your saber." Alzora's lightsaber flashed on immediately after she reconstructed it, and the exquisite light sword glowed a beautiful jewel green against her cheek with a deadly buzz. "Now, you." Master Alzora instructed, looking to the Potentials and expecting them to follow suit.

 

[Danny]

It would seem like to the trial had some complications in the form of a saboteur. Casper couldn't help but keep his eyes on the man during the trip back to the temple. What was he up to, and why did he want to kill the padawans? His methods seemed rough and his reason was his and his alone, unbeknownst of the others. Casper couldn't help but speculate, however. What could he possibly have to gain from what he was trying to accomplish? Was he working with the Sith? No, that was impossible. The Sith were probably scattered and severely damaged after the Black Storm, just like the Jedi. Valeruc had refrained from killing the man, but there was probably more to it than the Jedi Code. Surely the masters would want to know where the man came from and what his motives were.

Casper's attention shifted towards the shining white crystal in his hand. It had spoken to him, told him to unite with the beautiful creation. Upon its flawless surface he could see his reflection, a set of large yellow eyes staring back at him. Due to the light, his iris was rounded like that of a human's but come night time they would slim out to an oval shape to allow for better vision. Casper's clawed fingers gently traced the crystal, feeling its slick surface with his fingertips. The heart of his sabre, his best friend and ally. He was looking forward to when he could wrap his fingers around the hilt of this weapon, feeling the energy travel through him. A lightsaber was an amazing weapon and would be the one thing he could truly trust, the one thing that complimented his physical capabilities above all else. The feline clenched his fingers around the shining crystal and closed his eyes, breathing out softly. Soon, he would be able to construct the sword which would allow him to cut his path towards his dreams.

Once the group arrived at the temple, the trials would continue at dusk and until then, the padawans could rest up for a moment. Luckily, the potentials were not wounded enough to call it quits and the minimal damage which had been sustained could be resolved easily enough. Casper had luckily managed to stay unharmed, with help of the Force of course, but if he had been stuck in that heat for a moment longer he'd be a roasted cat.

Sitting on the floor by his bed, the feline twirled the crystal between his fingers and thought back to his fellow padawans. How many would pass this test? Many had been unnerved by what happened and he would be lying if he said that it hadn't effected him. He hated being without control and even though he could probably shove his claws into the wall and climb out of the volcano, the others were not blessed with natural weapons in the same way and Casper would never leave a friend behind, never. A shield doesn't run away and he was prepared to stand between his allies and oblivion as many times as it took. It was foolhardy of course and perhaps even stupid, but there were some emotions Casper couldn't simply shut off.

Luca had seemed shaken from the event and it was clear from the survival of the culprit that the aquatic boy had held back. Sometimes, Casper wondered how far the Jedi were willing to go with their code. How long were they supposed to hold back before it was justifiable to ignite their sabres and end the threat? In fact, a Jedi should be able to do so without igniting their weapons. The others could clearly use their force powers and Casper enjoyed fighting unarmed until the situation required him to go all out. At times he felt like the Order wanted to be more pure than they actually were, or could be.

The feline was broken from his thoughts once it was time for the second part of the trial, constructing a temporary sabre. He was allowed to choose from a vast amount of hilts but given his style, he went with a single bladed lightsaber with a slightly longer hilt for easier two handed use. Due to the longer hilt, the blade would also receive an above average length.

He would admit that it was with great difficulty, and surprise, that he managed to levitate the hilt of his sabre as the master instructed them of how to insert the crystal. He tried to open the hilt but found it falling down to the sand beneath his feet. This wasn't going very well and he would surely be branded a failure because of this test. He tried again and managed to levitate the hilt but not more than just so before it fell once more and a third time. Opening the hilt using the force wasn't possible, he couldn't do it. This was incredibly embarrassing to the say the least. The masters would probably frown upon him with great distain. He couldn't even construct a lightsaber properly. Was this the end for him? Every Jedi was supposed to construct a lightsaber, but even the simplest of the things was a greatly difficult task for the feline. He felt his teeth clench in frustration and anger was starting to slowly seep into his otherwise calm demeanour. The boy's eyes bore into the sabre hilt with a frown but the task was impossible. With a deep sigh, the tried a fourth time with no luck.

 

[ShadowGhoul]

Tyr was more than relieved to be out of the volcano that seemed as thought was intent on blowing up in the near future and possibly with them in it. While he was possibly prepared to die honorably against a well deserving foe, he was surely not prepared to die in such an undignified way before he had even became a true Jedi yet. It was rather troubling that the guide was behind the devilish act, but it only proved that darkness could infest any heart, no man, woman or child, of any race, was immune. The Jedi would have a person believe that once tainted, a person was forever plagued but the true was, every person, Jedi, Sith or otherwise, had darkness in their heart. It happened to everyone and the Jedi wished to believe the Jedi were immune to such things…except when they turned to the Dark Side. The Jedi were so radical in their thinking, it was hard to swallow sometimes. Though it wasn't exactly a topic that he would have the freedom to openly debate in the temple, it would practically be heresy. For now, he would simply have to believe as they believed, until he could gain sufficient rank to be his own Jedi and not just a simple pawn of the Council and their radical beliefs.

Once back at the temple, he took refuge outside, sitting outside in the fresh air under a tree for most of the time. After all the time in the temple and after that more than exciting trip into the mouth of a volcano, he just wanted to be 'free' so to speak. He wanted to feel the air on his skin, see the sun through his goggles and rest up before their next test. The next test was the one he was most looking forward to, everyone likely was. He could barely wait to hold his weapon in his hand, not just the crystal that would power it.

When the time came, he left his spot and headed to where he was required to go. At the computer terminal, he was a bit surprised that they were getting premade lightsabers. In the past, Jedi would create their sabers from the ground up. He wasn't that keen on the idea but from a practical stand point, they likely didn't have all the various materials. Then again, if had a large selection of lightsabers, it would stand to reason that they had all the materials but had took it upon themselves to make the sabers. Perhaps these were not the final products? It wouldn't make sense though, if they were going to make a lightsaber, it would be made only once. No matter, the Kel Dor scrolled through his options even though he already knew what he wanted. He had already knew what kind of lightsaber he had wanted ever since he learned he was going to become a Jedi, still, a wise person looked through all their choices anyway. After scrolling through them all, he picked the one he had always wanted and out popped a curved hilted lightsaber.

Hilt in hand, he joined the others where his very favorite master was going to show them what to do. Once the master had explained and demonstrated, Tyr tried his own hand at it. Having studied such things in the past, it wasn't such a monumental task to him. He had studied many lightsaber blueprints in the past, now, all he had to do was do it himself. Hilt floating above his lap as he sat in the sand, it slowly came apart, each individual piece becoming exposed. Once apart, his yellow crystal joined the mix, taking its rightful place in the center then the rest of the hilt rebuilt itself around the crystal until it was final. He didn't find much difficulty in it but since most did this as children, it was understandable how this could be a difficult task, besides, he was probably more prepared than anyone else here. Taking his lightsaber in his hand, he pressed the button on the side, the yellow blade igniting to its full length. Taking a few test swings, he retracted his blade and put his saber on his belt.

Looking over, it appeared as though he was the first one done and watching for several moments, he could tell that one of his classmates was having a bit of a difficulty. Though, perhaps, 'a bit' was a bit of an understatement.

He wasn't sure if it was cheating to help another student but he couldn't imagine why it would be, wasn't it their job as Jedi to help others? Even other Jedi? Crawling over to the feline alien, he sat beside him.

"Try to take it apart piece by piece, rather than trying to take every piece apart at the same time. Place the pieces down in the order they were taken apart then reassemble the hilt in reverse order," pulling off his sash from his waist, he laid it out in front of Casper, that way he could put the pieces down on it, rather than risking them getting lost in the sand. "Hold the hilt in your hands, if you need to," he wasn't sure how the master would react to his advice but in his opinion, he didn't think it really mattered how the saber was constructed, so long as it was. Besides, the Tinnell wasn't as versed in the Force as he could be, that didn't mean he was any less of a Jedi and certainly didn't mean he shouldn't be able to construct his lightsaber because of it. "I hope it helps,"

 

[Danny]

The Kel Dor, Tyr, had taken the time to assist his fellow padawan and Casper greatly appreciated his help. However, despite this, there was little Casper could do to open up the hilt using the force. He had to resort to physical means after a series of failed attempts, even after Tyr joined his side. Reaching over, Casper used his fingers to unscrew the hilt's various pieces and inspected them carefully before putting them down on the sash Tyr had provided. While he wasn't as versed in the construction of a sabre as his Kel Dor friend, Casper knew of the various parts albeit not exactly what they did. The feline slipped the crystal into its chamber carefully before he screwed the pieces back and clicked the button to see the white beam erupt from igniter. A wide smile stretched across the feline's lips in response to the success and reached over with his free hand to give Tyr a soft hug and nodded in appreciation.

"Thank you, Tyr. The masters might fail me because of my inability but you have shown compassion and assisted me. I am joyful that you came to my aid." Casper finished, turning his eyes to the white sabre before him. It felt wonderful in his hand, the metallic grip welcoming the embrace of his fingers.

 

[True North]

Completing a Saber by hand isn't an easy task, so I wouldn't worry about that. Alzora thought, after overhearing the exotic Tinnel's comment to his new friend. For once, she was slightly impressed by one of the Potentials. She knew how annoying it would be to assemble her lightsaber manually and she was surprised that the black cat had built it so quickly, yet patiently without getting irritable. Master Alzora noticed that the goggled alien was the first to finish the trial, but she already suspected that he'd be one of the firsts. His perceived fascination with learning made that obvious to her. Most of the other Potentials were still in the process of completing their sabers, and the baby blue sun was just barely still peeking above the horizon as it neared it's exit from the sky. "Whoever doesn't finish their sabers by the end of the sunset will automatically fail." Alzora stated this rather harshly, but she meant every word. Her statement worked just as she hoped and began to speed up the process toward the third and final trial... the one she was most looking forward to. The apprentice tournament would surely show their true skills as Jedi.

Meanwhile, Master Valeda sat in a silver chair, along with the Gotal criminal who attempted a homicide, in a holding room. Grand Master Valeruc and Master Brando stood behind the tinted glass and watched over them. "Why'd you jeopardize young lives today on Uaksua?" She sat up in her chair with her arms folded and waited for his answer. She studied the Gotal's bearded, noseless face with her ice green eyes and thought over what she'd do if he did not respond. Not once since they arrived on Neomisia had the Jedi experienced an offense against them, and this one was quite unforgivable in Valeda's opinion. The Potentials were the rising generation of the Revival, a vital factor in rebuilding the order, and they could've been killed at such a young age. She remembered how Luca said that the Gotal had laughed madly when he knew the volcano was going to erupt. Maybe the goat man had no motive and was just insane? That would make things easier rather than there be other possible threats that the council would have to deal with. At the same time, Valeda was somewhat hoping that something interesting would happen since there hadn't been any action for several months now. The criminal finally replied.

"T'was only a joke. I was going to let them back up." The Gotal man cackled before continuing, "I wanted to spice up their trial and make it fun for em, that's all." He eyed Valeda with his large yellow eyes before once again speaking, "I figured the silver master could tell my sarcasm in the boat." He felt like what he said was justifiable and waited for how the blue master would react. The Gotal knew the others were watching and he a small grin slipped on the corner of his furry lip.

Valeda wasn't buying his bullshit, she could smell the stench of his lying habits from a kilometer away. "Not only did you risk the lives of our kids, but Neom citizens were also there to witness the incident." Valeda said, and looked him over carefully. "The King will be informed of this matter one way or another and, if he gets involved in your punishment, then there is nothing the Jedi will do to save you." She watched as the Gotal's eyes widened the slightest bit and if he were smart then he'd comply with answering her questions. "But-" She started, and that got the Gotal's attention before she finished, "If you tell us the truth, then I will personally see to it that you are only punishable by the Jedi council." She looked him dead in the eyes and the honesty was clear in her eyes. It was the goat man's choice now to choose which consequence he'd endure.

--

Once the second trial was through, the Potentials were free to prepare for the tournament that would take place that very night. Their third and final trial was drawing near, and it was the most important trial for the Potentials in order to earn the attention of the masters for recruiting a new Padawan. A new apprentice presented herself to the group of potentials who had lost a few members as a result of failing their second test. The purple haired girl sashayed up to them and offered a eye blindingly genuine smile. "My name's Nalani Takara, and I'll take you to the location of your final trial. Nice to meet you!" She declared with a sense of appealing swagger to her voice. She led them out of the front entrance of the temple and they exited out into the streets of the kingdom. Torches of green fire on poles of wood lit up the streets along with the bluish-green glow of Neomisia's rings. All six moons were visible in the night sky as the group made their way toward the marvel that was known as Neom castle. Nalani swayed her hips as she walked and hummed happily with a giggle as they reached the entrance. "It's so pretty, isn't it?" She asked the group of Potentials as she flashed another smile toward them. Nalani was anxious to find out who her new partner would be under her master Valeda's mentorship.

Lucarion's castle seemed to have an aura of blue green light shining from it's entire surface as it reflected the night lights. The castle welcomed them with an unusual yet comforting warmth as they entered, and it was lit up by the moon light with many candles upon the walls. A glass ceiling from far above allowed them moon light in and revealed the glorious inside. There was a breathtaking courtyard near the middle of the room with a crystal fountain off to the right and there were several other entrances that branched off to different wings of the castle. The Potentials didn't really have time to see everything in the main chamber, but the courtyard was plainly visible. There were four winding staircases at each corner of the massive room that curved up to each of the four balconies. At the far end of the main room, and at the center, was a colossal marble staircase that led to several other smaller stairs that led to even more areas of the castle. Awaiting them at the courtyard were all four masters who stood near a brick styled area of ground that was big enough to suffice as an arena. "Greetings young ones." Grand master Valeruc said with a warm smile. "Are you ready for what comes next?" He looked them over with his old, sea green eyes and could see that a few of them were letting their nerves get the best of them. A dimly lit, mostly concealed figure could be seen taking a seat in one of the inner balconies above that overlooked the courtyard perfectly.

---

"Okay! Let's get this thing started." Master Brando said with a grin toward all twenty four of the remaining Potentials. "Each of your names have been randomly selected and put into four groups. There will be four winners who will be chosen by the four masters before you. That means four of you will not face one another in today's tournament." Brando walked to a rack of training sabers beside the arena and began again, "These are the weapons you will choose from for your final match. The first match will be strictly hand to hand combat. There will be three matches total with the second match being a force fight." He remembered what the cat kid said about his inability to use the force like everyone else, so he added. "You can use the force in anyway you can whether physically or mentally for the second." Most of the Potentials only knew how to push or pull at the moment, so all the Tinnel would need to do is a bunch of dodging and counters if he wanted to win.

Brando walked to the side of the arena with Alzora standing next to him. Valeruc and Valeda walked to the opposite side to watch for a second perspective. Master Brando called out the names for each four groups and the Potentials split up. In Casper's group, was a peach colored male Twi'lek with a swimmers build, a female Gotal with pale red skin and a brown mane, and a tan furred Togorian male who towered over them all with a stocky build. The Togorian looked down on them all and just sneered. He didn't see any competition before him, so he had no doubt that he'd be the winner out of this group. In Tyr's group was a sly looking Jenet male, a falleen girl with an athletic build, and a male Verpine with large black eyes. The Verpine had finished the completion of his lightsaber just seconds after Tyr and he was brainy by nature himself. "The first fight: Tyr Qynn vs. Lesha Kveen." Master Brando announced. The athletic built falleen, Lesha, walked to the arena and cracked both set off her knuckles by pressing her green fists together. In her training days at the temple, she wrestled many times with the big boys and pinned them down just as easily. "Second fight: Yalecc Odanu vs. Casper Key.-" The peach colored Twi'lekian guy, Yalecc, looked to Casper with crystal blue eyes and offered a respectful smile. Master Brando read down the list of the first set of matches before announcing further, "To win, you'll need to knock down your opponent three times." When the first fight began, the other potentials gathered around the arena to watch with the masters. The Kel Dor vs. the Falleen.

 

[ShadowGhoul]

When it was time, they all went to the makeshift arena in the temple and from there, they were split up into groups. The first challenge was hand-to-hand combat, something the Kel Dor was admittedly not so good at. He was good with a blade but when it came to his hands, he was not the best, despite him having a body of a fighter. In truth, if he was a good swordsman, he would be a good fighter, everything done with a sword could be done with the bare hand, though that mental block was hard to overcome and his opponent for this match didn't look like a push over. He wasn't worried though, things would happen as they would, if he was meant to win these matches, he would, if not, then so be it. He just had to trust in his abilities and do his best.

When it was time, he removed his clawed glove, as he didn't want to inflict more injury than he needed to, though, under his glove as showed by the other hand, he had a small set of claws anyway. Entering the arena with his opponent, he gave a short bow then assumed a defensive stance turning his body to the side, his dominant hand out in front of him, his palm turned up, fist open, his fingers straight and pressed together to imitate a sword. His other hand assumed the same position but at his stomach. This would be his most difficult fight but things had already been decided, he just had to play his role. While it might be a rather depressing outlook on life, the Kel Dor thought of it as a grand theater performance and he was given a special role, and the best part, he didn't have to memorize a script, his acting came naturally.

When the match began, he took a defensive fighting style, sliding from one side to the other to avoid the hands that came his way, picking up his lead foot he avoided a leg sweep but with a simple shove, he fell to the ground. 0-1. Getting back up, he reassumed his stance and again, to the left, then to the right, ducking only to fall from a sidekick to his gut that took him off his feet. 0-2. After catching his breath after it had been forced from his diaphragm, he slowly got up and reassumed his stance. It had become clear that defensive wasn't the way to go, this woman would overrun him every time and he only had to lose once more and he was done. He just had to imagine he had a sword in his hand and take this woman down.

'Just imagine you have a sword'

When the next punch came to his face, he slid to the side and chopped the woman's bicep near the elbow with a quick, precise hit of the side of his hand, throwing her arm away. He drew his attacking hand back towards him before chopping her in the side of the neck then hooking his leg behind hers, using his hip to throw her to the ground. 1-2. As well as he thought he had done, he was sure he had only clenched that victory because his opponent wasn't expecting to lose. The next one or two rounds would be much harder. With the Falleen jumping to her feet, she attacked almost immediately, in an attempt to overrun the Kel Dor. For each punch that came his way, he moved from its path, deflecting them with his hard chops, just as he would with a blade. Left, right, left and right again, then the Falleen fighter threw a kick, not aimed for his stomach like the last but she swung it like a pendulum, aiming it straight for his chin, which would surely knock Tyr out cold, much less out of the trial. Using his left hand for the first time in the trial, he jumped back, catching the woman's foot by making his wrists into an 'X' then grapping the woman's ankle and despite her tugging, he held to it with an iron grip. He delivered a swift kick of his own to the underside of her tight then he charged her, while holding her leg, and with no other choice, she fell to her back. 2-2. Stepping back into his position, he knew he'd have to make this last one quick, his wrists were killing him from having caught that kick, the woman was quite powerful. This was the last match guaranteed and he was going to be the victor. For this last match, the Falleen could only get off one punch, before the Kel Dor charged her, chopping her bicep, deadening it. He wrapped his arm around hers while spinning into her body, so his back was against her chest then he used his recessive hand to elbow her in the stomach, hit her in the face with the back of his fist then he grabbed her captive, numb arm then threw her completely over him, slamming her into the ground. 3-2.

Huffing, he stepped back, his wrists paining him greatly, though he didn't want to get them checked, he wanted to power through the rest of the trial, after all, this was the hardest part, the rest, should be a breeze, or if not a breeze, not nearly as much as of a challenge as this. After he had been declared the winner, he bowed before taking his place back in line to observe the others.

 

[Danny]

Casper analysed his opponents, seeing the Togorian as the most interesting opponent in the bunch. Another feline race that was towering above him in height and mass but Casper learned early that size meant very little in the eyes of the force. They'd see whose claws struck the sharpest. For now however, a Twi'Lek would battle him in the unarmed combat trial, one of Casper's most anticipated moments. Needless to say, he dreaded the second trial but he couldn't let that cloud his mind now. He'd meet that challenge head on later, everything had its time.

The feline sat down besides the masters and watched Tyr battle his opponent, the two padawans engaging in a brawl of unarmed combat. He was eager to jump into the fray himself but he would have to bite his tongue until it was his turn. He placed one leg over the other and rested his arms against the other while watching, enjoying the battle displayed before him. Hopefully he would be able to provide something worthy of watching, every single thought in his mind digging into the fight ahead.

Once Tyr's battle had come to a conclusion, it was time for Casper to step into the ring. 'Finally! This will be fun.' The Tinnell thought as a wide smile crossed his lips once he found himself on the arena, his eyes meeting the Twi'Lek's. As was common when he engaged in martial combat, Casper slipped out of his robe and shirt, finding them both incredibly restricting to fight in. "May the force be with you, my friend." Casper bowed respectfully.

"And you. We shall see where the will of the force leads us." Yalecc replied, bowing as Casper did. As the fight started, Casper took a few steps forward but did not charge his enemy yet, he had yet to gauge the Tw'Lek's strength and fighting capabilities. The two of them walked in a half circle around the arena, their eyes boring into the other before Yalecc dashed forth and tried to deliver a powerful kick towards the Tinnell who gracefully sidestepped the attack and dodged another three quick blows from the Twi'Lek. Casper had yet to deliver an attack of his own, still gauging his opponent's strength and attack pattern. Yalecc relied heavily on blows towards the stomach and chest area, aiming to send Casper to the ground without crippling his movements first. It was now time to gauge his strength, how powerful were Yalecc's blows? Raising his arm to deflect an attack showed Casper how his enemy possessed some amount of strength but had decided to put most of his effort into rapid strikes which only grew quicker as the battle raged on. The Twi'Lek must've thought that Casper wasn't able to find an opening to strike, but would soon be proven wrong once the Tinnell gracefully twirled to the side and grabbed hold of the Twi'Lek's arm before he manoeuvred behind him and shoved his palm into Yalecc's back and sent him forcefully down to the ground.

Now the real battle would begin. Casper had learned all he wanted and would now go on the offensive, eager to see how well Yalecc would be able to best the strikes thrown at him. Once round two started Casper sped up to his opponent rapidly and delivered a twist kick to Yalecc's chest. The attack was blocked but sent the Twi'Lek sliding back before regaining his composure from the forceful strike which had connected with his arms. Yalecc noticed the difference in power between them but ultimately decided that countering Casper's strikes would be futile due to their strength. He would need to rely on a hit and run tactics were he dodges a strike and delivers one of his own.

Backing up to the defensive, Yalecc awaited a strike from his enemy, trying to find an opening with little success. Once Casper threw a punch that Yalecc dodged, the feline noticed the counterblow heading for his lower stomach. Using his left hand, Casper quickly wrapped his fingers around Yalecc's forearm and pulled him closer before he was met with a palm strike to the chest and soon connected with the floor. That was two wins.

Yalecc was losing strength and was breathing heavily, a win far out of sight. Casper could only see himself in Yalecc with the upcoming trial. He needed to win this with flying colours because once he needed to fight the full array of the Force, he would be in the Twi'Lek's place.

As the final match began, Casper stood waiting for the Twi'Lek's next move who tried to keep his distance for now. 'There is no more need to drag this out. Let's move on.' Casper thought, taking a deep breath before preparing a stance. Yalecc prepared himself for what was to come, but soon found the Tinnell having sped up to him with incredible speed before delivering three quick strikes to the Twi'Lek's front before he shifted to the side and delivered a powerful kick to Yalecc's left, finally ending the combination with a twist kick which sent his opponent to the ground.

Bowing respectfully, Casper helped Yalecc back to his feet and moved him towards the bench so that he could rest. The upcoming trial would require all of Casper's might and part of him was afraid that the battle was already lost. Nevertheless, he bowed to the masters and returned to his seat after slipping back into his clothes. The feline closed his eyes and breathed out, trying to calm his nerves. Even if he was going to lose, hopefully it wouldn't be a humiliating defeat.

 

[True North]

The first match ended rather quickly. All of the Potentials finished their fights early and the masters had their own opinions of each fight. The first fight was perfect for starting off the tournament, because it started off in the Falleen's favor and the Kel Dor surprised most of the other Potentials by finishing the fight with a victory. The Falleen girl stalked away from the arena and knocked the rack full of training sabers down in frustration with a defeated look on her face. Her bad sportsmanship was noticed by the masters and Master Brando used the force to turn the rack upright again with all of the sabers organizing back on the shelves at the same time.

Casper's fight ended without his opponent knocking him down one time. It was clear that his weaponless combat skill was an advantage of his, but how would he do in the other matches? The masters wondered this and his fighting style sparked the interest of Valeda who was most talented in hand to hand combat out of the masters. This kid's a natural fighter. Master Valeda took a mental note. Defending ones self without a weapon was just as vital as using a saber or even more important, and Casper's display of fighting proved to be the best out of those who fought in the first match.

Twenty four Potentials started, and now sixteen were left for the second match. A force fight. Only eight would be left after this match and move on to the final match. Master Brando read out the next set of fights for match two. "First fight of the second match, Baagla Farlong vs. Casper Key." The female gotal walked to the arena and bowed to Casper in a friendly manner. She was exceptionally skilled with external force use, so the limited feline had better have some clever tricks up his sleeves. Master Brando continued on down the list and continued, "Fourth fight, Rorin Saruthlic vs. Tyr Qynn." The Jenet made his way to the arena with a small furry frown. Force abilities weren't his forte, but he was determined to make it to the third round where he could show off his talented swordsmanship. Grand Master Valeruc paid close attention, because the force fight match was one of the most interesting to him. His force skills far exceeded the other masters', and he wanted to see what the Potentials had to offer. Match two would start with the midnight furred Tinnel and the Red skinned Gotal girl.

 

[Danny]

With a deep breath Casper tried to brace himself for the upcoming fight and found himself within the circles of the arena a second time. He passed the first test with flying colours but this time he would have great difficulties, not to mention the fact that his opponent was a force user who had made a name for herself using external force abilities. This battle was against Casper's favour from the get-go but that didn't mean that he had already lost. Yalecc had little chance against the feline in the last trial and it was only fair that Casper would have some issues of his own, no? The Tinnell bowed respectfully towards his opponent who got one in turn. She was polite and Casper had the honour of battling two people with good sportsmanship. If he won this fight, he would eventually go up against the other feline in swordsmanship and he was looking forward to that. This woman, she wasn't going to be the end of him. Casper had struggled too long and hard to allow a defeat at the hands of the force. It would never happen.

Once the match began, Baagla raised her hand and sent a powerful wind of energy towards the Tinnell and sent him off his feet. The strength of her attack caught him off guard, and Casper had mentally prepared for a foe he could actually see. The force was invisible and he would have to anticipate how to dodge her strikes. The force push she utilised sent Casper into the air but he managed to place his hand on the ground and flipped back to his feet before a second wave of force pushed him down to the ground. That was one loss. 'Damn it, Casper. Come on! You will NOT lose to someone waving her hand at you!'

The feline quickly rolled back to his feet and attempted to charge his opponent, making it rather close before he was sent to the ground a second time. That's two losses. 'I will not accept this. Get back up, and beat her!' One more loss would mean the end, and that was not even remotely acceptable. With a deep breath, Casper braced himself and clenched his teeth, charging forth with incredible speed but felt the shockwave of Baagla's Force Push sending him through the air. Upon landing, Casper shoved his claws into the ground and launched himself forth with enough strength to leave a crack where his feet was. As if a pouncing tiger, Casper reached his foe and placed his hands on her shoulders before vaulting over her and throwing her to the ground. That's one win.

Round four, Casper remained rather low, on his knees. His eyes remained on his opponent, the desire for victory glowing brightly within the large yellow orbs. Another force push came his way but he moved as if a beast, embracing his inner primal self. His claws dug into the stone below and he charged forth, leaving a trail of claw marks along the floor as he did. Baagla put more and more effort into her attacks and it slowed the feline down but as if battling a constant wind, he got closer and closer.

Casper noticed how Baagla moved her hand back, gathering force before she'd unleash a powerful strike which would surely send her opponent out of the tournament. 'Now!' Just as the woman moved her hand forth, Casper leaped to the side, rolling back up to his feet and felt the extreme wave of force brush past his left shoulder before his speed left him in front of Baagla who met him with a surprised look. Swiping at her feet, the feline sent her falling before delivering a spin kick to her stomach and sealed the win.

One more fight, one more chance to prove that he was in the right place. Baagla tried a new tactic, using Force Pull to send Casper closer before she used Force Push to knock him down. Her first attack did indeed bring him closer but the ground and his claws had done wonders in saving him from the upcoming push. Never had the feline been this thankful for his natural weaponry. Jumping from one set location to the other and latching onto the ground with each pounce, Casper closed in on his foe before he'd notice her jump into the air and delivered a push downwards to force him down into the ground.

Rolling out of the way, Casper felt part of the attack rocking him off balance and the next attack sent him flying, though he managed to land on his feet. 'Damn it, she's got some distance again…' Shaking the insecurities from place, Casper dashed forth and gracefully leaped to the side to dodge another of Baagla's Force Pushes. He had started to notice her hand movements and knew exactly when to react to dodge the bulk of the impact. Jumping into the air allowed him to dodge a second push. It was now or never. He was standing right in front of her and there was no way to dodge now. Gathering energy, Baagla sent a powerful wave towards her opponent but Casper replied by getting down on his knee and shoving his left hand into the ground, his claws digging deep before he mustered as much strength as he was able into his right and connected a palm strike to Baagla's stomach and sent her to the ground. Breathing heavily, Casper offered to help Baagla back up on her feet. 'I actually won that…?' It was hard to believe, but he had managed. If the Will of the Force was a thing, it must have had some interest in Casper indeed.

 

[ShadowGhoul]

One battle down, it was time for the second. This battle he didn't have much concern with, he was decently skilled with his Force usage but he didn't know the skills of his opponent. When it was time to begin, he stepped onto the field, bowed to his opponent and put his open hands up in front of him to defend himself. He would let the Jenet have the first move, he was a defensive player first, he needed to get the lay of the land, so to speak.

As expected and anticipated, the Jenet made the first move and opened with the most basic of attacks, a simple push. While it was simple, if not handled, it could have cost him a match. Jumping up, he sailed over the burst of energy and as his feet touched ground, he retaliated in kind, knocking the Jenet against the wall then to the floor. 1-0. Before the Jenet even got up from the ground, the Kel Dor was more than surprised to find his feet pulled right from under him, landing him flat on his tailbone. 1-1. Well, if that was how it was going to be, then he'd play this little game. Standing up, now standing with the Jenet, he pulled several tiles up from the floor then chucked them at the Jenet who cartwheeled out of the way, each tile shattering as they hit the wall. The Jenet made another attempt to push the Kel Dor over but Tyr simply rolled off to the side to avoid it. Picking up several small rocks from the ground, they spun around above his hand, faster and faster until they launched one by one like bullets from a gun. The Jenet managed to dodge all but one, the last, which hit him square in the stomach, making him buckle. With a simple push, Rorin went right down. 2-1.

The last match of the battle, Tyr was sure of it, he just had to do his best and he would have this battle in the bag. Though, he didn't want to just win the battle, he wanted to impress his teachers, so he needed to win using a rather unexpected tactic. Even if his tactic failed, he still had one more match to easily make up for his failure but he was more than sure he would be victorious and he wasn't just letting his arrogance get to him. He had practiced long and hard, he knew his training would not fail him now, not when it's done so much for him thus far. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself, keeping his eyes on his opponent, like the first match, he was going to let Rorin take the lead, it was essential, if his tactic worked, this match would be done in two moves.

The Jenet was rather determined to not lose, it showed, and Tyr was depending on that kind of thinking to secure his victory. Spinning around in a complete 360 degrees, he launched the most powerful wave of energy seen in this match and Tyr was ready for it. Bracing himself, Tyr made no attempt to move out of the way, he was going to take the blast head on. One hand over the back of the other, he put his hands up, catching the blast, absorbing the energy, his body sliding back due to the sheer power of the blast. Once the wave had subsided, he used the energy he had absorbed in his own attack, making a very concentrated line of energy, shooting the Jenet in the shoulder, sending him into the air, twirling several times before landing in a heap on the ground. 3-1. The match was over, he had won and he was more than sure he had garnered the attention of his teachers. While he wished them to be impressed over this victory, he wished more that they would see his skill in the next round, where he truly wished to shine. He was setting his sights on a flawless victory in the lightsaber duel, he'd accept nothing less. Taking a bow, he exited the arena and awaited for his next match.

 

[yahooooo]

Nomi guided her focus along the igneous walls of the cave, the collar of her tunic pulled up around her mouth and nose to filter out the noxious gases filling the magma chamber. Her arm was outstretched with her hand palm up, fingers curling slowly, willing forth the crystal buried into the pyroclastic recesses of the wall.
A small smile touched her lips when the crystal broke the surface and flew out, spinning end over end and slapping her glove, as if her heart had sang to it and called it out, and locked it in her fist.
As she slipped the crystal into her belt pouch, the Force rippled a warning. A chill settled in her spine, despite the growing heat in the chamber.
When the ground shook the soles of her boots, bouncing igneous shards and scattering pebbles across the chamber floor, Nomi felt a danger far greater than the surrounding volcano.
She felt the edge of darkness.
Steam began to rise.
"Oh wonderful…" she muttered.


Nomi blinked away the memory like blinking away the hazy smoke that had clouded around her in the magma chamber only hours before. She shifted her thoughts elsewhere, refocusing on the present –
She feigned a swipe at the female Twi'lek lunging toward her, breaking off the move and ducking instead. In the split second Nomi had to turn and face her opponent, the Twi'lek gripped Nomi by the shoulder – Nomi processed the intentions and mirrored the move, hooking her foot behind the Twi'lek in a wide sweeping motion, and ramming her hand flat into her opponent's chest, sending her crashing down. Nomi backed away in three long strides, regaining control of her breathing, her body, her mind. She knew how her system worked. It was impossible to perform any complicated stunts or kicks if she was not balanced and focused throughout the duel – otherwise she would become a thrashing, unorganized mess drunk on adrenaline.
She needed control.

The hilt bobbed in front of her face at eye-level as she sat cross-legged on the sand. It was a simple design, slim, weighted.
Keeping the metallic cylinder afloat with her mind, Nomi waved a hand and extracted the crystal from her belt pouch. She let it roll softy across the bare flesh of her palm before lifting back into the air.
Something so simple was so beautiful.

Nomi's eyes flickered briefly to the bench where her lightsaber rested atop her belt and equipment. She returned her attention to the Twi'lek just in time to evade a reverse punch, and kicked out before her opponent could fully cover the distance between them.
The Twi'lek flashed behind her, twisting – white hot pain shot at the back of Nomi's head, and the next thing she knew, the young Jedi was lying flat on her back, shocked, the breath pounded out of her lungs and the sky above the courtyard arena spinning.

The side of the hilt popped open and, with a small breath of the Force, she directed the crystal into its chamber, watching it disappear from sight as the panel clicked shut. Her thumb spun the switch, and a bar energy sprayed to life, as blue as the ancient sun which the planet revolved around, vibrating with the rhythm of her own pulsing heart.

A sizzle of frustration erupted in Nomi's veins. She jumped up, sensing the approach of her opponent from behind, envisioning the arch of the Twi'lek's swinging arm closing down at the junction of neck and shoulder – Nomi sniped her own hand behind her, catching the Twi'lek's wrist mid-action. Nomi then used her entire body to twist around, sending her attacker flipping high over her shoulder and smacking the ground hard.
2-1.
Nomi retreated, circling her opponent on steady feet. When the Twi'lek returned, this time with renewed energy, and thrust out her hip into Nomi's side, Nomi staggered and her defenses faltered, allowing for the Twi'lek to slide under Nomi and, planting both feet on Nomi's back, send her flying backwards.
Nomi hit the ground briefly before rolling back to her feet, unsure if that had counted against her. If it did, Nomi could not afford another loss.
She dropped to all fours as the Twi'lek charged, rolling onto her side and sticking out a leg as the Twi'lek leapt over her – Nomi's shin smacked both her legs, tipping the Twi'lek face down while she flipped upright.

She left the crafting room with her lightsaber clipped to her belt -- an unfamiliar but comforting weight at her hip, yet not comforting enough to erase the cold, dark weight on her heart.
If the Gotal guide had been corrupted, then he was not the last.

 

[True North]

After the highly impressive second match ended, the final eight Potentials were left standing as expected. The four groups were down to two Jedi each, and the Potentials took a good hard look at who their final opponents would be. "The last four fights of the third match will take place on the king's favorite balcony - in front of king Lucarion himself." Master Brando informed them. "You'll be expected to come up two at a time. The rest of you will wait here patiently until it's your turn to go up." As he said this, the three other masters walked to the nearest corner of the room to a winding staircase that led up to the south balcony. Before Brando walked up himself, he read out the fight order. "Make the last one good!" He said to them all with grin accompanied by a wink before leaving. The first fight would be Casper key the Tinnel and Zekial Tigere the beastly Togorian who chose a hunter green training saber. Those two went up first, and only one would come back down with a defeated look on his face. The winners would stay up on the balcony with the masters and wait to be chosen as a new Jedi apprentice.

Up on the balcony, all four masters awaited side by side in a line. Fresh air would quickly feel the lungs of those who walked up and the beautiful star filled sky would be witnessed upon arrival. The balcony was big enough for the match to take place and there was an amazing view over most of the entire kingdom. To the right, sitting upon a uniquely styled marble throne in the dark, was the shirtless Neomisian king with an icey blue, neon horse like mane. Tattoo like markings covered half of his chest and left side that glowed in the darkness. Lucarion's presence was felt by the Potentials who were ready for match three. When the king turned to look at each Potential a feeling of comforting warmth and thrilling excitement was communicated within their bodies in an unknown way. The Neomisians had a supernatural way of sharing impressions and emotions to others without saying a word. Lucarion was ready to see a good fight and he sat near the edge of the throne when the first fight began. "A win is determined by giving your opponent three saber burns. Begin!" Brando exclaimed before stepping back for the fight to commence.
---
When the last fight was called to the balcony, the Verpine named Antae got up from the bench he was meditating on and followed after the Kel Dor who was his final opponent. He had chosen a light blue training saber and was ready to show off his talented swordsmanship style.

 

[Danny]

The time had come, the battle of sabres finally reached the surface, the most anticipated battle so far. Casper chose a blue lightsaber which would be his ally in this fight and going up against the other feline sent jolts of energy down his spine. He couldn't help but smile, a large smile stretching across his lips and revealing his sharp teeth below. "May the force be with you." Casper respectfully bowed to Zekial. His prowess was no secret and Zekial's physical strength was something to accommodate. He was truly a beast and the mere thought of fighting this creature made Casper almost ecstatic.

"Hmph." Zekial replied, igniting his sabre and held it in front of him, preparing a stance. "Come at me."

"Think you can keep up?" Casper chuckled and twirled his sabre around his hand before igniting the beam and held the sabre in front of him as if a katana of the first Jedi. A better spot for this battle couldn't possibly have been chosen. Behind them the vast world of Neomisia was clearly visible and the high and mighty king sat upon his throne, watching them. As if knightly combat, Casper was sure to give the mighty Lucarion a fight he was not soon to forget.

"You speak highly of yourself, kitten." Zekial spat, his grip around the hilt tightening as he slowly approached the smaller feline. "Am I wrong to assume you weaker than you preach?"

"Watch…!" Casper laughed, narrowing his eyes at his target. "You'll see just how wrong you are!" Charging forth, Casper left a trail of blue hues behind him as his blade clashed with Zekial's, the dangerous sound of impacting laser reaching a high tune. After a short trade of blows, their blades and eyes locked in a standstill. "Hehe, you're strong."

"You shall see who's the mightiest here." Zekial broke the sabre lock and swung at the other feline who gracefully backflipped to dodge the strike and dashed forth with four rapid swings of his own, three of which Zekial managed the block before dodging the fourth and delivered a counterblow which was in turn blocked by Casper before the two jumped apart to allow some breathing room.

"You can block my strikes rather well, buddy boy. Show me your inner beast!" Casper pointed his sword at Zekial, a wide grin on his lips as he engaged in the fight once more, their blades clashing for everyone to hear. It was more than obvious how Casper was enjoying this a bit too much. The wide smile upon his lips never left, never wavered. Was it confidence or something else? The battle fuelled him but not with anger, rather it seemed to make him joyful.

As their fight continued, Casper went on the pure offensive and delivered a series of powerful strikes to knock his opponent off balance and quickly manoeuvred to the side and slid his blade across Zekial stomach to seal a win. They walked a distance from each other and the larger feline seemed highly unamused by the scene. Round two began and the feline warriors clashed swords viscously. Their masters would be able to clearly sense Zekial's wrath and Casper's joy, the emotions incredibly powerful. "As if I will allow a kitten like you to best me." Zekial clenched his teeth and raised his blade to delivered a downward swing but left himself open for Casper's counter move which left a sabre burn on Zekial's stomach.

"Your size just makes you a bigger target, buddy!" Casper responded engaging in round three. Zekial was getting angrier by the moment and he was willing to admit that Casper's strength outmatched his own, but not by much. Trading clashes of their swords, Zekial swiped at Casper's feet with his own and caught the smaller feline off guard before managing to land a hit on him and sent him to the ground, two wins for Casper, one for Zekial.

Casper backflipped to his feet and twirled his sabre around his hand before winking at the larger beast. "Well done, only two more and you win." He laughed, preparing for the next battle. Zekial was indeed a challenge and the most enjoyable one by far. Fighting him was not even about winning this trial anymore, it was just about the battle. Casper was having too much fun and it was safe to assume that he barely even cared about the trial at this very moment where he seemed absolutely consumed by the fight. One should perhaps have been worried for him and the dark side's influence but not a trace of anger could be sensed. He was not about to let Zekial win however and decided to use a more advanced combat manoeuvre he had worked on.

Taking a deep breath, Casper focused his energy into his legs before launching himself forth with incredibly speed, seeming like nothing but a blur to force blind spectators before appearing in front of his target and delivered a series of rapid strikes in a colourful combo of blue hues. Zekial managed to block the attacks but it was clear how they drained his energy due to the strength of their velocity. Finally, Casper leaped unto his target by placing his foot on Zekial stomach and flipped over him. Casper twirled his sabre so that the edge was downwards and he moved it to Zekial's throat before landing on his feet and forced the large beast down to the ground with a sabre burn left in a sensitive area. "Night, night." Casper winked, breathing heavily from the event.

That was the third win and left him the victor of their fight. Zekial was clearly angry by the outcome but he knew that it was over and he wouldn't be able to do anything now. With anger fuming from him, Zekial left the balcony without saying a word.

"I hope you enjoyed that, your Excellency." Casper placed his hands behind his back and bowed to Lord Lucarion before taking a seat.

 

[ShadowGhoul]

The Kel Dor huffed to himself behind his mask. This was rich, just rich, now they would be facing off in front of the King. This had went from a sacred test, something that meant a lot to every single one of them, to a spectator sport. He didn't deny that the King should be able to check in on the progress of the Jedi but Tyr hardly felt that it was appropriate that Jedi be gladiators of sport to please his eyes. He was curious to hear which one of the two factions came up with this little idea, he could only pray that it was the King who insisted with terms that simply couldn't be resisted. Though, at this point in his life, he could believe anything, he wouldn't be surprised if the Jedi themselves offered to 'perform' in front of the King. It was a shame but it wouldn't affect his skill, his dueling was something he prided himself in, in a healthy way, and just because the King decided to rear his head, he wouldn't fall apart.

When it was finally his turn, he walked up to the balcony, saber in his hand, he was rather pleased to know that the Tinnell had made it though. Casper had struggled so much with his lightsaber and even went through the trouble of putting it together with his hands, he had also struggled in the last trial but it seemed he did at least satisfactory in his one. It seemed they would be knights together, perhaps it was a sin but the Kel Dor was more than certain he would win his match.

When they got to the arena, he bowed to his opponent and then assumed his stance, his feet close together, body turned to the side slightly, left arm behind his back, and his green saber ignited and pointed downward. Even if he couldn't use his other lightsaber, he'd still fight like he was, his style was far too trained and refined to be changed now, even if his lightsaber wasn't exactly shaped to make it easier on him. It was a test, though, was it not?

Like in the first match, he let his opponent come to him, and for the first several strikes from the Verpine, he didn't bother even lifting his lightsaber from his starting position, simply dodging and moving out of the way of the strikes. While his opponent was expending himself needlessly, he was barely doing anything and not sustaining injury. He wanted to end this battle quickly and he was more than equipped to do so, while he had struggled before, he wanted to show everyone, even the King that he could more than handle himself with a lightsaber.

When a flurry of strikes came at him again, he raised his saber, keeping it close to his centerline; he quickly blocked each one with seemingly little effort. With the last strike the Verpine made, the Kel Dor blocked, locking them, then using his foot work, Tyr outmaneuvered the Verpine, getting to his back and with a single strike, hit from shoulder to the opposite hip. He wasn't sure if it counted as an instant win, since he would have just bisected his enemy fatally, but in case the masters really wanted three saber burns, well, he'd give them what they wanted. Going on the offensive, using strong but controlled swings, he hammered through the Verpine's defense, jabbing the insectoid in the lightsaber arm and slicing him across the legs. Having hit him in distinctively three different spots, he retracted his lightsaber and bowed. It was quick and decisive, had he been using a real lightsaber, his opponent would be dead and more than mutilated, bisected with a bad arm and legs cut at the knees. He felt that his shortcomings in the other trials were more than forgiven by his skill with a lightsaber. That wasn't to say he didn't need to work on those shortcomings but for the purposes of this test, he was more than sure he passed and this round made up for the others. With his match, the test was over and now they would become one-step closer to becoming Jedi Knights and eventually, Masters. .