In the shadowy lower catacombs of the Sith Temple on Dxun, High Mage Serratus awaited his apprentice's arrival. The eve of his final test was nigh and Serratus was mentally preparing himself for not only the task ahead but also for what the consequences of Sadow's failure would be.
Death.
Sadow
With sore wounds Sadow arrived at the Temple complex on Dxun. He followed his senses. The Force showed him the presence of his master who was waiting. Sadow did not want to have his master waiting too long, so he hurried.
In the lower catacombs the presence of his master took shape. "Master" he respectfully addressed the High Mage.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus acknowledged his apprentice.
"Sadow, welcome. You have been my apprentice for some time now and I believe it is time for you to complete one final test, one final proof that you deserve my teachings. If you are successful, I will divulge unto you all my discoveries in the use of the Force, the husbandry of animals and the manipulation of air, on both of which I am considered an authority within the Empire, as well as the more aggressive applications, the agumentation of weapons and one's own body and the use of Force offensively."
Serratus turned away from the young Gand, instead facing the inscription on the wall behind him.
"Under the guidance of Darth Bane, the Rule of Two was created. One master to embody the power of the dark side and one apprentice to crave it. When the time came, the apprentice would attempt to kill his master and sieze power, himself taking an apprentice, thus allowing the cycle to continue. Our glorious Empire does not follow this doctrine and neither do I. But I admire its ideals. However, the apprentice killing the master is impractical."
Previously hidden in shadow, Serratus's twin saberstaffs sprang to life, illuminating the corridor.
"Thirty floors below us lies a chamber containing a beskad lightsaber. Walking casually on foot, it would take approximately three days to reach the bottom. Given your stature, body shape and physical fitness, if you ran at top speed the whole way to the bottom, it would take you a little over four. However, there are no time constraints for this test. You must simply place your hand on the beskad lightsaber before I kill you."
Serratus turned back to his apprentice.
"You have a one hour head start before I come after you."
Sadow
Sadow didn't stall for one moment. He ran into the temple like he'd seen a ghost.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus sighed as Sadow departed. He pushed a panel in the wall and it slid apart. He entered the hidden passage and descended a flight of stairs. It would take Sadow approximately 3 hours to reach this storey. Serratus began to set mines along the floor, the magnetic rings on his feet negating their effects. Thanks to his superior speed in comparison to his apprentice, he was finished the task 20 minutes before the Gand left the thirtieth storey. As he heard his apprentice descending the stairs, Serratus disappeared into another hidden corridor.
Sadow
After some time the Gand, who was heavily breathing neared on the thirtieth floor. Before he stepped into the room, the Force betrayed the presence of his master.. or atleast some sort of a trail of the former presence of Serratus. Just like a mighty tornado on a gas giant, stirring the unstable soil, leaving a penetrating smell even hours after it had disappeared.
Was his master manipulating the air so he could be leaving deliberate clues for his student? Was he trying to distract him? teach him? deceive him? leave him alive to exhaust him and to kill him at a later point in time? All these thoughts rushed through Sadow's mind.
Sadow knew his master had been here and he suspected a trap.
He picked up a stone using the Force and threw it into the chamber. Immediately an explosion hit its surroundings as the rock hit the floor. The debree of the explosion was scattered around the room and pieces of concrete triggered other explosions. Sadow had to take cover and this infuriated him. He stood up, took up multiple pieces of debree by using the Force and he slammed it across the room to dispose of all other active sources of danger. He then found a safe path to another corridor that went down the catacombs. His prize was nearing...but his master was probably creeping up on him, sneeking up on him like a hungry black leopard.
High Mage Serratus
((Hang on, I fill a corridor with proximity mines, completely fill it, and you think you that one going off won't set off the others and that you destroying all the proximity mines won't destroy the floor and that the blast won't kill you? If you want to be in the Inquisitorius, you'll need to learn to avoid traps, that's what this part of the test is all about.))
Sadow
((teach me, master, I have no exp with avoiding mines))
High Mage Serratus
((Learn to respect the IC/OOC barrier. Don't ask me OOC to teach you how to IC dodge mines. Use common sense and ingenuity, without those traits, your future in the Inquisitorius looks bleak.))
Sadow
((Fair enough. I will try hard to solve this differently.))
After some time the Gand, who was heavily breathing neared on the thirtieth floor. Before he stepped into the corridor, the Force betrayed the presence of his master.. or atleast some sort of a trail of the former presence of Serratus. Just like a mighty tornado on a gas giant, stirring the unstable soil, leaving a penetrating smell even hours after it had disappeared.
Was his master manipulating the air so he could be leaving deliberate clues for his student? Was he trying to distract him? teach him? deceive him? leave him alive to exhaust him and to kill him at a later point in time? All these thoughts rushed through Sadow's mind.
Sadow knew his master had been here and he suspected a trap.
Extremely carefully scrutinizing the floor ahead of him he discovered a proximity mine. He stopped breathing at once and he retreated to decide on how to deal with these devious contraptions. The only way to disharm them was to crawl up to them and deactive the mines. Even if he had wings to fly past them, it wouldn't save him. The smallest movements in the air would cause detonations and could even make the corridor cave in. He began to comprehend what his master had planned. Serratus excelled in manipulating the air and this was obviously an ultimate test for Sadow to put his masters lessons into practice. Crawling cautiously towards the first of the mines, he used the Force to calm the air around him. Slowly he progressed and he managed to disharm the first mine. He then continued onto the other mines. Meanwhile he feared his master might have left a different kind of trap for him in the same corridor. Sadow concentrated. "time is no issue" he thought by himself and he continued. Finally he managed to safely disharm the last of the proximity mines and he rushed further down into another corridor that went down the catacombs. His prize was nearing...but his master was probably creeping up on him, sneeking up on him like a hungry black leopard.
((I hope this is better, master.))
High Mage Serratus
((Much improved. I am proud of that post I must say. In case you were wondering, I am giving you a test on each of the twenty-eight remaining floors.))
On the next level, a stranger trap awaited Sadow. Serratus had filled the entire floor with machines that were spurting out smoke, thick as dessicated bantha milk and blacker than the void of space. Floating in the miasmal mixture were several small devices of Serratus's own invention. They hovered at various levels, shining sharp light that only just penetrated the smoke. The overall effect? Space. The corridor looked exactly like outerspace and if Sadow stepped into the smoke, the lack of ability to breathe would make it feel like space too.
With plenty of time to spare before Sadow arrived, Serratus went to the next level and started setting his next trap.
