An Assassin's Rite

[Aidan Moonrunner]

Nox looked behind her as the ship took off, leaving her alone on the swamps of Dagobah.
She was here for one reason, and one reason alone: to prove she had what it took to be a Hand of Shadow. And there was one way to prove that: find and kill a terantatek.
The creature was a formidable opponent, and it's hide was prominently featured in the assassin group's armor. Once she stalked and killed her target, she would activate the homing beacon in her pocket, and both her and the corpse would be taken off-planet.
From there, she would be granted her armor, and officially become a Hand of Shadow.
She sighed and began walking among the swamps, searching for her prey.

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

This damn swamp was beginning to piss her off.
Everywhere she looked was exactly the same, and she did not appreciate that. The last thing Nox wanted was to get lost on Dagobah. She had no supplies, a bare minimum of clothing, and a durasteel blade.
This trial was to prove she could do this on her own, with no assistance, even from technology.
And she intended on doing just that.

She stalked through the water, her senses on high alert.
Giving up was not an option.

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

After several hours of searching, Nox finally found something. A footprint in the mud, matching that of a terentatek.
A lead.
The assassin glanced around her, looking for a trail; and found a few branches between trees knocked askew.
There.

Nox followed the trail, blade in hand. This was it.
Once she killed the beast, she was a Hand.
And once she was a Hand, she had power at her fingertips.

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

She found a small animal, torn apart. Whatever had done this, had been big. And if luck was on her side, it was a terentatek.
Nox examined her environment for a trace of the killer, and found a tree knocked over.
The assassin smiled as she followed the trail, examining the claw marks on the trees.
They were big, to say the least.

She came to a clearing, where there was a hollowed out cave that the claw marks and footprints led to.
There. Her prey was there.

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

Nox carefully examined both the cave and the clearing.​

There was plenty of room to stay mobile, which was good for her.​

She would need to stay mobile in this.​

The terentatek was powerful, but slow. As long as she kept the edge in maneuverability, she had confidence in her victory.​

​

She then had an idea looking at the cave.​

She carefully climbed up the mouth, taking her place at the top, overlooking the exit to the cave.​

When the terentatek came out, she would be waiting in ambush.​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

As she waited for her prey to come out of hiding, Nox went over her strategy once more.​

Once the creature exited the cave, the assassin would drop down with her blade and stab the creature.​

Such an attack would not kill the creature, but would cripple it, leaving it more vulnerable for attack.​

If the terentatek managed to throw her off, then she would stay mobile, never staying still as she attacked it's limbs, further weakening it.​

Once it had nothing left, she would drive her blade into it, killing it once and for all.​

​

With her strategy set, Nox waited for her trap to spring.​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

After several hours of waiting, Nox had her opportunity.​

She heard the beast before she saw it, it's lumbering form shaking the cave as it moved. ​

She took a deep breath as the footsteps got closer, closing her eyes for a moment.​

She was ready. She had been training for this for years, wanting to become a Hand, to have power.​

With this trial, she would have all that and more.​

So she opened her eyes, determined.​

And when the footsteps were right below her, she pounced.​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

She dropped through the air for a moment, her blade angled down.​

For a moment, the only thing separating her from the terentatek was air.​

Then she landed on the beast's back, and her blade pierced it's hide.​

A moment of silence.​

Then the beast roared in utter rage, trying to shake her off.​

But she held firm, digging her blade deep into the beast.​

Finally, it was able to throw her off, and she landed with an audible grunt.​

The creature roared at her, and charged.​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

Fueled by anger, the terentatek's first charge was easy enough to dodge.​

She rolled to the side, coming up and slicing the side of the beast as it passed by.​

It roared in pain, as it whirled around, it's claws swiping at her.​

She quickly flipped through the air to avoid the claws, feeling the air rush by her back.​

If she was scratched by one of those claws, she was dead.​

​

Nox landed with her hands and knees on the ground, glaring at the beast.​

She would not fail, she would not die here.​

She would kill this beast, and become a Hand of Shadow, no matter what it took.​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

The terentatek came at her, roaring as it slashed it's claws at her.​

Nox rolled out of the way of it's attack, dashing to it's side and slicing with her blade. It roared in pain as it's side was sliced open, whirling to face it's attacker. . .​

. . .only to find her gone.​

​

From her position behind the terentatek, Nox dug her blade into it's back heel, rendering the leg useless, and once more bounded away as it turned to get her.​

But once more, she was gone, cutting up the other side of the best.
So far, it looked like her strategy was winning.
​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

The creature was tiring, that much was obvious.​

It began to get even slower, it's wounds taking a toll on the beast.​

It kept fighting, however, determined to crush this insolent speck.​

But Nox kept mobile, cutting up it's sides and limbs, a smirk on her face.​

​

The terentatek made another swipe, it's mouth open in a loud roar.​

As the limb came at her, Nox had an idea.​

Instead of dodging, she ran directly at the creature, breaking into a slide at the last moment.​

She slid under the beast, her sword cutting through it's stomach and exposing it's entrails.​

She came out from under the beast as it roared one last time, then collapsed in a pile.​

Nox quickly ran to the front, staring into it's eyes as she lifted her blade above her head.​

She considered saying something, but decided against it.​

She plunged the blade into the beast's head, and silence reigned in the swamp.​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

It took a few hours for the ship to respond to the homing beacon. It landed in the clearing, and when the ramp extended, she saw a few Hands walk out.​

Clad in their signature armor, the assassins looked at the corpse of the terentatek, and nodded.​

One of them gestured for Nox to follow her, while the others began to cut up the body.​

​

Once inside, the assassin pointed to a seat, which Nox sat in.​

"So, you passed your Rite."​

The Hand's voice was muffled by their face mask, but still audible.​

Nox nodded emphatically.​

"In that case, allow me to explain what your kill will be used for."​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

"The hide of the terentatek will be taken to one of the Hand's workshops, where it will be formed into plates of armor, interwoven with Shell Spider silk. The hide will provide you a resistance to Force abilities, while the interwoven silk will provide protection from physical damage.​

The plates will cover your vital areas, with more Shell Spider silk covering the rest of your body. Not only does this protect you, but it will silence the movement of the hide plates.​

"Other than that, there are Sullust leather pouches for your other gear on your midriff, lashed tight against your body to silence them.​

"Any questions?"​

​

Nox shook her head, giddy at the thought of finally getting the signature armor of her order.​

The Hand nodded.​

"Then we will return to Coruscant, and await it's creation."​

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

A month later, Nox stood before the inner council of the Hands of Shadow, back straight.​

The Grandmaster was in front of her, her armor in his hands.​

"The time has come, Nox." He announced.​

"Do you accept your position in the Hands of Shadow? Till the last breath leaves your body?"​

Nox eagerly nodded.​

"I do."​

The Grandmaster handed her the armor, and she quickly shed her clothes.​

She began the process of donning the armor, securing the leather and silk to herself.​

After a few minutes, she flipped up the hood, and with a smile, lifted the face mask to cover up to her nose.​

Finally, she was a Hand of Shadow.​

Finally, she was home.​