Populate [RNR][Zhar] The Storm Gathers

[Aiden Porte]

The next portion of the gauntlet Aiden felt he had much more confidence then before. Trusting in his abilities and in the force as he scaled the bars and after that came the stone pillars. Balance and a quick foot were necessary as before upon crossing over and it was then that the halfway point was reached. Aiden remembered Rook Merriex words about choosing to exit the course at this point, perhaps remaining with the Knights. Aiden couldn't stop here, while the further tests were going to be the most crucial of all. He couldn't back down at this point.

To quit now would be considered criminal and he couldn't allow himself to do that.

The rolling logs were more tricky then anticipated. at one point he almost caught himself between two of them narrowly escaping a catastrophic potential injury to his foot. He would have to make all mistakes that he could here and get them out of his system, if this happened in the netherworld there was no redo.

It was to be a life or death situation, and he couldn't make any mistakes.

The alcove was reached, and Aiden allowed himself a few moments to gather his wits and his thoughts. Center himself with the force before he continued on the path towards the top.

 

[Vizion Trozky]

COUNCIL OF LIGHT
COUNCIL CHAMBER ☛ SHIRAYA'S SANCTUARY ☛ NABOO​

Indeed, Vizion had remained silent during all the back and forth, during all the bickering; just as at the conclave, just like he did in the field and in damn near every facet of his life, he listened and observed. Gathered information. Felt and queried his own emotions around all of this. And what he gathered here was that there was too much emotion. That they were not taking all the facts into account. That this was not an objective discussion; it was an argument.

There was one person here who knew how he handled those: with patience, and curiosity. “Master Kahne was right about one thing,” he spoke at last once Lossa had finished, standing and turning his attention from where he had been watching the door until he felt Lorn - the last of a full half of this council - walk sufficiently out of earshot, to where he levelled his gaze on the two women that remained in the room with him, “give this time to cool.” Vizion’s thoughts went to Lorn’s apology. “Be patient, be curious and open, and have faith in them.”

Just as he did. Just as his master had taught him. He had to believe that they could manage themselves - they were knights, no? - and if not? It was never too late to learn. Learning was eternal. He glanced at Lossa, considering the wisdom and maturity of her words. He didn’t know her as well as he perhaps should, and it wasn’t just her.

The nature of his calling as a Jedi - the Sentinel, the Tracker, the Hunter - had never made getting to know anyone, much less other Jedi, particularly easy.

"Now, I’m not going to ask you to step down,” he followed up on Lossa’s concern, focusing on Briana, perching his fingers on the table, “but short of forcing you on leave... I say this as much as your friend as your fellow Jedi: there's something in that motion to remove you. Hear me out, I think there’s another way we can give you the time you need--” he paused, considering how he should put this, “--for your own growth and development without having to do that.”

A weekend here, a week there, every however many months was clearly not enough.

“We take a page out of the ancient Jedi Order of the Old Republic, and appoint a Master of the Order. You would still be leader of the Order, and whoever would be appointed," this was traditionally by unanimous vote from the members of the Council, "would be the leader of the Council, among other concerns." His firm gaze and expression underlined that he was dead serious - he'd been seeking an answer to this dilemma since the day he arrived. "Unless you have any better ideas."

Present: Briana Sal-Soren • Lossa Aureus
Departed: Brandyn Sal-Soren • Kahne Porte • Lorn Reingard​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

She'd doubted her ability to do this job from its inception, had conveyed those fears to Brandyn Sal-Soren when she'd started out.

Now?

Watching Kahne leave, followed by Brandyn, and then finally Lorn... Briana never felt less qualified, nor like more of a failure, than in that moment.

Seeing their faces crumple, the winces. The pain she'd dredged up. She'd gone too far. Just like she'd done with Viz. Like she always kriffing did.

Her heart thumped and she took a steadying breath, staying otherwise silent through Lossa's words, through Vizion's follow up, her brows pulled pensively together as she stared at the table; considered what both of them had to say, considered the overall consensus.

Placing both hands down, splayed against the table, she pushed herself away, the legs of her chair scratching across the marble floor as she stood up.

"I do." She nodded, swallowing down the growing lump in her throat as she tried to push through the rest of what she had to say. "Brandyn and Lorn were right... It's in the best interest of the Order... that I step down." She glanced briefly between Vizion and Lossa, not lingering too long on either of them.

"I'll find a way to make amends with the other council members, and continue to lead us until I find a suitable enough replacement to take over."

If she could not even conduct a single meeting without them all splintering apart, without her falling back on old, retaliatory methods, what right did she have to lead them? What could she offer any of them?

Perhaps, she'd finally hit the ceiling of what she was truly capable of.

Offering a brief nod of farewell to each, Briana turned and briskly left the chamber.

Thread Exit

TAG: Brandyn Sal-Soren , Lorn Reingard , Lossa Aureus , Vizion Trozky , Kahne Porte

​

 

[Michael Angellus]

​

Journal Entry:
.

This sucks… this sucks… this sucks… I have one last obstacle to go… I definitely broke something in my foot. This sucks! I didn’t care if I spent a week with the healers, I was finishing this!I can't believe I had made it this far, only to be stopped by a stupid injury. But I refused to let it defeat me. I'd crawl to the finish line if I had to. Nothing is going to stop me from completing this challenge. They haven’t killed me yet!

I don’t know how I psyched myself up, but somehow I managed to get to my feet and slowly pull myself up that ladder thing. Then there was that last obstacle. What did I have to do here? Almost looked like I had to run up the wall? Well, I couldn’t run long, every step hit EVERY NERVE IN MY LEG.

… but I did it… I don’t know how… but I did it…

I walked… I sprinted and ran up far enough to jump and reach for the ledge. After that it was just a pull up which is no problem. The thing that sucked was literally crawling across the finish line.

I don’t remember waking up in the Healer’s wing, but here I am.

Thread Exit

Rook Merriex | Ceri Fraissi | Aiden Porte | Phillip Slate | Tasia Palpatine | Echo Athoth | Cerys Dyn | Lysander von Ascania | Eerie Omera .

 

[Tasia Palpatine]

OBJECTIVE 2

​

Rook Merriex Ceri Fraissi Michael Angellus Aiden Porte Phillip Slate Thayze Montserrat


Wielding Palpatine's Saber

"I seriously don't wanna fall, dunno 'bout you?"

"I wouldn't concern yourself about it, falling is easy, just lie back and enjoy it, it's the sudden stop at the bottom I worry about." she laughed trying to put her compatriot at ease. She explained her plan that she had come up with, she could stand her and hold the boulders with the force while Ceri crossed and then Ceri could do the same from the other side. It was a simple matter of telekinetcally holding them in place which would be child's play even for a young Jedi as long as she had the confidence to make it happen. Failing that, Tasia was more experienced and light on her feet so if Ceri slipped she should still be alright, probably.

She would hold her fist out for Ceri to tap before they quickly preceded to the next step, each level individually did not seem that difficult so she wondered what the specific challenges they would face were. The greatest victory though would be cementing relationships that they could rely when they were in hostile environments. "Ok, let's hit it, get these boulders done and then it's a quick ascent then a hop skip and jump."

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Vizion making himself known did in fact startle Lossa to a degree. So lost in her own thoughts she'd forgotten he was here still with everyone making themselves profoundly noticed. Startled into silence as he approached with his own idea.

A hopeful one to her ears as she listened. Gauged his words and watched Briana intently with how he spoke.

The small hope doused with words as Briana spoke. A glance between Vizion and Briana as her cousin moved to leave. Words failing her in that moment. Frustration mounting on her own failure to make the current Master understand as she wrung her hands harder.

"As I understand it, you know her better than most anyone in this damned galaxy." Bitterness unable to be kept from her words as she looked to Vizion this time. "Help her see beyond right now. Not for me or anyone else, but her own sake. Please."

Her shoulders sunk in defeat as she said her peace. Steps heavy as she made her own exit to retreat from this place. Feeling hollow and worn thin from everything piling up.

THREAD EXIT​

Briana Sal-Soren | Vizion Trozky​