Faction Vanishing Act - [JO]

[Braze]

The Restored Temple of Dantooine
Tags: Leos Dirk | Open to Members of these factions:​

Spoiler

The Jedi Order Open Faction 6K 26 3 0 The Jedi Order is a spiritual knighthood, sworn to the service of Balance, guided by Compassion, and rooted in Discipline. O

Jedi Outcasts Open Faction 3K 32 3 0 A roaming band of lightsiders on a journey to defeat the evil. They take an ancient name from days long past.

​

Following the events in the Kinrath caverns on Dantooine, Braze decided the time had come to teach the younglings a few important tricks. It was early evening when he left the first message...

It appeared simple at first glance, written in ink invisible to the typical naked eye… ink that only came to life once the light of day had thinned and the halls settled into their evening hush. The words scrawled up high across the archway to the entrance of the mess hall, pale enough to seem almost secret in the faint low-lighted glow of pale blue-green, though bright enough to catch the eye of anyone passing beneath whom did more than watch their own feet.

A test laid bare for those who dare, and lost to those who pass unaware.

CLUE

The foolish let me bleed away.
The common spend me through the day.
The wise invest what seeds they can.
Yet every living thing surrenders to me in the end.

You may know my answer, if you think yourself clever;
but to find where I am hidden, you must pull the lever.

​

 

[Leos]

Dantooine
Tags: Dirk , Braze

Epo-1, YT-1760 small transport
​

Leos looked over the letter and frowned. It was a little bit misleading. One would look at a glance and assume that it was money being talked about, but that wasn't quite right. Plenty of people lived just fine without giving in to money. More than just that, if people didn't exist money didn't have a purpose. It surely wasn't that. Perhaps, then, it was time? Maybe. You could let time bleed away, spend it through the day, and invest time into things... but a lever? Was that like the hands of a clock, or...

The Themian paused and spoke to the nearby Dirk.

"You can't read yet still, can you?" he asked.

He wondered if Dirk would be able to figure anything out if he had it read to him. Leos wasn't sure how far the Dantari was into his education.

 

[Dirk]

Location: Dantooine
Tags: Braze | Leos

Standing next to Leo, Dirk’s eyes scanned the words once, then twice, and thrice. Trying to decipher the meaning. He could make sense of the individual words but together as a riddle it was too advanced for him. Internally not translating very well.

Through closed lips Dirk groaned some before looking over to Leos and shaking his head. “Nnnope…” His literacy couldn’t quite create context for the text yet. Even the idea of currency itself was still largely unknown to him.​

 

[Braze]

Tags: Leos Dirk ​

Should Leos wish to find a clock, there was a new one installed in the heart of the temple, waiting at the end of a long hallway where the evening light fell thin and blue across the floor. It sat opposite the archway they faced now.

Lamps burned low in their wall sconces, each flame cupped behind frosted glass so the shadows gathered long beneath the arches.

At the far end, the clock stood mounted above a relief sculpture, its face made of dark metal and white enamel. The hands moved with a slow, patient clicking, though the sound of its ticking only became clear once one stopped walking and listened for the faint sound.

Beneath it's placard and face, carved into the wall, was a stylized night sky.... It's stars alignment and constellations did not belong to Dantooine's sky.

The moons were wrong, and the constellations bent in unfamiliar shapes. Tiny points of polished stone had been set into the carving to mark the stars, each one catching the faint blue-green light in a different way. Some were dull whilst others were pin pricked with small embedded Rhine stones. One, near the lower edge of the relief, seemed almost too carefully placed, half-hidden inside the carved curve of a crescent moon.

The sculpture looked decorative at a glance, but the longer one studied it, the more deliberate it became. The carved sky had depth to it; grooves like old orbit-lines circled certain stars, and a narrow seam ran through the crescent's shadow.

There was indeed hidden away and tucked where 'night met stone', a small lever no larger than two fingers.

 

[Leos]

Dantooine
Tags: Braze , Dirk

Epo-1, YT-1760 small transport
​

“Nnnope…”

"That's okay," Leos decided. "I think it's about time. It talks about something foolish people waste, common people spend in a day, and wise people invest. It said there's supposed to be a lever near it. I think it's probably a clock. Not sure where the lever is from there, but it's at least a direction."

Hopefully Dirk got all of that. Leos did know where a clock was, so that was a start. It was in the opposing arch way after all. The Themian turned himself around and made his way over to where it stood, mounted above a sculpture. From there his eyes were drawn to the mural of sorts representing the sky. From what planet Leos wasn't sure. He had never been much of a stargazer, on account of the smog on Daiyu being too thick to ever allow for such a hobby. His eyes were drawn into the grooves of the night sky, taking in their depth before he finally settled on a tiny lever. Leos let out an exhale when he saw it.

"Who would even design something so convoluted?" he muttered to himself. "It's like the building was made around the puzzle..."

With a hesitant hand he reached out and pressed on the lever.

 

[Dirk]

Location: Dantooine
Tags: Braze | Leos

The idea of wasting time was interesting to him. He tried to think of times he may have wasted time. Being in a place like these he felt like it would make it easier to do so since his basic needs all seemed to be covered. He followed Leos some to the other end of the hall with the sculpture carved into the wall and the stars. Living in the Savannahs of Dantooine, starry nights were abundant. No light pollution or smog to conceal the cosmos from him.

Dirk pointed up at the stars and moons and remarked. “Not… home…” Claiming that it didn’t depict the constellations found on Dantooine. His word came out low and gravely with a heavy dantari accent. He watched closely as Leos pressed the lever.​

 

[Braze]

Tags: Leos Dirk ​

The hidden mechanism clicked into place. A thin seam split through the relief sculpture, followed by a soft hiss as the sealed wall decompressed. For a moment, the carved foreign stars trembled in their places. Then the whole section silently eased open from where it had been held tight against the temple stone.

Beyond the false wall waited a narrow passage, dark and descending lower in to the depth of the temple, its air cool enough to taste faintly of dust, old stone, and things long undisturbed.

A secret passage had been revealed.

 

[Leos]

Dantooine
Tags: Dirk , Braze

Epo-1, YT-1760 small transport
​

“Not… home…”

"Oh... the stars, you mean?" Leos asked.

He hadn't taken the time to recognize them yet. As he flicked the lever the wall became a door, leading into a dark and narrow passage way. Leos felt his heart beat a little faster for a moment. It reminded him of being back in that stupid cave. The ground dropping out from below him hadn't been fun.

Still, Leos steeled himself and drew out his training saber, igniting the blade to serve as a source of light. He glanced back at Dirk for a moment then began to descend down the passageway.

 

[Braze]

Tags: Leos Dirk ​

Down… down… down into the bowels of the temple he was led, into a vast antechamber built within the stone caverns below. It bore an uneasy resemblance to the caves Leos had encountered some time ago, though this place had clearly been shaped for a particular purpose.

Pale blue fire burned in wall sconces along the chamber's edges, each azure flame low and cold in color. Black sand lined the floor in a smooth, dark spread, swallowing the sound of footfalls and leaving the room with an unnerving sense of quiet.

Far ahead, just beyond the reach of the light, an ominous figure stood draped in a dark cloak. They waited within a hollowed alcove of shadow, nearly imperceptible at first, little more than a deeper shape against the dark. Then the figure moved to stand up.

Slow claps echoed through the chamber as they stepped forward, then hopped down from the stone parapet where they had been perched.

"Congratulations… you found your way here," Braze said, his voice carrying softly through the blue-lit chamber. "When out in the field, one must use their mind just as much as their blade. A Shadow who only knows how to fight is merely a weapon waiting to be pointed... A Shadow survives by seeing what others overlook, hearing what others dismiss, and asking why a door was hidden before asking where it leads."

A black-gloved hand rose, and behind them, the doors slammed shut with a heavy crack of stone and metal, closed by a powerful surge through the Force. The sound rolled through the antechamber, chased by the faint rattle of disturbed sand across the floor.... Whatever path had led Leos and Dirk here had just vanished behind them.

 

[Dirk]

Location: Dantooine
Tags: Braze | Leos

Dirk saw no real issue yet in delving deeper into the temple. He wasn’t as tense as he might otherwise have been. Feeling secure still within the Temple’s confines. The dantari didn’t feel as if he was intruding into another creature’s habitat.

Once inside of the large chamber he looked down at the black sand at his feet. Shifting some of it around with his shoe. He’d never seen such sand like that before. Dark eyes scanned the cloaked figure. Unsure of who it was until he heard the somewhat familiar voice. It sounded like Braze, however he wasn't sure why they seemed so ominous here.

His body jumped slightly as he heard the path from once they came had been closed off. The noise echoing down the passage before rushing over the two of them. They spoke in rather cryptic words as well. But he could understand the meaning of what was being shared well enough. Dirk remained silent however, feeling he had nothing to add or comment on yet.​

​

 

[Leos]

Dantooine
Tags: Dirk , Braze

Epo-1, YT-1760 small transport
​

Leos shuddered as he heard the door slam behind them. He let out an exhale as he took in Braze's words.

...and asking why a door was hidden before asking where it leads.

Weren't they supposed to go into that door? He had asked them to find it after all. And it wasn't like he was around to ask what the purpose of the door was, he was down here. What else was he supposed to do then? Those words made him feel as though getting here was, in and of itself, a weakness. That they had been reckless.

Then again, maybe he was overthinking it. He just wasn't prepared for how unsettling the vibe of the place was and the discomfort of being sealed in an unfamiliar place.

"Are... we getting lectured for following instructions?" Leos asked, letting out a nervous breath. "You weren't exactly around to ask where this place led..." He glanced around before speaking again. "Are... you gonna tell us what this place is?"

And hopefully also inform them how soon they could leave it.

 

[Braze]

Tags: Dirk Leos ​

Braze offered a curious glance at that. "Almost everything I do is meant to teach you something. I expected that curiosity might win out, and at least one of you would come look into something out of the ordinary. Sometimes ordinary things can be dangerous. Sometimes things aren't always what they seem. Paint a wooden spoon with silver paint, but a silver spoon it just ain't…" He stated it simply.

"You were clever enough to find your way here, but wisdom can't be so easily taught. Wisdom, more often than not, is earned through experiencing events through your own actions… hence why we call it life experience."

He offered it plainly, then continued. "I wish to teach you some very important skills, but I also wish to caution you into trying to think a little more before taking action."

As he spoke, he walked toward a pillar and phased right through it. He stepped out on the other side and ran his hand through a large brazier, absorbing the heat's energy with a soft glow rather than letting it burn him. Slowly, he tilted his gloved hand this way and that in the flames…

His whole Force presence was practically devoid in this room, oddly unfelt… as if somehow, it was simply missing.

Then he seemingly vanished from sight as he drew the fire into his hand, wielding it as if somehow, it had become tangible. His voice returned, this time from behind the boys.

"We must sharpen your minds as much as your blades."

 

[Dirk]

Location: Dantooine
Tags: Braze | Leos

The dantari watched the demonstrations of force abilities, one after the other. For a relative simpleton like Dirk even ‘mundane’ levitation was a fantastical feat. Even electricity and running water were still magical in scope to him. So far he couldn’t quite tell what the difference between The Force and advanced technology were yet. Both impress him in equal measure.

Were these abilities anyone could learn? Dirk wasn’t sure if he had such talent and or potential. In his more practical studies he knew what the force was, at least conceptually.

Braze himself expressed a desire to teach them powerful abilities while at the same time exercising caution. It reminded Dirk of when he first made himself a sling, and how powerful he felt being able to launch stones with such lethal force. But if hunted recklessly with it he would just scare away any animals and waste his energy.

“Agh!” Dirk exclaimed in a startled tone as Braze vanished before reappearing behind him and Leos.

 

[Leos]

Dantooine
Tags: Braze , Dirk

Epo-1, YT-1760 small transport
​

Leos watched on on awe as Braze stepped clean through a pillar. That... had to be a trick, right? It looked so solid. The Themian cautiously made his way over to the pillar and prodded at it with his finger. His ears twitched when he felt the grain of the concrete, solid and real. How had he done that? It made it way easier for him to miss Braze vanishing entirely, which caused him to double back to figure out what had happened.

He about jumped out of his skin when Braze reappeared. Fortunately Dirk's exclamation was comedic enough to keep Leos from letting out a yelp himself.

"Gosh..." he muttered, trying to settle the goosebumps he now had. "So those... are things we're gonna learn? That... doesn't seem like it should be physically possible..."

But if it was a strength the Force could provide, he was going to give it his best shot.

 

[Braze]

Tags: Leos Dirk ​

"Yes... You will learn them in time... Sooner than later, I hope, but it takes concentration and full faith in the Force. You need a steady mind to achieve it... All these skills are the types of things only the most Elite Jedi learn... skills and disciplines belonging to a niche role among the Jedi Sentinels... the Jedi Shadows.

Theyse skills help keep the Shadows safe, and make them very hard to catch. A Shadow's role is to seek out, hunt down, and destroy the Dark side in all its forms. Traditionally, they worked for the Council of First Knowledge. This is one of the roles I take part in and shoulder the weight of... It can sound like a glamorous role... but it demands great sacrifice.

A Jedi Shadow must push themself further than most other Jedi... They must have the strongest of wills, and the strongest of minds. It is a Jedi Shadow's job to hold back the Dark side itself from the galaxy. They encounter battle far more than many other Jedi... and they are often sent where the Light is thinnest.

A Shadow is taught to pass unseen where a brighter blade would only draw eyes. They listen for wounds in a place, for relics that should have been buried deeper, for dark hands reaching through history. They gather what others miss, trace corruption back to its root, and when there is no other path... they cut that root away before it can blossom into something worse.

That is why they must learn to vanish... why they learn to slip bonds, pass barriers, quiet their presence, and keep their thoughts steady when fear tries to make the body clumsy. A Jedi Shadow survives above all else... When Death comes calling... there's only one thing we say... 'not today~'

If I can teach you these arts, and a few more besides, I will rest easier knowing that no cell, snare, cavern, hunter, or careless mistake will hold either of you for long. They are advanced techniques, yes... but all of it begins with perspective... Mind over matter, and trust over fear.

Now... I've prepared a few tests for the two of you... Are you ready to try?"

 

[Dirk]

Location: Dantooine
Tags: Braze | Leos

He listened intently to Braze’s many words. Offering some insight into what a Jedi shadow was. Having only been given very basic overviews of different kinds of Jedi and the many multifaceted roles they could play into. Dirk also knew that the Darkness was something to best be avoided. Coming about through negativity and imbalance within oneself and their environment.

“Like cahroach… hard to kill…” He said making a parallel to the Jedi Shadow supposed proficiency in avoiding death. He probably could’ve used a more flattering example however.

When Braze asked if the two of them were ready Dirk thought for a moment. All of this was still quite new to him. Even seeing other beings that could talk was still something he was getting used to. Even so, the Dantari answered their question with a nod.​

 

[Leos]

Dantooine
Tags: Dirk , Braze

Epo-1, YT-1760 small transport
​

“Like cahroach… hard to kill…”

"A fine analogy if you ignore being gross..." Leos muttered.

Pass unseen, learn to vanish... it was all very spy-like. Leos was not unfamiliar with the world of espionage, though he was more acquainted with the dark dealings of the criminal world. His father often installed agents within rival organizations to tear them apart from within. It was part of the reason that he had little in the way of competition on Daiyu.

The Themian shook his head to push back those thoughts and focus again. When Braze asked if they were ready for a few tests, Leos stood up straighter.

"I'm ready," he insisted.

Hopefully that was true.

 

[Braze]

Tags: Leos Dirk ​

Braze's mouth twitched at Dirk's comparison trying not to just laugh.

"A cockroach," he repeated softly, as if weighing the word in one gloved hand. "Hard to admire… and very, very difficult to remove once it decides a place belongs to it."

His pale jade gaze shifted to Leos when the Themian straightened and claimed readiness. "This is not a punishment by the way... Curiosity is useful, and Obedience can be useful too.... so is Cleverness." He lifted one finger. "But none of those things will save you by themselves."

The black sand gave a soft his beneath his boots as he stepped away from them, slowly, leaving no clear print behind. Where his heel touched, the grains slid back into place as though the floor wished to forget his presence...

"A prisoner may obey every instruction and still be marched into a cell. A clever student may solve every riddle and still miss the blade hidden behind the door, and a curious mind may open something it cannot close."

Braze turned his hand palm-up."So the first lesson is simple."

The sconces sputtered low as the the blue flames thinned into narrow tongues of flame, leaving the chamber dimmer by degrees. The black sand began to stir in subtle lines across the floor, exposing shallow grooves beneath: Small channels cut into the stone, thin as knife marks, forming a wide circular pattern around the boys.

"Vanish."

A soft metallic sound came from somewhere above. Thin dark cords dropped from hidden slots in the ceiling, each weighted with small polished bells. They hung at different heights through the chamber, turning the open space into a maze of thin threads and bells.

Braze's voice came from ahead of them as where he had stood moments ago was empty. His voice returned from the left, lower now, near one of the pillars.

"All you need to do is cross the room without announcing yourselves to it."

One blue flame brightened enough to show the far side of the antechamber. There, set into the stone, waited a narrow archway sealed by a plain iron latch. A faint shadowed shape moved behind one pillar, then another, too brief to catch cleanly.

"You may walk. Crawl. Climb. Think. Wait. Mislead. Work together, or abandon one another and learn what that teaches you... And before either of you asks: yes, there is more than one way across."

 

[Dirk]

Location: Dantooine
Tags: Braze | Leos

Dirk watched as the strings and bells fell from the ceiling of the antichamber. Seeing how many there were impressed him, as well as the idea of the effort that went into building up this test for them. Standing next to one of the bells Dirk gently reached up and nudged one with his finger. Letting it jingle softly before he was instructed not to announce himself.

He realized then the point of these obstacles now. Meant to be avoided in alerting his presence while needing to make his way to the other end of the room. Like hunting prey while needing to avoid prickly bramble bushes and trees.

Quietly accepting the challenge Dirk didn’t really hesitate to start making his way over. Acting rather direct but cautiously through the dark maze of hanging bells. Only once he started to make his way across did he realize how much of a pain it was going to be navigating a dark troop full of tiny alarms. Letting out a soft breath Dirk took a somewhat bladed stance to narrow his profile and outstretched his arm some to gently scan for any possible incoming threads he might not have noticed that he could walk into.​

 

[Leos]

Dantooine
Tags: Braze , Dirk

Epo-1, YT-1760 small transport
​

Quietly accepting the challenge Dirk didn’t really hesitate to start making his way over. Acting rather direct but cautiously through the dark maze of hanging bells. Only once he started to make his way across did he realize how much of a pain it was going to be navigating a dark troop full of tiny alarms.

Leos didn't run off immediately. Seeing how quickly Dirk haulted in his progress was enough to tell him that his initial instinct had been right. Cords with bells now peppered the path ahead, and they needed to cross without hitting a single one of them. The natural first instinct was how close were they to the floor?

"Dirk, over here," Leos spoke, his tone hushed.

If this was a stealth puzzle he wanted to at least be somewhat quiet when speaking. Leos would lay himself down prone on the ground, fiddling around in his pockets to withdraw a small hand-torch. It was a simple thing he had picked up when scavanging back on Daiyu, likely an attachment for a blaster. A blaster he didn't have, but something useful all the same. It would provide a more focused light than the training saber, he imagined.

From there, Leos shined the light out ahead of him. If there were any bells hanging particularly close to where they would be crawling it may at least let them know where to avoid.