Private Warriors of the Storm

[Drystan Creed]

DORIN

It was just like Woostri.

No. Worse. Far worse.

The storms here were violent, rabid, an unrelenting force of nature. Even beneath this rocky alcove, sheltered by the mountains, Drystan felt the world tremble beneath his feet. The wind didn't just howl—it screeched, a ceaseless wail of fury. Each crack of lightning, each rolling thunderclap, sent tremors through the land as if the storm itself sought to tear the planet apart.

This was not Woostri. It was something far more unforgiving.

And that was exactly why he was here.

The airlock hissed open, and Drystan stepped outside—wearing only a cloak, a breathing mask, a pair of shorts, and his utility belt.

The winds slammed into him immediately, threatening to tear him from the ground. Even within this alcove, nature's wrath could not be ignored.

After Woostri, he had returned scarred—physically, mentally. He had lost his left arm. But he had gained something else.

Resolve.

In that battle, he had called upon the storm within him, wielding its power like a blade. It had answered. It had surged through him, raw and unshaped.

Now, he was here.

Dorin.

Not just to use that power—but to master it.

To forge it into something greater.

To turn it into a weapon of justice.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a datapad. A tap of his finger confirmed the message—he had invited Braze to join him if his fellow Knight wished to take part in this trial.

He had arrived early.

Far earlier than their agreed-upon time.

For now, he would wait.

He use this time to acclimate to the weather and its fury.

As the winds raged around him, he would contemplate all he had discovered on Woostri—and what was still left to learn.

Braze Kaelos Vryn
Optional: Ko Vuto

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn Drystan Creed

Braze shifted, drawing his cloak tighter about him. He yawned beneath his mask, his eyes fixed on the harsh winds. He recalled the last time he braved these gales atop a mountainside—nearly being blown astray. This time, with weighted boots anchoring his steps, he stood resolutely by the disembarking ramp of the Mud Duck.

He had brought along his padawan, Kaelos Vryn , to demonstrate the vast differences in weather conditions found on various planets. Familiarizing Kaelos with diverse locations and flight paths was an important first set of lessons —teaching him to recognize different star systems and skies. Their travels had been interspersed with brief trips and temple visits, though they primarily returned to Coruscant.

The winds on Dorin were fierce, making it no easy task to endure such conditions. Today they were here to witness what Drystan was up to.

Braze glanced back at Kaelos and asked, "You ready?"

​

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: Dorin
Tags: Braze | Drystan Creed
Equipment: Lightsaber | Jedi Jumpsuit | Utility Belt
​

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Dorin was cold, wet and miserable.

Kaelos hadn't been on Woostri, the most recent clash between Jedi and Sith. It had been deemed too dangerous for him at his current training level and ultimately he'd agreed. What he had heard from those that had been there is that Woostri had been absolutely horrible in terms of it's weather.

The planet of Dorin must have been just like Woostri. The winds were fierce, the rain bellowing down against the young boy with such force it actually stung. Each rain drop reminded him of a little ice cube bouncing off of his body. The jumpsuit he'd become quite accostomed to wearing offered some protection but not a lot.

Tapas was coming in useful, keeping the young boy warm. It was a technique that Braze had taught the young boy whilst en-route to Ilum and it was an extremely useful technique that Kaelos had gotten a fair amount of use out of.

"Well, this sucks" he admitted to Braze. He was having to speak louder than normal just to be heard over the wind that was blowing through. "I'm glad the Jedi set up their main temples on a planet less wet" he stated with a laugh.

He hadn't been disembarked from the Mud Duck for long and already his hair was clinging to him and his jumpsuit was dripping. He'd pulled a cloak around himself, however it wasn't doing a lot to keep him dry. "Why're we here?" he enquired, casting his eyes around.

​

 

[Drystan Creed]

DORIN

As the pair arrived and disembarked, Drystan was already there to meet them. He offered Braze a nod in greeting.

"Glad you could make it. Training alone would've made this much harder."

His gaze shifted to Kaelos.

"Didn't expect a plus one." He took a moment, noting the younger Jedi's features before asking, "Are you Braze's Padawan?"

He gave a slight nod of introduction.

"Call me Drystan. I'm a Shadow."

Stepping forward, he gestured with his lone arm toward the path leading from the alcove to the sea.

"I imagine there's some confusion. I called for assistance with my training today. And while this is something I need for myself, I hope you both can gain something from it as well."

A beat.

"Apologies if this request seemed selfish. But I knew I couldn't trust myself to do this alone."

The sky flashed, and another crack of lightning struck the mountains above. The impact rumbled through the alcove, a violent reminder of what awaited them.

Drystan's eyes lifted toward the peaks.

"Above us are the Black Mountains. That's where we'll be training."

Another pause.

"This isn't for the faint of heart. If you think it's more than you can handle, I ask that you stay here until we're done. What we're experiencing now, under the stone's protection, is nothing compared to the storm above."

One last moment of silence before he turned to them fully.

"Any questions or concerns before we begin?"

Braze Kaelos Vryn

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Drystan Creed Kaelos Vryn

Kaelos Vryn: "Well, this sucks."

Braze couldn't resist laughing at his Padawan's blunt declaration—mostly because he wholeheartedly agreed. He, too, was soaked to the bone, his dark robes clinging uncomfortably as the cold rain poured over them.

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?" he replied, seemingly in agreement.

Kaelos Vryn: "Why're we here?"

"We're here to offer our care and support to someone... and to make sure they don't get themselves killed," Braze answered simply, stepping closer to his student's side.

"We'll need to utilize Tutaminis if push comes to shove," he added, activating his boots and engaging his personal energy shield, just in case any stray bolts of lightning struck as they made their way toward the slag summit.

Adjusting his face mask, he took a deep breath of the oxygen it provided before offering Kaelos a set of neon pink, squishy foam earplugs on a plastic tether string. Without a word, he inserted a similar set into his own ears, preparing for the inevitable booming cracks of thunder overhead.

Drystan Creed: "Glad you could make it. Training alone would've made this much harder."

Through the harsh winds and rain, Braze looked over and smiled at the approaching figure. He nodded vigorously, ensuring the gesture was clearly visible through the downpour.

He let Drystan introduce himself but cast a quick glance toward his student. Experiencing harsh weather firsthand was a valuable lesson. A Jedi never knew where they might be called to render aid, and they couldn't always control the environment.

One way or another, they had to be ready—rain, thunder, or worse.

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: Dorin
Tags: Braze | Drystan Creed
Equipment: Lightsaber | Jedi Jumpsuit | Utility Belt
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To make sure someone didn't get themselves killed. It was as good a reason as any.

"Tuta...what now?" he questioned, but before there was even time for the Jedi Knight to answer he'd already began to prepare. Braze had sensibly brought some fancy boots and a personal energy shield for protection, whereas Kaelos was going to be relying on pure luck and the will of the Force.

A simple walk was made much harder by the harsh conditions. Rain clattered against his cloak and his jumpsuit, soaking his skin and chilling him to the bone. The wind felt icey, like each gust was cutting against his skin. The entire planet of Denon totally sucked.

Braze offered his young student some ear plugs, which Kaelos took. He wasn't a massive fan of the colour but a Jedi couldn't be picky. They'd protect his ears should lightning strike a little too close for comfort. Which on Denon seemed entirely possible.

"Any Force powers which turn one into a fish?" he asked jokingly as the duo approached their destination. He was still basically shouting to be heard over the wind and the rain and the other natural elements and he was having to increase his volume even more due to the ear plugs Braze had inserted.

Already waiting at their destination was a figure, humanoid and clearly Jedi judging by his Force signature. It was a humanoid that clearly had a history with Braze because when he stepped towards them, he acknowleged Braze. Through the downpour, Kaelos began to make out more of his features.

"Are you Braze's Padawan?"

He offered a nod towards the Jedi, who introduced himself as a Shadow named Drystan. Or at least that's what the young Kiffar hoped he said, he could barely hear over the noises of the elements. "Kaelos" he offered back with some hope he'd be heard.

"Above us are the Black Mountains. That's where we'll be training. This isn't for the faint of heart. If you think it's more than you can handle, I ask that you stay here until we're done. What we're experiencing now, under the stone's protection, is nothing compared to the storm above."

Of course.

They were all Jedi, two of them Knights. It only made sense that they'd seek to train in the most dangerous of conditions. In fairness to Drystan he'd offered a way out and offered to let either of them stay behind if they didn't feel like they could handle it.

"Take it there's no chance of the storm passing then?" he joked with a smile. Kaelos wasn't entirely up for it, he was cold and wet. He could handle it though, of that he was certain. He had a point to prove if nothing else.

"I'm ready when you are"

 

[Drystan Creed]

DORIN

Drystan watched as Braze doted on his Padawan, the moment stirring something distant in him—memories of his own time under his master's watch.

Fleeting, but not forgotten.

As the introductions wrapped, Kaelos's question earned a raised brow from Drystan. He held back a scoff.

"Passing?" His tone carried mild incredulity.

"Did your master not tell you about this planet?"

His gaze swept the landscape before settling back on Kaelos.

"Dorin is renowned for its perpetual storms. And here we are—right beneath the Black Mountains. A place under the full wrath of the elements, where the biggest and baddest storms in the galaxy gather."

His words weren't meant to instill fear but to be direct. Transparent. They all needed to understand what they were stepping into.

"Either way, we'll watch each other's backs. I've got med kits if we need them."

With that, he gestured toward a cave entrance leading from the alcove out into the mountain's base.

"The path is here. Ready yourselves—because once we step out, the winds won't be so kind without the stone to shield us."

And then, they stepped into the storm.

Nature struck them like a hammer.

The winds—ripping into their sides, their cloaks flapping wildly like warning flags.

The rain—relentless, pounding into them with the force of tiny fists, a constant barrage. A trained Jedi could endure it, but the longer they stayed, the more it would wear them down.

Then—

CRACK.

A deafening explosion of sound, raw and unfiltered.

Drystan's eyes narrowed against the downpour as they pressed forward.

Each step up the stone path, the storm grew.

The rain thickened.

The winds howled, violent and unyielding.

The sky darkened, swirling with fury—threatening to show them the true extent of its power.

Braze Kaelos Vryn

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Drystan Creed Kaelos Vryn

Braze followed after Drystan, his boots crunching against the wet stone as the storm howled around them. Without a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out another set of those same neon pink, fluffy earplugs. Moving up beside the Shadow, he held them out.


"You'll want these," he said, raising his voice just enough to cut through the wind. "Trust me."

Then, Kaelos' voice rang out, barely audible over the howling storm.

"Any Force powers which turn one into a fish?"

Braze exhaled sharply—a mix between a laugh and a sigh. Without hesitation, he answered.

"Yes... though I don't know Metamorphosis," he replied bluntly, despite understanding it was probably a joke.

Still, there were stranger abilities in the Force. Some lost to time, others barely understood. But almost none of them would help here. This was a trial of endurance, of fortitude. The Force would sustain them—but only if they were strong enough to let it.

As Drystan spoke over the roaring winds, Braze listened, absorbing every word. He steeled himself, adjusting his stance as another crack of lightning split the sky above.

​

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: Dorin
Tags: Braze | Drystan Creed
Equipment: Lightsaber | Jedi Jumpsuit | Utility Belt
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Metamorphosis.

Because why not. Kaelos cast a grin towards the Jedi Knight, making a mental note that it was entirely possible to use the Force to become a fish. It was definitely something he'd try and do some more research on, because it was a cool party trick as well as a useful Force power.

Cracks of thunder split the sky above, with rain lashing down against the Jedi Padawan and the two Knights. Kaelos was soaked through, his hair clinging to him and his jumpsuit and entirely different shade that what it had started as. Lightning struck every few seconds, some far away and some slightly too close for comfort.

Every step the trio took, the rain seemed to grow thicker and the wind seemed to grow stronger. It was a genuinely unpleasent experience. The rain continued to batter them, obscuring the young boy's vision so that every step was very quickly becoming more and more of a risk.

Kaelos had given up making jokes. He'd realised that even if he could think of anything worth saying, it wouldn't be heard over the wind and the rain anyway. All of his focus went to making sure his feet found the floor and that he didn't slip and face plant.

Below them, the ground was becoming more treacherous. The mud caused by the rainfall was thick and slippy, and on more than one occasion had Kaelos had to spend a second or two readjusting as to not end up on his front or his back.

He didn't want to be that child but...

Were they there yet?

 

[Drystan Creed]

DORIN

They were by themselves, but never alone.

The three Jedi were the only living souls within the mountains as they ascended toward the jagged peaks. Yet, the storm was ever-present. Watching. Testing.

A massive crash split the air.

Bolts of lightning rained down around them, each strike carving fissures into the mountainside, sending shards of rock tumbling down the slopes. With every passing second, the bolts grew larger, closer.

"Focus. Keep the outside noise out of your head. Nature is testing our resolve."

Drystan's voice cut through the vortex of rain and rubble, but even his words struggled against the storm's deafening wail.

It was as if the storm itself was feeling them out, pressing against their will—shaking their resolve before they reached the apex of both the mountain and its fury.

"Keep an eye out for a flat clearing—I've marked it on our map. We should be close, but the rain's too thick."

Another crack tore through the sky.

Drystan had only a heartbeat to react. Lightning struck where he stood. He launched himself back, feet skidding across slick stone.

A warning. A message from the storm that this place was not theirs.

Drystan clenched his jaw, finding the resolve to prove otherwise. He pressed forward.

Another bolt snapped through the sky—but this time, he didn't dodge.

He raised his right hand. The strike crashed into his palm, a brilliant flash exploding upon impact.

The energy coiled around his fingers—before disappearing into his grasp.

As the last sparks of electricity faded from his palm, something flashed in his mind.

A foundation. A beginning. It was incomplete, unshaped—something new, waiting to be discovered.

He didn't have the answer yet, but the Force stirred within him, nudging him forward.

Guiding him. Telling him that whatever he sought—he would find it deeper in the mountains.

"The lightning's only going to get worse from here."

His voice was firm, unwavering.

"Keep sharp. Handle them as you see fit. If you can deflect a blaster bolt—you can handle a little lightning."

Braze Kaelos Vryn

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn Drystan Creed

Braze reached out, gripping Kaelos firmly to steady him as the younger Padawan nearly lost his footing. The storm had turned the mountainside into a treacherous gauntlet, rain lashing at them in relentless sheets, the wind howling like a living thing trying to tear them away. Braze braced himself, anchoring his stance with the Force, willing his body to be as solid and unshakable as the mountain itself. He became a bulwark, a point of stability in the chaos, as Kaelos regained his balance.

Ahead of them, Drystan Creed stood against the storm, challenging it. Braze could hardly believe what he was seeing.

Lightning struck. Not just near them, but directly at Drystan. A raw, blinding bolt of energy, the kind of force that could incinerate a man in an instant. Every instinct in Braze screamed that he should act, that he should do something. His fingers twitched toward the device built into his gauntlet—the emergency EKG, a last resort in case something went terribly wrong.

Braze swallowed hard, his grip tightening slightly on Kaelos' arm before he let go. He forced his breathing to steady, forced himself to focus on the moment. There was no time for uncertainty. The storm did not care about his hesitation.

​

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: Dorin
Tags: Braze | Drystan Creed
Equipment: Lightsaber | Jedi Jumpsuit | Utility Belt
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Wind battered the trio.

Rain was crashing against them, blowing sideways in the wind. It was worse the higher they got, colder and harder as it collided against them. Lightning was striking closer and closer to them with nearly each step, shattering rock.

Even seeing was difficult, the rain was thick and blinding. If he was wearing goggles or glasses of some description, he would have considered using the Force to make them waterproof. Or adding some form of wiper mechanism to them.

Lightning cracked again, louder and closer than ever. The Force screamed a warning at him, telling him that one of them was about to be struck. Unfortunately, Kaelos didn't even have time to reach out and push Drystan Creed away. The lightning struck him clean.

Surely, he was dead. No-one could survive a direct lightning bolt. A few hundred thousand volts if not more had just struck the Jedi Shadow. Yet he didn't drop. He hardly even flinched. Sparks coiled around him, almost as if they were going into him.

Then they were gone.

Drystan was firm, unwaivering in his words aimed at both Kaelos and Braze . They were continuing, which suggested that Drystan was unharmed. Lightning struck again, a little further off this time. Kaelos cast his eyes over to it and then back to Braze and Drystan.

"No side effects from that zap... I assume?" he asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

 

[Drystan Creed]

DORIN

"Just a little tingle on the hairs of my arm." Drystan muttered, watching as the last sparks faded from his hand, the storm still raging around them.

"I managed to disperse it."

He paused for only a moment before picking up the pace again.

The rattling winds and relentless rain battered them as they pressed forward, but compared to what lay ahead, it was insignificant.

The Black Mountains of Dorin were infamous for their unforgiving storms—even more violent and unpredictable than the already fierce tempests that plagued the planet.

But what stood out the most wasn't just the brutality of the elements. It was the lightning.

An overwhelming number of strikes surged across the landscape, as if they were being tested.

And the spot Drystan had chosen? It was the purest form of that test.

At the end of the pathway, the terrain provided a brief reprieve—a covered stretch of rock shielding them from the storm's worst fury.

Then—the ceiling opened up again. Before them lay a circular, arena-like alcove.

The ground was remarkably flat, save for the jagged rock formations that surrounded them—standing like silent guardians, shielding them from the worst of the wind.

The rain? No longer a downpour. Here, it was a mere drizzle.

But it wasn't the rain or the wind they had to fear. The true threat was the lightning.

It was as if a legion of bolts had gathered here, striking the ground in rapid succession, over and over.

Every few seconds, a fresh barrage crashed down—scorching the rocky floor, the air humming with residual energy.

Drystan surveyed the arena with satisfaction, then turned to Braze and Kaelos.

"We're here." His voice was steady, certain.

"I spotted this place on my approach. I think it's perfect for honing our skills—speed, toughness, reflexes, and our connection to the Force."

He let that settle before glancing between them.

"Think of it as a more... advanced version of that training droid from our initiate days—the one that fired blaster bolts at us."

A smirk flickered at the edge of his lips as another bolt of lightning slammed into the ground nearby.

"Only this one doesn't have a stun setting."

Braze Kaelos Vryn

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Drystan Creed Kaelos Vryn

"I think he absorbed it... " Braze offered seemingly thinking it was an advanced usage of Tutaminis Braze trecked after their fearless leader through the storm.

"No this one has a setting where if you make a mistake you're probably gonna be dead. " Braze offered in reply after gazing across the slag summit from a spot under and over hang of the cavern.

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: Dorin
Tags: Braze | Drystan Creed
Equipment: Lightsaber | Jedi Jumpsuit | Utility Belt
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Energy absorption was quite a nifty little power.

The Force offered numerous gifts like that, each that had their uses. He'd already learned one from Braze , the power of Tapas. He'd learned to use the Force to generate his own body heat, keep himself warm. Energy absorption seemed like just another useful little skill worth learning.

Following Drystan Creed , Kaelos noted the rain changing from it's heavy and soaking downpour to a slight drizzle. They moved from the path, to a covered area to an alcove that was surprisingly flat considering the terrain that they'd traversed to reach their destination.

Lightning battered the floor around them, each bolt making a crashing noise lounder than anything Kaelos had heard before. The wind and rain was no longer a threat, the threat was now being fried to death by a rogue lightning strike that would hit them.

"Okay, question time" he said as lightning struck once again just opposite them. "What skills exactly are we honing up here?" he asked curiously. He was both interested to know what skills they were honing, and if honing those skills was likely to get him fried.

"Because if it's something like Force Speed then well. I admit I'm quick, but lightning is most definitely quicker than me" he commented with a chuckle. Even aided by the Force, he wasn't entirely sure he'd be able to outrun a bolt of lightning.

 

[Drystan Creed]

DORIN

"Look, none of us is gonna die." Drystan's tone was firm but reassuring.

"I've got a med bay on the ship, and if one of you is about to take a bad hit, I'll do my best to keep it from happening."

He glanced at Braze, doing his best to smooth over the idea of voluntarily facing down lightning bolts.

At Kaelos' question, Drystan's brow lifted slightly. Something about the comment stirred something within him.

"I take it Braze hasn't gone over advanced combat theory with you yet."

His gaze shifted toward the electrified field ahead, eyes locked onto the chaotic dance of lightning crashing into the ground.

"What do you do when you're up against the wall?"

His voice was measured now, teaching.

"Against an opponent that outclasses you in speed? Where no matter how quick you are, you can't react to their movements—or catch them with yours?"

He stretched out his only arm, motioning toward the lightning-stricken terrain ahead.

"You predict it."

His tone was sharp, certain.

"Fighters have tells. Habits. Tendencies. Minute movements that betray their next action."

A pause.

"That doesn't just stop at us. Volcanoes before they erupt. Waves before a tsunami. Everything has a tell. You just need to find it. Even lightning."

He turned back to them.

"If you can see the move before it happens, you can move faster than your opponent, no matter how fast they are. Use your instincts—or the Force. They're both there to guide your next move."

With that, he removed his cloak, revealing himself bare-chested, clad only in shorts and his utility belt.

"I'll show you."

Without hesitation, he stepped forward, entering the storm's domain. For a moment, the lightning ceased—as if intrigued by the intruder.

Drystan took a relaxed stance, eyes closing as he drew in a slow, steady exhale.

He let himself feel. The light drizzle tapping against his skin. The suppressed wind howling above. The subtle shift in the air, the tingling sensation crawling along his body.

A warning. Then—a flash.

Drystan stepped back, just as a bolt of lightning struck where he had stood. Another came moments later, but before it could hit, he shifted aside, letting it crash harmlessly into the ground.

Again and again, bolts rained down—each time, Drystan was just a step ahead. Dodging. Jumping. Shifting. Never more than a hair's breadth away from certain destruction.

Finally, after a series of precise, calculated movements, he stepped back into safety, returning to Braze and Kaelos at the entrance. His breathing was even. Unshaken.

"That's just a small demonstration of the basics. As you go along your path, you'll find more ways to dodge and avoid lightning and whatever the galaxy throws at you."

Kaelos Vryn Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn Drystan Creed

"You can move faster than lightning if you push yourself hard enough… but I wouldn't recommend this method. Tutaminis might be the better approach; but honestly? It's terrifying. Catching lightning might be harder than outrunning it."

Braze listened as Drystan gave a masterful demonstration to prove his point, delivering what felt like a lessonaccompannied by a performance. He glanced at Kaelos Vryn , considering their own progress. "I think Kaelos and I have only just started saber basics with combative theory. It's a good sentiment, though. There are countless ways a fight can end… and just as many ways to deal with an opponent. Winning isn't always... well 'winning'...."

He recalled a lesson of his own, when he had taken his student's blade from them, the exchange leaving an impression that was both similar in spirit and yet entirely different in execution to this one.

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