Children of the Jedi

[Asha]

Asha was entering a new stage in her life almost as quickly as the last one. It didn't seem like all that long ago she had been taken off of Ifrane by Leah to be trained as a Jedi. Now, she had returned; the stone structure that stood behind her was a symbol of the Jedi's return to the planet; and before her stood five young souls that she was to mold into a new generation of Jedi Knights.

Some faces were familiar to her, even if she had not met them before. Alysanne Drast, for instance, whom she knew to be a ranking officer of Star Squadron under General Greybok. And then there was Arda. Who had not heard of her by now? Asha had initially found the prospect of picking up where Master Blackwood left off too daunting, but she also felt as though she owed Arda a debt—the girl's previous Master had abandoned her, and so now it was up to Asha to mend old wounds and show her that not all Jedi were cowards.

The three remaining faces, though, she did not recognize. They were the newest recruits of varying ages and training. And, here in this Praxeum, they would learn what it meant to be both rebels and Jedi... she hoped. Somewhat humorously, she hoped that she would prove to be a better mentor than she had been a student. To this day, she did not know how Leah ever put up with her and her antics. But now it was time to put that all in the past and be a beacon of light for the Jedi Order's newest hopes: these students that stood before her.

"Welcome, all of you," Asha said, folding her hands behind her back. "My name is Asha, and I am a Jedi Knight, a former pupil of Master Reach." Former. I'm still her student, she reminded herself. Titles be damned, there's still much I have to learn. "From this day forward, I will be taking over your Jedi training. Some of you," She looked to Alys and Arda, "have already begun to learn the ways of the Jedi. Others," Then to the other three "are just beginning to learn. Regardless, you are all students, and it is my job to teach you what I know."

"Most of your lessons will be learned in the field, so you will gain experience quickly. But this evening," She gestured to the structure behind her, "I have designed a lesson that is meant to acquaint you all with each other and allow me to gauge your abilities." She smirked. "I am more of a 'lead by example' type of mentor. If you want to read the Jedi Code, there are scrolls in the main hall and you can read all about it. Otherwise, watch and learn from me. I've found that method to be more useful."

She readjusted herself, clasping her hands in front of her. "But, before we get started, let's all introduce ourselves, shall we? To each other, and to myself, if you all please. Let's see... who would like to begin?" @Wit @GABA @Raydo @Apollyon

 

[Magnus Ornsson]

Magnus had just met the Jedi contact on Bespin no more then a week prior to traveling to Ifrane to further his training. Magnus hoped that he would come to not only understand the power he could feel rippling just beneath his skin but that it would ultimately help him achieve his own goals. One thing he was not expecting was to arrive at a stone shrine or temple of sorts.

Magnus hadn't had time to find his bunk and deposit his belongings there, instead they still hung on his body. He mindlessly tugged up at his belt which had begun to sag due to the weight of the pistol which dangled on the right side of his waist. The Eldhnif, which he had discovered was a weapon of Deucalian make while traveling with Giza, sat comfortably in it's sheathe on his back. The hilt of the blade peeked over his left shoulder to allow for a quick draw with his left hand.

The boy gawked openly at his surroundings as he attempted to take them in. He had never seen anything quite like the temple or Ifrane. The planet, or at least the area surrounding the temple was beautiful when compared to Hutta. Magnus wondered to himself what it would be like to drink water straight from the source and it not smell like raw sewage before being filtered and purified. To Magnus, this world was idyllic in every sense of the word, it was only something he could have imagined before this very moment.

After a while of imagining various details of his new home, Magnus turned his attention to his fellow students of his class. There were four other beings of varying ages, species, and gender. Magnus allowed his green eyes to briefly study them before the voice of his master, Asha called him to attention. She introduced herself and explained her preferred teaching method; in the field, on the fly, and by example.

Magnus felt a mixture of emotion at this revelation, part of him wanted to be able to explore the area around the temple and Ifrane itself. However, he was also relieved that he wouldn't be forced into classes and instead could start helping beat back the Sith and their Empire immediately. Magnus was lost in thought as Asha mentioned where to find the Jedi Code, not that it would have interested him in the first place. The boy had already determined that he would not only enjoy learning beneath Asha but that he would excel as well.

It was for that reason when Asha asked for a volunteer to begin the introductions, Magnus shot his hand up in the air impulsively before sheepishly bringing it back down to his side. The boy's cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he cleared his throat, he hoped that no one outside of Asha had seen his over-eagerness.

"The name is Magnus, I'm from Hutta." He began.

The pride in his voice and the thumb pointing to his chest starkly contrasted the traces of pink still in his cheeks. However, that prideful and cocky facade momentarily faded as he thought about the next truth in his introduction. It caused his voice to waver slightly as he spoke.

"The man who raised me died during the rebellions there, Imperials killed him." Pain audibly rippled through his voice as he uttered those words. "I want to learn how to control the power that I have to avenge him." Magnus continued as he wiped his nose and eyes on the sleeve of his shirt to avoid crying in front of his peers. "That's why I'm here." He stated between sniffles, the confidence was slowly returning to his voice.

And with that Magnus fell silent, his introduction over.
​

 

[Arda Breaux]

Ifrane was different, she had never been here, but she was liking it rather quickly. The Jedi Knight, Asha had taken her as her padawan, and though the idea of her resuming her training made her uneasy, she was also starting to feel excited. Arda attributed it to the change of scenery and the new faces that were present seemed to help wash away doubts she was feeling for the moment, the padawan knew she still had a ways to go before she would be feeling confident in herself and in the Rebellion and the Jedi again, and being here on Ifrane with Asha was the beginning.

She stood with the other padawans, quietly listening to Asha introduce herself and welcoming them to the enclave that stood behind them in order to continue their studies. Internally, the girl groaned, she didn't like these introduction deals, but luckily a younger kid went first, introducing himself as Magnus from Hutt Space.

Arda wondered if she would even need to introduce herself, she was certain everyone knew who she was or at least knew of her situation and would finally be able to put a face to the name. However, she decided to just get it over with and raised her hand, waving gingerly.

"I am Arda Breaux." she spoke up, glancing at the other padawans before her gaze fell on Asha, "I am here because I am ready to continue my training." She didn't feel the need to share any more than that and waited for the others to pick up after her.

 

[Firen]

He had been called to Ifrane to meet with another one of these Jedi. It seemed like a long time ago when he had been told about the Force by Aurora. He had thought she had just been playing a joke on him, so he made himself busy helping the Alliance. He liked to think he had done some good. He wasn't sure about this whole Jedi thing. He had picked up pieces of who and what they were here and there, but he still didn't understand.

Regardless of feelings, he knew he was being drawn by something here. It was the same pull he had been chasing since he had left home. He arrived at the meeting location and was glad to find a familiar face, one he hadn't seen in some time. "Arda!" he said poking her in the side of the leg to get her attention. "Its me! Firen!" he said, ears perking up slightly.

A moment passed and he listened Asha speak. Well, he tried to listen to her the best he could. His mind wandered, as it so often did. Suddenly it was his turn to introduce himself and he hadn't quite been paying attention. "Uhhh...I'm Firen..." he said pausing. "I..." he said, attempting to add something like the other two had, but nothing came. "uhh...Hi." he finally said awkwardly.

His face turned up into a frown, ears dropping slightly. That had been pretty terrible.

 

[Alysanne Drast]

Smiling at the young Kushiban's introduction, not in any way mocking his nervousness but rather feeling a bittersweet nostalgia for her own first enounter with the Jedi on Kashyyyk all those years ago. Those had been simpler times, before Corellia, before the tribunal, and before Aurora's disappearance. She still wasn't sure how she felt about all that, wondering how much of a part her own actions had played in the craziness of that day, but having made her peace with the fact that there was nothing she could do to change what had already passed. That was in part why she was here today, to continue what she had started with Aurora, to finish her journey as a Jedi.

"I am Alysanne, Alysanne Drast." She introduced herself soon after Firen, no longer faltering when she said her name. The days of shying away from who she was were behind her, that was something she had made her peace with. "It's a pleasure to meet everyone here." And she really meant that. Outside of the few Masters she had interacted with, she had very little contact with the steadily growing ranks of the Jedi, having spent so much of her time with Star Squadron. Heck, in the past few years she might have learnt more from Grey than she had from the Jedi. So despite how much time had passed since Kashyyyk, she was still catching up. Hopefully Asha would prove to be better prepared in pushing her down the Jedi path than Aurora had been.

 

[Asha]

Asha was pleased with what she saw. Four young students, each with varying degrees of training and experience with the Jedi Order; and she had never met any of them, which was probably for the best. She smiled at them and brought her hands out from behind her back to clasp them in front of her. "It is good to meet you all," she said, though her mind was really on what Magnus had said a moment ago. Lesson Number One, I suppose, she thought. "From this point onward, this temple is your home, these people your family. Get to know them, because one of them may save your life someday."

"To be a Jedi is more than waving around a laser sword or moving rocks with your mind," Asha explained. "It's also a frame of mind. A way of thinking. The Jedi are the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. We are not avengers," She looked at Magnus, "We are not butchers," then to Firen, "We are not cowards," She looked to Arda and flashed a knowing, reassuring smile, "And we are not reckless heroes," Finally, her gaze rested on Alys. "Our goal is to protect the weak and to promote peace. That is why we have returned after five hundred years. The threat and menace of the Sith cannot go unanswered any longer."

"But how does a Jedi respond to these threats?" Her look was pensive, inquisitive. "Anyone?" And then she smiled. "Some believe we should respond by hitting our enemy hard. Others think we should be sneaky and strike from the shadows. After all, we are not Mandalorians." She made sure to drag her gaze to each of theirs. "The answers to this question are complex, as some of us have seen these last few weeks. But there is a lesson we can take from recent events—the lesson you will all begin to learn this evening. The Jedi Order functions best when it works together as a smart, cohesive unit."

"You will likely always have disagreements and differences with your fellow Jedi, but we weaken ourselves when we allow those differences to make us reckless and rash. A good Jedi must lead with a calm, rational mind, and the patience to hear her fellows out." Another smile crawled across her lips. "On the other side of this yard is a stone maze. Tonight, you will begin to learn one of the most fundamental skills of being a Jedi: teamwork. Each test will require you to work together and solve problems as a team. Fail this, and you won't advance. Succeed, however, and there is a kyber crystal awaiting those of you without lightsabers: a symbol that you are ready to take the commitment to be a Jedi seriously."

She stepped to the side and motioned behind her. "When you are ready, proceed to the maze's gate together. There, you will encounter the first puzzle — the one to let you into the maze. If you succeed, I will see you all inside. May the Force be with you all."

The entrance to the stone maze was a stone door. But the stone door was so heavy that even the four of them combined could not hope to move it with the Force. The stone slab that made up the door had the first line of the Jedi Code inscribed on it in an ancient and archaic form of Aurebesh:

There is no emotion, there is peace.​

In front of the door, some feet away from it, stood a small stone obelisk with what looked to be four stone locking mechanisms built into it; and around this obelisk were four circular, stone sitting slabs. In Asha's mind, it was the easiest of the five tests she planned to put them through, but it still had a degree of difficulty.

For instance, there were some in the group that had used the Force regularly before, and others who had never once learned how to call upon it or put it to use. There was also the obelisk itself, which could only be opened in a very specific manner, involving four individuals. She wondered if they would be able to work together to overcome the initial adversity they were faced with. @GABA @Raydo @Wit @Apollyon

 

[Firen]

He listened to Asha's words, trying to fully understand their meaning. He hoped he had what it took to be the kind of being she described, but he was unsure of himself.

When she gestured towards the maze, his attention turned there. When no one immediately moved towards it, he did, hopping over to the stone obelisk.

"So what do you think we have to do?" he asked without turning around to see who had followed him. He ran a finger over the smooth stone. He had never consciously used the Force before, having only heard about it in passing, he still wasn't exactly sure what the Force even was.

His head turned sidewise as we looked towards the obelisk, then the large stone door, and then the stone slabs. He repeated this a couple of times before hopping over to the of the stone slabs and jumping on top of it to see if anything happened.

 

[Arda Breaux]

Arda felt elated to see Firen and bent down slightly to scratch behind one of his long floppy years while the others continued introductions. Asha picked up the conversation, explaining their purpose together and what they would be doing. Her brow furrowed in thought as she looked at the stone structure in the distance and quickly frowned realizing what they were going to have to do. When Asha was done, Firen hopped ahead and Arda followed, hoping the others wouldn't be too far behind as they would reach the obelisk; the padawan let her fingertips gently brush against the cool stone before coming up to the door next to the rabbit.

"There is no emotion, there is peace." Arda read out loud, she personally disliked this line out of all of the Jedi code, finding it obsolete as to what many thought it meant. From the door, she turned and looked back at the stone obelisk and walked back over looking at the stone slabs, eyeing the piece before eyeing the keyhole places within the obelisk, "So I've always been partial to cutting my way into places." she frowned, "or finding another way inside." the girl explained. She looked to the others to see what their ideas were as she watched Firen hop onto the slab.

Arda also stepped onto one before stepping off and testing another with her weight.