Searching

[T'air'un Bled]

T’air’un Bled had finally decided to make his journey. To hone his gift, he would go to the end of the galaxy, and, as it turned out, to hell itself. Bled knew he had a connection to the Force. That was the only explanation for the extraordinary talents he displayed. He was by no means a prodigy, but through painstaking practice and pure will, backed only by his ambition, he strengthened his abilities. He could manipulate objects from afar, see events before they happened, and move at speeds faster than any normal human, if only for a short time. Far was he from being considered a Jedi of any description, but this was why he made this journey. To obtain power in its purest form, to control events around him; these were his goals. T’air’un had searched for quite some time for a path, a method to gain this power. Only through rumors and tales had he heard of the so-called ‘evil’ that wielded this kind of power. It had taken him years and a considerable number of credits to get him to where he was now, the planet Vjun.

The idea of such a place did not appeal to him, but mere climate was not going to stop him. Terror lay in his heart, for these were beings of considerable power. On their word, he could die. He looked at a computer diagram analysis of the planet. Only one section of the planet was remotely habitable, kept so by a bubble of atmosphere.

T’air’un fed the computer these co-ordinates and initiated the engines. After about 15 minutes his ship had landed on the planet near the fabled ‘Bast Castle’. He got his equipment- some basic supplies and two disruptors. He did not expect to get into a fight with anyone here, and certainly was not foolish enough to believe he could win a fight against a Jedi with mere disruptors, but despite this, he still brought them.

The land was like every description ever given to it: desolate and harsh. Chances were, if there was anything that could be considered unpleasant, it could probably be found on this planet. As Bled approached Bast Castle, he was a tad surprised. He had expected something old and decayed, built from rock. Instead he found a modern building, constructed with metal, fully functioning power, and energy shielding. It was built with all the technology from current day. Bled had imagined it would be more of a ritualistic place. The first of many misconceptions he had of this place.

With a nervous step, he set out for the castle gates.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Strangely enough, the gates opened before T'air'un could reach them to knock.

From within the castle, a short figure emerged. He stopped at the top of the grand stairs that led to the gates and looked down at T'air'un from them.

"Yeeeeeeeeesss?" he asked, drawing the word out in such a way that implied T'air'un was both a waste of time and an insect in the eyes of the speaker.

[T'air'un Bled]

T'air'un was immediately offset by the opening of the gates. The sudden appearance of the small man wasn't helping his mood nor was the casual and rather creepy greeting . Bled kept his fear in check but did not let it stop him from being cautious. When it came to Jedi, nothing was to be assumed. Even someone as small as this dwarf could unleash hell using the Force. Bled kept his composure for he wanted to show no weakness to these people. T'air'un stood tall and spoke confidently.

"My name is T'air'un Bled. I have come to request training in the Dark Arts and in return I offer whatever skills I have that may be of value to the Black Hand."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob abruptly fell over laughing, kicking his feet in the air and holding his sides with his arms. "Skills?" he asked when his laughs had subsided. "Skills? Do please show me some of these... 'skills' you speak of."

[T'air'un Bled]

T'air'un felt his fear melt to anger. This ridicule burned straight through him; it forced T'air'un to focus hard to control his emotions. He stared at the man intently spoke in an cold voice.

" I think you misunderstand me, sir. As of now, I obviously have nothing to offer beings of such great strength as yourselves. I meant that after I had recieved my training I would serve the Black Hand."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Eh, heh.. heh heh.. oh, dearie me, that was quite the chuckle." Hob wiped a nonexistant tear away from his eye.

"So," Hob continued after standing again. "Why would you serve the Hand? Wandering all the way out t' a rock as forsaken as this one, just to learn from a group o' beings ye know naught of? No sane being would do such, lad! Ye must be two biscuits short o' a basket!"

[T'air'un Bled]

T'air'un at this point was still annoyed with this man. His casual ridicule still stung harshly. This being turned out to be stranger and stranger, talking about strange objects. He had never heard of 'biscuits' before. Perhaps they were some type of fiber that composed a basket. Whatever they were, this analogy was not lost on Bled.

"The reason I am here, sir, is because I know that your group weilds great power over the force. It is a power I, myself, wish to weild. I want you to teach me how to use my ability to its fullest potential. I want to learn how to control this ability, nay, the force. With all the stories I have heard of your groups' accomplishments, I got the impression you were the best. Am I mistaken?"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Aye, lad, ye were," Hob chuckled. "There is no 'Best' here. I am but Hob, an' ye would be well advised t' leave this place. 'tis dangerous."

[T'air'un Bled]

Tairun felt his rage building up inside of him. He would NOT be swayed from his goal that easily, especially not by this creature.

" If I considered danger a deterrant, I would not have come here in first place. The Black Hand does not have what anyone would consider a 'pretty image' and it is located on this forsaken planet. Surely this is proof enough I did not travel here on some whim. I want to become a jedi and do not think I will be turned away so easily. Will you please allow me to pass?"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"A Jedi?"

Hob put on a strange expression and peered at T'air'un. "Jedi, you say?"

Hob's eyes bulged suddenly. His lips pressed together and a lump rose in his throat. For a few seconds, he was able to hold it in, but then it burst forth from his mouth.

"Baaaaaaaaahhhh, humbug!"

The words carried with them a horrible stench of rotting bodies and opened graves. The face of the Hobgoblin screwed itself up, and another lump rose in his throat.

Then he vomited a corpse.

It was putrid and rank, with shreds of flesh still clinging to cracked bones and limp, worm-ridden muscles.

"As ye can see," Hob grinned. "I eat Jedi fer breakfast."

He then waved a negligent hand and T'air'un was thrown off his feet by telekinetic power. "Ye would not last against a Jedi-eater. Be off with ye."

[T'air'un Bled]

T'air'un hit the ground hard. The stench of what ever it was he had smelled had made him sick, and the sight of such a disgusting object of the magnitude being expelled from his body through the mouth completely threw him over the edge. T'air'un felt a lump in his own throat as he got to his knees. The combination of the attack and the sight caused T'air'un himself to throw-up. He spent a moment focusing his mind getting his body under control. He stood up slowly. There was no doubt in his mind that what he had seen wasn't completely real, but it did solidify one fact for him, he wasn't dealing with some lacky. This guy was the real deal and it made T'air'un all more determined to join, if only to become powerful enough to teach this creature a lesson. T'air'un faced Hobgoblin. With a putrid taste in his mouth and nose, he spoke.

" I don't know how you made that thing appear, but you won't stop me that easily. Don't push someone too far, or they might start pushing back."

Without thinking about the consequences of his actions, T'air'un focused his own mind and used the anger that this little man had stirred in him to use his own telekenetic push. He thrust his arms foreward and put all his effort into pushing this creature against the wall. He walked towards the creature to enhance the effect.

"Now, let me pass!"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

The force that T'air'un exerted on him, Hob dissipated easily.

"Pass? Pass, you say?"

Hobgoblin placed a hand on the ground, then vaulted into a one-hand-stand, grinning and beckoning. "Go right ahead. Pass."

With his free hand, Hob made a negligent gesture and T'air'un found his feet swept out from under him. Before he could stand again, Hob made another negligent gesture and T'air'un's body was dragged along the ground several yards by invisible hands,

"What's the matter, lad?" Hob grinned from atop the steps. "Ye seem t' have trouble with those legs o' yours."

[T'air'un Bled]

T'airun grew angrier and agrier with every passing moment. The drag accross the ground had ripped his clothing, but fortunately, not his skin. He got up quickly.

"Fine" Bled yelled. " Have it your way, we can finish this differently."

He pulled out his disruptors. Physical attacks would require him to reach his opponent and his force powers were dwarfed by this man. T'air'un started to run toward the stairs and started shooting at Hob. He fired off 14 shots as fast as he could, making sure he didn't deplete his bateries right away.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

It almost seemed to happen in slow motion.

Hob's form became shadows and flickers of movement. From the center of it, a red blade extended itself, standing between the disruptor shots and its' owner's safety. Without thought or hesitation, it moved and the shadow that was Hob moved with it. The shots bounced off of its' redness, or missed the shadow altogether. So slight and perfectly calculated were the dodges and blocks, that by the time they had all been dealt with, Hob was back in his original position, seemingly having never moved.

T'air'un, meanwhile, was charging up the stairs. Hob let him keep coming.

[T'air'un Bled]

T'air slowed to a stop halfway up the stairs. He was no match for a Dark Jedi with a lightsaber. Projectile weapons were useless and he had left his grenades on his ship. To his mind sprang a story he had heard; a man had created a make shift grenade out of blaster power packs. He knew the process for which it had to be done, he would just have to make sure Hob didn't know what he was doing. Bled walked over to the side railing, keeping his weapons trained at Hob. He put away his disruptor and jumped over the side. He crouched in the shadow overcast by the stairs. Hob wouldn't be able to see him unless he walked over to the side and looked down.

"I think I might have over reacted." Bled spoke to stall for time.

He started working on his 'grenades'. He pulled out his disruptor packs. He knew the mechanics behind the idea correctly, his weapons would be more powerful. Probobly enough to destroy a wall, or, in this case, a dark jedi. Bled worked on making three explosives. It wouldn't take long, but he knew if Hob knew what he was doing, his plan would surely be a failure. He tried to distract him.

"I just wanted to join so badly. I wanted the power you have. I beg of you, let me pass. Let's end this conflict. There is no need for us to fight."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob's eyes narrowed and he cut the power to his lightsaber, letting it hiss off. "The use of power must be finely watched and controlled, lad, or it is destructive to its' wielder and its' surroundings. Still- you show the beginnings of wisdom when you seek restraint. Put your weapon away, and come out, and we will talk."

Having said this, Hob began to walk down the steps,

[T'air'un Bled]

T'air'un was completely caught off gaurd by this man's willingness to compromise. He had expected something more violent from the Dwarf. Something didn't seem right though. Bled got this nagging feeling that Hob was trying to trick him. If there was one thing the dark side had been reknown for, it was its deceptiveness. Bled worked as fast as he could, he had finished the preparations for his 'grenades' and was now assembling them. It would take him much longer to put them together. He was working as quickly as possible. He waited a few seconds before replying, trying to buy as much time as he could. When Bled did speak, he spoke slowly and carefully.

"I thank you for your patience. I'm affraid my emotions got the best of me. I have, what you might call, an explosive temper. It is sometimes difficult to control. I find great comfort in the fact that you believe I have the beginings of wisdom. I was worried that I held no promise to you at all. I hope I can demonstrate to you more qualities that you might value. "

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob continued down the steps, reaching the bottom before Bled had finished speaking. He paused to hear the man out, then turned the corner. "It is my hope as well, lad. Now put your device down. It was a grand trick, but ye face a master trickster, an' he is nae so easily fooled."

"Put it down," he repeated. "An' we will talk."

[T'air'un Bled]

Bled, in awe at the little guy's arrival, actually stood up. He had finished his 'grenades' and had only to tie the wires to get them to overload. T'air'un left them on the ground, because they weren't going to do much for him now. With his hands up, palms facing outward, he turned around to face Hob. T'air'un kept aware of the location of the makeshift bombs, just in case he might need them. Bled lowered his hands as he faced the man and kept a wary eye on his opponent, not wanting to be caught off guard a second time. T'air'un was clearly annoyed at Hob for sneaking up on him.

"Well, you can't blame me. What else was I to do? However, if that is what you would like to do, then let us talk. In fact, I have a good topic: why won't you let me enter the castle?"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob looked as though T'air'un had just offered him a weasel for lunch. "An' let just any vermin in? No, no, such is not the way of Dark Jedi, don't y'know."

Hob waggled his head back and forth, thinking. "Tell ye what, lad. We shall arm-wrestle for the right t' enter the castle. Hob shall not use his power to aid him. Sound good to you, does that?"

[T'air'un Bled]

T'air'un squinted at the man, almost certain this was some kind of a trick. However, if all it was going to take was to beat this guy in an arm wrestling competition to become a Jedi, he would gladly give it a try. Bled was by no means a muscle man, but he was fit and as long as Hobgoblin didn't use the Force, T'air'un felt he could win.

"Ok. That will work. I think that would be quite a fair way to decide, as long as you keep your word.."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob wandered over to the bottom step, where he sat down. He leaned forward, resting one elbow on the step and holding out his hand for Bled to take.

[T'air'un Bled]

T'air'un walked over to the step as well and sat near him as well. He couldn't help but feel like he was being tricked. Bled kept a close eye on Hob's other hand has he sat down and placed his elbow on the step and clasped the Short One's hand. He place his other hand on his thigh, close enough so that he could grab his weapon if he needed it.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"We go on three, lad," Hob said. "Touch the step with yer knuckle an' lose. Those be the only rules. Ready? One, two, three!"

The two of them began straining against each other, neither giving way more than a bit.

Just when T'air'un seemed to have a slight edge, Hob began making funny and distracting faces at him.

[T'air'un Bled]

This was probobly the most pathetic thing Bled had ever seen. It was funny, but only because of how stupid it made Hobgolin seem. T'air'un focused hard and ignored what the little man did. He threw more of his weight into his arm. Bled had to win this, or he would never live it down.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob's arm began to fall closer to the step. In addition to the making his faces more gruesome (eyes rolling back in his head, tongue lolling out of his mouth and drooling), he began to add disgusting noises to them as well.

[T'air'un Bled]

The creepiness of Hob's actions only made Bled more determined. He redoubled his efforts and gave another powerful push, while at the same time, closing his eyes.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

With Hob's hand hovering a few inches above the stone steps, he unleashed the full weight of his acting talents. His first act was to let loose a piercing screech that sped off into the distance, only to return echoed by dozens of the spirits that haunted Vjun. The screech fell into wails and shouts of anger, emotions that were palpable to even an untrained Force Sensitive like Bled because they had the weight of the Force behind them.

And then, Hob looked straight in the eyes of his opponent and revealed in his expression the utter contempt he felt for this small and insignificant thing that had crawled up to his doorstep, requesting to be remade into something greater.

[T'air'un Bled]

Bled focus wavered. The piercing screem destroyed his concentration. As T'air'un's strength left him, his arm slowly moved farther away from the step he had worked so hard to get to. Then Bled got a glance at the man's eyes. His distaste and superiority fueled his emotion. As his anger grew, so did his determination. He wasn't about to be beaten by some deranged dwarf. Bled squinted back his own look made of composed of part defiance, part superiority, and two parts hatred. He thrust what strength he had into driving that 'thing's hand into the cold step. His goal right now, what he wanted more than anything, was to crush that man like the bug he was. As he pushed his opponents hand onto the step, he kept an even stare at Hob, as if trying to say no matter how good Hob was, Bled was better.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob's hand gently lowered itself onto the step, brushing it lightly. "Well, such is that," Hob said, getting up immediately. "You win, lad. Feel free to enter Bast and seek membership with the Hand."

The old dwarf then began to walk off.

[T'air'un Bled]

Bled stood in shock with a surprised wide eyed stare following Hobgoblin. He could hardly believe that he was allowed to enter so easily. T'air'un turned around and walked up the steps. Bled walked cautiously, for something did not seem right, but leaving was just not an option. He walked to the doors. He looked around for a door opening mechanism for a while before he figured out he actually had to push them. He leaned on the door and found it to be heavier than he had realized. He stopped for a second and looked at the door again. He shook his head, stepped back places his palms against the door and gave a powerful push. The door opened slowly, but surely. Tairun walked quickly through the opening and looked around to see a wide open chamber. The main room was a lot grander than he had originally suspected. Bled suddenly realized an annoying fact. He didn't know where he was supposed to go. He started wandering around the castle looking for a place the resembled a meeting area. After about a half hour, Bled found a room that resembled a meeting area, wide and circular, it was cloaked in darkness and seemed completely uninhabited. This had to be the place. Bled looked around the room and after a second, he called out softly.
"is there anyone there?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

A shadow separated from the wall, but was soon revealed to be a woman in a dark blue dress walking through a dark doorway as Bled's eyes adjusted to the darkness. "Welcome to the Hand, brother. I am De'Ville."

She held out a slim white hand towards the man. "What is your name?"

[T'air'un Bled]

(ooc: sorry bout the time it took for my reply. T'air is 29)
Bled looked the woman over slowly. He nodded his head toward De'Ville. He grasped and shook her hand softly.
" Thank you for accepting me into your group. My name is T'air'un Bled. I have come in hopes of recieving training in the ways of the Dark Side."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She quirked an eyebrow up, "Training it is you seek? Very well. I am sure that one of your new siblings will take the task gladly."

De'Ville gestured, taking in the room, and the rest of the castle. "Bast is a large place, and I am sure you will be able to find suitable lodgings within its walls."

[T'air'un Bled]

((ooc: I am soooo sorry about not replying until now. The new computer at home does not have a phone jack, and I was unable to get to the internet. ))
T'air'un was a tad offset by her helpful nature. Moreover, he was surprised at positive reaction to her. He rarely acted friendly towards anyone, unless they were hiring him.
" I hope that one of our brothers, or sisters, will be willing As for room and board, I am certain I will find acceptable accomodations in this fortress. Bast appears to be a cavernous place. I would surmise that a person could wander these halls, through and through, for months and still not know half of what there is to know about Bast. However, my mind is still plagued by one question. How am I to contact a master willing to train me? The only other person I have met here is that strange little man outside, and I think he is a tad too busy scaring people away to teach me. "

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Her eyes half closed as he talked, and she looked at him through herlidded eyes. "Perhaps that will be your first test. To find someone."

De'Ville smiled, and stood to her feet, walking out of the room without another look backwards.

ooc:I suggest a new thread in the Candelabra of Malice in which to continue your search for a master. :) /ic: