A Trickster's arts. (all my apprentices)

[Evil Hobgoblin]

(ooc) Zasz, Vega, Jibrielle, you guys are required for this thread. Anybody else who wants in is fine, but this is mainly a thread for general Dark Jedi instruction.

(ic)
Hobgoblin juggled.

Hobgoblin juggled in his chambers.

Hobgoblin juggled in the Crystal Cavern section of his chambers.

Deeply in tune with the Force, Hobgoblin juggled in the Crystal Cavern section of his chambers.

Hobgoblin juggled fireballs.

When the ebb and flow of the Force was right- though right for what, only Hob knew- the Trickster hurled three fireballs from the set he was juggling up higher than the rest. They flew through the ceiling, each taking their own separate course through Bast's walls and floors, before coming to a stop in the chambers of Hob's three apprentices.

There they waited for the attention of those they had come to seek.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

It was fairly rare that the Lupine would actually be in his 'chambers' on Vjun. His presence there didn't seem necessity, nor was it pleasant to spend his days brooding in the cell-like room without company. Never the less, he was here searching for something he'd left on his first visitation here - a book, on the history of Vjun and Bast Castle in particular. The spirits which apparently inhabited the walls had been playing tricks on him as of late, tripping him in the hall ways and the like, and thus Vega was determined to find out exactly why, and more importantly what he could do about it.

Knelt over a hardwood cabinet, he rifled through the papers inside, throwing those he decided were useless out onto the floor in his hurry to locate the tome. He threw at least twenty out at the wall, and paused only when the sound of something hissing caught his attention. Evidently, it wasn't the new 'friend' he'd aqquired in his head from Sorsha - the parasite - it was something outside.

A slight sniff at the air, and he could smell burning.

One of the books had shot straight through a ball of flame that had appeared out of no where in the center of the room. Rising up to his feet, he looked down at the flame - brow furrowing - and then directed his eyes at the ground. This was Hob's work, and quite obviously was not just some idle jest.

Thus, the Lord trampled over the pile of paper out into the hall. The fireball followed in tow, spitting and bobbing about when permitted, though always keeping a good foot perimeter around Vega. Only after Vega had clambered down into Hob's chambers did the sphere leave him, dancing about gleefully as it came in close contact with its creator.

"Master?"

[Jibrielle Abunai]

Jibrielle sat up and lifted her face into the air, smelling something burning. She had been trying to sleep - something which she couldn't have much of, because of the restless spirits that inhabited the Castle. Not like she minded, infact, she rather liked their company.

But they had never actually produced anything like fire.

Rather curious yet frightened at the same time, the girl threw back the covers and slipped off the bed, stretching. She still had on her clothes from yesterday, which were nothing but a plain brown dress with a white collar. Her blue hair stood out like a sore thumb.

Walking over to her door, she opened it partially and peeked out. As she saw the dancing ball of fire, she watched with amazement as it floated in mid-air. It had to be of Hobgoblin's doing for she could think of no one else who would want her. After Jibrielle opened the door, the ball of fire immediately began to float away.

Realizing that she should follow it, the Apprentice began to trudge behind the flame. It led her down the winding corridors and a flight of stairs. After much walking and opening of doors, she went into the small room where he had led her before for her first training session. There, she moved the table to the side, revealing the hole in the floor. Closing her eyes, she stepped into it, falling. And falling. Landing on the ground.

Luckily, she had landed on her feet, but stumbled forward a bit. Mumbling to herself, Jibrielle walked through her Master's chambers until coming to the beautiful "Crystal Cavern". There, she saw Hobgoblin juggling more fireballs and another man - Vega, she presumed.

Remaining silent, she clasped her hands behind her back and looked down at the ground.

[Zasz Grimm]

Thinking.

Thinking.

Thinking of Power.

Zasz was standing in his chambers, staring out a window; a protected window mind you, staring at the barren wasteland that was Vjun. He had been spending his time here on Vjun, in Bast quite a bit as of late, researching, learning, as much as he could.

His last battle was not a good one for him. Lady Vader had made him look like a fool, and made Zasz think twice before acting on an impulse of revenge, rather, retribution. He had to retreat. Zasz needed to be stronger, and smarter to face her again.

The Dark Knight looked to the desk he had been on earlier, books scattered with scrolls and the like. The voices of the spirits of Bast were rather loud in his room, not that odd to Zasz anymore, infact he liked the company sometimes. but sometimes they were pests, pushing things over, and things of the like.

He heard something, a whisking against the wind. He turned and saw a ball of fire. He didn't see this everyday, and he arched his brow as it started to move off, exiting his room, it seemed to open the door itself. Zasz put on his cloak and went after it, his other things already on. He went down the steps and outwards, towards a lair? Cavern!

Hob's Crystal Cavern.

He stepped down the rocks, and other miscellaneous things in his path, proceeding downwards as he looked around and saw other people, and Hobgoblin; his new master.

"You requested me, Master?"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

As each apprentice returned, the fireball that had guided them flew back into Hob's hands and was recirculated with its' fellows. When Zasz arrived, Hob threw the fireballs a few more times, then caught and extinguished each.

He then looked at his apprentices. Looked long, and looked hard. "All life is lies," he said.

"All life is truth," he added.

"You who would be Dark Jedi must understand this," he continued. "What is false to you is false, and what is true to you is true. There is no aspect of life, or the Force, that is not as you see it to be."

Hob then stood up and ambled over to the fountain, where he hopped onto the rim at its' base. Then he turned to address his apprentices with the fountain gurgling and splashing as a backdrop. "Do you understand how fully and deeply those two maxims penetrate your lives? I think you do not, or I would not have called you here today."

Hob sat on the rim, his legs swinging in the air beneath his brown robe.

"What would you have? What skill, what thing, what person, what place, what single thing would each of you have for your own, if you could?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

What Hobgoblin spoke of was no foreign concept to Vega, and infact any who knew the Lupine knew this to be true. In everything, he believed he was right. There was not a word that passed his lips that he did not consider to be absolute and final truth in his dogmatic mind. If he said the sky was green, then it was – and if people would not have faith in this, then he would remove their annoying presence from his life.

Of course, this did not alter his concentration on the Hobgoblins words. The Dark Jedi was a very wise one, and had profound thoughts on almost everything; something which Vega himself could not boast, ergo he listened and listened well. It was a most interesting topic that he spoke on, and one that Vega had mulled over quite a bit in his past years of growing power. The prospect of being able to get whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, was one that drew nearer as his abilities became crisper.

But what did he want?

“Control.”

The answer to this was very simple – control. Complete and utter control. Not just over force users or the Jedi or anything as narrow as that, but over every living creature that existed within the universe. If he was going to have power, it wouldn’t be a meager blinkered kind; it would be the reigns of life itself in his hands. In essence, the notion of being a dictator was one he liked a lot.

“The fate of the universe to be dependant on the advisedness of my every word and deed.”

[Jibrielle Abunai]

There were things in life that Jibrielle lusted after like any other person; Except maybe one desire was becoming an obsession.

"I would have you," she stated as a matter-of-factly.

The words slipped through her lips as easily as water, and not a muscle twitched. Hobgoblin already knew this, of course - for was there anything he didn't ?

[Zasz Grimm]

Power.

The Power to control the chaos inside.

The power to control all chaos.

These were his answers in his mind as he looked to Hobgoblin and listened to the others speak their answers, and what they wanted. Since he brought the clones, much had happened. They were searching for masters, and asked Zasz many questions, almost Daily.

Cyriam was doing who knows what with Mili. Well, of course he knew what, but still.

Kineas was still awe stricken with Dalethria, it would never go away.

Zasz arched his right eyebrow as he approached Hobgoblin, his new Master, he stopped about 6 feet from where he was as he looked down to the Dark Dwarf, what seemingly seemed to be now, the Core of The Black Hand, for he brought everyone together as of late.

"Power. The Power to control my will, and use it's essence to control what is needed in the Galaxy. Knowledge. The knowledge to know how to use that Power. And Stability."

Would this answer be satisfactory?

Would it?

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Control, power and knowledge, and myself," Hob smiled, ticking them off on his fingers. "Ahh, the dreams of youth."

Then Hob's face went cold. "Only one of you has given an answer suitable of a Dark Jedi."

Hob turned to Zasz. "Young Grimm. You have thought well. Tell me- why would Vega be ill-advised to be given the control he seeks? Why would it be unwise for Jibrielle to simply have me? Answer this question to my satisfaction, and you shall learn the most of the three here today."

[Zasz Grimm]

"In my opinion master, Vega cannot have his control, for what would he use it for? He said he would bend the universe to him. But does the universe need that. In my opinion, he is still thinking somewhat like a Sith, but that is to be expected."

He looked to Hobgoblin, then to Vega, then to Jibrielle.

"As Dark Jedi, we crave power, some even lust for it beyond anything else. But to put it to good use. Peace. We bring peace to the chaos. Peace in the galaxy is what we want, at all costs."

"For Jibrielle to have you, above all else, is without reason, as is Vega's Power. They need reason."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

There was a drawn out silence, broken only by some of the subtle sounds in Hob's cave. "I have underestimated you, young Grimm," Hob said at last. "Jeseth has trained you well."

"Simple domination or possession is not enough," Hob said, addressing Jibrielle and Vega. "You, who would control the universe. To what end would you control it? If there is no benefit in your control for the commonfolk, they will reject it, and use their power to attempt to overwhelm you."

"You, who would possess Hob- would you simply do so to satisfy your own needs? Or would you devote yourself, not just to Hob's protection, but to the spread of his truth as well?"

Hob regarded the experienced former Sith and the learning apprentice. "If you pursue things only for the aggrandizement of self, it will leave you empty of purpose and vacant of spirit. That allows the Dark Side to possess you and weaken you, instead of remaining your tool."

"You must all learn to counter the Dark Side's effect on you, and the best way to do this is through open meditation and communion."

Hob gestured at the fountain in the middle of the cavern. "Get in."

[Jibrielle Abunai]

Casting her gaze onto the ground, the girl frowned. Of course her answer wasn't satisfactory, and now to have it be spoken outloud made her seem even more foolish. Her skin turned slightly hotter than usual from embaressment. When Hobgoblin finally said, "Get in", she looked up and saw him gesturing towards the fountain.

She remembered it from their first training session, and glanced at Vega and Zasz before walking towards it. Whenever she tried to remember what she felt in the fountain it seemed like a dream, but yet, here she was - although she felt slightly guilty that such pure waters could be tainted by the likes of her.

Looking inside the peaceful, blue water, Jibrielle then stepped inside carefully, gripping the side of the fountain with her hands. The liquid felt cool and refreshing, and she looked anxiously towards Hob.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

The urge to sneer at the response was quelled by the Lupine as he looked to the fountain which he had been instructed to enter. What Zasz had said was true in some aspects, he was still thinking with the mind of a Sith, but this was not to say that he could not change, if he wanted. Of course, then there was the problem of convincing Vega that he did not want to dominate everything and anything he came into contact with. Never the less, he imagined that sometime it would have to be accomplished.

Approaching the fountain, he removed the coat he wore and dropped it down onto the ground by the lip. Then, stepping in, he stood in thought in the water, eyes watching the Hobgoblin for some sign of reason or rationale behind this instruction.

[Zasz Grimm]

Zasz looked towards the others with an arched brow. He moved forward as he stepped into the water, his long dark trench coat still on him. He started to wade towards the middle as Hobgoblin instructed them all to do.

He watched Vega, then he turned his eyes to Jibrielle to see their reactions on things. Things should surely be interesting.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob leapt high into the air, landing in the pool at the fountaintop with a slight splash. Water ran over the edge quietly, down the length of the fountain to the wide, deep pool at its base, a pool that sank sharply outside of the small ledge that his apprentices were standing on.

Hob sat, and gazed at each of his apprentices in turn. "We will build a communion today," he said. Then the old dwarf closed his eyes and bent his head.

Nothing seemed to happen at first, but that illusion was quickly dispelled. Beads of the overflowing water dripped off the fountain and stopped, hovering in midair. The beads then began to drift, floating upwards in sheer defiance of natural law. From the fountain, they were drawn in the shape of a column that stretched to the cavern roof.

Each of the apprentices felt a slight nudge from Hob, a telepathic message that indicated they, too, should bend their efforts to this task.

[Zasz Grimm]

Zasz closed his eyes as after he watched the task that Hobgoblin performed just then. He wanted his apprentice to help, and help he would. He concentrated on the Dark Side and it's flow through him as he too made the water defy the law of gravity.

Soon more followed each bead that went upward into the air to build his own column to add on to that of Hob's. He closed his eyes, concentrating on his task.

Rigorous it was, but he would carry on the task never-the-less. He kept on as the water flowed upwards to the top of the Crystal Cavern.

[Jibrielle Abunai]

Hobgoblin had already been teaching her how to tap into the Force and how to control it, and now she mentally dug up the lessons in her mind and performed a little 'skimming' of everything.

All she had to do was relax and reach out with her mind ...

Taking in a deep breath, Jibrielle let her muscles loosen and concentrated, urging the water to stop and float gently up into the air. It didn't happen as quickly as Zasz had done it, but a few water droplets began to float up into the air, joining the rest.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Now this was something he could do. Telekinesis and the control of things with one’s mind was technique Vega prided himself on. He spread his arms wide in front of his body and upturned his palms. His mind bent towards the task at hand, and the Force began to ebb through his veins like the Ichor of the Gods. The Darkside welling up inside of him, Vega curled his fingertips inwards and added to the pillar as the spray of water turned back on itself, making a U-turn to join the column with swift speed.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Through the Force, Hob could see each apprentice's effort and each had a kind of personality inherent in their methods. Vega was flashing and powerful, Jibrielle determined, but quiet, and Zasz confident and sure. They revealed much in the way they wielded the Force, and Hob believed these three different beings would work well together.

But first, they would need to understand why.

To the efforts of each of his apprentices, Hob added another element- coordination. Some of Vega's sheer power was diverted, providing spaces which could support drops of water but were currently empty. Jibrielle, in contrast, found it easier to add her particular arrangement of droplets to the combination in the empty spaces Hob had created. Their efforts were then tied into Zasz's, giving them all a constant rhythm. Between them all, there was a kind of bond that Hob provided- each could see how their efforts were reinforced by those of the other two.

The effect was spectacular- the column of water, which had been disjointed in the beginning, took on the form of a willow tree. At the top, the water arched back down, mingling with the trunk and yet still separate from it.

With everything thus arranged, Hob spoke.

"The tension on the surface of a pond can support a bug that walks across it. Did you know, Zasz, that it can also support you?"

It seemed to indicate that Zasz should step into the tree.

[Zasz Grimm]

He immediately began to wade forward. He had to trust Hobgoblin's words - and he did - but was unsure of what would happen to him after he stepped into the massive pillar of water. He let his hands touch it as he was slowly raised upwards.

He was again unsure as he looked back downwards to Hob for words of what to do, or anything to do at all. He felt his boots start to get wet as he steadied himself. He had risen all the way to the top of it and was some distance from his Master, Jibrielle, and Vega.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Do you understand how it is you float above the ground, held up by nothing but tiny droplets of water?" Hob asked Zasz. "It is the Force. You are wrapped in it, cocooned in its embrace. You need but seduce it to your wishes in the same fashion, and you too will be able to float."

Hob gazed at his other apprentices and they began to feel a dampening of their efforts- a sign they should cease. Although they did cease, the column of water did not fall, and neither did Zasz: the one simply shrunk back into the pool and the other remained aloft.

"Together, it is possible for us to go beyond ourselves," Hob said. "We must not forget the greatest of our abilities is working with our brethren. Against a united Hand, all will fall."

After this pronouncement, Zasz's form lowered to the fountain pool. "Meditation and communion with one's brethren is important," he said sagely. "Forget that lesson not."