Terrogate apprentices Xuurdjem

156 ABY, The New Glactic Empire
~Apprentice seeking / claiming / first trial post~
Host IC : Iron Knight Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere & Iron Apprentice Xuurdjem Xctal’ix
Location : Houre Tollere Colosseum, the Gallica World Ship
A message goes out over the Galactic wide frequency..
 //frequency opened/ stand by//….. Attention all Acolytes and Neophytes of the New Galactic Empire, I knight Terrogate am seeking an apprentice to learn in the ways of the force. If you believe yourself worthy of my time you may seek me out at the newly built House Tollere colosseum aboard the Gallica world ship. I will be waiting for you on it's blood stained sands…..//link terminated//. 
********
A calling had been sent out by a fellow Ironborn. The Knight Terrogate wished to teach an apprentice and he didn't want to miss it. The Knight informed him off a transport shuttle in the hangar and pointed him in a direction. Xuurdjem marched off down the halls until he found the TAX-13, but not before becoming lost a few times.
"Where to, Sir?" The droid pilot asked as the large Togrutan climbed aboard. "Get me on board the Gallica. As close to the coliseum as you can." Xuurdjem answered with a grin. He didn't know what a coliseum was, but it sounded fun. Enjoying life was his biggest strength and flaw at times. "Roger, roger." The TAX-13 lifted off the deck and hurdled out of the hangar bay, whirring by the enormous ship. He finally could see its true glory, but they jumped before he could paint the image in his mind.
The Gallica soon came into view, worried that he might have forgotten something he checked over his gear. All were with him. By the time he finished, his transport had begun landing. Xuurdjem waited until the landing gear touched the floor and hurled himself out of the ship. Rolling to cushion the two meter fall, Xuurdjem stood up and turned. "Coliseum?" He asked a trooper on his way, but the trooper didn't reply. So he asked droids until he found his way to a twelve story tall massive arena with intricate inlays and majestic architecture.
"This must be the place." Xuurdjem strode in equipping his shield and saber in hand. A couple minutes later the walls opened into a giant ring with spectators seating all around. He smiled large and joyous at the sight. "I made it Iron Knight Terrogate."
*******
“Greetings Iron Neophyte” growled the Cathar warrior as Xuurdjem took to the sands of the otherwise empty gladiatorial arena. Terrogate stood in the dead centre of the area and had back turned away from the entrance as he spoke, but he had sensed the desert warriors presence even before his feline ears picked up the sound of boots on stone or the words of the large man.
The near 7foot Cather turned around to face the one bold enough to approach him, his eyes no longer red like the Tollere new recruit Xuurdjem may remember from the interview room. Now they were bright emerald green.
Terrogate was dressed in his battle armour, custom ballistic leather and beskar alloy shin, forearm and shoulder protectors. The leather waist straps of his armour flapped loosely in the warm breeze, gently touching over the twin sabers that clipped on his belt and his tail swaying back and forth lightly behind him.
There was close to 50 meters distance between the two males once the Neophyte appeared at the entrance. “You may approach me Xuurdjem” said Terrogate in a deep voice that seemed to echo off the arena walls, the warrior inclined his head slightly after he spoke.
*********
Xuurdjem was excited to see his fellow housemate in the ring. Though in an arena Xuurdjem's heart raced with the anticipation of a possible fight, he kept breathing steady and slow. It wasn't wise to let your heart get ahead of you. He removed his cloak allowing his armor to be seen. The horned helmet covering his head, the pauldrons, sun guards and bracers made of durasteel. It was heavy even without the pouches of survival gear. The sniper rifle he laid in the cloak with the other items but his blaster he kept on his side. Folding his cloak into a sack the man set them to the side as he wouldn't need those things right now.
Xuurdjem was only a half foot shorter than the Cathar and weighed relatively close. 'I wonder what is in store for me.' He thought walking up. "Greetings Knight Terrogate. Are we to sharpen each other, Sir?" By this time he was only two meters away. Close enough to feel the innate power this Knight held. It was magnificent. A noble warrior. Xuurdjem bowed his head though his eyes never left the larger man. Not out of mistrust. Out of respect as a dangerous man. Then loosened up a bit while in a neutral defensive stance.
***********
The Cathar smiled as the heavyset Iron Neophyte approached him across the sands. His mind took him back to when his own Master had called him forth to the Feros arena, well before this Colosseum was ever built. Terrogate had been cautious that he had been summoned that evening by the Iron Gauntlet to be punished or killed, and the Cathar had prepared himself to meet his death. The truth of the situation was he was actually summoned for his rebirth and not to receive his execution. The irony of the encounter had since not been lost on the warrior.
The anticipation grew and tension could be felt in the air as the Neophyte drew nearer until finally he was close enough to engage conversation more freely. The aura that surrounded the knight was thick and electric, and inside he could feel the power of the force coursing through him.
“Are we to sharpen each other, Sir?" Xuurdjem asked as he stood face to face with the Knight after bowing, the ends of the Cathars thick golden mane fluttering to and fro in the breeze as the warriors' emerald eyes looked directly into Xuurdjems. The desert warrior was almost as tall as the Cathar and built solid. Not much was known about this newcomer but now closer and in the light of the arena Terrogate knew that look he saw in his eyes, the look of a man that had seen battle at its worst.
“I assume you have come seeking a Master, my fellow Ironborn?”. Terrogate said not to waste time with fanciful words, he knew there was only one reason anyone would have sought him out here in this place at this time.
“If so, know you have chosen your application well. You will train hard. I will push you farther than you have ever been pushed. Under my tutelage you will learn more about yourself than you thought possible. I will instruct you in the ways of the force and combat, and encourage you to learn from other Lords and Masters you will also encounter in the Empire.” The Cathar pauses and takes a breath to let the information sink in.. “If this is what you seek Xuurdjem Xctal’ix, then kneel before me.”
********
Xuurdjem's eyes grew wider with the Cathar's words. The pressure from the Knight's aura was heavy with static, much like during his interview. He wanted to know. Needed to know how he could obtain such a power. Knight Terrogate would surely test his limits and push him beyond that. The hair raised on his arms as Xuurdjem knelt down. Laying his shield in front of him face up and the saber next to it Xuurdjem removed his helmet placing it on top of the shield. Looking up to the knight he said only two words. "Yes, Master."
******
The Cathar stands stoic, his house pride filling him as he hears the words of the Tollere defender. “Then rise! Iron Apprentice Xuurdjem!” he bellowed out loud and raised his arms to motion the new apprentice to stand. His deep growl of a voice again echoing throughout the empty coliseum. “For your training…... starts now.” He finished the sentence more softly poked and on his last word Terrogate raised his right hand as he began to walk away from his new apprentice and towards the large exit doors. At once a chain was heard being pulled from near a metal bared doorway far from where the two males were only moments ago positioned.
The arena lights dimmed, rain began to fall from the artificial environment.. and as the gates opened a large beast emerged… a lizard-like creature easily four meters long from snout to tail and two meters tall with clawed feet, striped colours on its back and eyes glowing red.. at once it looked around the arena and then it saw Xuurdjem in the center.. and began to slowly circle. Tongue flicking in and out of its mouth and razor claws leaving small indents as it moved on the sand savoring the meal to come. Never did it take its eyes off the apprentice.
******
The metal chain spurred Xuurdjem's reactions to reequip his armor and weapon. Turning to face the door he witnessed a beast lizard, a smile almost broke his face. This was a feral, hungry predator. He could tell from how it moved. Rain sets in. Now it will get interesting. The mud would cake his body wherever it touched. Shield raised and crouched low into a defensive stance the Togruta began watching energy motion. The animal would show it's weakness. The lizard beast was eyeing him in the same fashion. Xuurdjem had never tried eating one of those. He'd not seen one till today.
Two predators. Hunting each other in an open arena. Rhythmically Xuurdjem banged the hilt of his saber on his shield emitting a vocal "Thume! Thume! Thume!" His unwieldly long saber carried it's own weight being slightly blade heavy in balance. The look of a man who was bestially hungry began to close the gap very slowly. Inching along and circling the animal. Xuurdjem would afford the creature that one small indication. The animal was not hunting. It both predator and prey just as the apprentice before it. "Thume! Thume!... Raaah!" He pump faked the beast watching for a tell.
******
The lizard beast continues to circle the new apprentice who had picked up his shield and assumed a defencive stance. The lizard beast snarled as his prey sat idly waiting to be devoured. The beat of the saber against the shield was slow, deep and rhythmic like that of a war drum and then a raging warcry to follow it. The lizard beast Shakes is mane allowing the excess of water to fly off in all directions and then lifted its head and let out an almighty roar revealing two rows of razor sharp teeth.. it lowered its head and charged the iron apprentice staying low to the ground as it ran, its tongue hissing and its intent ravenous it closed in to within several meters of the Togruta Xuurdjem sending wet clumps of sand flying into the air behind it. As the lizard beast got to within a 3 meter striking distance it turned sharply and sent its tail whipping towards the apprentices position. The apprentice would perhaps notice on the very end of the tail we’re several inch long barbs.
******
The flinching feint was effective enough to spur the beast's attack. It roared and rumbled the ground as it stormed across the arena floor. Flinging mud behind it and hissing along the way. Two sharp rows of teeth, long clawed feet, explosive speed, and the tail. Dangerous weapons and with its size this creature could use him as a new chew toy easily. Not today.
Xuurdjem's stride was wide. His reach was a little longer than average. His defense. Solid. Still lowered into his stance the warrior changed to aggressive neutral, shield up and saber pointed forward. Twenty meters. Fifteen meters. Xuurdjem leans more weight onto his front leg. Ten meters. The strong presence of the Force in this place leant to his determination. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, pulse hastened, and alert. This was a normal animal to most of his house, but to him it was like one of the legendary monsters his father used to talk about. He respected it as a formidable predator like himself.
"That hide's mine…" he murmured. Flipping his blade in reverse grip at the last second Xuurdjem changed to a deep boxer's pose. Almost kneeling to it. The tail whips around to throw him and daze his mind. His saber, an extension of his elbow, slices wide as he steps into the blow and throws his shield around his back. He'd take this beast's range attacks away. 'Its testing me to see my claws.' He thought as the large man took a step forward with his right foot and brought the saber to cross his chest. Shield behind him like a shell. His eyes burning with aggression and primal bloodlust burrowed into the animal's own. Xuurdjem growls low and guttural.
******
The beast's tail whips to meet the apprentice who steps into the blow shield first and it takes the brunt of the hit, with his reverse grip he slices wide cutting the beast's tail off at its end and the beast screeches a high pitched, stuttering, almost avarian sound of agony. As the lightsaber severed tail whips freely to the side off the apprentices saber arm the inch long barbs that lined its tails end explode outwards a full meter in diameter looking to find their mark. Their ends, unbeknown to the apprentice, were a natural venom for the predator. A large amount of the toxin would be enough to paralyze a full grown Bantha allowing a family of beasts to feed at their Leisure, but even a small amount would be enough to cause local temporary paralysis to a fully grown beings limbs.
The wild beast reels backwards several steps, temporarily dazed by the pain but quickly refocuses back on its prey. It’s freshly severed tail dripped small drops of blood into the wet sand behind it as it swayed but the wound was almost fully cauterized by the intense heat of the lightsaber.
The rain beating down runs off the beasts snouts as it lowers its head to the ground…eyes raised, stalking its prey… its long tongue flicking in and out. Trying to taste the Togrutas scent. The beast coils low… ready to pounce.. and then with furious desperation it launches itself at the apprentice. Mouth wide open bearing its twin sets of teeth, its front legs raised and outstretched, claws protracted it leaps at the ironborn. Clearly looking to overpower its prey through sheer aggression and power. The apprentice would need to move quickly to avoid, or risk being landed on by a much heavier and larger foe.
******
When the tail spikes explode outward a majority are deflected by the shield, but his exposed blade arm and right leg catch a needle. His blade hits the sands just as the severed tail. The beast reels back in pain, Xuurdjem looks to his feet where spikes are stuck in the ground. His leg and arm go limp. 'Kark!' Runs through his mind for a split second as he grabs his shield like a disc and hurls it at the beast's face as it leaps. Xuurdjem drops down to quickly snag a handful of the darts and lunges out of the way with all he can put into his left leg. He rolled forward and off to the beast's left. Just barely being missed by the crushing blow Xuurdjem is dangerously close. Spikes in hand Xuurdjem would try to stab at it with its own venom.
*******
As the beast expodes into attack mode the apprentice decides to throw his shield at the beast and to the left as the large predator then catches the disk and lands on it on the very spot Xuurdjem was standing just a fraction of a second ago. Shaking, biting and clawing at the metallic intimidate object now caught in its mouth until it finally lets go of the shield, realising it wasn't the flesh and blood that it so craved.
Turning to track it's escaped prey the beast again moves towards the apprentice, stepping over the shield and also the apprentices saber both lying below the beasts belly now as it again crouched, tongue flicking, eyes of crimson fire and it once again charged the apprentice.. This time staying low as it lept through the pouring rain, closing the small amount of space between the two quickly and with aggressive intent. It's teeth filled mouth open and looking to latch onto the ironborn apprentice the first chance it had.
*****
When the tail spikes explode outward a majority are deflected by the shield, but his exposed blade arm and right leg catch a needle. His blade hits the sands just as the severed tail. The beast reels back in pain, Xuurdjem looks to his feet where spikes are stuck in the ground. His leg and arm go limp. 'Kark!' Runs through his mind for a split second as he grabs his shield like a disc and hurls it at the beast's face as it leaps. Xuurdjem drops down to quickly snag a handful of the darts and lunges out of the way with all he can put into his left leg. He rolled forward and off to the beast's left. Just barely being missed by the crushing blow Xuurdjem is dangerously close. Spikes in hand Xuurdjem would try to stab at it with its own venom.
*****
As the beast explodes into a full frontal airial attack the apprentice decides to throw his shield at the beast and maneuvers to the left as the large predator then catches the thrown disk and lands on it in the very spot Xuurdjem was standing just a fraction of a second ago. Shaking it, biting it and clawing at the metallic intimidate object now caught in its mouth until it finally lets go of the shield, realising it wasn't the flesh and blood that it so craved.
Turning to track it's escaped prey the beast again moves towards the apprentice, stepping over the shield and also the apprentices saber both lying below the animals belly now as it again crouched, tongue flicking, eyes of crimson fire and it once again charged the apprentice.. This time staying low as it lept through the pouring rain, closing the small amount of space between the two quickly and with aggressive intent. It's teeth filled mouth open and looking to latch onto the ironborn apprentice the first chance it had.
*****
The animal leapt onto his shield, the distraction worked. His strike with the darts was a miss as the beast jostled about. Xuurdjem backed away slowly pushing himself with the one movable leg. His hand called to his saber, but it only shook in the muddy sand. The beast turned to find Xuurdjem wounded by its venom. 'Come to me!' He pleaded with the blade as the beast lowered itself. Only shaking until Xuurdjem cleared his mind and felt something like a part of his soul was trying to grab it. The moment before it launches at him again Xuurdjem's lengthy saber snaps to the air. Flying towards him unsteadily, but he's able to grab it. Xuurdjem couldn't tell if the weapon had sliced through its belly or not. His instincts screamed at him to jump and he listened. His left leg threw him into the air with more force than he knew he had when the beast jumps. He's above it falling fast so with his one good hand Xuurdjem thrusts the blade at the animal as he descends upon it.
Telekinesis - 1 Augmentation - 1
******
The apprentice's blade was finally pulled from the mud underneath the lizard like beast slicing a line across it’s chest with the blade as it traveled up into Xuurdjems free hand. The saber then sliced up and across the lower part of the monster's neck as the iron apprentice used the force to augment his body and leap into the air causing the large animal to follow the line of its prey and rear up onto it hind quaters with Xuurdjem coming down towards its raised back. His lightsaber pointed downward and as he falls the saber impaled the beast through its middle back and out near its groin.
The lizard beast shrieks with pain and stumbles backward then falls onto its back with the apprentice underneath him pinning him to the ground, his lightsaber still inside the animal. The monstrous lizard instinctively tries to twist and get to its feet to escape but in doing so causes the lightsaber to cut it almost clean in half. It’s hot blood and internal organs spilling out and flooding over the new apprentice pinned underneath it and the large creature shrieks a blood curdling wail of pain, convulses once and then collapses exhaling it’s final breath, it’s dead eyes stare ahead wide opened as the rain pours down on the two combatants.. the slight twitching of the beasts large claws and steam releasing from it’s hot blood the only signs that it had been recently alive.
***
Within a few short moments the rain eases to nothing and a loud single clapping sound is heard echoing across the emptiness of the arena. Terrogate stands on top of the podium and applauds his new apprentice with a wide toothy grin. “Well done apprentice Xuurdjem” he bellows out loud, roaring loud that even from the middle of the arena the iron apprentice would be able to hear him.
“When you are ready see yourself to the medical room near the arena entrance to be looked over and given the antivenom. Soon we will start your iron path to knighthood.” The broad shouldered Cathar finished speaking and turned to leave, leaving the apprentice lying under the dead beast on the wet blood soaked sands of the combat arena. It was a fitting start for a desert warrior.
*****
Xuurdjem wipes the blood from his eyes and spits out what's in his mouth before taking a deep sigh and relaxing for a couple minutes. Laughing softly Xuurdjem called out, "Yes! I'm gonna love my new rug and darts. Thanks buddy." Looking around he can only find innards within reach so he pats them in disgust. Over time he's able to worm his way out from under the monster and drag himself to the medical unit.
The droids and attendants rushed to him as he wilted onto a patient's table. "Apprentice Xuurdjem. You are injured from that much weight coming down on you. You need to stay still for several hours while we work." Xuurdjem growled and blustered trying to stand again. "Fix my arm and leg! I can't let that hide go to waste sitting out there for hours. After I fetch that you can do all the other doctor things."
This behavior did not surprise the lead physician overseeing this unit. Very calmly he reassured everything that Knight Terrogate would not pick just anyone to train. "This is a man with the heart of a warrior. Give him the antidote before he starts damaging our equipment." A twi'lek attendee rushed over with the anti-venom set aside for this test delivering the injections in his leg and arm. Within a few minutes the apprentice regained mobility and ran out to the dead animal, snatching up his cloak wrapped items on the way.
***
With all the needles he could find and the two halves of what was salvageable from the animal's hide tied up or stowed away in a pouch Xuurdjem returned to the medical bay. Tossing the skins to a droid he asked him, "Since I'm in bad shape could you see to it that those hides get stretched out and cleaned of any fat or meat?" Xuurdjem laid down waiting on the response. "Roger, roger." It answered and walked off. With his big concern taken care of he fell asleep very quickly.
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