<I>Jedi Hunter Scelestus sat motionless, facing Dajorra's falling sun, eyes half-closed and straining to watch its dying rays.<BR><BR>
Upon the creation of his lightsaber, he had been brought here personally by his Master and Aedile Socorra to a circular dais atop Arcona Citadel on Selen. It was the first time he had been allowed to the Ziggurat's upper levels: the Holy of Holies of Clan Arcona, where its greatest secrets lay. And, he suspected, if he failed in his tasks, it might well be the last time.<BR><BR>
The last rays dipped beneath the horizon, and a final ray of light seemed to linger, just moments, on the Jedi Hunter's face.<BR><BR>
It had been an apparently easy task: Meditate, without calling upon the Dark Side, without food or drink, with the sun full in the sky, from dawn to dusk. His Master had given a simple but forceful warning as the Jedi Hunter had set himself down for meditation: Failure to obey would be met with death. After that, the Krath had requisitioned the Journeyman's lightsaber and left him to his own devices.<BR><BR>
Darkness creeped forward as the sun finally disappeared, cloaking the Journeyman in shadow. Night had fallen.<BR><BR>
Wordlessly, the Jedi Hunter stood and turned around.<BR><BR>
Figures, robed, with lightsabers in-hand, stood upon the ziggurat, apparently waiting. Scelestus recognized many of them: Arconae, Summit and other luminaries, each important within the Clan. Still others stood silent and hooded, wordless and hidden. And before them all stood the lithe form of his Master Socorra, clad in her formal Invicta robes.<BR><BR>
"Jedi Hunter Scelestus," intoned the Aedile, "you have come before us seeking to be elevated, have you not?"<BR><BR>
Scelestus nodded, eyes downcast. "I have, Master".<BR><BR>
"Then understand that any hesitation, any disobedience, any defiance will result in death. Do you?"<BR><BR>
Again, the Jedi Hunter gave a nod, more cautiously this time. This elevation seemed unlike any other trial within the Clan
there was an unspecified sense that told him that his very life was at stake, here. Around, the gathered Arconans seemed to tense just slightly, and fingers hovered over an activation button. "I do, Master."<BR><BR>
"Very well then," she replied. "What makes you believe you are ready to become one of us?"<BR><BR>
An easy question, to begin with. "I have finished all tasks set before me by the Summit, and brought each to a good end."<BR><BR>
"Oh?" the Krath snarled suddenly, as her face contorted with disgust. "You mean the construction of this trinket?"<BR><BR>
Socorra reached within the folds of her robe, taking out a small cylinder.<BR><BR>
Scelestus recognized it instantly. It was his lightsaber.<BR><BR>
The Jedi Hunter looked at the Master, shocked. "Yes," he said weakly, as Socorra weighed the weapon in her hand.<BR><BR>
The Aedile snorted contemptuously, and tossed the weapon off the ziggurat without so much as another glance.<BR><BR>
"No!" Scelestus screamed, heedless of protocol. There, tumbling through the air, was a work of months: Something that the Jedi Hunter had poured his heart, his soul, and all his skill with the Dark Side in to create. And it was about to be unceremoniously destroyed by another's hand. It felt like someone ripping out his heart.<BR><BR>
And suddenly, that void within his chest was filled with rage. And power.<BR><BR>
Scelestus reached out a hand as fury spilled into his eyes and face, all propriety forgotten. The weapon abruptly reversed course, flashing to life before it had even finished settling in his hand. In a single, fluid motion, the Jedi Hunter ran through his Master with the shimmering blade of his own making. <BR><BR>
The Aedile seemed puzzled for a moment, as she stared at the Hunter. Then, a smile appeared on her face. "Very well," she managed to get out, before collapsing into shadow. <BR><BR>
Scelestus looked around, expecting the gathered Arconans to reach for him any moment now, but no such attack seemed forthcoming. Instead, the Arconae and Summit had their lightsabers still in-hand
but they appeared overall more relaxed, and some were even smiling. <BR><BR>
"Congratulations," a feminine voice said, the exotic Socorran accent rolling off her tongue. <BR><BR>
</I>But..no! That's impossible!<I> thought the Jedi Hunter, as one of the previously hooded figures removed said hood
only to show the face of Socorra. <BR><BR>
Then, comprehension dawned. </I>Of course. An Arconan Force Wraith.<I><BR><BR>
She nodded to him and smiled, pride beaming in her expression.<BR><BR>
The Consul, Wuntila Zratian Entar Arconae, Lord of the Shadow Clan, approached him, seemingly without fear or tension. "You have learned the final lesson of the Dark Side." <BR><BR>
" It's
about power, isn't it?" Scelestus ventured. <BR><BR>
"It's </I>always<I> about power," the Consul replied, smiling slightly. "But yes. The final lesson is this: Power is never given away. It is always taken. If someone should block your path, strike him down. Even if that someone is me." <BR><BR>
The Jedi Hunter nodded, comprehension dawning. Around him, the gathered Arconans lit their weapons, one by one. Around the ziggurat itself, on lower levels, others responded in kind, until the night sky was lit by dozens of separate weapons. <BR><BR>
"So
what will it be?" Wuntila asked, bringing forth a lightsaber of his own. "Do you claim the mantle of the Dark Jedi Knight?" <BR><BR>
Scelestus understood. Nodding slowly, he lit his lightsaber and raised it high. A hundred Arconans followed suit.<BR><BR>
Triumphant and ascendant, the newly frocked Dark Jedi Knight was first to shout as a hundred sabers pierced the sky:<BR><BR>
"ARCONA INVICTA!"</I><BR><BR>
I, Socorra Erinos, hereby request a promotion for Jedi Hunter Scelestus, who has fulfilled all requirements for promotion under the Dark Jedi Brotherhood's promotion guidelines, as follows:<BR><BR>
(REQUIRED AT LEAST:)<br>
Scelestus has been a Jedi Hunter for over six weeks.<BR>
Scelestus has earned two Anteian Crosses for his services. <BR>
Scelestus has earned a Sapphire Crescent and many others for his competition activity. <BR>
Scelestus has participated in the following 26 of 15 required competitions: Feud Wk 3 Multimedia, Feud Wk 3 Poem, Feud Wk 3 Fiction, Feud Wk 3 Acro, Feud Wk 2 Acro, Feud Wk 2 Fiction, Feud Wk 1 Propaganda, Feud Wk 1 Fiction, SG: Barn Raising, SG: Aliases Take 2, Why Care about Xmas, Life Day Presents, Trench Run, Xmas Songs, Tinseltown, 12 Days of Xmas, Simon Flash, Shadow Gate Motto, Shadow Gate Sharpshooter, Family Feud Aftermath, Family Feud Most Improved, Defend Your Nuts, HQD Initializations, Valentines for Arcona, FF4 Initialization, Hunt the Jedi<BR>
Scelestus has completed the following two Shadow Academy Leadership Exams: Leadership Studies 97% & Fundamentals 100%<BR>
Scelestus has created and run the following competition: Create a Force Power<BR>
Scelestus has performed the following major House Task: Recreated and polished the Shadow Gate wiki page.<BR>
(AT LEAST THREE OF THE FOLLOWING:)<br>
Scelestus has finished his character Wiki Article. <BR>
Scelestus has earned 96 of the 40 required Clusters of Fire. <BR>
Scelestus has earned the following Shadow Academy Degree: History<BR><BR>
As Scelestus has met and gone above and beyond all the necessary qualifications, I respectfully request his promotion to Dark Jedi Knight.<BR><BR>
Congratulations, my student. You have made me and Arcona so proud!<BR><BR>
In darkness, <BR>
DJK Socorra Erinos, Aedile of House Qel-Droma
General Socorra Tenebrosa Nhar’qual Erinos, 2012-03-19 13:13:56 UTC