Elevated over a ravine, the Massassi Arena has withstood the tests of time. It is arranged in a circular formation and made by a slab of stone that connects the opposite slopes of the ravine. On its eastern side, the floating arena leads to a staircase and into a near-vertical cliff face. Because of its nearly unsupported vantage that overlooks a several hundred-meter fall, even the smallest creatures can feel the occasional motion the platform makes as the breeze brushes across its cold surface.

Adding to the adrenaline rush of standing within the slab’s concentric patterns carved into the rock, barriers and obstacles echo the Massassi’s commitment to taking every advantage over their opponents. Pillars ring the outer edge without guard rails between them, some remaining intact and others having toppled into the arena or over the perilous heights. Weeds and other fauna cover each surface as nature seeks to reclaim the ravine and eventually send the arena itself to the depths.

A creaky rope-bridge leads away towards another ancient suspended platform with the same weathered, upturned stones. Mossy footing, and uneven ground make each of these platforms unique in small subtle ways. While there is no seating for formal spectators, the ancient stones of the Massassi Arena hold an omniscient, aged wisdom that speak to the things they have seen and the battles fought through history.

A third rope-bridge leads to yet another platform, completing the triad of battlegrounds that make up the Massassi Arena.

Soft boots tapped against the ancient steps of the Massassi arena as Seer Qor descended onto the mossy stone, his sharp eyes scanning the jungle. This desolate location was a prime area for ambushes by predators, and possibly pirates. Qor turned to face the third arena in the distance and saw his ally, Dek, cross the rickety bridge.

With his hands shaking and the rotten wood crumbling beneath his polished officer boots, the Commander winced at the creaking wood but relaxed shortly after he stepped off the bridge and onto solid ground.

“Do we really have to come all the way out here, just to practice? The Tipoca medical station has plenty of rooms with sparring mats,” his arm extended to the jungle as his face sunk with dissatisfaction. Dek didn’t mind the humid forests, but he wasn’t too keen on animals. Qor smirked and sensed the uneasiness in him.

“Yes I know it is eccentric, you can’t exactly talk your way out of the problems here, but how else will you learn to defend yourself in the real world? How else would you suggest to practice against the inevitable assassins trying to halt your success?” Qor smiled as he slowly backed to the edge of the arena, his feet carefully stepping between the ropes he tied.

Darting and zigzagging across all three arenas was a series of pulleys, snapping traps and pins that were capable of activation from just a single kick. Above the arena, the fallen pillars and trees were lined with rotten trunks, strung up rocks and darts capable of incapacitating the strongest of foes. Dek slowly looked up and gulped hard.

“And you expect me to survive this, how?” His head cocked to the side, his forehead creased in worry.

“By trusting your instinct. Go!” Qor nodded in confidence to the Human who slowly began to tiptoe through the ropes carefully, while Qor approached from his flank.

“Right,” Dek nodded. “I’ll use the instinct and you use that trusty Force of yours to take advantage of me.” The Commander chuckled, his toe softly hit a pin. The metal pinged loudly as the rope it held yanked and disappeared into the air. The rotten trunk above fell out of place and dived towards him. His eyes widened as he accidentally fell backward and onto a leaning pillar. The trunk smashed into the ground and splintered in every way but Dek’s, hiding several yards of rope beneath it.

“Seems the Force likes you today,” Qor winked as he took out his saberstaff. Dek watched him and smiled nervously.

“About to make some firewood?” He asked.

“Nope,” Qor activated one of the emerald blades of his saberstaff and swung hard at the Human. Dek saw it coming and jolted in shock, causing him to duck and fall into a gap between the broken pillars. The blade smashed against the cold stone and sent sparks flying across the arena.

Qor backed away from the broken pillar and activated the other blade, then waited for Dek to appear.

“This is how assassins try to kill you Commander. The elements of surprise and deceit are their greatest assets,” he flurried his saberstaff and raised it above his head, parallel to the ground.

Peering through the cracks in the pillar, Dek gulped again and slowly brought out his blaster. The Commander quickly stood and fired several shots into the ground, which bounced back upwards and towards the Quarren. Qor smiled and pursed his lips, admiring the unconventional use of the blaster, while his blades deflected the bolts away and into the jungle.

“Impressive. You use your surroundings like a Sokan master, I wonder what you would be like if you practiced with a lightsaber.” Qor smiled as he cut one of the ropes nearby. A series of low rumbles collectively built until the sight of large boulders cascading down the nearby hill caused Dek to shriek. He bounced over the thick pillar and hopped through the ropes, then made his way onto the rickety bridge.

The boulders dropped and slammed against the arena floor, crumbling the surface into pockets of sheer drops. The Seer slowly approached the bridge and chuckled.

“Wood and rope don’t hold well against a lightsaber, Dek. You better run fast,” Qor teased the old rope with the tip of his lightsaber, as strands of the bridge began to burn and glide free. The Commander raised his eyebrows and panted heavily, forcing his body further across the bridge. Then he heard the snap of wood.

The Commander jolted forward. The sound of whooshing behind him made the hair on his neck stand. Near the edge of the bridge, he dove clumsily towards the cobblestone and dirt that embodied the floors of the locale. The ropes of the bridge had become loose from the heat of the saber, and thus had allowed a giant log to swing over him, dirt covering his jaw. The human spun, still prone, to face to sky. Looking up, Lexiconus was chuckling across the way. The bridge was now more rickety than previous. Dek would have to use this to his advantage.

Instinct. Deceit. Sokan...whatever the fwec that is, the human thought. He looked behind him. A path lead to other arenas and other forested and jungle areas.

"You can't outrun someone who wants to kill you," the quarren pointed out, shaking his head.

Dek, slightly dazed from his stumble, shot towards the remaining ropes on the bridge. Out of the 5 shots, two hit the ropes and the bridge started to crumble further. He holstered his weapon and spun back onto his stomach into some brush. He stood up and started running alongside the log that almost hit him, still swinging ever so slowly. Deceit. Dek's cloak was catching on the wind. He also had his commlink with him. Instinct. Animals. The human scanned from the bridges and few next arena pads into the forests for some animals. He could see some birds in the trees, but not much in terms of other wildlife. He scanned the ground as well. Qor might've laid other traps for Dek to fall into.

One of the wooden pillars holding the bridge looked meddled with. He kicked it a bit and it crumbled quickly, rotting from the inside. The bridge was destabilized on purpose. That was a no go.

Dek has very little understanding of the Force, yet he knew most beings had some form of it within them. He picked out the ion grenade from his belt activated it, and threw it into the forests. He then hid behind one of the pillars on the new hanging arena and took off his cloak. Occasional pirates had been here too, according to the intelligence.

BOOOOMM!!!

He opened his commlink, watching as the hundreds of birds flew into the air. Animals scurried further into the forests, and dirt wisped off the platform.

Qor had leaped across the platform, attempting to slowly follow Dek. Upon the explosion, the forest burst alive with the Force. The quarren's commlink became active, "Lex! Pirates!" He could hear both his commlink and the yells of the human in the mid distance. The Seer heard blaster fire while feeling a tinge of danger in the back of his mind. He ran to the aid of his ally and Dek's loud, screaming voice could be heard. The Palpatine looked over the edge of a bridge and could see a cloak falling with great speed down into the ravine. He placed his saber away and reached out with the force to grab the cloak. It slowed and let a medium sized boulder slip out of it. Dek was not inside it.

He's learning, Qor thought to himself.