[IG56] The Courage to Change (Medium)
(by OP Rian Aslar #10701)
“Send out the Rancor!” boomed the heavily accented voice from far above, followed by a series of thudding clangs coming from the far side of the arena where a rusty gate slowly lifted. From the darkness within came a vicious snarl. Then without the slightest glance of hesitation a young rancor thundered out of the darkness, roaring and spraying drool. By the time where the beast entered the arena it slowed down for a brief moment to adjust to the new illumination before it unleashed another earsplitting roar.
Rian grinned at the beast that, although a young one, was already one and a half times bigger than the Wroonian, drawing a line on the ground with one of his Zhaboka’s blades. Then the rancor was upon him, slashing with claws as long as his whole hand and paws big enough to lift a man off his feet. Seeing the world as if Rian was one of the countless spectators his hands moved with chirugical precision, twirling and whirling the twin blades in graceful patterns that interjected the claws just a split second before they arrived. The rancor flailed and roared. It rose to its maximum height before bringing its fists down aiming to drill him into the arena’s surface.
The fists came down on him but instead of retreating from the blow, young Rian met it head on, interjecting it with the handle of the Zhaboka. Rian’s wrists shivered and ached under the weight of the rancor but he held his ground. The rancor stared down at him in utter disbelief. Rian took the opportunity, propelling himself into the air he swiveled his blade around and drove one of his blades deep into the chest of the beast. The rancor winced in pain and then collapsed face forward into the dirt of the arena.
The crowd fell silent, no one would have expected that one single man would be able to bring down a rancor, then the events somersaulted, the huttese voice boomed again, cursing Rian about the loss of his precious pet and a squad of guards stormed the arena, grabbing the blue skinned man on his arms, bringing him out of the arena and into the near palace of the local Hutt lord where he was put into a holding cell that smelled of rot and feces.
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Looking back at the last couple hours he wasn't sure what had happened. Rian was a good warrior, but he still shouldn’t have stood a chance against a rancor. Yet somehow he'd managed to kill the beast. It was beyond unbelievable. It was as if some mysterious power had taken over and guided his actions. It was exhilarating, but at the same time it was terrifying. Where had this power come from?
Rian was so wrapped up in his thoughts that at first he didn't even notice the robed stranger entering the prison, unlike the two gamorrean’s blocking his way with their massive axes. With the slightest motion of his hands the two Gamorrean guards sacked to the ground, unconscious. When he heard the sound of approaching footsteps he scrambled to his feet and stood straight and tall, unsure who the figure wearing a heavy, brown cloak was and what he was up to.
Pulling back the cloak Rian realized in shock that the newcomer was no one else than the Rattataki who instantly started to fumble at the doors lock. “Rian, get up, we need to hurry, this whole fight against the rancor was a farce. The Neiomidian has sold you to the Crime-lord as Rancor food.” The lock sprang open. “Rian, come with me if you want to live.”
Upon leaving the prison they were met with blasterfire blasting their way out. Taking cover the Rattataki produced a cylindrical from within his cloak. Fire sprung from one of its ends, the color of a brilliant emerald. What the hell has he ended up in? Meeting the guards with his lightsaber the Rattataki opened them a way out of the prison and to the palace’s landing platform, deflecting every burst of ionized blasterfire back at their pursuer.
“Rian, outside is a skiff, we can take it to escape.” He shouted over his shoulder while deflecting another volley of blasterfire. Rian burst outside and just like his mentor has said there was a small skiff, rusty and barely able to fly but for the young man and his companion it meant everything. In unison the two jumped over the permacrete border and into the skiff when the air was suddenly cut by the roar of a jetpack, Nawera, his owner’s first henchman, who now wore some strange armor, raising his right arm toward them. Rian wheeled the skiff around and down toward the massive jungle covering the surface when the air again was interrupted, this time the sound came from a miniature rocket engine’s whining racing toward them with incredible speed, followed by a deafening boom when their repulsors was hit. Spiraling down the skiff crashed into the branches and Rian’s world turned black.
Rian sat as if he was in a trance, leaning against the remains of the skiff. Next to him his old friend, the Rattaki was about to die. The events of the last few hours seemed to him somehow surreal, as if he had just dreamed it. Rian fervently hoped that it really was just a horrible nightmare from which he wanted to wake up as quickly as possible. But what if this was not a dream after all? What had gone wrong? Slowly, his mind became clear again. Back in the palace prison the Rattataki has told him about his owner’s betrayal and helped him to flee. "He has cheated us, and he has betrayed us." He muttered to himself. More and more one thought was in its inner.
- The Neimoidian will pay for it, he will suffer, suffer more than he can ever think of before he will end up paying with his life for this betrayal.- An uncontrollable anger rose up in him at this thought.
"Rian ..." the voice of the Rattataki was weak and he had to cough, "listen to me, Rian."
Rian slowly raised his head facing his mentor. “Rian, they will come for us, you need to leave me behind" The Rattataki had to cough again, while spitting a little blood on his clothes, "Promise me to flee, otherwise my whole life would have been meaningless." The voice of the Rattataki vomited again in a coughing fit and it took a moment before he spoke again. "Rian... fulfil your destiny, it has always been your destiny to be more than just a slave..." "More...?" Rian murmured softly. One moment there was silence. The Rattataki gurgled softly. "Rian, I want you to go to Karufr, there you will find people like yourself, only there you will be able to learn how to control the powers within you." the Rattataki coughing up blood again. “For me, you have been the son I never had the ...” His voice broke, and the last remnant of life vanished from his eyes.
His friend and mentor, the Rattataki was dead but his words still hung heavy in the air. - Fulfil your destiny... only there you will be able to learn how to control the powers within you... - There have been times before where felt that something strange guided him in certain situations, but was it the Force? Rian found it difficult to imagine that it was his destiny to.
"And what if I'm not ready to meet my fate?" said Rian although it was clear to him that no one else was here. In the distance, another skiff was visible above the crash Site.
A few minutes later, the other skiff landed next to the crashed one, Rian who was still leaning against the remains immediately knew the purpose of the six headed group jumping onto the ground. Led by Nawera they encircled him, weapons trained to fire at the slightest notion "Boy o boy, in what a mess did you just slid in," he asked "Have you really thought you could escape us?" Rian didn’t answer. The Twi'lek nodded at two of his followers. “Take him to the shuttle." Walking slowly over to Rian the two angled for him to get him onto his feet. In the distance the engines of yet another speeder could be heard. "Come on, it is better we are gone before we get unpleasant visitors." They supported Rian on either side when for the first time Rian called for the Twi’lek: "Let me go Nawera ..." "Sorry, but I can’t do that little thing for you.”
"Nawera that was not a request ..." At these words the Nawera paused for a brief moment. What happened next was hard to believe. Pure anger unleashed inside the young man, erupting as incredible power. In the span of a blink, he threw the two supporting him aside. One was severely smashed against a tree, while the other flew a few meters through the air before he landed unceremoniously on the muddy ground. One of the remaining reached for his blaster, but he was too slow and Rian broke his nose and jaw with a swift kick. The next one was also fared no better ... Rian’s hand shot forward, summoning the lightsaber of his dead mentor into his waiting palm. The blade sprang to life, impaling his foe as it did so. The one remaing despite Nawera reached for his blaster, but for him as well it was too late. Before he could make a shot Rian disarmed him severing his arm at the shoulder. He screamed in pain, dropping to his knees. Rian revert the grip on the lightsaber cutting through the throat of him whereupon the bellowing became only gurgling. Nawera who has already been on the skiff looked back at him, scarcely believed his eyes, all his companions were dead, only Rian was still standing. Seeing no reason to die, Nawera powered up the engines and the skiff shot into the sky. With all threat gone his powers vanished too and the lightsaber fell from his hand.
Soon after an airspeeder landed near the crash site, and a powerfully built man leaped out of the cockpit, his eyes offering him a picture of horror, dead people were lying everywhere. Only one person seemed to be still alive, kneeling on the ground. "Hey you, are you all right? Are you hurt?” No answer. When he was standing directly in front of him the stranger slowly lifted his head. 2 large scars ran through his eyes, which glowed in an unusual colour. "I asked if you are ok." The seated figure looked at him, and then it only said: "I need to go to Karufr:”
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OP Rian Aslar (Obelisk)/QUA/Taldryan [TOR] [GMRG: I] [ACC: II]
GC-PoDP / SC-SoF / AC / DC-BP / GN-BL / SN / BN-BL / Cr-3R-6A-5S-9E-11T-5Q / CF / CI-GC / LS-BL / SoL-TC / S:-10B-7De-3Ret-18Dec-13Aff
{SA: MVL - MVF}