Raezyr and Trychon headed back towards the Blacksmith hut so Raezyr could get back to work. They were followed at a small distance for quite a while by the small mob, and Trychon entertained them by using large hand gestures in reliving his recent battle.
When they arrived at Mathias' work hut, the crowd waited around as though waiting for Trychon to explode into some sort of embodiment of their 'one'. They began to thin out quickly when they realized they were making a scene not too far from the temple though. The last straggling monks walked off when Mathias came out and glared, just at Trychon was describing his final strike against the queen.
Moving inside the blacksmith's hut, they apologized to Mathias, who was quick to wave off the distraction. He ensured the two that he merely intervened because they'd mentioned how they were uncomfortable with the attention. They thanked him, and then excused themselves to the back work yard to finish their discussion.
When they heard Mathias hard at work again, Trychon quietly continued his explanation of the events. Rather than both of them trying to seemed concerned about the unusual occurrence, Raezyr laughed a bit at the dirt and grain stuck to Trychon because he felt the need to act as though he was being thrown. Trychon ultimately laughed with him, albeit quietly still.
As they were finishing their discussion of yet another one of the so called prophesies, and how it was odd that they weren't ready for what happened, they heard footsteps rapidly approaching. They halted their conversation as they watched Mannix skid around the corner, before stopping to try to catch his breath.
"Is it... Is it true, Trychon?" The young monk gasped for air. "Is it true that you wielded a black blade today? And I missed it?!"
Trychon smiled at him. "Yeah kid. Yes I did."
"Let me see." Mannix replied in a nearly demanding tone as he finally straightened up.
When Trychon refused, he thought for a moment that Mannix was actually going to try to take a swing at him, as ridiculous as it was to picture mentally. When they were able to explain their concerns about the Council watching their every move, and even fearing that they could see from afar with their amulets.
Mannix cursed and kicked at the dirt. "Man, even you guys treat me like a child. I know you have your reasons, but the council shouldn't be holding you back too! It all makes me so... troubled." He had wanted to say angry or mad or worse, but he was beginning to calm down and remember his teachings. He shouldn't have outbursts like that. Especially not if Trychon and Raezyr were right about the council spying.
After Trychon assured him that he would indeed get to see the 'Blade of Night' when the chance arose, Mannix half jogged back to his work. Undoubtedly he was off to finish hastily with high hopes for a glance at the weapon that very evening.
Trychon headed off shortly after Mannix had, unsure if he would go help Violet prepare more repellent. Instead he thought he would perhaps take the rest of the afternoon off to rest. He had after all defeated a HUGE frackin bug as he'd described the events earlier with the monks in earshot. He laughed again at the thought of his story telling for the audience. He decided he would go help Violet because that would look the best to monks, but he's probably head back to the hut a bit early as well.
As Trychon rounded the building to wave at Mathias another quick thank you and head off down the path, he caught Saffron peeking around the opposite corner of the hut. She saw Trychon almost immediately and walked past him, her cheeks carrying a slightly different hue from normal. He smiled as he walked off to gather herbs again, and as he did so, he was sure he felt her stop after only going a short way. He didn't turn back to confirm.
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After finishing up an afternoon's solid work of pounding metal, Raezyr and Mathias were both dripping with sweat, and ready to go home. Mathias was just finished giving Raezyr his normal thanks for the work, and was about to tell him he'd see him at home, when a few monks around Trychon's age showed up at the door.
"Mathias... the council asked that we go help the lumber gatherers bring in a bit extra for the feast tonight. Could you give us a hand?" The youngest in front asked Mathias, while staring unabashedly at Raezyr.
Right then, Raezyr heard a familiar presence creep in his mind as if to drop a little hint.
Mathias looked to Raezyr and then shook his head no to the latest intruders. "Sorry, gentlemen. We're both very tired from a long..."
Raezyr interrupted. "I'll go." He pushed off from the wall he was leaning on and stood straight to dust off the metal shavings from his clothes. opting to leave the work apparel on while he gathered wood for that evening.
Mathias tried to tell him he didn't have to go with them as he left with the excited whispers of the others, who were already on their way to the forrest. Raezyr shrugged him off and told him it was good to help.
After bringing in the second armful from several hundred meters deep into the forrest, Raezyr wished he wasn't stuck helping move the logs into town. While he was tired, he was certainly up to the task, bringing in more than anyone else who was working could hope to with their smaller statures. Raezyr allowed himself to marvel briefly at his improved strength and endurance these days, before thinking again about how kriffed off it would make him if Vikon was screwing with his head or trying to manipulate his emotions.
Just as he was about to tell the nearest worker that this would likely be his last load to haul in for the evening, everyone's ears perked at a somewhat distant yelping deeper in the forrest. Raezyr quickly dropped his armful and was dashing towards the origin of the noise while the others were still staring into the distance trying to discern what the noise itself was.
Raezyr found himself staring into a hole in the ground, at the base of what looked like an otherwise very sturdy old tree. There was another yelp from in the hole, and the Sith knew he had found the right place. He was about to call down into the black to find out if the monk had been hurt on his fall, even though the answer seemed obvious. Instead, he was shut up by the view of the old tree's roots moving back into place, muting the cries of pain below.
Raezyr was sure he had an odd look on his face when a few other monks caught up to him. "What's happened?" One of them exclaimed. Raezyr was about to answer as best he could, but when he turned to address the one who spoke, he just managed to catch the sight of a large branch whipping the man hard across his face.
My turn. Raezyr thought to himself as he grabbed his lightsaber and ignited it all in one motion, wondering what he'd need to do to save who ever had fallen beneath the tree. Maybe even a few more stragglers who were arriving just then as well, he thought as he watched another of the short men fall to the creaking of the mighty branches that were rapidly begining to fill the air with quick movement.
I'm not sure how it snuck up on me, but I can definitely feel the dark side energy tendrils controlling that tree now. MUST be Vikon, after all.
The fact that he could feel the control of the tree only increased his awareness of the battle that was beginning to take place in the area around him, even if that battle consisted mainly of the flailing limbs of a normally inanimate tree as well as those of a few diminutive monks.
He quickly rolled under the first large branch that swung his way, though he felt various twigs breaking off on his limbs as he passed underneath the attack. Without turning to look back, he turned and executed another roll, this time cutting the hefty branch in two as he slipped below it.
Rising to his feet, Raezyr sliced through a hefty branch that was mercilessly bludgeoning a man on the ground, who was clearly unconscious. Raezyr took another step and disarmed the two branches assailing another man who was in the middle of a failing attempt to fend off the tree while curled into a ball on the rough ground.
With those two avenues of attack taken away, the tree seemed to increase its concentration on Raezyr himself. The sith quickly found himself concentrating fully on sidestepping and blocking incoming assaults, rather than attacking the branches directly. At first, he was quick to wish that his longer bladed lightsaber was still functioning rather than this one, but he eventually found that the smaller blade made him more movement amongst the incoming attacks. He still wished to have both available though, and part of him could not wait to get off planet for that reason alone.
While he had switched to a defensive mode similar to swatting and dodging a barrage of blasterfire originally, Raezyr quickly enjoyed the difference in the two situations when the number of available 'weapons' near him dissipated. As the nearby attacks died down, Raezyr made fairly quick work of some of the other more dangerous branches in the surrounding area, circling the tree with his blade flying through endless quick movements.
With very little mishap outside a few unavoidable scratches, Raezyr found that he and his more battered companions were out of immediate danger from this tree. He looked around at the nearby trees, hoping that Vikon wouldn't simply take control of another, and continue the exercise. Fortunately, he still felt the dark presence only in the one area at the moment. Taking another look around, amidst the large groups of now dead branches, Raezyr counted at least half a dozen injured monks, though a few more could easily be hidden under the massive clumps of lumber.
As he was fairly certain that none of these monks were in any vital danger anymore, Raezyr turned back to the tree, which was still animatedly waving what branches it still could, though none had the reach to cause any harm. Raezyr thought about planting his saber deep into the base, hoping to kill the heart, but he knew better. Instead, he walked towards where the hole in the earth had opened earlier, trimming back further the branches he'd already sized down as he went.
It was tempting to him to attempt to duplicate Vikon's own trick and attempt to pull back the roots in place to see if he was able with the surrounding dirt already loosened, but he knew that any visible use of the Force would be greeted with unnecesary negativity. Instead, he knelt down at the base of the tree and cut a neat hole where he was sure the man had fallen. Again hearing the whimpers of pain from the underground, Raezyr dropped himself into the cavern below.
He was thankful for the glow of his lightsaber, as he looked around. It didn't seem like any natural cavern Raezyr had ever come across or even heard of. The soft soil makeup of both the walls and floor seemed to indicate that the cavern itself was probably a recent creation through some Force sorcery. The tangle of roots angling around in what seemed to be a natural order through the empty air supported his thoughts. Raezyr saw the whimpering monk in the furthest corner of the makeshift cavern. He was still very visibly rattled, and as Raezyr started to move in his direction, his eyes only got larger.
The roots around him came to life as though a reaction to his movements. That explains the cowering in the corner idea... Raezyr thought to himself as one pair of roots entangled his legs and another pushed backwards and downward on his chest. He fell hard to the floor and felt the roots continue to push hard on his chest while others began to push down on his arms.
He had dropped his lightsaber upon impact with the mess of dirt and roots on the cavern bottom. It was within inches of his fingers, but his upper arm was completely immobilized by the roots. Fairly positive that it was an action that the monk would miss even if there was light and not a frenzy of deadly tree limbs in between the saber and his eyes, he exerted just enough of a force pull to bring the lightsaber back into his hand. Raezyr felt the tree exert additional pressure on his chest, as though worried about the saber, or perhaps as Vikon warning him to keep his powers in check.
Raezyr smiled at the tree, and began slicing himself free, one aggressor at a time. He made rather short work of the issue, but then he began to feel the dirt above him begin to fall and impact on his head and shoulders. It was as though the tree intended to shake itself loose and crush down on them now that Raezyr had removed the support most directly below it.
That gave him an idea though. He quickly grabbed the reluctant monk and made his way back to the hole he'd made in the ground. Nobody appeared to help him, so he was forced to single handedly help the man up and out from the cavern, which was difficult with the entire area shaking around them and the man nervous to do almost anything at all. Finally, Raezyr was able to coax the man up to the ground again and pull himself after.
As soon as he was free from the hole, Raezyr ignited his weapon again and inserted it into the edge of the hole he'd made. He warned everyone who was conscious to back up as much as they were able as he began to slowly drag the blade through the ground and the roots directly around the trunk.
As he completed his circle, the tree dropped instantly down into its own cavern. With all of its root system severed, it gave shudder of sorts, and ceased moving unnaturally.
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