Chương 73: V.1-C.73│Knighthood III│
Now that everything had been set up and Anakin had been introduced to the crowd, to whoever within the Republic was watching, they could officially start.
"And now for our first event." The announcer said. "The trial of skill."
The Trial of Skill was one of the oldest trials in the battery of tests preferred by the Order.
While the test did consist of numerous displays of lightsaber technique, the main thing that the battlemaster looked for when judging a potential Knight was their ability to avoid distraction through self-discipline.
Walking into the set up arena, Anakin is now being shown to the galaxy.
Everyone had become quiet as to hear what the announcer had to say. "The Jedi do not usually do this and in fact do not conduct trials like this all together." The announcer continued to give some trivia. "Before its formalization, the trial was made up of acrobatic feats, while using the Force to levitate objects in the midst of storms."
A three-part assessment addressing physical, mental, and combat challenges will take place.
The standard physical challenges included a test of climbing, heights, endurance, escape and leaping. The mental challenges which followed tested skill with levitation, a second endurance test, duress, and reflection.
Anakin would then go on to complete the physical and mental challenges easily given that there was not much opposing forces against him.
The last part of the trial required a student to face off against some form of adversary, though the individual or individuals they faced varied in species or allegiance, and could be made of flesh and blood or a clever simulacrum created from archived data.
The tests of conflict, dueling, and of the calm mind pitted Padawans against droids, other students, the Temple Battlemaster, or even the Grand Master, and outlast their attacks.
"What a performance! Young Padawan Skywalker was easily able to pass through the first two parts of the trial of skills, but now he will have to compete against another Jedi." The Jedi announcer said then continued. "Will he be going against a battlemaster? Will he go up against the grandmaster himself?"
Yoda speaks up here taking over from their announcer. "Padawan Skywalker face an opponent you must. Two main opponents you will today face, but first other padawans you will go against."
Anakin was given a training lightsaber because he was to face off multiple supposed enemies that are younger them him. Those of whom would have been considered his peers but even though their ages are around the same or are exactly so, that doesn't mean they were a match for him.
So a one on one duel would be considered unfair.
After having everyone lined up, Anakin was on the opposing side. The other padawans were in their own corner as well before the fight would begin, among them included some random padawans not well known within his memory.
"Begin." Yoda called having needed to be the overseer of this fight.
The fight didn't last very long because Anakin was able to easily out skill them but considering they were just normal Jedi students it makes sense.
"Defeated your peers you have. Face a battlemaster now you must." Yoda said as his first opponent made himself known by jumping down into the arena.
It was Jedi Master Cin Drallig.
"Padawan Skywalker, I do hope you impress me." Cin Drallig said.
Anakin replies. "I do hope so as well." Having known all of the candidates that he would face, at the top of the list was Cin Drallig, the current battlemaster.
Anakin had learnt a thing or two when it came to saber combat from him, he had succeeded Dooku who was known to be an excellent dualist so this fight should be fun.
This time Anakin was not using a practice saber and neither was Cin Drallig. Both ignited their sabers getting ready to engage each other.
No order was given to begin and they went at it.
Anakin was using the signature style Mace had passed onto him since no doubt others could learn a thing or two if they watched closely. Drallig was instructed by Yoda himself and would make a formidable opponent.
They exchange their first strikes testing the waters.
Drallig's movements were fast, very fast that with each blow Anakin would have had trouble keeping up with if he wasn't prepared or had the abilities to overcome his opponent. Anakin had wanted to put on a display since even though he wouldn't be making any direct money from this he would atleast do so indirectly.
Drallig had developed his own unique style of lightsaber combat, calling upon the Force to enhance his speed and relying on unconventional and unpredictable movements.
Drallig had mastered all seven forms of lightsaber combat and his understanding and knowledge of each form was outstanding enough that he was considered the most prolific lightsaber instructor in the Temple, second only to Yoda himself.
This didn't pose to much of a problem for Anakin as he too had trained extensively with other forms. In fact a special eighth form had been in the works but it is incomplete, for now.
The duel between the two last for a while because while Anakin overall is stronger the battlemaster still has more experience than him thus making the battle go longer. Still Anakin wanted to test out the seventh form even when he wont taunt his opponent.
After a while, Yoda called out. "That is enough." The battle had finished, or more like had ended in a draw between the two, and Anakin's next opponent will test him.
Drallig steps outside the arena and who is up next is not known to the crowd but Anakin can see the future to a much greater capacity even since learning or more like copying the unique shatterpoints ability Mace had.
It was Yoda himself.
"Opponent I will be, test your skill for myself I will see." Yoda said as everyone was roaring with excitement at seeing the illustrious grandmaster in combat.
Anakin does a respectful bow knowing that while he may be able to kill Yoda if he wanted he would be unable to beat him into submission. It is always harder to knock out your foe then to kill them because control is not a factor in situations like that.
Yoda's diminutive frame should not be taken at face value.
The Force can still allow those even though they are older in their years to become strong enough to defeat those who may have more energy and are younger than them.
A green lightsaber is emitted from Yoda while Anakin ignites his blue lightsaber again not intending to use both just yet.
Again, no signal was given and the two were at it with Yoda being very nimble jumping and exchanging blows with Anakin but if one was able to see they would identify that Yoda would most of the time lose out in those moments.
Anakin's strength and speed was greater and even though Yoda was more skilled and experienced he couldn't win against Anakin in a duel like this. So Yoda changed up the way he fights Anakin by resorting to keeping his distance as much as possible.
Within these battles neither participant is meant to use Force abilities like telekinesis but empowering your own body is allowed.
Another strike is exchanged between the two and this duel becomes another prolonged fight between the two.
[]
After a while, Anakin had been defeated but the duel between the two nearly ended in a draw. This only showed Anakin that he wasn't quite prepared or ready yet when it came to things like this but he knew with time he would only get better.
"Wow! What an amazing display of skill." The announcer voiced the thought of everyone within the crowd and possibly the public, not that most of them even knew anything when it came to lightsaber combat.
Within the arena, Anakin was bowing towards Yoda as a sign of respect. "Master Yoda, I think that I could have had you there."
Chuckling a bit Yoda replied. "Nearly you did."
While everyone was finished with their own thoughts and the crowd had died down, the next trial would begin. Anakin did not need to complete the trial of courage as he has already shown such qualities before.
With him leaving the temple ages ago to help the slave on Tatooine, that showed his courage even if it went against the wishes of the Order. Or one would only need to look at how he performed on Tatooine facing off against a dark side user and successfully capturing him.
Unfortunately they had not seen their prisoner since but the Jedi were on the hunt for John Doe.
The Trial of the Flesh was the most trying test given at the Temple. Involving the apprentice overcoming great physical pain, hardship, or loss, the test sometimes resulted in death or dismemberment. Throughout history, the Trial was known to involve bloodshed of some form.
The announcer did started again. "The Trial of Flesh!" Not everyone was aware of what exactly this was but going off of the name itself they should be able to tell what it involves.
'What have the Jedi prepared for me here.' Anakin would not be going through having his hand chopped off to complete this trial.
He saw a trend with the High Council deciding to use the trials of the old Jedi Order here, and given that it didn't go against them or their code to do so, they accepted this proposition.
This means that now Anakin has to deal with the consequences knowing full well they may never do something like this again.
"The young Padawan Skywalker must now pass this test, but I am sure from everyone's expressions that most are unaware of what this exactly entails. I am also sure those who are watching from a device would also be unaware of this trial." The announcer said.
Deciding to give a brief history lesson the announcer continued. "At the height of the Pius Dea Era, the Order subjected its apprentices to burst of energy applied directly to the skin, known as The Burning. While this type of torture was abandoned by the Order, battle scars were accepted as passage during the New Sith Wars."
"Today, Skywalker will have to go through the Burning just as those of old had gone through."
'These bastards are quite sadistic aren't they.' Anakin thought to himself, fuming but not all to worried about it considering he has gotten used to pain before. An example being how he went through those surgeries with no drug to help him and only his willpower.
"Today we will not go to the same extant those of the old did but it will be to a similar consequences." The announcer continued.
The Burning was the name given to a form of torture that consisted of the repeated use of a blaster, set at a low power level, to slowly sear the flesh of an individual's body down to the bone.
So the process began but given that Anakin has such high natural defenses against most weaponry because of his Nanosuit he had to deactivate it for a while. What they had designed would be used to specifically burn him alive in a sense.
Not unlike what happened to the original Vader, but here it would only be an intense heat meant to knock him unconscious. If Anakin is able to pass this test he would be one step closer to becoming a Knight.
Having gained a initial understanding of the device, Anakin decides he will not be turning his Nanosuit off as it could help him. No one knows of his suits full capabilities, so he would use it to his utmost advantage to kind of cheat the system.
Who likes pain after all, but he would at least have to act it out.
Having been put into the microwave-he means heating capsule, Anakin starts to feel the heat as everyone else who wanted to tune in watched him burn. 'What great entertainment.' Anakin thought to himself.
The crowd watched in anticipation and some of the more sadistic of people enjoyed the show, not knowing that Anakin didn't feel any pain at all and was quite cozy and comfortable. He didn't want to worry anyone about what he was going through but started to yell out loud.
"Son of a monkey!" Anakin shouted while lacing his voice in pain, while simultaneously trying to keep it PG friendly, while thinking. 'Who would let their children watch this... Better safe than sorry, dont want to traumatize anyone.'
"Mother fathers!" Anakin once again shouted. "Merlin's beard!"
When nearing the end, Anakin decided to throw something out there that most wouldn't think to much about. "Yer' a wizard 'arry" He said with an accent but doing so with some faked pain.
Anakin could also guess as to what Palpatine was thinking, something along the lines of. 'Yes, yes! The Jedi are creating their doom!' Or something like that.
After everything was over, most people were not that worried but the girls that Anakin frequented with were very worried for his safety. They didn't know about the full capacities of his Nanosuit even if they know about.
Sighing internally, Anakin thinks to himself. 'Well, I can just reassure them later.' Not that he cared all too much about how exactly they would feel given those feelings weren't his but it would be remiss of him to ignore them.
"Great! Our young hero seems to be doing just fine meaning that the next trial will begin!" The announcer said and it would seem as if it was starting to turn into some sort of sport. Most of the politicians and business moguls were quite amazed at having to see the capabilities a Jedi, no a Force-sensitive could have.
In particular they were amazed at Anakin but there was not much they could do now. Most probably not even afterwards as well.
"The Trial of the Spirit!" The announcer hypes up the crowd and those watching.
The money they were making was quite alot through ad revenues and the like.
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