AN: KXR does NOT own Star Wars
Hello Trials and Tribulations faithful! How's everybody doing? I'd like to thank Boris Yeltsin, Serpent Dragon, and eightbooksand60cats for their continued support throughout this stories creation. Although you guys don't really read these so let's move onto the story!
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Trials and Tribulations; Chapter 14: The Trial of Flesh
It was time for the third trial, the Trial of Flesh. This trial was to ensure that the aspiring knight was able to withstand great pain. In times past this would've been shown by surviving a crippling wound in battle, but times progress, and many Jedi saw it as barbaric, but Mandalorians did not see it as such. With the permission from Master Kahn Zaaron was to complete the Mandalorian Rite of Passage. In Mandalorian culture no adolescent was considered a fully fledged warrior until they survived their first baptism by fire. The young Mandalorians who had not seen war first hand were to lead the charge into battle and come out victorious to earn the right to bear their clan's symbol.
Today Zaaron himself would lead the charge into battle followed by his Mandalorian brothers. In the atmosphere above the world of Yavin 4 Zaaron along with the other young Mandalorians were given a speech by none other than Zaaron's father Yuuzahn.
"You've all been briefed on the situation. You'll be attacking an Imperial camp with a concentrated force of two hundred. You'll have to make short work of them and vanish into the jungle to avoid the inevitable reinforcements coming from nearby camps. All the resources on this ship are at your disposal. The attack will be lead by Zaaron, I do not wish to bury any of you due to pride, Zaaron will lead the attack this shall not be disputed. After all you're all Mando'a! Let Truth, Honor, and Vision guide you." Yuuzahn said before he stepped off the podium in the holding chambers of the ship.
Before Zaaron could address the warriors under his command he was called to the side by his father. At the side of the room Zaaron met with Master Kahn and both his parents.
"Zaaron we have decided you are old enough to receive these weapons that both represent your heritage." Master Kahn said as he gave lead of the conversation to Yuuzahn.
"What I present to you is no ordinary lightsaber. It is known as the Dark Saber. It has been passed down through our clan for generations only the head being allowed to wield it. This weapon was to be the first in Mandalorian weaponry to combat the Jedi, but was later reserved for the greatest warriors of the clans, and now I Yuuzahn Thaigarus present this weapon to you, my son, Zaaron Thaigarus." Yuuzahn said as he presented the blades hilt to his son.
"Just as your father presents you with a Mandalorian weapon, I present you with an Echani weapon. This saber was crafted by our ancestor. Our family has been a long line of Echani Jedi, and this lightsaber was crafted by the very first inducted to the Order. Its Silver blade is extremely rare, and now I your mother who had once weld this blade present it to you, my son, Zaaron Thaigarus." Teraja said as she handed him her blade.
With tears in his eyes Zaaron hugged both his parents, and bid them good-bye as they left for their own assignments. With a nod to Master Kahn Zaaron left to plan his attack.
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In the deployment bay of the Republic Cruiser Zaaron explained his plan.
"We'll launch the attack in three stages. The first stage Nyla and her team will set explosives in the ammunition quarters of the camp, and draw their attention. After the explosion they'll take to the brush and wait for my team to begin the attack. Coming from behind we'll begin the attack with Nyla and her team taking out Imperials from the brush, Verax will lead the remainder of you in a Basilisk drop. Once the battles in swing Verax and his team will drop from the ship and attack from above. Once the camp is demolished we'll retreat into the brush." Zaaron explained. With nods from everyone the young warriors suited up for their battle.
Zaaron stood in the deployment fully prepared. He wore a Beskar chest piece, fingerless gauntlets, and lower body protection, equipped with a blaster pistol and rifle, along with his two new blades on his hip Zaaron turned to face his Brother and Sister.
"I can't tell you guys how glad I am you two are standing beside me." Zaaron said with a beaming smile.
"We'll always be there for each other Zaaron. Besides I'm not that easy to get rid of." Verax said as he slapped Zaaron on the shoulder. Verax had grown to be as equally built as Zaaron, and wore his full Beskar armor except the helmet.
"You shouldn't be surprised really. We can't let you Jedi have all the fun." Nyla said as she hugged her brother. She wore Beskar armor as well, the armor however fit very well to her curvaceous body and her red hair that reached to the base of her neck seemed to gleam next to it.
Shaking hands the three left each other to begin their Baptism.
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In the forest of Yavin 4 the young Mandalorians surveyed the clearing that held the Imperial forces. Using stealth field generators Nyla and her team dispatched explosives in the center of the Imperial munitions, with the timers set Nyla and her team ran for the brush and took their positions ready to fire.
The Imperial forces mulled around their camp in a lazy stupor, not realizing the threat about to befall them. Suddenly the Imperials were shocked when they heard the explosion in the far end of their camp. Rushing to grab their weapons and armor to survey the damage they opened themselves up.
After the explosion Zaaron and his team charged in firing as soon as they saw the black of Imperial soldier's armor. The camp became a mess of blaster fire as the Imperials were attacked in the front and back. While the young Mandalorians were not dying off due to the element of surprise, they were not eliminating their enemies fast enough, at least not yet anyway.
In the skies above Verax and his team flew down into the battle astride their mighty Basilisk war droids. The Imperial soldiers were dumbfounded when they felt the blaster fire of the Mandalorian war droids rain upon their numbers. Imperials fell quickly under the relentless pressure put upon them by the Mando'a youth.
As the battle wound to a close a total of fifty Mandalorian warriors stood in the clearings center not a single casualty under Zaaron's careful planning. They all cheered as the reveled in their victory, but this was short lived as they saw the Sith Fury quickly descend upon their position.
"Retreat into the brush, I'll hold them off!" Zaaron yelled to his warriors. As Zaaron stood in the clearing's center he watched the Fury's descent, as the loading bay's doors opened Zaaron drew his new blades and took a Juyo stance and prepared to charge when a Sith Lord flew out at him with their blood red saber drawn. Zaaron reacted quickly to this new attack and enter into a flurry of strikes against his opponent, both his blades twirling furiously against the Sith's red blade. The duel between the two waned on, and Zaaron almost would've lost if not for the aide of the force. The Sith brought his blade down to bisect Zaaron, but missed as Zaaron jumped back, although it was not a total loss, as Zaaron released a blood curdling cry. Zaaron's right eye had been stricken! The cut started in above his eye and reached down into his cheek. No blood was spilt but the pain almost blinded Zaaron as he struggled to regain his footing. The Sith believing his had won as Zaaron grasped his eye, and stood still hyperventilating. When the Sith was within fifteen feet Zaaron unleashed lightning from his fingertips, incinerating the Sith inside his armor. As Zaaron saw the Sith collapse dead at his feet Zaaron entered into unconsciousness.
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AN: That's it for this chapter guys! Please let me know what you thought! I had a really hard time writing this chapter and I'm considering rewriting it, but please let me know what you guys think before I do so. Make sure that if you liked the chapter to tell me what you liked! Thanks for reading Trials and Tribulations.-KXR