NationStates Jolt Archive

A searing pain...a white light...the sound of an explosion. Then...nothing.

Nothing then fades to something. It was a dimly lit room made of material similar to steel and concrete, bringing to mind a courtroom, especially with the podium up front. On that podium was an avatar of a guy that was seen once before: Sojun, God of Time. Besides the God was a series of levers, one that was clearly labeled "DENIED!!"

The person who came to stand behind some others lifted an eyebrow in recognition to the avatar, then smiled as he approached the God. There were two in front of the person, though he didn't have long to wait...

Sojun flipped through the pages of an enormous glowing book he had set before him on the Podium, and gave the man standing on the great circle below him a raised eyebrow.

"SO, MISTER... MALKOV. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS... INCIDENT?"

The man hesitated for a moment, cleared his throat, then began: "Well, I... Uh... never felt a single tinge of guilt for what I did! Those children deserved what happened to them and its not like anybody cared about them anyway!" Realizing what he had just bellowed, he clapped his hands over his mouth and let out a horrified whimper.

"YOU CANNOT LIE HERE, MISTER MALKOV. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE PAIN YOU CAUSED SO ENTHUSIASTICALLY. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE CLEANSING FLAMES OF THE CORE WILL CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE."

"What? What's the core-- AAAAAIIIIIIGGGGGGH!"

Sojun had pulled the "DENIED!" lever as soon as he had finished his sentence, and the great circle beneath Malkov's feet faded out of existence, sending the screaming man down into a fiery hell. Before the circle returned to existence, Sojun hurled the glowing book in after him.

Another one reformed on the podium instantly, and Sojun rolled his eyes.

"NEXT."

The man in front of Daniel stepped forward, somewhat shakily now, either afraid that he'd been sent to the wrong place... or afraid that he'd been sent to the right place.

Sojun leaned forward on his Podium, extending his neck until his face rested some three inches away from the newcomer's face. To Daniel, it would have appeared as though Sojun's neck had grown to five times its normal length. After a couple seconds of this, he reverted back to his original position, then proceeded to flip a couple pages in the new large glowing book.

"NAME?"

The man coughed nervously. "Umm... Willard Osiris, sir."

"AH... MISTER OSIRIS. WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING YOU. I TRUST THAT THE PASSAGE WAS NOT TOO PAINFUL?"

"Uh... no sir... I thank you for your mercy in letting me die with dignity rather than live to see the cancer consume me."

"THERE ARE SOME STORIES THAT SHOULD NEVER BE TOLD... YOURS WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THEM. HOWEVER, I ANSWERED YOUR PRAYERS, GIVING YOU THE RELEASE YOU CRAVED. YOU LIVED A GOOD LIFE, YET YOU HAVE INDEBTED YOURSELF TO ME. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS?"

"Y-yes sir... you're not going to... do that are you?"

"THE CORE? NO. YOU WILL HOWEVER BE CONSIGNED TO A TERM OF SERVICE IN THE FORGES. TWENTY FIVE YEARS. WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS OFF. UPON COMPLETION OF THIS TERM OF SERVICE, YOU WILL BE RELEASED TOPSIDE."

"Th-Thank you, oh great one!"

"IT IS HARD WORK, BUT YOU WILL BE THE BETTER FOR IT."

A bulky man with a giant sledgehammer clomped into the room from a previously unnoticed doorway, and gestured for Osiris to follow him. The two men left the room, the man with the hammer wasting no time in detailing rules and regulations as they departed.

Sojun closed the glowing book with a hearty thud, then reopened it. Setting it down on the podium and flipping through a couple pages.

"NEXT."

It was Daniel's turn now...

I stepped forward, slightly nervous, but I could clearly recognize Sojun's voice from that dream I had the other month. Looking back on my life, I had the one regret of using the darkside on my father, but I was relieved it didn't come to any horrible use before he turned me back. Otherwise, I felt that my time as Jedi Knight and actively fighting against the evil Sith would more than atone for the 'minor' sin. I smiled. "Sojun. Nice to see you again."

"AH, MISTER DANIEL MASAKI. QUITE THE... STIR YOU CAUSED. MARTYRDOM IS SELDOM ENCOUNTERED NOWADAYS."

Sojun flipped through a few pages of the book, continuing his statement.

"YOU TOOK A FEW INNOCENTS WITH YOU, HOWEVER. THAT WILL REFLECT ON THE JUDGEMENT. LET US SEE... DEDICATED TO 'FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT'... TRUTH, JUSTICE, HONOR, SO ON AND SO FORTH... RATED MOST LIKELY TO STICK STRAWS UP HIS NOSE AND SAY 'WOOBLE' BY A COUNCIL OF HIS PEERS... YOU LIKELY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE... PLAYED WELL WITH OTHERS... SHARED TOYS... PAID ATTENTION IN CLASS..."

Sojun continued to read through the various pages of the book, listing things with occasional commentary...

"IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING, THE ARBITRATION IS FAR LONGER FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING IT THAN THOSE WATCHING IT... HELLO... THIS IS INTERESTING..."

Sojun had reached the latter stages of the book, and every few seconds, he would turn the page... pause... turn... pause... turn... with an increasingly perplexed look on his face.

After some time, he brought his heavy gaze upon Daniel, and cocked an eyebrow.

"MISTER MASAKI... YOUR LIFE STORY IS STILL WRITING..."

"I took a few innocents? That's not a good thing..." I frowned. As a Jedi, that's a bad thing because I supposed to protect them! "I hope they didn't suffer..."

Then I was intruged as I heard something odd from him.

"MISTER MASAKI... YOUR LIFE STORY IS STILL WRITING..."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" I asked, as perplexed as the God of Time. I'm dead, right? I'm supposed to get passed judgement and see my dad and mom and other Jedi.

Sojun rifled through the pages some more, then stood back and closed his eyes. When he reopened them, they glowed like cinders, and it was readily noticeable that in less than a blink of an eye, the Avatar had been replaced by the real article.

Evidently, complications were forwarded to higher management.

Sojun Prime waved his hands over the book, and the pages flipped of their own accord with amazing speed. He then turned a somewhat less officious gaze upon Daniel. Replacing it in some measure with the way a father looks upon one of his child's friends.

"MISTER MASAKI. THIS HAS ONLY OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. ONE WHO COMES HERE WITH HIS STORY STILL WRITING IS VERY OBVIOUSLY NOT DONE YET. UNFINISHED BUSINESS, LOOSE ENDS, ISSUES LEFT IN THE AIR, TAKE YOUR PICK.

"WHAT MATTERS, MISTER MASAKI, IS THAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, YOU ARE HERE, WHICH CAUSES SOMETHING OF A CONUNDRUM.

"YOU SEE, I CAN ONLY ARBITRATE THOSE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. YOUR FATHER, YOUR MOTHER, I THINK YOU'LL BE SURPRISED THAT YOUR SISTER PASSED THROUGH AS WELL, DESPITE HER BODY'S APPARENT... VERACITY, ALL HAVE COMPLETED THEIR LIFE STORY, AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN THEIR JUST REWARDS FOR LIVES WELL LIVED.

"YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD, MISTER MASAKI, YET HERE YOU ARE. QUITE DEAD INDEED. AN INTERESTING CONUNDRUM INDEED."

I face-faulted at the news. Getting back up... "You mean I created the electric version of a nuclear explosion to fry the evil Supreme Chancellor and his merry band of clones only to come here and find out that I'm NOT supposed to get executed by firing squad and die?"

OOC:
Actually, Fiona aka Nightshade's still alive.

(OOC: I know. I'm kinda thinking along the lines of that whole 'And the man who was your father was destroyed' thing. There might actually be a possibility of Fiona 'Meeting' Nightshade in something more than spirit form. I can edit it out if ya want though...)

IC:

"NOT YET, ANYWAY. THE WHOLE THING WORKS RATHER STRANGELY. YOU DIED, BUT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD. MY SUSPICION IS THAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO STAY DEAD.

"I WOULD SAY, MISTER MASAKI, THAT IT WOULD APPEAR FATE HAS GIVEN YOU ANOTHER CHANCE. THE ONLY ISSUE IS, I CANNOT LET YOU GO BACK YET, AS THERE IS NO VESSEL TO RETURN TO. YOU VAPORIZED YOURSELF IN THAT LAST GASP OF YOURS.

"YOU CANNOT GO BACK, NOR CAN I PASS JUDGEMENT. I CANNOT ARBITRATE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. THE BEST I CAN DO FOR YOU, MISTER MASAKI, IS ALLOW YOU ACCESS ONLY TO THE FORGES UNTIL YOUR SOUL REGAINS ITS SUBSTANCE, WHICH USUALLY TAKES SEVERAL YEARS, WHEREUPON YOU WILL BE FREE TO RETURN. ANY ATTEMPT TO LEAVE BEFORE THIS TIME WILL RESULT IN DISSOLUTION, AND I AM FAIRLY CERTAIN YOU WOULD NOT WANT THAT."

"No, of course not." I said, shaking my head. "So what are the Forges, anyway?"

I was expecting, from the sound of it, to be some kind of mining or ironforge factory. I could take it. Besides, manual labor should be good 'physical' training for a change. People tend to underestimate it because of any one of a number of things.

"THE FORGES ARE A TEST OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FORTITUDE, AS WELL A CLEANSING FLAME. THE WORKERS BUILD, THEY CRAFT, THEY CREATE, AND EACH THING THAT LEAVES THEIR MOLDING HANDS TAKES A SMALL PART OF THEIR SOUL WITH THEM, A SMALL PART OF THE TAINTING SINS THAT PUT THEM THERE.

"AS THE WORKERS COMPLETE THEIR TERM OF SERVICE, THE TAINTED PART OF THEIR SOUL IS REMOVED FROM THEM, MAKING THEM BETTER, STRONGER, AND HEALTHIER, AND THEY KNOW THAT THEIR SINS HAVE BEEN TRULY REPAID THROUGH THEIR OWN HARD WORK.

"IT IS A MEANS FOR THOSE WHO ARE HAUNTED BY THEIR PAST TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THAT PAST. AND THEY ARE MADE BETTER FOR IT.

"PLUS ITS A DAMN GOOD WORKOUT. THE HAMMERS YOU WILL USE ARE NO LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS. BUT THEN, AS YOU WILL BE TREATED AS SOMETHING OF A GUEST WHILE IN THE FORGES, THE WORK IS PURELY OPTIONAL. DO NOT THINK I WILL GO EASY ON YOU THOUGH."

A pair of the large sledgehammer wielding men clomped into the room again, wearing dark goggles and seemingly covered with soot. They both turned towards Sojun inquiringly, not saying a single word.

Sojun turned towards them.

"TREAT THIS ONE WITH RESPECT. HE MAY NOT LEAVE THE FORGES UNTIL SUCH TIME AS HE IS RECOGNIZED AS BEING READY TO DEPART, BUT BEYOND THAT HE MAY ROAM FREELY. GIVE HIM THE BASIC RULES, AND IF HE WISHES TO TAKE PART IN THE FORGE PROCESS, HE IS FULLY PERMITTED TO DO SO. HE WILL ONLY BE HERE... TEMPORARILY."

The two men turned to Masaki and stepped aside, clearing a path for the massive metalworks beyond.

MAKE USE OF YOUR TIME, MISTER MASAKI. IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT ONE GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THE THINGS YOU WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND IN THE FORGES."

"THE FORGES ARE A TEST OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FORTITUDE, AS WELL A CLEANSING FLAME. THE WORKERS BUILD, THEY CRAFT, THEY CREATE, AND EACH THING THAT LEAVES THEIR MOLDING HANDS TAKES A SMALL PART OF THEIR SOUL WITH THEM, A SMALL PART OF THE TAINTING SINS THAT PUT THEM THERE.

"AS THE WORKERS COMPLETE THEIR TERM OF SERVICE, THE TAINTED PART OF THEIR SOUL IS REMOVED FROM THEM, MAKING THEM BETTER, STRONGER, AND HEALTHIER, AND THEY KNOW THAT THEIR SINS HAVE BEEN TRULY REPAID THROUGH THEIR OWN HARD WORK.

"IT IS A MEANS FOR THOSE WHO ARE HAUNTED BY THEIR PAST TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THAT PAST. AND THEY ARE MADE BETTER FOR IT.
"Wow. It sounds like the time I built my own lightsaber. I put my heart and soul into it, so that it is truly an extension of myself." I commented. The way the Forges work resonates with my own Jedi-trained philosophy. Each item I build in the Forge would also have a part of me infused into it. I would definitely have a good time there.

"PLUS ITS A DAMN GOOD WORKOUT. THE HAMMERS YOU WILL USE ARE NO LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS. BUT THEN, AS YOU WILL BE TREATED AS SOMETHING OF A GUEST WHILE IN THE FORGES, THE WORK IS PURELY OPTIONAL. DO NOT THINK I WILL GO EASY ON YOU THOUGH."
"I expect nothing less, Sojun. No pain, no gain, as my dad always said in a training session."

A pair of the large sledgehammer wielding men clomped into the room again, wearing dark goggles and seemingly covered with soot. They both turned towards Sojun inquiringly, not saying a single word.

Sojun turned towards them.

"TREAT THIS ONE WITH RESPECT. HE MAY NOT LEAVE THE FORGES UNTIL SUCH TIME AS HE IS RECOGNIZED AS BEING READY TO DEPART, BUT BEYOND THAT HE MAY ROAM FREELY. GIVE HIM THE BASIC RULES, AND IF HE WISHES TO TAKE PART IN THE FORGE PROCESS, HE IS FULLY PERMITTED TO DO SO. HE WILL ONLY BE HERE... TEMPORARILY."

The two men turned to Masaki and stepped aside, clearing a path for the massive metalworks beyond.

MAKE USE OF YOUR TIME, MISTER MASAKI. IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT ONE GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THE THINGS YOU WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND IN THE FORGES."
"I will not let the time go to waste." I promised. Then I grinned once more, rolling up my sleeves. "Well, then. Let's get to work!"

I walked through the pathway to the massive metalworks with a nearly infinite number of beings working their sins off like it was fat. Nice analogy, kid.

The Forges were big.

Really big.

Really, Really big.

The floor thrummed with an eerie tempo, vibrating with the impacts of millions of hammers striking enormous slabs of metal. Each strike seemed to warble oddly, a sound unlike any metal known...

"Chronoton-Doped Neutronium Steel," one of the enormous forge workers accompanying Daniel identified, "We make the stuff from scratch, founding the iron ore with pure neutronium... strange sludge, that. Crafting the steel itself is hard enough being done by hand like Sojun wants, but the final step of the process makes everything before it seem like kneading pizza dough. Only those of us who've been working these things for a few years can even gather the strength to do that part.

"The chronotons make the steel harder than anything known to mortals, and working the metal is tremendously difficult. Specialized equipment and everything."

He brought his enormous sledge from over his shoulder. He seemed to wave it like it was a toy, but the handle was as thick as Daniel's arm, and the head was larger than his torso. "Take this hammer," He said, plopping the hammerhead on the ground with a resounding thud, and patted the haft, "Chronoton Steel itself, this thing weighs a quarter of a ton. Wanna see if you can hold it?"

I sweatdropped, and it wasn't from the heat, either. Now, normally, I'd use the Force to strengthen my muscles and it would be fine, but here, in what some people call purgatory? I'm not sure. "All right, let me give it a shot."

Bending my knees and grasping the very large handle, I tried to lift it...only to be tripping backwards by the weight! :eek: "Whoaaaaaa!"

*Crash!* "Ow."

@_@ Mr. Swirly Eyes has fallen down and can't get up! Again.

The forge worker gave a great guffaw of amusement as Daniel attempted to get the enormous hammer off of him, then picked up the hammer like a piece of plastic tubing, resting it on his shoulder. He then called for another hammer, catching it with his free hand after one of the younger forgeworkers obligingly hurled it at him like an axe.

"Most people wouldn't even have been able to get as far as you just did, Sport. Here, try this gravity hammer. Its lighter, only about one-fifty rather than the five hundred you just tried to bench, but the Gravity-enhancing head makes it feel like three hundred when you're swinging it. This is the hammer we use for the smelting of Neutronium Steel."

He plopped the hammer next to Daniel.

"See if you can lift it. Then I can figure out where we put ya, and then I can go over the various rules and stuff."

When I lifted the thing, it was slightly lighter, and I *can* swing it about. But as told, when I came to crash it down, it was like tossing down the 300 pounds on the metal, which made a oddly satisfying warble. I grinned. "This is better."

"Yeah, you're definitely good for the Neutronium smelting. That hammer won't even dent the Chronoton-Doped Steel. C'mon, I'll show ya to yer quarters. Even disembodied souls working their crimes off need a place to crash."

He turned and signalled for Daniel to follow. Not waiting for a response, he turned to walk away. "Keep the hammer with you."

"Since you're here as a temporary thing only, I can ditch the whole 'Sojun's Good Graces' schpiel and skip straight to the meat of the issue. We police ourselves here. If anybody gets out of line, these hammers make for very fitting peacemakers. No stealing, mugging, harassment, pretty much everything that isn't playing nice is off limits to the tune of a hammer to the brainbase. Profane language is okay, as long as ya ain't talking about somebody specific. Being in a divine realm like this puts you a lot closer to the other gods' ears, and Sojun won't suffer people provoking them.

"There's a cafeteria I'll show ya to later, and the training grounds, and a corporeality chamber that'll let you check up on what happened to the world while you were gone. Useful thing that, 'specially if you're goin' back."

The man continued in his purposeful stroll, even though there was no sign of a prominent chamber in sight. It was all just forges and forges and forges.

"Travel here is funny. It's a refining facility the size of infinity, and yet nothing is ever more than five minutes away. Basically, to get where you want to go, the only thing you need is to want to go there. I could have taken you in a completely other direction, and we'd still be right... HERE."

Without any warning whatsoever... they were in what appeared to be a hotel lobby. It looked much like a hotel 6. Red and gold carpet, pictures of Sojun and his predecessors along one wall, and a reception desk with a very bored avatar of the final arbiter himself sitting there, blowing bubblegum bubbles while doing horrendously complex tricks with a yoyo.

As they approached, the forge worker tapped on the reception desk, and got popped upside the head with an errant yoyo for his effort.

"Ow..."

"DO NOT STARTLE ME LIKE THAT."

"I guess you... ow... geez... know what keys to give this guy..."

Sojun took a quick look at Daniel, then placed a single key on the reception desk for him to take.

"SINGLE ROOM. THE ICE ROOM IS TWO DOORS DOWN FROM YOURS. REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR ROOM TIDY, OR ELSE."

"Thank you." I bowed slightly to the Yo-Yo Avatar and as I carried my hammer on my shoulder, I headed towards my room, checking it against the ice room and opened the door.

"Hmm. Rather spiffy for a forge hotel room." I said, as I noted that it looks a lot similar to any basic chain of hotels and motels, complete with single bed, drawers, table, and other hotel implements.

"The room ya get when you've made it to the Chronoton Smelting ranks is decent too. There's a computer over by that desk over there, with a... you know, I wonder what a LAN network the size of infinity would be called... there's online pool, poker, shoot-em-up games, co-op real time strategy games, empire simulation games, so on so forth. Gotta hand it to Aries' people, they know how to make fun games. I think you'll find that the drawers are full of randomized clothing that will fit you perfectly.

"Now, Forgeworkers do shifts of eight hours on, sixteen off, like normal. No breaks during the shift though. Weekends and holidays off, but everybody sticks with different sets of holidays, so basically just stick with two weeks off a year... but then you have the luxury of being able to decide how much and when you work. Once you start a shift though, you're sticking with it to the end. No half-assed work, No 'Ow my back', no 'but I'm HUNGRY' here. You're just like us now, you can... heh... live with it."

The Forgeworker gestured for Daniel to follow, and turned to walk away once again.

"C'mon, now that you've seen what amounts to your new home for a while, I'll show you to the cafeteria. You haven't seen nothing until you've seen an avatar of Sojun wandering around in a 'Kiss the Cook' apron. The cooking's great though. Just don't ask for the soup of the day. He likes to experiment."

The travel was weird again... after but a few minutes of walking down a hall that seemed to go on for-freakin-ever, they simply 'arrived' at the cafeteria.

It was a simple affair, looking much like a mom'n'pop diner, trailer layout and all. Sojun sat at the bar, watching a television on the counter that appeared to be playing some sort of Headline news. Several other people were also at the bar watching the TV as well, chatting.

"So they were real." "I saw some stone etchings of them once, never thought they actually LOOKED like that though." "Really? Is it true that... that... what's the big one's name again?" "That would be Maximillian." "Yeah! Him! Is it true that his gullet is like a black hole?" "I dunno, Murray. But with teeth like his, I wouldn't be worried about how much he can suck." "SILENCE! THEY ARE READING STOCK QUOTES." "Sorry..."

Another Sojun stood on the far end of the diner, mopping the floor at a ginger pace.

"Holy monkies I'm hungry," the forgeworker said, drawing momentarily suspicious looks from both Sojuns as soon as he finished the word 'holy'. Sitting down at the bar a few stools away from the TV watchers, he gestured for Daniel to sit down as well.

"This joint's great. No matter what you order, it gets to you in twenty minutes, steaming hot and the best you have EVER had."

"COMPLIMENT ACCEPTED." bellowed a voice from the back, followed by another Sojun, wearing an apron that read "Do I LOOK like I care?" stepping out from what would appear to have been the kitchen.

"WELL, YOU'RE HERE, SO YOU MUST BE HUNGRY," Sojun Chef said, turning to Daniel. "ORDER WHATEVER. THE WAIT IS THE SAME IN ANY CASE. SOUP OF THE DAY IS ARTICHOKE AND LIMA BEAN GASPATCHO. I'M TRYING SOMETHING OUT."

"The room ya get when you've made it to the Chronoton Smelting ranks is decent too. There's a computer over by that desk over there, with a... you know, I wonder what a LAN network the size of infinity would be called... there's online pool, poker, shoot-em-up games, co-op real time strategy games, empire simulation games, so on so forth. Gotta hand it to Aries' people, they know how to make fun games. I think you'll find that the drawers are full of randomized clothing that will fit you perfectly.

"Now, Forgeworkers do shifts of eight hours on, sixteen off, like normal. No breaks during the shift though. Weekends and holidays off, but everybody sticks with different sets of holidays, so basically just stick with two weeks off a year... but then you have the luxury of being able to decide how much and when you work. Once you start a shift though, you're sticking with it to the end. No half-assed work, No 'Ow my back', no 'but I'm HUNGRY' here. You're just like us now, you can... heh... live with it."
Nice pun there. Yeah, considering I'm dead, I don't have the limitations of the flesh, and thus I can work in the forges like it was nothing. I still get to sweat it all out, of course.

The Forgeworker gestured for Daniel to follow, and turned to walk away once again.

"C'mon, now that you've seen what amounts to your new home for a while, I'll show you to the cafeteria. You haven't seen nothing until you've seen an avatar of Sojun wandering around in a 'Kiss the Cook' apron. The cooking's great though. Just don't ask for the soup of the day. He likes to experiment."

The travel was weird again... after but a few minutes of walking down a hall that seemed to go on for-freakin-ever, they simply 'arrived' at the cafeteria.

It was a simple affair, looking much like a mom'n'pop diner, trailer layout and all. Sojun sat at the bar, watching a television on the counter that appeared to be playing some sort of Headline news. Several other people were also at the bar watching the TV as well, chatting.
Ahh, the very cliche mom 'n' pop restaurant. I smiled as I never actually got to see one of those places, and now I did.

"So they were real." "I saw some stone etchings of them once, never thought they actually LOOKED like that though." "Really? Is it true that... that... what's the big one's name again?" "That would be Maximillian." "Yeah! Him! Is it true that his gullet is like a black hole?" "I dunno, Murray. But with teeth like his, I wouldn't be worried about how much he can suck." "SILENCE! THEY ARE READING STOCK QUOTES." "Sorry..."
"Maximillian? Who's he?" I wondered. "And why are people saying his gullet's like a black hole?"

Another Sojun stood on the far end of the diner, mopping the floor at a ginger pace.

"Holy monkies I'm hungry," the forgeworker said, drawing momentarily suspicious looks from both Sojuns as soon as he finished the word 'holy'. Sitting down at the bar a few stools away from the TV watchers, he gestured for Daniel to sit down as well.

"This joint's great. No matter what you order, it gets to you in twenty minutes, steaming hot and the best you have EVER had."

"COMPLIMENT ACCEPTED." bellowed a voice from the back, followed by another Sojun, wearing an apron that read "Do I LOOK like I care?" stepping out from what would appear to have been the kitchen.

"WELL, YOU'RE HERE, SO YOU MUST BE HUNGRY," Sojun Chef said, turning to Daniel. "ORDER WHATEVER. THE WAIT IS THE SAME IN ANY CASE. SOUP OF THE DAY IS ARTICHOKE AND LIMA BEAN GASPATCHO. I'M TRYING SOMETHING OUT."
Hmm. Order whatever, eh? "BBQ Corellian chicken wings with coleslaw and seasoned fries on the side. And don't forget the Caeser salad." I ordered my meal and then took a seat to watch the news and the people around me.

"BBQ Corellian chicken wings with coleslaw and seasoned fries on the side. And don't forget the Caeser salad."

Sojun nodded, took the Forgeworker's order of a 62 ounce cut of rhino meat with a side of mashed potatoes and corn, then walked back into the kitchen.

As Daniel moved over to the TV and its spectators, the headline news had popped back on. A reporter that looked like she had been either a supermodel or a weightlifter before her present job gave the camera a distinctly false smile and continued:

"For out top story today, after entire millenia of absence, confirmation came today of the apparent return of the Triad of Phages. Previously ousted by God of Time Sojun Majestatus, the Triad had been thought either as in hiding or dead, but no conclusive evidence could be found of either.

"But in recent days, word reached the chamber via refugees from a small dimensional power known as the Archonate of Godular that the Triad was working to regain some small semblance of their original power. Analysis of the Godulans' chances against the Triad were grim."

>picture switches to show several dignitaries reading speeches<

"The various powers of the chamber expressed their shock and outrage at the actions of the Triad, but also noted that due to Chamber restrictions, it was impossible to send direct assistance. Lord of Time Sojun Majestatus had this to say:"

"I GAVE MY WORD TO BARON SKYE THAT AS LONG AS HE KEPT THEM IN LINE, THEY WERE FREE TO DO AS THEY WISHED. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT HE WILL DO AS GOOD A JOB RUNNING THE GODULANS AS HE DID WORKING AS THE DEFACTO RULER OF THE TRIAD CONSORTIUM."

"Further news as situations warrant. In other news..."

One of the people watching the TV turned to Daniel. "Sorry? You ask something about Maximillian Foster? Bad news that one. Phage of life, destroyer of worlds, all sorts of grandiose nicknames for him. Guy can drain your life force just by bearhugging you, and one story says that one time, he went up against an entire army, and sucked them all down his throat just by opening his mouth. He's got teeth like chainsaws, and arms like piledrivers. You see him growling at you, don't even run. Just stand and die."

"Well that sucks." I said wryly. It's kinda my weakness to face someone with black hole powers, as my Dark Lady sister could attest. "So who are the Triad, anyway? I got Max."

"THEY WERE MY FIRST AND ONLY MAJOR ENEMY, Sojun said, as the others looked at each other for anybody who knew anything more about the Triad. "THE TRIAD OF PHAGES. MAXIMILLIAN WAS... IS THE PHAGE OF LIFE, BARON SKYE IS THE PHAGE OF CHAOS, AND XENITH STEELE IS THE PHAGE OF POWER. TOGETHER, THEY RULED AN EMPIRE THAT SPANNED MANY UNIVERSES, MANY WORLDS, AND ENDED MANY LIVES.

"THERE WERE MORE THAN JUST THE THREE PHAGES ONCE, I BELIEVE THERE WERE AROUND TWENTY SOMETHING ORIGINALLY, BUT BY THE TIME I HAD COME TO EXISTENCE THERE WERE ONLY EIGHT. I KILLED THREE OF THOSE WHEN I TOOK POWER HERE, AND TWO DIED IN THE FIGHT WITH THE GRECIAN PANTHEON.

"I SUSPECT XENITH WANTED TO GET REVENGE FOR THE DEATH OF HIS KINDRED, AND I SUSPECT MAXIMILLIAN JUST WANTED TO KILL SOMETHING. IN ANY EVENT, THEY SENT THEIR ENTIRE BATTLE FLEET TO KNOCK ON MY DOOR. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THEIR PLAN IS I HAD RECENTLY ALLIED AND INTEGRATED WITH ARIES TWO YEARS PRIOR, SO ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD A MILITARY FORCE THAT OUTNUMBERED, OUTGUNNED, AND SIMPLY OUTSMARTED THEM BY A FACTOR OF ABOUT THREE HUNDRED TO ONE. YOU COULD CALL THE RESULTS A ROUT, BUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THEIR DEFEAT CANNOT BE EXPRESSED BY A FOUR LETTER WORD. THE BEST WORD I HAVE FOUND FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TRIAD THAT DAY WAS 'CATASTROPHE'.

"BARON SKYE WARNED THEM AGAINST IT, BEING THE SMARTEST, AND I SHOULD SAY MOST POPULAR, OF THE THREE. AND NEITHER OF THE OTHERS LISTENED. NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT HE RUNS THE SHOW, AS HE ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE, I MIGHT ADD. A MAN OF SURPRISING PRINCIPLE, CONSIDERING HIS HERITAGE. I WOULD HAVE DESTROYED THE LOT OF THEM IF SKYE HAD NOT NEGOTIATED A CEASE FIRE. HE WOULD TAKE THE OTHERS AND NEVER BOTHER THE CHAMBER AGAIN, AND I WOULD NEVER BOTHER THEM AGAIN. HE WOULD NEVER EXPAND HIS EMPIRE BEYOND A SINGLE UNIVERSE, AND I WOULD NEVER BOTHER THEM AGAIN. HE WOULD KEEP THE OTHER TWO IN LINE, AND I WOULD NEVER BOTHER THEM AGAIN. THE TREATY IS NULL AND VOID IF SKYE DIES, AND IF THE OTHER TWO GET THEIR HACKLES UP AND ACTUALLY *DO* KILL HIM, I WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT HE DOES NOT PASS ALONE."

"What he said," The other spectators said in unison.

"TEN MINUTES TO GO, MISTER MASAKI," Sojun said, still leaning on the counter. "WERE YOU WANTING ANY KIND OF DIPPING SAUCE WITH YOUR WINGS?"

"Ranch, please." I said. "So that's the Triad. Interesting. So they're the ones that had to do with the Godulan refugees that fled their home planet recently. Good thing we allowed them entry into Jurai quickly enough..."

"RANCH IT IS." came the voice from the kitchen.

"SKYE WILL SUCCEED... HE ALWAYS SEEMS TO FIND A WAY. I KNOW HE WILL LEAD THEM WELL, I ONLY WISH HE DID NOT HAVE TO FIGHT THEM FOR CONTROL."

Sojun and the other spectators turned back to the TV, watching the latest stock quotes.

"JURAI, YOU SAID, MISTER MASAKI?" Sojun asked, pointing at a small square on the listings:

Planet Jurai = +23.6 points

"THE CHAMBER DOESN'T TRADE IN YOUR AVERAGE FUTURES...

"Huh?" I asked, not quite understanding about my nation's newest colony being on the stock exchange ticket.

"THE CHAMBER STOCK EXCHANGE BUYS AND SELLS SHARES OF ENTIRE PLANETS' FUTURES... OFTEN WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD BEING BID ON. IT IS BEST DESCRIBED AS A GREAT BETTING POOL WHERE THE RETURNS RISE IF SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENS, AND A CRASH HITS IF THE PLANET IS DEVASTATED OR DESTROYED. IT IS QUITE LUCRATIVE. TAKE JURAI, BEING SETTLED BY REFUGEES BOTH FROM YOUR HOME NATION AND GODULAR IS DOING QUITE A HEALTHY JOB OF DRIVING UP THE STOCK PRICES. YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY THE HOLDING IS IMPROVING BY SUCH LARGE MARGINS."

"I was a stockbroker once," said one of the spectators. "Its great money, but if you step on the wrong shoes..."

"MISTER COLLEPTUS HERE GOT ON THE BAD SIDE OF A FELLOW NAMED GAINES, ONE OF THE LARGER STOCK MOGULS IN THE CHAMBER. COLLEPTUS INVOLVED HIMSELF IN A LITTLE SCHEME TO HIRE SOME MERCENARIES TO WIPE OUT A PARTICULARLY NICE WORLD IN ORDER TO DRIVE UP THE RETURNS ON OTHER PLANETS. IT IS A DISTURBINGLY COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND ONE THAT NOT EVEN I CAN STOP. MOSTLY, THE BROKERS POLICE THEMSELVES, AS MISTER COLLEPTUS FOUND OUT."

"I didn't KNOW Gaines had stocks on that world!"

"YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT ANYWAY. THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HERE."

"Yeah, well he sure made sure I knew it afterwards."

"THERE WAS NO AFTERWARDS, COLLEPTUS. HE SHOWED YOU WHAT YOU DID WRONG AND THEN YOU APPEARED IN THE JUDGEMENT CHAMBERS. I COULD HAVE GONE THE REST OF ETERNITY WITHOUT LEARNING HOW A POTATO PEELER WORKS ON WITH A HUMAN BRAIN."

"I didn't even feel anything..."

"YOU STILL SCREAMED LIKE A LITTLE GIRL...

The other sojun popped out of the kitchen, carrying steaming hot plates as wide around as goodyear tires, mounded with stuff that mere mortals would have died in ecstasy upon eating.

"THE SOUP IS, AS THEY SAY, ON."

¬_¬; Sheesh, and I thought the Coruscanti Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange were bad...

Then the food came and I rubbed my hands. "Ahh, dinner is served."

bump

The forgeworker was first to finish off his... lunch. Surprising, considering he'd ordered almost an entire Rhino's haunch. He wandered over to the spectators and began watching the sports news.

"COMBAT ARENAS AFTER THIS?" Sojun asked the forgeworker as the latest scores in horseback sniping ticked by.

"Yup. Then, the Corporeality chamber."

"ARIES IS IN THE ARENA TODAY. MIGHT BE GOOD TO WATCH."

All four men, forgeworker and spectator alike, fixed Sojun with shocked looks. One by one, the spectators bolted from the cafeteria.

"I ain't missin' that shiznite!" "Last one there is paying for the beer!" "Ack you bastards!"

The forgeworker turned and eyed Daniel as he worked on the immense amounts of stuff SojunChef had piled onto his plate. "Think you can finish that up in ten minutes? I don't think you're gonna wanna miss anything in the Arena..."

"All right." I nodded and finished off as much as I could eat on my plate, before wiping the BBQ off with a big napkin.

"HAVE FUN," Sojun said, not taking his eyes off of the latest Chicken Chuckin' Scores. "I HEAR HE'S TAKING ALL COMERS TODAY."

The forgeworker motioned once again for Daniel to follow, then left the cafeteria.

As they plodded along towards... whatever it was... it was hard to tell what the place looked like from the outside when one kept appearing just inside the entrance, the forgeworker continued with his rambling explanations.

"The arena is where people go to let off steam. There's really no danger involved. If you die here or anywhere in Sojun's realm, you just pop back into the judgement chambers and have to live with another five minute walk. Your body just poofed out of existence when a mortal blow is struck.

"No vendettas, no bragging, no betting, masochists and sadists are banned on principle. Beyond those three rules, its no holds barred. Since dying here is only a minor inconvenience, there's really no harm in having your neck snapped or your legs lopped off or... uh... I'll let you see that for yourself. Either way, you can go there to watch, or to fight.

"Aries himself hanging out in the forges isn't all that rare of an occurrence, but it always draws crowds nonetheless. His fighting is almost hypnotic. I suppose its because he doesn't have to worry about people dying in the arenas, so he can be just as good as he used to be. I told you that Aries has been suffering from a bout of depression that just won't quit, have I? He's the oldest of the remaining gods, and I guess all the death and destruction has gotten to him. Its why he allied with Sojun. Sojun is the only other god of the four who can actually create an afterlife that Aries' followers would actually find suitable. Aries gave Sojun command of his forces, in exchange for having a place where he can... well... vacation.

"He likes the arenas best though, and I bet he would have a LOT to teach somebody like you or even me... ah, here we are."

They were suddenly in a giant room that looked like what a Concessions area would look like if it were placed in the coloseum. Several enormous viewscreens displayed several fights occurring all at once. Many of them looked to be nothing more than Forgeworkers wrassling about in the arena floor, but one showed what appeared to be a very slight but muscular man taking on another fellow some three times his size, both of them holding a pair of enormous double-bladed pendulum axes.

They danced about at insane speeds, sending showers of sparks in all directions as their blades clashed with tremendous force. With each major impact, the entire arena seemed to flex outward with the force of a million collective Oooh's and Aaah's.

The forgeworker ignored the screens and continued past the concession stand. He looked up and pointed at a sign reading "Primary Arena, Second Left."

"That's where he fights. Its the biggest and allows for the most... interesting fights."

Forgeworker and Daniel both wandered over to the Primary Arena Audience Area, and were lucky enough to find a seat down in the very front.

"The lanky one's Aries," The forgeworker said, pointing at the veritable blur of motion that was the melee.

From this viewpoint, it was easier to see the tall, gaunt, and surprisingly vibrant Aries. His hands and feet were bandaged, and he had a simple pair of black martial trousers on.

And he was just tearing things up. He utilized a strange technique that was as hard to follow as it was effective. It was as though Aries were using his blades for much more than fighting. Hooks, fans, the applications seemed limitless...

The forgeworker started cheering along with the rest of the people in the audience.

Wow. This guy's really good! I grinned as I watched Aries fight...whoever that is. No wonder everyone loves him!

In between the bouts of action, the Forgeworker leaned over to Daniel. "I hear the God of War was rather surprised at first that his portfolio included gladiatorial pursuits. I'd say he's gotten used to it, wouldn't you?"

As his opponent circled like an angry tiger, Aries, in his lanky, and dreadlocked glory, waved to the crowds, happy as a clam. He whipped his axes about in a few complex maneuvers that would likely have sliced an unwary opponent into nine separate pieces, just for show, then began circling around his opponent again.

Both fighters were on top of their game, but it was obvious who was in the higher league.

In between the bouts of action, the Forgeworker leaned over to Daniel. "I hear the God of War was rather surprised at first that his portfolio included gladiatorial pursuits. I'd say he's gotten used to it, wouldn't you?"
"I'd say he's immensely enjoying the whole thing." I said back with a smile.

As his opponent circled like an angry tiger, Aries, in his lanky, and dreadlocked glory, waved to the crowds, happy as a clam. He whipped his axes about in a few complex maneuvers that would likely have sliced an unwary opponent into nine separate pieces, just for show, then began circling around his opponent again.

Both fighters were on top of their game, but it was obvious who was in the higher league.
"Go Aeris!" I yelled in a fit of excitement.

bump

The fight went on for a good ten minutes, both fighters clashing like a angry lions. But in the end, as always, the fight ended with Aries standing in the center of the arena, Pendulum axes raised skyward, and an expression of pure exhultation as he swept his victorious gaze across the raucous audience.

The other fighter had vanished only moments earlier after leaving himself open for a critical strike to the midsection that Aries both saw, exploited, and finished. Likely the fighter was even now rushing back to the arena from the judgement chambers.

"Shit, Nocturne damn near got a hit on him a few times that round," the forgeworker said after the cheering had died down to a manageable level.

Aries brought his axes down and held his hands up for silence, and he got it. The arena fell dead silent.

"FOLLOWERS OF SOJUN AND I! I know that you have watched me, again and again, always cheering, always enraptured by the fights. But as of late, I feel that I have been giving you less than what you rightfully deserve. Something NEW! You have seen the titanic battles between my ally and I, you have seen my clashes with exemplars of speed, strength, stamina, skill, all of these things! But as time goes by, one realizes that one needs something different. Something UNIQUE."

The crowd leaned forward with baited breath, wondering what he was working towards.

"And to you I say, the opportunity for this has only recently arisen. Not since the days I actively entered the battlefields of old have I fought a bonified force-sensitive. It has been a thousand years, at least, since I fought one who could bring the very powers of life, the universe, and everything under their own command! But those who use these powers are strange indeed. So stratified in their beliefs that those who use these powers either get sent straight to the core, or find themselves a golden ticket topside. It has been almost IMPOSSIBLE to find one in the forges!

"Until now."

Aries turned an enthusiastic look straight at Daniel.

"Their ways are hard to discern. Their patterns, their tactics, their abilities, all varied and unpredictable. They can destroy, they can revive, they can do anything if they just TRY..."

Without any warning whatsoever, he materialized on the railing directly in front of Daniel, hooking his pendulum axes on the ground and kneeling down to bring his face to eye level with the jedi.

"There is a chance for greatness in you that not even you could imagine. The way is hard, the path is long, but when you climb that mountain, nobody can match you. All you need to do is start."

He rocketed back to his full height and leveled a pendulum axe in Daniel's direction.

"I CHALLENGE!"

I stood still, stunned. Too stunned to even face-fault. I have been challenged...by the God of War himself. Test my own potent skills against an immortal with thousands, perhaps millions of years of combat skills under his belt. My shock then turned into a grin, my patented Masaki grin.

"Aeris!" I spoke loudly for the crowd, hopping up on the railing like a cat to meet him face-to-face. "If there's one thing that I have long learned since my early training days, it's that I don't try...I either do or do not! For this challenge...I do!"

I hadn't realized it before, but when I instinctively reached into the Force to stay on the railing, I could feel it was alot stronger here than it was when I was on the mortal coil. I could guess it's because I'm closer to 'Topside', the Spirit World, where the Force itself manifests from life and to life. Meaning that I could probably take this guy on more equal terms!

"Aeris, I accept the challenge!" I said once more, grinning all the while. Oh yeah, this was going to be good.

The massive pendulum axes vanished from Aries' hands, and he held his arms outstretched. With a satisfied grin approaching on pure ecstasy, he tumbled over the side of the railing and fell into the arena, landing like a feather on a single toe, then hopped to the middle of the arena, small poofs of dust erupting from each impact.

"Choose your weapon then! We have them all, I saw to that. You only need to want it to have it."

As if to demonstrate his point, he waved his hands like a magician, bringing out a pair of warfans, then sai, then his favored pair of double-bladed pendulum axes, then with a final wave of his hands he was unarmed once again.

"It shall be GLORIOUS."

The crowd cheered, alternating between "ARIES! ARIES! ARIES!" and "NEW GUY! NEW GUY! NEW GUY!"

I disappeared from view in a puff of white smoke (dramatic purposes) and reappeared in the arena, with the same color of smoke. With a mere thought, I had a lightsaber appear in my hand. I know instinctively that it'd be electric-blue. Then I spoke again. "Learn the name of your challenger well, Aries! I am Daniel Masaki, Jedi Knight! And I tell you now, I ain't no ordinary warrior!"

"No warrior is ordinary! Whether or not you're GOOD remains to be seen."

With another wave of his hands, he willed into existence a massive black staff, at least as thick around as Daniel's wrists, with strange reddish-white runes dancing across its surface. He twirled it around lazily, testing the weapon's grip and feel, then raised it skyward.

"THE STRIKE OF MIDNIGHT!"

The crowd gasped in shock.

"I've had my rump handed to me several times by Sojun's favored weapon of war. I have never had occasion to use it myself. I have always wondered what it would be like to actually wield Sojun's fabled peacemaker."

He whipped the staff around several times like a master, then slapped the staff down with enough force to rattle the entire arena.

"Oh yes... this will do NICELY..."

So, I'll be facing off against Sojun's legendary weapon. This is definitely going to be a good fight! Against a staff-wielder, I'll probably need to use Makashi with Ataro speed for this one.

Now it was my turn to flourish the lightsaber. The weapon of a Jedi, the mere sound strikes fear in the wicked and courage in the innocent. With the classic snap-hiss-vvmmmm, a blade the color of lightning sprang to life and I saluted with the saber before getting into a Makashi position, which appears to leave myself open to attacks. An illusion, for it takes but a flick of the wrist to block and a second flick to counterattack. I was ready...

Aries watched the slight display, then snapped his fingers in realization.

"OH! That reminds me, this thing needs to be turned on... um... how did he do it again... AH!"

He twisted his grip on the black staff, and the runes dancing across its surface flashed with a momentary brilliance before returning to their normal glow. However, the runes now seemed to be vibrating furiously, and emitting a low thrum that rustled the dirt floor of the arena with its intensity.

The staff pulled on Daniel ever so slightly, giving him slight tugs in sync with its thrumming, and pushed him whenever Aries moved the staff. Sand kicked up with each wave of the humming staff, creating a small cloud that went up to Aries' waist.

With careful precision, he began to tap the ground with one end of his staff. Each impact resounded through the chamber like a drumbeat.

Suddenly, the arena was a whole lot larger. The audience had vanished into the horizon, leaving them all the room in the world to conduct their battle.

For a few seconds longer, Aries tapped the ground with his staff, kicking up more and more dirt with each impact, then... the drumming stopped.

Aries grinned.

Aries charged.

I felt like being in the presence of a strong gravity field with the staff turned on. That was an interesting feature.

Then he charged. Where he struck, I wasn't there, but to the side, spearing with a counterthrust that aimed for his ribs. The fight, as they say, was on!

Aries whipped his staff around, catching Daniel's lightsaber with an upward parry, and following up seamlessly by planting the other end of the staff into the ground with tremendous force, launching himself into Daniel, whipping his legs around to kick away any attempted counterattack.

I managed to jump over that blow, or else I would have been hit. I whirled my lightsaber around, trying to get in a hit...

Aries had landed already facing Daniel, with his staff at the ready. Jamming the staff into the ground once again, he vaulted straight up, letting Daniel's lightsaber connect with the staff, then used the force of the deflection to bring his staff whipping around for a sweeping roundhouse swing to Daniel's midsection.

Aries had landed already facing Daniel, with his staff at the ready. Jamming the staff into the ground once again, he vaulted straight up, letting Daniel's lightsaber connect with the staff, then used the force of the deflection to bring his staff whipping around for a sweeping roundhouse swing to Daniel's midsection.
If I hadn't had training under Master Narthaus, I'd surely have my ribs broken, dead or no dead (although I'd heal right after the duel). As it is, I got the wind knocked out of me, and was knocked back a couple of feet. I managed to roll in midair and land, sliding on the ground and kicking up some dust.

"Not bad, Aries." I smirked. "But I haven't even started!"

I began to draw in the raw power of the Force itself. Clouds darkened above us and flashes of lightning could be seen. My hands glowed with electricity as I continued to grin. "It's time to raise the stakes! They don't call me the Lightning Master for nothing, you know!"

Of course, some say I'm using the Dark Side. The truth is, I'm not, but then I've always been on the razor's edge between light and dark, and I'd step even closer to protect others. Besides, I can't not use lightning as it's been my specialty ever since I started training. As it is....

I raised my right hand into the air, forefingers outstretched, other fingers curled and yelled, "Thunderbolt!"

Electricity danced from my fingers into the clouds, then a powerful bolt of lightning slashed back down towards the God of War...

Aries replied wordlessly, bringing the staff up in a gesture akin to a "BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!" move. A nearly imperceptible shield of divine energy formed itself in a dome around Aries, catching the lightning and forcing it harmlessly into the ground around him.

As the lightning subsided, Aries began to whip the staff about his head, kicking up dust and dirt with the speed of the rotations. The clouds themselves began to swirl as if commanded to do so.

"I was not expecting you to bring those powers into the game, but then, I never rely on such things myself. But then, it takes away all the fun. Here, have a slice of what I can do!"

The clouds began to bunch up, taking up a solid form that appeared for all the world to be a very large spiked mail fist.

With his staff still swirling, Aries' eyes took on a glazed look, and the giant fist of what appeared to be pure kinetic energy came crashing down towards Daniel...

"Hey, I do what I can to fight a God--waaah!" I jumped out of the way just in time as the fist slammed into the ground, shaking and cracking it. Now that was a close one! I got back up in a karate fashion and redrew my saber. If I can't fry him, I'll just have to try to get in a hit using my fastest Ataro technique: 'port-fu. *Crack!* I disappeared, reappearing again to strike at his back...

Aries flowed into another pole vault.

"Careful there, Masaki... the fist isn't just a one shot thing."

As if to emphasize his point, he hopped out of the way, only to reveal the giant fist cannonballing towards Daniel.

"Wha--crap!" I jumped out of the way again, narrowly missing the giant fist. No one wants to be punched, especially by a giant fist! How should I deal with this one...aha! Thrusting a palm outward, I sent a telekinetic shockwave towards the fist that could shatter bone.

The fist disintegrated in much the same manner a cloud poofs if one waves a hand through it, first wafting into several smaller clouds, then fading to nothingness and an eerie scent akin to tofu.

Aries whipped his staff around, kicking up more dust as the gravitonic effects began to take hold again, aiming to give Daniel another jab in the ribs with his staff while the jedi recovered from and dealt with the fist.

The fist disintegrated in much the same manner a cloud poofs if one waves a hand through it, first wafting into several smaller clouds, then fading to nothingness and an eerie scent akin to tofu.

Aries whipped his staff around, kicking up more dust as the gravitonic effects began to take hold again, aiming to give Daniel another jab in the ribs with his staff while the jedi recovered from and dealt with the fist.
Being under the influence of a grav-staff is like being Force-walled by another powerful Jedi or Sith in a duel. It slowed me down, but not enough, as I whipped around and clashed my lightsaber against the staff, locking the staff with my saber.

Aries was surprised... he was actually locked in a contest of strength with Daniel, and for all intents and purposes they were even! He couldn't help but grin with the novelty of the situation.

In the end though, he simply shifted his attack to the other side of the staff, pulling away with the end still locked with Daniel's lightsaber and bringing the other end down for what he hoped was a knockout strike to the base of Daniel's neck.

Aries was surprised... he was actually locked in a contest of strength with Daniel, and for all intents and purposes they were even! He couldn't help but grin with the novelty of the situation.

In the end though, he simply shifted his attack to the other side of the staff, pulling away with the end still locked with Daniel's lightsaber and bringing the other end down for what he hoped was a knockout strike to the base of Daniel's neck.
Damn! I tried to break the lock to parry, but...

WHAM! I missed and was tossed back when it hit my neck, slamming me backwards. I have lost the battle and blacked out momentarily...but what a doozy it was! My neck's going to be very, very sore in the morning though...

As Daniel collapsed to the floor, the Arena had suddenly come back to normal, and the sound of the Crowd's rampant cheering. Screaming both "ARIES!" and "NEW GUY!" in equal measure.

Aries initially paid them no heed, instead simply willing Sojun's weapon from existence and offering to help Daniel back up.

"Hope you're not too out of it, guy. You're a tough one for sure, lots of tricks and traps, but your combat skills could use some work. 'Course, anybody seems that way compared to me, so I wouldn't take that personally. If you ever feel in a fighting mood though, don't hesitate to pop over. I'm game if you're game, and I can show you stuff they thought up in insane asylums!"

"Thanks for the battle, Aries." I smiled. "I'll be sure to come back when I can."

As he helped me up, I can't help but wonder what's happening back at the mortal coil.

I headed out of the arena, wondering where is that corpoeability chamber I heard about earlier. I'll see it before I get to work.

OOC: Oops... guess I missed that last post.

The Forgeworker followed Daniel into the arena lobby, where people were giving the jedi respectful looks as they passed by.

"A little short for a fight with the God of War, but hey, it was your first time. Looks like you startled him a couple times too!"

Suddenly, several voices around one of the outside viewscreens shrieked from the crowds:

"BOOK IT PEOPLE! SOJUN CHALLENGED ARIES!"

Two seconds later Daniel and The Forgeworker were all who remained in the lobby.

"Alright... lets show you to the corporeality chamber. Viewable three times a year, chances are this will be the first time for you."

Once again, they walked for five minutes through the forges, the odd rhythmic warble reverberating under their feet as the proceeded in no particular direction with unerring accuracy.

>PFFT!<

They appeared within the confines of a strange, gray, circular room with multiple yellow runes flowing about the various surfaces. The surfaces of the room itself seemed to shimmer strangely, and if one stared hard enough, he would have been able to see little fragments of images of various people doing... things.

"Now, in order to get one of these corporeality things going, you need to lie down smack dab in the middle of this room. It might take a while to fall asleep, but you will, if Sojun wants you to. Corporeality is kinda like a dream, and its like seeing your universe through the eyes of a god. Takes a few minutes to get used to but you'll get the hang of it easily enough. I'll leave you to your devices now, you know where all the important stuff is and I gotta get back to work. Seeyas."

The Forgeworker turned and vanished from the room, and Daniel was alone in the Corporeality Chamber...

As shown, I laid down in the middle of the chamber and waited to fall asleep. Oh, hang on. I might want to try something a little different...

Instead of laying down, I sat up cross-legged and began to meditate, concentrate on the image of my dear Katrina...

The time on a screen showed ten months after my death. I smirked, realizing that time runs differently here than in the mortal plane. Then...I was in a house, on Jurai. It was night time and the double moons have risen beautifully over the city of Tsunami. I got up, and noticed that I was glowing blue, like...well I am a Jedi ghost now. In the room, Katrina slept calmly, though I sensed a measure of sadness from her.

I'll be back someday, my love. I thought. Then I walked, or perhaps glided to the other rooms, checking out the house. The twins were asleep in another room. A plaque on their walls showed that they're now Jedi Knights, and about the same age I became a Knight too! The final room...I skipped a beat. It was full of baby items. I have a child! A picture of the boy on a dresser had a name: Travis Samuel Masaki. I smiled softly as I glided to the crib. There he was: my son. I could see my eyes and my hair on him, and he's strong in the Force as well.

He suddenly awoke. I stiffened, preparing to leave if he starts crying, but he was quiet. His eyes met mine, wide and curious. He could see me, and I could see him. He is definitely my son.

"Hello, Travis. I'm your father." I smiled as I whispered. "Remember me, my son, for I will be back...someday."

The baby made cooing noises, and wanted me to pick him up, judging by the way he waved his tiny arms towards me. Maybe I can. Reaching into the Force, using nothing more than telekinesis as I'm a ghost, I picked up my child and cradled him in my arms.

I hummed a little tune, rocking the boy back and forth, and as soon as his eyes grew tired and he went back to sleep, I placed him back in the crib and pulled the covers on him. My journey through the house complete, I returned to the chambers where I meditated and went out. Time to start my work (aka training) before I return to reality in five years. And once I do, I'm going to train young Travis...in the ways of the Force.

OOC:
How did you get a child?!?
I told you to make Daniel avoid those twi'lek dancers in that bar on Coruscant CW. ;)