lynchpin_castle | Challenge Zones

Challenge Zones

Challenges and Challenge Zones

Challenges between Champions will take place in designated areas at designated times, since this is ultimately a formal contest and competition between the Forces of Creation, and the Forces of Unmaking. The landscape in the void will and can adapt to provide these designated areas. Sometimes, a designated area will have a ‘base’ form, and be used again and again in various ways, with different options. These specific zones are listed below.

The Labyrinth (Primarily Mental)

The labyrinth is, in its simplest form, a complex maze. Long have beings used it as a tool of mediation and focus, navigating its walls whether in the physical or mental realms. The Labyrinth is one of the main challenge-zones that always exists, but what form it takes depends on what the current challenge is. What form it takes may also have limits and restrictions to provide a proper challenge to the champions.

The base form of the Labyrinth is an enclosed and complex maze that resists attempts to break out via any means other than navigating it from start to finish. It’s layout-changes every time, but there are ways to help one learn one’s way. (String, marking the walls, etc)

The Labyrinth Zone may be reached via a teleportation pad within the Observation room of the Castle.

The Mirror Gallery (Primarily Spiritual)

The Mirror Gallery has many names, but this is the most common. Mirrors are reflections, and reflections can be distorted or far too accurate for comfort. This challenge zone also takes different forms, but the theme always remains the same in that champions have their spiritual mettle tested, be it facing their worst fears and flaws, temptation fulfilled but with great cost, or making choices that are life-altering.

The base form of the Mirror Gallery is a small building full of mirrors of various shapes, sizes, and types. Depending on what one wishes to gaze on, one may find the mirror they wish to test themselves and attempt to learn what challenges they may face. (i.e: fun-house mirrors, mirrors that show your opposite, mirrors that show what you desire most…)

The Mirror Gallery may be reached via a teleportation pad in the Tapestry gallery of the castle.

The Field (Primarily Physical)

The Field is a designated challenge zone, that adapts and changes as needed for the challenge provided. It is an interdimensional space which may resemble a racing track one time, or a sparring ring another. It can be a vast prairie, or an arctic wasteland. Depending on the climate/atmosphere of the zone, there may be additional challenges for champions here.

The base form of the Field is a large area with mountains, plains, some rivers, and plateaus. It is reachable via a teleportation pad outside of the Castle-grounds along a set path. Where it exists otherwise is not known.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"You're telling me." She laughed about the exhausted part. Though she had been though worse, and she could still keep going. "I think I could have done a few more tanks, if needed. And I might be able to keep running still. But... I'm glad we don't have to." She said with a grin. She had a very good stamina at least. Where Trunks flashed like a bright fire his energy had to take a lot out of him. She on the other hand could go in small bursts, and keep going for a long time. You had to with the war she had.

"I don't get angry." She said, smirking. It was a bit of a lie. She had a hot head, as did her master. It was something they were both suppose to work on. "Or, well, a bit. But I'm working on it." She dropped back to lean on her elbows, the lekku at her back draping a bit to rest on the ground, the other two on her shoulders. Ah, better. "Though I would rather you be on my side always, then have to battle what I just saw here today. I'd rather you never be angry at me." She said with a grin.

Some of it--he'd burned a lot in Super Saiyan form, mostly because it came with the boosts she'd seen. It was also likely the only thing that had saved his life against those tank-hits. But so long as he wasn't unconscious, his ki remained steady and strong enough, if not the overwhelming presence it had been. It was all in how one managed their resources.

He is raising an eyebrow at her, when she mentions the not getting angry. Skeptical, then grinning at her when she corrected herself. "Depends on what you do." Then he's turning away bashfully. "I don't really get angry easily, except in certain cases."

A sigh, and Trunks just leaned back fully, arms outstretched and fingers not far from her Lekku at the back. "...my world is...under attack by two androids. About as powerful as those tanks, if not more so. They've killed everyone who can give them any kind of decent fight, but me. I can barely survive." A bit more serious, but explaining for her. Trying to give her some context.

She just rested there, taking a moment to collect her breath and try to relax again. She ached, pretty bad. It felt like a long hard fight kind of ache, which she supposed this was. Anakin would have fussed, for a moment after that explosion, and then hit her in the shoulder with a smile. She missed him and she'd barely been away.

"That seems to be how I do it too. I don't get angry easy, except for some cases. We're not suppose to let into emotions. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. These lead to the Dark Side, so we are schooled to not... allow our emotions to get the best of us."

She frowned as he talked about his world being under attack. About the androids. "It's cases like that, that you have to deal with. Alone no less, that I don't know if I could school myself to not be angry." She frowned over at him and let her head fall back between her shoulders a bit. She felt his hand behind her, the touch of her lekku, which felt nice in one moment, but in another she sat her head back up again. "Ah, sorry." Not meaning to squish his hand or something.

"Hmm?" Sorry for what? his head turned to her and there is a question. Blinking at her for a moment, and then his brain caught up. Catching the sudden shift of topics, and he's moving his hand. "No, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to invade your space there."

Moving instead to sit up again. Unbuckling the sword and leaning it nearby, then back down with his hands under his head as a pillow. "It's..different where I'm from. There's a difference between anger and rage that you can use as fuel, that you can control with discipline, as opposed to letting it rule you."

She chuckled as he apologized for invading her space. "No. That... wasn't it. I just... didn't realize you were there. I didn't want to just squish your hand or something." She said with a soft chuckle, sitting up on her elbows still. It felt good to just sit for a little bit. Rest.

She did smile though, faintly, looking out that the forest ground they were laying on. No blown up droid parts anywhere. No fires. It was nice. Clean. "There is a group of people, or... an order, who believes the same as you though. To give into your anger, your rage and hate, to fuel yourself enough to conquer anything, but not... to let it rule you. It seems like such a dangerous idea. The Sith, they're called, back home. They believe that to use and control your anger brings you more power." She glanced over at him. "When you went.... all... powerful. That was the feeling you gave off. Such a strong power."

He's still keeping his hands under his head though, even if she said it was okay. Seriously though--she was worried about her...what were those things called anyways? worried about that squishing him?

"It's at least...some of what I do..." Trying to think of how to explain, where to start. "Lemme start at the beginning. I'm not human, not fully. My mother is, but my father was a saiyan. They're an alien race of warriors, now extinct in my home as far as I know except for me." Nope, moving to sit up again, hands resting on his knees as he crossed his legs. "What literally doesn't kill them, if they have time to heal, will only make them stronger. They're adept at learning and training, including ki manipulation except for sensing it. That takes a bit more practice than most of them ever put in."

Turning his head, watching her. Given all they'd talked about, it didn't take a genius to see was bothered. Maybe even a little afraid of him. "Even then however, most Saiyans don't achieve that level you felt. It's a special state, that was thought to only be legendary until a great Hero of Earth named Son Goku achieved it. 20 years before I was born. It's known as Super Saiyan, and it's unlocked by..."

This was the hard part, and he braced himself as he really didn't want her to be more scared, or dislike him. "It's not easy to unlock. With training, you can increase your ki limits, and improve your body and techniques, and learn more--but you don't get that kind of boost. Not without some kind of trauma." Hanging his head, bringing his leg up to curl his hands around it. "I tried, for years, to get it on my own. Because I was convinced if I had that power, then Gohan and me--we could beat the Androids. Several times I was so close. Even Gohan believed so. But it wasn't until his death, that it became unlocked."

Don't laugh. She just didn't want to discomfort him by laying back into his hand or something. It's called being thoughtful, right?

SHe rested there though, turned a bit to watch him s he spoke. Talking about his mother and father, and half human half not. That didn't seem to bother her at all, herself. She knew a lot of people were half two races. It's just ho things worked? It was though, just a bit.... concerning, that his race seemed to be fueled on strong emotions. Like a nightsister or something.

Trauma though. She wasn't scared... more... concerned. Her brows drew in a bit, frowning over at him. There was nothing scary about him. Especially not at that. She moved to sit up, legs crossed under her, and reached over to rest a hand on his one knee. If he looked at her, it wasn't a look of fear or pity, but just a sadness. A soft look. "I am sorry that anyone would have to go through that, Trunks. Especially for you. For as different as both our places seem to be, we do share that in common, in a way. Perhaps not the same level as you, but every experience you live through makes you stronger, and apparently, a drastic trauma like that makes you stronger. It's terrible and i wish it wasn't the way of things."

Blinking, at her hand and at her. Mostly because outside of battle, he still wasn't used to being touched. But he recognized what she was doing, the comfort, and reached out his own hand to squeeze hers. A silent thank you. "I wish there were a lot of things different about my world."

Pausing, before he spoke again. "You're right about that--just seems like Saiyans are made to adapt to it." Another squeeze of her hand, and a tired smile of his own. "I don't care about being stronger except that I need to protect everyone. I've lived with them terrorizing Earth ever since I was a baby. It's..." A sigh, and he pulled his hand away and curled it around his legs as he brought the other up. Breathing, calling on that discipline. "After it's unlocked, Super Saiyan can be accessed anytime but it burns a LOT of ki for all that it provides a boost. I'm a bit...more reckless in it, a bit more ruthless, but I'm always focused on why I have it. What I have to use it for."

She tried to be a comfort, even if she wasn't the best at it, she was better at it then both Obi-wan and Anakin. Still, she sometimes wondered if she wasn't much good at it also. She drew her hand back when he balled up a bit more, talking about it all. It sounded painful. To gain your greatest power through your greatest loss.

She let him talk. Let him get it off his chest. Through everything she had lost... Anakin, the Order, her home, the faith of the council, her best friend, her mentors and purpose. Through all of that and being alone, she still felt his life seemed... worse. Harder.

"You've sacrificed a lot to protect so many others. I wonder if they even know you're fighting for them. Those people. The planet. Do they know what you do for them?"

"Some do." A tired smile there, bringing his head back up and facing her. "It doesn't even matter if they know it's me, or not. So long as I can keep them safe, so long as Mom and I can help...we will."

Powered by strong emotions he might be, but his intentions and heart were clearly as honorable as any Jedi Knight's. It was comforting though, as she did understand.

A slow blink, still with that tired smile. "Glad you had my back though, Ahsoka. I'd have you at my back with me anytime."

"So long as someone knows. Even just one. It might seem silly, to want someone to know what your doing for them, but in my experience, so long as someone knows you are out there for them, it helps. Maybe it's just me, but it helps me remember that... they might be thinking about me. Worried about me, and so I have to make sure I fight hard for them." She gave a small shrug, looking down at her dirty knees and scrubbed up leggings.

"Maybe your time here can be a good break you need. Even if... you might not remember it all if you go back. Still, it can't hurt being here." She smiled faintly at his comment though, head tilting. "I'll fight with you as best as I can, Trunks. Even if I pale in comparison to your skills."

He shook his head. "Only on this kind of battlefield, Ahsoka." Uncurling, and then stretching a bit before getting to his feet. "There are different ways to fight and be effective, and we just hit my strengths this time." Offering her a hand up if she wanted.

He wasn't sure about that not-remembering thing too. Then again, if they were the first--maybe the Master was still learning about them and how to do this as much as they were. Maybe they thought their champions wouldn't want to remember.

"Yes, but on a power level, you out class me, and you can't deny that." She said, and did take the hand to help her up, giving a soft groan as she stood for the first time since the blast. "Oh, gosh, I regret that third tank." She said with a groan, curling her arms around her middle a moment, then groaning as she reached down to pick up the other lightsaber, clipping it on her belts as she stood again. "That was such a good fight though..."

He didn't; and in physical areas that was likely true. But Trunks was far from stupid, and he had grasped some of why they were there. Certain that Ahsoka would be more than capable in other areas.

Her comments though, brought the grin back. "It really was. I still envy your lightsabers." An easy smile. "Pretty sure I have enough in me left to get us back to the teleportation pad the easy way. Maybe not as fast as before, but still better than walking."

Offering, not assuming.

"As you should envy my lightsabers. They are amazing, and I don't know what I would do without them." Actually, she wasn't meant to have them anymore. They had been taken away from her, but here they were with her, and she took that as a sign that they needed to be with her.

"What? Too tired for a bit of a hike back?" She teased, moving as if to try to put some pep in her steps. "Can't make it back to the... ah, to the..." a pause, and she frowned, glancing back to where she thought the teleporter SHOULD be but then... where it COULD be? Then, frowned at him a moment after. "Okay, first off, I know you took us way far from the pad, and walking back sounds terrible, even though I could do it, and I know I could do it, because I've had to do it before? But..." She gave him a small grin. "I am not too proud to say that I might also not remember which way we came and thing we'd end up going the wrong way."

Which is a yes, if he can manage a quick flight, she'd not fight it.

"If I was too tired, I wouldn't be flying. I'd be walking, and have also done so before." Trunks responded teasingly, but he was amused. "And yes. Your lightsabers are amazing. You wield them well, and with far more grace than I could manage." She did a lot of things with more grace than he did.

Reaching up and rubbing his neck a bit he commented. "Besides, that was the other reason I was offering. The sky'll let us get a better idea of where we are, and how to get where we want to go."

He'd already told her had learned to do this young, and had to do it as easily as breathing.

"Did you feel secure enough earlier, or would you rather a different way?"

She didn't have too many pride issues, really, and asking for help wasn't one of them. She was mostly trying to tease a bit. Keep it light. She was used to holding light conversations like this. Mostly the teasing helped from letting everything go to dark.

"I suppose grace is something you learn with my kind of fighting style." She said easy, and flexed her hand a bit as he asked about being secure the way they flew before.

"Is there another way to do it? I mean... Other than feeling like I might be able to fall? I think it was fine. I'll also have you know that if for some reason you do have to drop me, or we do fall, I'm pretty good at not dying that way as well." She said with a small shrug. "I think I'll be fine."

"Not sure whether I should be sad you weren't an artisan then like most of your people, or glad you're the you I know, considering your grace." Head down a bit after that, ducked into his collar as he blushed slightly.

"The other ways, are I carry you or I piggy back you." A serious response, for all that he still had a grin. "And I won't drop you. Not unless I'm dropping too. But I'm glad to know."

"I... honestly think I would fail at any form of creative expression." She said, grinning up at him as he ducked his head. "So just be glad to know me this way. If I had a paintbrush in my hand, we wouldn't get to play with tanks on a battle field." She teased back.

And his two choices of carry her or piggy back her made her brow raise. "I didn't think you would actually drop me, but if we did have to fall, I might be able to stop it for both of us." She said instead, and rubbed a finger over her cheek, glancing out at the area around them. "For some reason, you either piggybacking me or carrying me seems more strenuous to you than anything else."

His smile grew though, and it was like she'd seen in the dojo. Or when they'd been exclaiming earlier about the teleportation pad and his flying. "I'm not sure about the tanks, but I definitely enjoy playing with you on a battlefield. Rather know this you any day, Ahsoka Tano."

"Not as much as you'd think. Once we're in the air it's kind of negligible, as far as I'm concerned." And he was blushing again. He could feel the flush on his neck and face. "...'s part of that whole half-warrior race thing. You're not heavy."

"Yes, all right. I'll give you the thing about the tanks. That wasn't that great. I'm still feeling my head ringing a bit over that." She shook her head, stretching a moment to try and work out the pain in her ribs. "I do think this is the better Ahsoka Tano to know however. Maybe I will try painting in my spare time." She was shaking her head no as she said it.

Still, he said she wasn't heavy. She was pretty scrawny it seemed. She glanced down at herself, out at the land around them, then back to him again. She came over and tapped his back. Piggy back. "Okay so.... how do we do this again?"

"Well, for one--you watch the sword." Because that was the big obstacle. But otherwise he crouched a bit, to help make it easier. They were of an equal height after all. "Then just, as long as you're not choking me, you hold on."

Assuming she was able to manage around the sword, Trunks hooked his hands and arms around her legs, breathing for a moment to gather his concentration. She really wasn't heavy--but he would never think of her as scrawny. She moved like some war-dancer on the field and he liked it.

That moment done, and then just like before at first it's a slow-rise. Giving her time to get used to it. The feeling of his Ki wrapping around them both this time wasn't as strong--mostly because they weren't going to go nearly as fast. But it was there all the same, to help with the movement through the air.

"I think I can handle your sword." She said with a chuckle and honestly, she had no idea how that could be taken the other way. Or she did have an idea and just was too tired to notice what she said. She did however, manage to watch the sword and settle in at his back, easy enough. Her arms moved to his neck, but they were lose. Trusting. She leaned forward a bit to him, and was trying not to be such a burden.

When he started to move, the feeling of the energy coming off him growing, she did tighten a bit more around him, holding close, but otherwise she wasn't going to choke him. A very soft word of "Thank you..." was said near his ear as he seemed to have no issue lifting them off the ground and into the air. This was... she would admit... so much better of an idea than walking back after that battle.

The words went over without him commenting too, as his mind was not thinking about anything other than getting back and how to do that. Food, a shower--maybe not in that order--and then he might hit the Library. It might him later, given how tired he was.

He nodded though, to her words--as they weren't going nearly as fast as last time but it was still easier. Higher, high and straight up, and then turning to sight where--there! Adjusting his hold on her a bit, so her arms were more around his shoulder and collarbone, as they shifted and flew at a more relaxed pace in the direction of the teleportation pad.

She held on and relaxed as he raised up and up. Still the thank you was because, as much as this kind of hurt and she ached, it was better than walking. She realized how sore she was and it would only be worse later.

She would need to go and take a shower, hot, and then change. Do some stretching, find a book to ready maybe, or simply meditate. Actually, meditation sounded so good right now. Maybe she could do it in the shower, if she can get past the idea that it's not a waste of water to do as much.

She held on comfortably, her face down a bit in his shoulder, eyes just peeking over to watch the ground below. She'd grown a lot more easy with this then before. More relaxed.

She's also going to ignore the fact that her brain just supplied the thought that he smelled good.

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