One Man's Tool is Another Man's Weapon

[Phoenix]

It had been a fair amount of back-to-back training, but with the New Sith Imperium now embroiled in civil war, he had no intention of being unprepared for whatever combat may happen. Yes, he was supposed to be interested in the Force for the Force’s sake (or at least that’s what many of the higher-up Sith would say), but the honest truth was, he was interested in learning this stuff for his own personal prowess in combat.

Combat was an astounding way to gain power. They may be able to manipulate people, but if you could kill them, there was something to say for that. To the end of becoming a formidable warrior, he had arrived at a new training room to practice some new skills with his mentor.

The first was Force barrier. It was an incredibly useful skill to have. It allowed the user to negate damage that, in many cases, could otherwise be lethal. Ark was going to give him pointers in the subject since he was a skilled practitioner already as Javik had seen first hand during their first duel. Man, it seemed like he had progressed so much since that first duel, though he still had so far to go.

That being said, Barrier wasn’t the only skill that they were here to work on. They were also interested in investigating the ability to empower regular objects with the power of the Force, as well as funneling other Force abilities through the lightsaber and using it as a focusing point for attacking others with the Force. It would just be an added bonus in any duel he may enter into.

The room was a simple one, and he had already prepared a holocron for their usage. Ark would certainly be here soon, but until then Javik paced the room, meditating on the Force and preparing himself for the possibility of a taxing training session.

All the better though if it was taxing. Being forced to perform while tired was excellent experience to be able to draw on the Force when it actually counted, and that was all that this was about. Preparedness for real fights. If nothing else, using the Force more often supplied him with more stamina for it later on.

 

[Flamjetxx]

After introductions, bowing, and a brief meditation, they were ready to begin. As always, Ark had done a fair amount of research, regarding the new content he was going to go over, before arriving in the training room. The Coruscant ambiance was a bit too disturbing for Ark, and he dusually preferred Ziost for the majority of his training, but it wasn't like there was anything wrong with training at Coruscant other than that Ark inexplicably just didn't care for it. At least the temple had a vast array of holocrons and literature to read up on regarding everything from telepathy to Force Destruction. Of 'course, much of the information was restricted to Rank, but it didn't hinder Ark in the slightest to gain a familiar knowledge of Force Weapon.

At least for now, Ark would be able to practice, while he teaches it, Force Barrier. It's an ability that Ark already knows, but it's also an ability that Ark knows he'd benefit from teaching it to another, and who else better to teach it to than a friend that Ark would like to say he was growing to trust more and more with every day they spent together training, going on Missions, or the like. If Ark was going to spend as much time with him, and leave Ark's well being in his hands, Ark would like for him to be able to protect himself with the Force. Barriers. Simplistic design, but complicated to conjure. Nothing was simple with the Force anyway.

Taking a deep breath, Ark stood up from his meditative kneeling position, and gave a little stretch as if waking from a nap. After all, it's claimed that an hour of Meditation is the equivalent of two hours of sleep. Ark was skeptical, but he certainly felt refreshed. The Dark Side permeated the Temple walls, and flowed through him freely. It was a dangerous relationship that the Force Sensitives of Coruscant had with it atmosphere, but it was, at least, empowering to an extent.

"Javik," Ark starts off as if not realizing he was even there despite their prior greetings before the meditation, "What do you already know of Force Barriers?"

It was almost as if a trick question despite how straight forward it was. I fact, barriers were very simple to understand. The difficulty was in conjuring and utilizing them effectively. Growing a stronger Barrier, like telekinesis and Force pushes or pulls were like a muscle, and they needed to be worked and refined in order to allow them to grow stronger. Only time and experience would allow either of them to wield a more powerful Force Barrier, but at least they could learn the best ways to utilize them.

Around the room, were many things set up. Bamboo staffs, swords, training sabers (though Ark knew they wouldn't need them), weighted orbs, and even a hold out blaster. They were certainly prepared for just about anything, although Ark doubted they'd use half of the items in the room. For now anyway, Ark needed to know how much Javik already knew before Ark could set him on the right path. Why cover things he already knew right?

 

[Phoenix]

He considered the question momentarily. He had come here to learn a bit of barrier, and as always, Ark wanted to know what he already knew. It made sense, and it was something that Javik could respect. He hated wasted time, and if they could skip over the basics that he already knew, it was all the better use of time.

Life was too short to waste a moment. “I know what they are, and basic book knowledge as it were. I know they’re used to absorb and deflect energy and attacks from others. They can keep the user from suffering all types of damage, and if the user is creative enough, it can even be used for offensive purposes.”

The issue with his barrier abilities was that, well they were nonexistent. While he had knowledge of what they were and, in theory, how to form one, he had never really tried, or needed, to use one.

“Despite ‘knowing’ how to use one. I’ve never actually given it a shot before. I think I could probably gather one, but I’m dubious as to its integrity against an attack, though I suppose there’s nothing to keep me from giving it a shot now and seeing how it might fair under an attack from you.”

He let the Force that was infesting this planet and temple flow through him. He was completely aware of its positioning around him and his ability to manipulate it into his desired tool. That was what today would be: manipulating the Force into an object of usefulness be it barrier or improvised weapon.

He let the energies around him solidify, much as you would do if you were to launch it at someone to push them back, but instead of launching it anywhere, he let this wall of energy surround his body and defend him from whatever sort of attack that Ark might unleash. With a slight nod, he signaled his readiness to proceed. Attempt, critique, and refine.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Javik's mention of the user being creative was closer than he may have intended, and Ark wanted to expand upon that, not from an offensive view, as Javik suggested, but for multiple purposes, "A barrier is a manifestation of Force energy that isn't supposed to be penetrable. This can be in the form of the user's choice though. Most choose to oversimplify barriers in making a simple shield shape or a bubble around themselves. However, you can mold the barrier to the shape of your body, a cone shape, a box, and even things much more complicated."

Ark was attempting to reference the fact that a barrier can be used for much more than a single kind of defense, but an extremely wide variety of defenses.

"Say, a small flood is heading your way," Ark places the scenario, "How would you design your barrier to be most efficient, to protect yourself? And how would that differ to a barrier you create to protect yourself from say shrapnel?"

The scenarios would give Javik an idea of what to think about when creating a barrier. Ark could sense Javik's Force energy flowing outward I an attempt to create a barrier around himself, but in the eyes of the Force, it was a jumble of random Force energy that was neither solid nor nonexistent. It was as if Javik raised the Force equivalent of water around him. It was certainly a permeable membrane, but if Ark tossed something through the barrier, it would likely slow, but still strike him. Ark shook his head at the first attempt of the shapeless barrier.

"Your barrier maybe erected, but it is lacking something. It is unrefined. It's the consistency of a Force Push, and is more like a wave of energy that surrounds you. The only problem with that is that a wave that stands still is simply whatever it consists of, and a Force push consists of flowing Force energy," Ark explained. With that information alone, it wouldn't take very long to figure out on his own what a barrier consists of, but Ark would expedite the process by explaining to him exactly what he needs to know; However, he'd first need to imagine a shape for the Barrier to take the form of.

 

[Phoenix]

Javik considered the ability to wield a barrier in multiple ways. Limited only to the imagination. Perhaps lack of creativity would be his undoing, but hopefully not today. For now he considered the possibility of how to avoid a flood of water.

A basic wall wouldn’t be very helpful, the water would simply smash into the wall and wash over him, likely drowning him or crushing him under the weight of the water. That was if his barrier even stood up under the weight. If it didn’t, then it would simply collapse and he would meet his doom that way.

He needed something that could keep him from being crushed while minimizing the amount of energy he needed to exert. Ultimately, his mind settled on a design. It would be a shield that rose in a half dome. Coming from the ground and arching back over his head, letting the water flow almost like a speeder’s hood. The aerodynamic nature would let the water flow over the top and around the sides, avoiding him.

Letting a place for the water to flow was more important than stopping it. There was little to no chance of actually stopping the flow, but redirecting it just might save his life. He considered detailing all of this to Ark, but figured that a usage was worth a thousand words.

He raised his arm and let the energy flow from being wrapped around his arm outward. The initial barrier he had sought to form was still fluid and not solid enough to stop something. Ark was right, of course, letting this flow outward would create a push, but this time instead of doing that, he let the energy form in front of him, filling the space like a wave.

Though it was invisible to the naked eye, it was palpable through the Force. It formed exactly as he had described. It filled into a half-dome that extended back over his head almost as if it were filling a mold. Then, as soon as it was where he wanted it to be, he let it solidify. Rather than being the flowing form, it hardened so that it could stop whatever might appear.

Whether it was exactly as it should be, he didn’t know, but it seemed to be an improvement over the last attempt.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Javik explains to Ark how he'd create a barrier that would defend him against a flood of water, and he hit the nail on the head. Athough, there were a lot of answers to the question, Ark was happy with Javik's choice of answer.

"Great. A barrier, although defensive doesn't need to combat a force head on. Like you may defend yourself with your hands or lightsaber, you can also redirect the brunt of the Force for the most effective use of energy," Ark summarizes Javik's reasoning behind the windshield-like barrier. The idea Ark was trying to derive from the scenario was that different designs for a barrier can be effective in different ways, and that there are multiple ways to defend oneself other than the narrow minded bubble that most choose to utilize.

Javik, as eager as he was, was already trying to jump into creating his barriers before he even knew what he was doing. Ark could admire that he wanted to use the ability so soon, but he couldn't do it without actually knowing how to do it. With an inaudible sight, Ark decides that it was time that Ark teaches him instead of letting him play around with the Force until he eventually came across the ability by chance. And after Ark's explanation of how his original barrier wasn't quite tangible, he'd attempted to solidify it by adding more power to it, and although it wasn't quite what would make a barrier, it was a good foundation for the barrier.

"Patience Javik. You're going to exert all your energies before I even tell you how to make a barrier," Ark starts while trying to get a feel for the barrier he'd already raised.

"You can add more power, but your fluid will just turn into a jello-like consistency until you either run out of energy to use, or you put in so much power that it simply combats anything entering the barrier. You must condense the energy. It is a static energy, unlike the flowing powers of a Force Push, tutaminis, or even lightning. A barrier is infinitely thin. Imagine the energy becoming denser if you can," Ark explains, "It is the difference of the very spacious, but less dense, coal, and the condensed diamond. They are the same thing, carbon, but they are two extremely different feels based upon their mere density. That is the difference of the energy you gather around you now and the barrier that it will condense into."

As Ark explains, he can feel that Javik's intentions for the added energy to turn into the barrier. And with a shape already in mind, it is bound to take a defensive form in which Ark can test. Ark's grip with the Force molds around one of the weighted orbs set to the side of the training room, and he shoots it at an alarming speed at the barrier Javik would be forming. Assuming that what Ark said made sense, the barrier would stop it with ease. Despite the speed of the object, Ark chose the smallest of the orbs, smaller than a human's (decidedly smaller than Ark's) fist. Ark chose the smaller one, because he didn't want to injure Javik, should he happen to fail, but also, because Ark wouldn't have been able to hurl anything much larger at similar velocities.

 

[Phoenix]

Javik took a deep breath. Yes, patience wasn’t his strong suit, and he knew it. He had always been trained growing up to do, never to wait: move first, strike first, don’t hesitate. It was still ingrained in him and he knew it was something that he would have to work on, lest it get him killed. For now, here was a place to start. He listened to Ark’s explanation of what he should do before further attempting anything.

The energy in front of him was in the proper shape, but far too “thick,” as thickness existed in the Force. He would have to thin it out if he were to proceed with any success, but more importantly solidify it. It seemed that the power drew its strength from density. It was so strange to state things in such a concrete fashion. Of course as a living and flowing energy there was nothing truly “thick,” “thin,” or “dense” about it, but it felt that way.

He let the energy continue to flow as it was in front of him, but slowly forced it to stop. Exerting control over the Force was a strange thing. Its natural form was one of free flowing, which was why something such as Push was so easy for beginners to grasp. This, however, was a different animal entirely. It required that the user exert an almost physical control, requiring the Force to change its “natural” form of freeflow.

He let the energy compress. Taking away its space to move by consolidating it into a smaller area. As it ran out of “room,” it hardened, almost like compressing paper. In its standard form, paper wouldn’t hurt to be hit with, but when compressed and reinforced, Javik had seen it almost as strong as a nightstick. Not, of course, that the Force was as simple as paper. After only a moment, it had come to be almost razor thin and more solid than anything he had ever produced in the Force.

It was all for the better too, as only a moment after he had let it come together, a small ball flew across the room. Javik barely even had time to register what was happening before the ball struck and deflected off. Like a cannon round deflecting off of angled tank armor, the projectile deflected off of the shield and left him unscathed. “I think I’m beginning to understand,” he said quietly. He wasn’t really sure who the comment was directed at more, himself or Ark, but it was true. While his practice could, no doubt, be improved, he began to grasp what Ark was saying.

 

[Flamjetxx]

The ball deflected of the barrier, as it shimmered as if from some holo-sci-fi show. It was condensed, and it did its job perfectly with a ting that sent the ball flying off to some other direction. For that, Ark was satisfied with the barrier, and through the Force, it was truly condensed and a literal wall of Force energies. Of 'course, it wasn't impenetrable, but it was certainly strong enough to stop the attack.

Ark ignited his lightsaber, and he turned the power down to be akin to a training saber, "It's important to know that a barrier has its limits," he began.

Shoving the bade at Javik, it would fall short of his chest if there was no barrier erected, but if there was, Javik would be able to see the extent of his own barrier. The training saber, as low of power output as it was, would actually penetrate the first-timer's barrier. But it wouldn't be with too much ease. It would be like pounding a nail into wood. It would take bursts of energy to drive it further into the wood, and the barrier would likely still be erected, but slowing the blade, even if slowly.

As Ark holds the blade in place, the barrier would pulsate visibly as the red energy is absorbed and displaced into the rest of the barrier. It was much like how ultrachrome (a metal used in a ship's hull) would spread the energy across the entire surface of the metal, instead of focusing the energy in a single place. The shimmers, spreading over the entire barrier, was like waves against the colorless barrier, and Ark slowly turned up the power on his lightsaber.

And before his lightsaber even came back to half of its full power, Javik's barrier would burst upon the mere inability to displace the energy, "The barriers you create may be able to deal with a certain amount of physical and energy attacks, but there is a limit, and it is extremely important that you learn these limits before exerting them upon an enemy attack. It will very well mean the difference between life and death."

Ark waits to see if Javik has any questions, before he decides that they either move on, "Do you have any questions regarding the barrier?"

If he has none, they may as well move onto the next thing on their agenda: Force Weapon.

 

[Phoenix]

Knowing your limits was an invaluable tool. If you pushed yourself too far in a fight or assumed your ability to do something, it could easily get you killed. Experimenting with the barrier’s strength would be a valuable tool to say the least. Ark’s blade activated, and Javik readied himself for the coming assault.

His barrier still erect, he focused on it to ensure its integrity. With first contact of the laser, it was as if the saber ad run into an invisible wall, which was in fact exactly what had happened.

Its contact slowly wore away at his wall, though not seemingly with any speed. Undoubtedly, he wouldn’t be able to keep back the saber forever, but it could defend against a glancing blow. Nevertheless, with prolonged contact, it continued to burn its way through. Javik was surprised at the amount of energy that the shield was able to disperse, and while it wouldn’t hold forever, it would certainly hold long enough for him to dodge if necessary.

As the saber’s power turned higher, the energy rippled across a wall of invisibility, until the wall finally gave way. Unable to take anymore, the barrier collapsed. It was like using a muscle: he had only used it once, but he’d practice further and when it really counted, he would be stronger.

Javik considered whether he had any questions for Ark and after a moment determined something he was curious about, though he wasn’t sure if the Crusader would have experimented with it much. ”Do barriers weaken with size or only under attack? If I cast a smaller barrier would it be stronger than a larger one?” He thought he already knew the answer, that packing the same energy into a smaller space would make it stronger, but he was curious if Ark had personal experience with it.

After he finished listening to Ark’s answer and they were both ready to move on, Javik began to open the holocron that he had retrieved for their lesson in Force Weapon. Javik could think of a number of useful applications for this and indeed was quite eager to learn the skill for use in any duels he may face in the future.

The holocron opened and suddenly a relatively chipper (for a Sith) individual appeared. “Force Weapon takes an object, be it an everyday item or a weapon, and imbues it with the power of the Force. This can be used to take something ordinary and turn it into a weapon, as the name implies, or take a weapon and enhance its capability.”

 

[Flamjetxx]

In response to Javik's question, Ark had to admit that it was a response that took one extra thought for him to conjure the answer, but in the end it was something of a simple answer for him.

"The intensity of you barrier varies upon your own will, but it is not effected by the size of the barrier. A barrier the size of a dinner plate has the same strength as that of a full body barrier; However, the endurance of that same barrier is certainly effected by the size. You'd certainly be able to hold a smaller barrier against a stronger attack for longer than you could do so against the same attack with a larger barrier. The limit of size in the barrier, however, is another story. You're limited by your own experience. You can create a barrier that can protect an entire row of a dozen men, but only be able to hold it against rainfall for a second or two. The size effects the endurance of the ability, not the intensity," Ark responds, hoping he'd covered all bases. The answer was actually derived from his own preference for the bare necessities in a barrier. Ark would rather have a barrier around his forearms than one around his entire body. After all, his forearms are a natural fallback for defense in his Teras Kasi training, and so it wouldn't take much more effort to defend an otherwise crippling blow with a barrier around his forearms, and he'd be able to hold it for much longer than if he chose to use a barrier around his entire body. But the single fact remains that no matter the size of the barrier Ark creates, he cannot hold of a full-powered light saber any better than Javik can, but he can be minimally effective against a training saber, despite the recoil from the blades.

Ark could sense it in Javik. INfact, Ark didn't even have to sense it; He was always just a little too eager for the next step, and so almost the moment Ark was done explaining his answer, Javik was already removing a holocron from hiding. There was no surprise what was on it, as it was previously discussed between them that they'd learn Force Weapon after Ark taught him to erect a Force Barrier. It was only how fast he'd come to activating it.

It generally took a while for a holocron to be opened. Of 'course, with Ark's experienced aid, it didn't take long to open it, but there was a drive for knowledge that pushed Javik through it. Ark could only remember very few instances in which he was so driven to learn something. And those were few and far between. At least Ark had help opening the holocron this time around, and he wasn't stuck with an Acolyte that barely had a grasp on the Force to help him open it.

As the holocron opened, Ark prepared himself for the worst. It seemed these days that holocrons tended to be out to get the students. The last holocrons Ark opened repulsed him to a sickening extent, and attacked him with a blizzard. Ark wouldn't have been surprised if this one were to attack him with a deadly array of weapons; However, it was delightfully not the case. In fact, the sound of a reel turning (as in an ancient movie reel) as the holocron projected a black and white projection against the nearest wall. Ark adjusted himself to face the projection.

The image was extremely poor quality as to what Ark was used to, but for some reason, he was entertained by it and the voice that accompanied it. The voice was upbeat, explanatory in sound, and had a peculiar accent; Transatlantic? The Orchestra that announced the video in the first place faded out as he began to speak in his informative tone. In black and white, the well-dressed man walked onto screen as he gestured with his hands and began to explain the promise of Force Weapon.

As he mentioned ordinary objects, he held a bat in his hand and motioned to it.

"Most Sith use this ability to allow normal weaponry, as opposed to a lightsaber," he continues, "To compete with such lightsabers; However, this can also enhance the Force's ability to control weapons, use them as a focus for their other Force Powers, and even to increase the strength of otherwise weaker weaponry. The extent of the ability's effect on an object is only limited by their own grasp on the Force."

The camera follows him as h walks and motions with his hands, until he comes to a Sith wielding a lightsaber- the chord at the bottom of the lightsaber hooking up to a battery pack attached to his belt; And ancient design for a lightsaber, and perhaps even an aid for the representation of the holocron -, nd across form that Sith, a corrupted-looking Jungle Felucian.

The Felucian's dreads were tangled and hanging, the deep black pits holding its eyes were red glowing dots, and the ordinarily green color of the Felucian was not a darkened red. Without even feeling the Force itself, Ark could tell that the dark side had heavily corrupted the Jungle Felucian; However, Ark could recall reading somewhere that Jungle Felucians were heavily influenced by the corruptions of the dark side of the Force. The physical changes were the greatest indicators of this corruption.

"Look at my Jungle Felucian friend here. His jaw bone sword," he motions to the barbaric weapon in its hand, "Is enhanced with the Force to be able to combat this light saber blow for blow."

And as he says it, the Felucian swings his club against the light saber, where it failed to even scar against the blade, "Jungle felucians are renowned for their ability to imbue their weapons with the Force in order to combat stronger weapons."

Finally, he points to the camera, Ark and Javik, "Are you ready to imbue a weapon with the Force?"

Ark smirks in response as he gets up to fetch a pair of wooden staffs from the side of the room, "Oh, I like this holocron."

Ark tosses one of the staffs to Javik and prepares himself.

 

[Phoenix]

Javik watched the holocron as it displayed the ability’s – well - ability. Stopping a saber with a standard object was an impressive feat in his book. Ark tossed him a wooden rod and he caught it easily. It reminded him a bit of the staff that he had used in the arena on occasion, though the one he had used was made of metal.

He gave it a slight twirl to feel its weight and balance; an effective weapon indeed. He listened as the holocron apparently turned to address Ark’s statement. “Well, I’m so glad your enjoying this,” it said, and Javik thought it sounded like he was actually happy about it.

“The power is in itself a focusing of the natural. The Force flows around and through everyone. It surrounds that stick you’re now holding. All you must do is use yourself to focus that energy directly into it, much as a focusing crystal in a standard saber,” it continued. “Simply let that energy flow into your weapon. As it fills further, it will begin to take on the qualities that you desire.”

Javik listened, almost hanging on every word, in an effort not to be too hasty this time. He focused on the rod in his hand. It was a solid piece of wood. Undoubtedly, it would be a versatile weapon in the right hands, but with the Force it could be so much more.

He was about to attempt it when he heard the holocron add one final thing. “After a prolonged period of time, it begins to drain the user. Using it for a few strikes shouldn’t be an issue, but if you plan to use it for a prolonged engagment, you may ultimately find it exhausting,” That was the kind of thing to know when going into a fight at least. There was no point in wearing yourself out if you didn’t have to. He paused for a moment to watch holocron before it apparently grew impatient with his waiting. “Well have at it, then,” he motioned to the rod.

Once again, he let his mind and thoughts fall to the piece of wood. He could feel the energies around it. Surrounding it. He used his hand and let it pour into the weapon. In its free flowing form, all it needed was a funnel through which to channel and fill the weapon, empowering it with unnatural strength.

It felt better in his hand, almost as if the weapon itself had come alive, but he could certainly see how it would ultimately become taxing for the user. A part of him wanted to turn to a nearby wooden striking post and test the strength of the new tool, but first he looked to Ark to see just how well the other Sith was doing.

 

[Flamjetxx]

The holocron spoke of how the Force around them could be funneled into the object, in their case, being the bo staffs. It made perfect sense, and it was almost too simplistic, but Ark had to remind himself that the ability was something extraordinarily simple. Acolytes were easily able to learn this ability on their own, and even the primitive race of Jungle Felucians used the ability.

It would make sense that a pair of Crusaders could learn the ability with extreme ease. however, the more advanced applications of the ability were something that they could in fact capitalize on. Regardless of just how easy it was to learn, Ark decided that wasting time on contemplating how ease it is to learn, that he'd be best off actually performing the ability for the first time.

Gathering the energies around him and the staff, Ark funneled them into it. The energies bubbled up within the staff, and they surfaced in the weapon, and Ark could feel how it could somehow be felt with more strength in the Force than it had only moments before. It was odd to feel the presence of an object being enhanced, where he was much more used to people being enhanced instead. However, Ark cold physically feel no difference in the staff.

Ark twirled it to find that it was light and incredibly flexible. In fact, it seemed as if there was almost no difference in lethality at all as he spun it on his paw. With a slight sigh, Ark reached over to one of the walls to press a few buttons, dropping some stone-looking blocks from the training room ceiling. Ark spun the weapon around, feeling the Force drain out of him ever so slightly. Ark's reserves, as deep as they were, cold feel the weapon sapping him, but not nearly as much as some abilities have done to him. In fact, it was one of the least draining abilities Ark has ever used, considering the wide variety Ark has used. However, Ark has been training himself in the Force for quite a while now, and the astonishing quantity of abilities Ark has gathered under his belt were something to attest to his ability to maintain a Force power for an extended period of time.

Ark Swing and slammed the end of the wooden stick into the side of the training block. The Kushari would have ordinarily expected the rod to splinter and shatter under the density of the stone-like substance, but instead, the wood held strong, only flexing a bit under the momentum of the blow, and instead, chunks of stone flung across the room. Raising his eyebrow, Ark couldn't help but to show the tiniest sign of surprise of the effectiveness and strength enhancement of the staff.

Ark draws a lightsaber, and he ignited the blade next to the staff. Touching them together momentarily, Ark watches as the blade bounces off the wood as if it were cortosis. Turing towards Javik, Ark raised the lightsaber first to the Warrior, "Let's see if it holds to stronger attacks though," Ark bares a single fang in a smirk.

 

[Phoenix]

Javik saw Ark’s blow land deep into the stone sending splinters flying. He then turned to his own and brought his own staff around, this time in a swing that struck the corner of the stone, removing it outright and sending small pieces flying across the room away from both he and Ark.

It certainly wasn’t something standard. A normal staff would have shattered and even a staff made of phrik, like he used to use, may not have been able to break the stone, but with the power of the Force, this particular staff managed it.

Both he and Ark were impressed by the abilities of this ordinary stick. Javik hadn’t felt much of a drain on himself, but after actually striking the stone, he actually felt it use just a little bit more energy. After prolonged usage and strikes, he could see how it could become tiring.

Now it was time to see how it held up against a lightsaber. Clearly Ark was having the same idea. ”I agree. Let’s do it.” He held the staff up, leaving space between his two hands for the strike to come. He let the energy flow from him into the wood, solidifying against the strike to come. He could feel the energy filling the wood, though it didn’t externally feel any different.

Then it came, Ark swung his saber down, and despite a little bit of nerves about the saber passing through as it normally would, it stopped short as the wood stopped the blade, much to his relief. He pushed the pole and blade up and away from him and took a step back. It did take a little bit of energy every time it was struck, but only so slightly.

“Impressive. Your turn then?” he asked his mentor as he let his hand drift down slightly to his saber.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Javik, as eager and on track as Ark was at times, was keen on testing their newly imbued instruments. And it didn't take long for him to hold his staff out horizontally. Ark figured that he may as well give it a good testing, and so Ark decided he'd put some real power behind his strike. It wouldn't necessarily be too terribly powerful a strike as he would use against an opponent duelist, but it would be clear that it was stronger than would be found necessary to simply test the Force empowered weapon.

Ark's blade came crashing down on the horizontal weapon, with everything in his head telling him that the blade would cut clean through, and so Ark's every intention was to hesitate, but his will power kept the blade flying at full velocity. The blade struck wood, and the staff bent unnaturally, but held strength, even recoiling as far as to bounce the blade right back up with minimal assistance on Javik's part. The Force of the recoiled Forced Ark to re-control his blade, being held in one hand in the first place, before he could clip it to his belt again for Javik to test his own blade against Ark's staff.

Instead of holding horizontally in a standard testing position, Ark decided he'd attempt a more practical use of the staff. In fact, he'd attempt to capitalize on the benefits the staff would give him that a blade would otherwise neglect to give him, such as a higher level of mobility. The wooden staff is extremely lightweight and highly maneuverable without the strengthening aid of the Force to completely control it, and above all else, the staff had something that a lightsaber could never mimic no matter how much of the Force you used to strengthen or speed it up; The bo staff was very flexible.

Ark placed both hands on the staff and nodded at Javik, indicating that he was ready for the test. And when the blade came in, Ark whipped the staff around with surprising speed to block the bade, in which the staff bent, holding off at the point in which Ark's paw was held considerably lower on the staff, and with a slight nudge, Ark allowed the staff to retake form, violently recoiling Javik's blade without snapping in half itself. Ark swings his staff around with lightning speed so that the other side of the staff would be able to meet any pretend rebuttal.

Ark cocks his head to his side, nodding at the mere benefits of the power being used on the bo staff. Although Ark wouldn't show it, he could feel a drain on the Force, although minimal, it was still a significant drain compared to what it was when he was simply empowering it without use. It was almost as if he was using the Force to combat the blade directly. The staff seemed almost as if it was merely a vessel for the Force.

"Good. We're almost there," the cheeky voice sounded from the hologram projection, "There are many other applications for Force weapon that expand beyond simply empowering an inanimate object. As you've probably already found out for yourselves, your empowered weapon is a conduit for the Force. That means that you can use that weapon to focus other Force powers, using them in conjunction with your weapon much easier."

Taking it in, Ark decided that it would be a good time to ask the question he's had in his mind the entire lesson, at least while it's pertinent, "I can already throw my lightsaber and control its trajectory with the Force. How would, if at all, Force weapon effect that?"

The holocron chuckles, causing slight shock to form on Ark's face in response, "Why, you'd have a greater awareness of your weapon, and greater control over it as well. You can already feel the presence of your weapon enhanced through the Force, right? So you'd be able to track it far better, without using your sight alone. That connection you'd have on your lightsaber would also allow you to control it with far more precision as if it were an extension of yourself, connected through the Force, just a bit stronger," it explains, before turning to Javik, awaiting any questions he may have to follow it up.

 

[Phoenix]

Javik had to smile slightly at Ark’s indignation at the way the holocron spoke. Not because Ark wasn’t right, but because it was just so unexpected. These holocrons certainly had minds of their own.

He listened as the chipper voice went on to explain how the ability interacted with the saber. He too knew how to throw a lightsaber, but he was more than willing to learn something more advanced. It sounded as if it was actually the ability to sense the blade and its position.

He knew that his saber gave off a distinct signature that he could sense just as he could sense a person, but to be able to almost see through the weapon, as it were, would be a useful ability to have. It was honestly something that he didn’t know was possible, but he’d take any advantage he could get.

The holocron seemed to turn to him to see if he had any questions before continuing. “Is there a limit to the types of abilities you can channel through the blade?”

”It is limited primarily by the user. You will want to use more fluid powers. As it is when you empower the rod,” he said motioning to the wooden staff, ”it flows into and around the weapon. So a power such as push, lightning, or even pyrokinesis could be sent into the saber.”

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark was growing more and more interested in what the holocron was saying, and his ears were perked forward with his tail flicking form side to side as a result. Channeling a Force Push alone would benefit him exponentially in a duel, allowing him to react in moments where a push or a pull would be necessary. However, the potential added when you take into account that lighting or pyrokinesis could be manipulated through a weapon makes the ability that much more potent when used in combination with a lightsaber.

"I suppose it's time to practice then," the holocron says in a particularly happy-sounding ring, "What would you like to do first?"

And almost instantly, Ark spoke up, "Energy based attacks."

It wasn't excitement in Ark's voice, but pure curiosity. If energy-based attacks could be manipulated through an inanimate object, then how would it effect a wooden staff that is supposed to be able to combat a lightsaber with similar enhancements? Furthermore, Ark had another question for the holocron that he absolutely needed to ask it before it closed back up, but it was more of a grand finale question best saved for the end, because of the fact that it wasn't something they'd even be able to practice just yet. At least, not in a single session.

Ark examine the wood in the staff, looking for flaws from his encounter with the lightsaber, but to find nothing. It was left unscathed, and rightfully so based upon how it sapped his energy to do so. The only question is where the energy will go, and how it will effect a weapon, let alone his Force reserves.

"When your weapon is empowered with the Force, there is a great deal that it can resist, including the lighting conjured by the Force. In fact, because these energies are derived originally from the Force, it makes it that much easier to focus the energies that are already existing in the weapon into the same energy used in creating the lightning. You essentially use the imbued weapon itself as a median of sorts to focus the attack through," the holocron explains with a sinister-looking smirk on his face, "However, be weary that if you should fail to maintain the defensive applications of imbuing your weapon, then your weapon may in fact explode by the use of these abilities."

Ark paused in the first steps in imbuing his own wooden staff to raise an eyebrow to the holocron. If Ark didn't know that when he attempted to apply the ability, and managed to fail, his paws might be on the wall right now. Thankfully, Ark was uneasy upon the instructions of the holocron. Finally, Ark was able to concentrate on the fact that he could generate energy for force lightning, or pyrokinesis through his lightsaber. Turning to the stone blocks that were still there, Ark stuck the wooden staff's end onto the block.

It didn't take long for Ark t o find the energy, because it was already there, all he needed was a little umph in the amount of energy that flowed through the bo stick, and there was more than enough energy ready to be transferred. And at the surface of the stick, Ark began to vibrate the molecules of the staff, and air around it until it glowed red hot, but the stick never burned and shriveled as a wooden stick would ordinarily do under similar circumstances. And the stone that Ark stuck it to also glowed red hot before it ignited in flames. All the while, the stone became scorched black, but the wooden staff outlasted the stone with ease by the time Ark removed it, leaving a red and black spot where the stone began to cool off.

 

[Phoenix]

It was an impressive feat to say the least. The stone now looked scorched as the flame had passed through the regular staff. Now it was his turn. He picked up the wooden staff and twirled it once more. He let the Force flow into the staff, strengthening it once more.

As he did so, he let a Force push flow fluidly around the staff. He turned to the stone and swung the staff away from the two Sith. It struck home and this time instead of just bashing off a piece and letting it fly normally, it smashed off several pieces and then the push blasted the objects across the room. In fact, they moved with such speed that they could in theory be used as a weapon themselves, if they could be directed with any accuracy, which of course would be difficult.

In reality though, Javik wanted to try with a lightsaber and had attempted with a staff first because he didn’t want his saber to explode in his hand if he failed. Clearly, he had been capable of working the power, now it was time to try with a saber.

He set the staff aside on a nearby table and took measure of his own Force reserves. He could tell that it was tiring, but not debilitating or anything. He took a few deep breaths and reached for his saber, igniting it in one fluid movement. He focused on the saber, letting the energy fill it. It actually was made slightly easier than the staff because of his connection with his saber, having meditated over it for hours.

The energy filled the blade and he let his hatred flow through the blade in the form of lightning. It traveled the length of the blade and he brought it straight downward in a slash that struck the stone one more time, flowing into the stone as it cut through it. Truly, it would have been devastating if it had been a human.

 

[Flamjetxx]

"Great! And you already have the idea of physical style Force attacks down as well, by using the weapon as a funnel or a conduit for the Push," The holocron says as Javik takes chunks of the stone brick off and flung them into the wall behind it. The room rung with the impact of the stone as it was flung with enough force to shatter bones.

It was then silent as Javik displayed how the Force Lightning worked in near-perfect tandem with the lightsaber, only choosing to say anything until after he had performed the ability, "As you can see, energy-based Force attacks are in fact, much easier when using with a lightsaber, because of the high energy properties of the weapon. Finding the energy is easy when you're drawing it into your lightsaber, and the lightsaber generates energy in the first place. I only caution you not to draw too much power from your lightsaber, because the power cells can only deal with so much at a time, and you may find yourself in the extraordinary circumstance of needing to replace the power cell."

Ark had to admit, he's never heard of a lightsaber needing a power cell replaced. Even his father's lightsaber never needed it after dozens of years of use, but it made sense that when deriving as much energy at once to fuel lightning, pyrokinesis, or some other kind of Force ability that required raw Force energy in its creation made sense that it would damage a power cell.

"Now that you've exercised energy and physical powers, the last is that of control, in which I think I heard one of you ask about telekinesis," the holocron said with an overly familiar tone, "I assume that it's self explanatory, as the effects of empowering your weapon gives you a greater familiarity with your weapon, it would simply make it easier to track and control."

No surprise there, Ark thought, remembering the question answered only moments before. In fact, Ark had even undertaken training from a holocron in saber throw, and although he doesn't use it often, nor likes to, due to the fact that he's literally throwing his saber away, it puts some ease on his mind knowing that he'd have greater control over his lightsaber because of the ability; That, and he has a spare. So when Ark imbued his lightsaber, it was an easy task for Ark to take a few steps back form the pillars.

Remember your training, Ark told himself as he visualize the saber thrown, and returning back to him with the hilt first rather than the blade as the mistake is so often made by the beginners of saber throw. Ark threw the saber, striking the first pillar, and the other, at his side was the next target, although Ark neglected to watch the saber as it passed to the corner of his vision and strike the other pillar. And the result was him recognizing the very unique presence of his lightsaber, the crystal and the Force imbuing it, and Ark reached out his mechanical hand to where he cold feel the saber coming, and the hilt smacked into the palm, where Ark could recognize the power of the blade in his grasp again.

The holocron was completely right... Ark had much better control over his saber. Never has Ark been able to redirect the blade in mid path, unless it was returning the blade to his palm. This time, Ark was able to alter the direction of his blade to strike down a second target, and then proceed to catch the blade without even watching it. Perhaps it was a result of his training with a lightsaber, telekinesis, and Force sense all together, but Ark could certainly feel the blade much better than he could before, almost as if it was an extension of himself rather than just a weapon.

Ark would allow Javik to attempt the saber throw if he'd like, but the one question burned at the tip of his tongue the entire time the holocron was opened. And finally, Ark couldn't hold onto it any longer, "I've heard of some Force users that have imbued a weapon so frequently, and to the point that after years of doing so that the weapon they've done it to actually had permanent effects of the enhanced cutting power and resistance of a weapon actively being enhanced by the Force Weapon technique. I would like to know more of this. Is it true? How would someone go about doing it? Are there any effects the weapon would have that is different form an actively imbued weapon?"

 

[Phoenix]

This was going to be a bit more advanced than what he had tried previously. He reached out to his saber and felt it in his hand. It had its own essence, there was no denying that. He had already imbued the crystal with the Force once upon a time but now he poured the Force energies around him into the weapon once more.

He didn’t particularly like throwing his saber as he had too often disarmed enemies after they had done the same, but it was still a useful skill to have. He threw the saber and it twirled its way through the air severing a first target and then arching around to a second, completely redirecting as it did so. He kept both of his eyes closed the entire time until finally the saber handle smacked back into his open and extended hand.

He turned his attention back and listened to the conversation between Ark and the holocron once more. ”Yes, what you say isn’t unheard of, although it’s often something that is done through special means. It can be accomplished through special forging processes and alchemy, though it is slightly different from the standard Force weapon. Old Sith sword and Jedi katanas from before the era of lightsabers used these techniques. The holocron seemed to pause waiting with a lopsided grin to see if he had adequately answered the question, as if he knew that he hadn’t fully.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark could tell that the holocron was dancing around Ark's answer, and though it was more or less counter-intuitive, he already knew the answer to his own question, after all, asking the question itself answered itself in one way or another, "I'm referring to weapons like the the Wan-Shen used by Matukai warriors, rather than Ancient Sith Swords," Ark stated. Of 'course, Ark also knew, more or less, how to create a Sith Sword, but it was more in the range of expertise of a Sith Sorcerer that would draw upon ancient Sith Magics as opposed to raw Force abilities such as Force Weapon.

"Unfortunately, that example is far too specific, and the creator of this holocron had no access to that kind of information at the time of the creation of this holocron; However, I suspect that you know better than you lead on," the holocron remarked, almost in a serious tone, which was in contrast to how it was speaking before. And before Ark could respond to the holocron, the images were sucked into it for as the device closed right up. Ark supposed that they've attained as much information from the holocron that it had stored within it. And with that, their lesson had effectively ended.

//End Thread.