Stagnation Is For The Weak

[Negative Blessing]

Grima and her young Apprentice, Trayzan, stood in the centre of one of the more darker forests on Dathomir with their eyes closed taking in the sounds and the energy from the Dark Side. The Sith Master had decided that this would be the site for the next training lesson for her Apprentice. She was going to teach the young girl Tutaminis since her Apprentice had chosen to wield the more exotic weapon, the lightwhip, instead of the traditional lightsaber. Grima had watched Trayzan dance around and practice with her weapon but to Grima, there was no way to stop blaster bolts or energy if it was directed toward her. That is where Tutaminis came in.

Opening her eyes she ended her meditation trance then touched her Apprentice's mind to let her know it was time to begin the lesson. She watched the young girl's eye open and Grima began. "Tutaminis is a Force power that is used to absorb or dissipate or negate energy such as from lightsaber blades, blaster bolts, and even certain Force powers such as Force Lightning. The idea behind this ability is that by using the Force itself, you can absorb these energies and diffuse it or channel it through your body. It is not an easy ability to master and it takes both great concentration and practice to master it."

Grima pointed to the girl's hilt and told her to activate it. "I want you to strike at me with your weapon," Grima said. She focused her attention and strengthened her mind through the Force readying herself. All around here a faint and dim red aura began to appear around her and she smiled. Her Apprentice produced her weapon, lit it, and struck at her Master.

Grima raised her left hand and caught the lightwhip absorbing the energy from it until it flashed out. Grima told her to use her Force Lightning and when the girl did, Grima caught it and absorb it. With a spooky smile on her face Grima said, "To do this you need to be extremely focused at first or you will be harmed...possibly killed. When you are ready, let me know."

 

[LadyM]

I stood in complete silence allowing the swirls of the dark side energy course through my body and mind as I awaited for the next lesson with my Master to begin. She had told me on our journey through the jungle that she was going to instruct me on a power that I should find quite useful since I had chosen to learn the lightwhip over the more traditional lightsaber like most other Sith wielded. With my eyes shut, I kept catching glimpses of visions but just as I turned my mind's eye to gaze at them, they would vanish just as quickly as they appeared to me. At first I found this frustrating but know I was becoming annoyed with them. Master Volitu had told me that the Force was speaking to me through these visions but to have patience and allow the Force deem me ready to understand the visions.

I felt the cold and powerful presence of Master Volitu's mind enter mine, letting me know it was time to begin. I slowly opened my eyes and blinked a couple of times letting my pupils adjust to the brightness of the sun. I turned to face her and nodded my head saying, "I am ready to begin Master."

I listened as Master Volitu spoke about Tutaminis and the applications that came along with it. I was amazed that such a power could negate the effects or even absorb energy through the Force. Master Volitu had been correct, this power would aide me in times I came across those with blaster pistols. Then to my surprise, she wanted me to strike at her.

I removed my hilt and powered it up and with a quick snap of my wrist, the lightwhip reached out toward my Master but instead of dodging it or using one of her own weapons, she caught it. I watched with fascination as the energy of my weapon began to flicker until it shut down. I ignited it again and was relieved that it had not shortened out. I powered it down and clipped it my belt and as instructed by my Master, I shot from fingertips Force Lightning.

She absorbed the energy from my lightning as I stood with my jaw slightly askew. I closed my eyes again and this time focused my mind, my brow squinting in concentration. Feeling ready, I opened my eyes and spoke to my Master, "I am ready."

 

[Negative Blessing]

Grima watched her apprentice and smiled slightly at the young girl's words. Grima thought the young girl better be ready for if she was not, then she would feel pain like nothing she has ever felt before. Grima called upon the Dark Side and began collecting the energy around her, adding more potency to her power, mainly the ability she was going to use.

With a sinister laugh, she out strecthed her left hand, fingers now splayed, and unleashed a torrent of blue and white energy. Grima watched as the arching energy of Force Lightning careened toward her Apprentice.

 

[LadyM]

Just as my Master did, I put up a shield around me and just like hers, it was red. I watched as her lightning came toward me and I raised my right hand, steadying myself. I felt the sting and burn from the dark side energy but it began to subside as I moved to absorb the energy and let it flow through my body. After it was done, I dropped to my knees and let out my breath. My right hand felt on fire but my body felt rejuvenated.

I looked up at Mater Volitu as she moved toward me. "I did it Master," I said looking down at my slightly charred hand. I could already feel the energy and the Force move to heal my hand. But I held onto the pain, absorbing that as well making me more connected to the dark side.

I rose to my feet as Master Volitu stopped before me.

 

[Negative Blessing]

Grima walked toward her Apprentice as she fell to her knees and elected to allow the girl to catch her breath rather than scold her for showing weakness. Tutaminis was a power that was known to push one to its limits when first learning it. Grima had known and heard how some Apprentices had died at the hands of their Masters for failing to comprehend it. Grima, however, was unlike the others. She wanted to see her fledgelings survive and go on to become powerful Sith. Only if they disobeyed her or showed regression in their skills or began to show weakness would she punish them; or kill them.

Grima halted in front of her Apprentice, stealing a glance at the girl's hand. Grima nodded her head then rose up to meet the girl's eyes. "The stronger you grow child, the more easier this will become. It is an ability that is hard to practice for one wrong move and poof...you are no more. But luckily for you Apprentice, we have the training droids that can allow you to focus on this skill. When we return back to my lodgings, you will spend the next two weeks in the training chambers practicing this skill with the droids. After two weeks are up, I will test you once again."

Grima pulled the hood of her black cloak over head then said to her Apprentice, "Return to the compound and I will be along shortly." Grima began walking through the jungle filling her mind with the darkness that inhabits the planet of Dathomir. Opening her mind up more, she began to scan the area allowing the Force to guide her to where she wanted to go.

After an hour, she came across a lake and looked into the reflection of herself in the water. She sat down on one of the banks of the lake, crossed her legs, and fell into a deep meditation trance.

 

[LadyM]

For the two weeks, as instructed by my Master, I worked on the Force ability Tutaminis first with droids using low powered lightsaber blades then with droids using low grade blaster bolts. As I began to feel more comfortable with the ability and my understanding of it grew as well, I moved to higher forms of both weapons. Then with only a few days remaining before I had to meet back with Master Volitu, I began practicing with the weapons on the highest settings. On the last day of my two week practice session, I found that I was now one with the power.

I sought out Master Volitu and found her in her laboratory working on something involving liquids of various colours and some black looking pot. She saw me as I entered and I said, "It has been two weeks Master and I have done as you have instructed me to do. I am ready to continue my training."

 

[Negative Blessing]

Grima looked up at the young girl as she claimed she was ready to continue her lesson and smirked. Grima felt her Apprentice was growing confident of late but she was bordering on overconfidence; and that could get her killed. Without warning, Grima used the Force calling on the power called Force Push and knocked the young girl to the floor. Grima moved over to the girl as she was rising to her feet, shaking her head in confusion.

"Do not let overconfidence plant the seeds into your mind, Apprentice. When that happens you will surely fall in battle or at the hands of another. Also, always be on your guard no matter whose presence you are in. Had I meant to do you serious harm...you would now be one with the Dark Side of the Force."

Grima motioned for the girl to follow her and led her outside so that she could see if her Apprentice was truly ready to continue her lessons. When the girl stepped out into the courtyard, Grima spun around and unleashed a torrent of Force Lightning toward her.

 

[LadyM]

I sensed the impending danger just as Master Voltiu spun toward me and had only seconds to prepare myself from the blue and white lightning that was headed toward me. Quickly I stretched out my right hand and caught the energy and felt it burn my palm and course through my body as I began to absorb my Master's dark energy. With the left of her energy now absorbed and dispersed through my body, I dropped my hand to the side and smelled the faint burnings on my palm.

I grinned slightly at my Master

 

[Negative Blessing]

Grima returned the grin back to her young Apprentice. She showed she had did as she was told and was well on her way to mastering and understanding Tutaminis. There was nothing more she could teach her Apprentice on this power and she dismissed her Apprentice for a few days. Soon Grima will take her Apprentice on the next level of her training.