[CLOSED] The Education of a Rabbit.

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Her voice held no contest against her presence. It was as if she'd be able to speak more clearly if she didn't open her mouth and, instead, manipulate the Force around her. Perhaps that was what she was doing now and so affluent in the ability that, to them, she was speaking with her mouth. Regardless, he couldn't respond to her queries immediately as he wanted to feel this energy swell up within him and surround him. She was like a security blanket, and the aura even felt like the physical manifestation of one. He listened intently and attempted to store everything she said. She was deeply wise and all-knowing, or at least as close as one could get. She blended into the forest itself and her knowledge of his appearances to her was understood and accepted almost immediately. However, when she passed off the lectures, a tear crept down his cheek.

"Ayva..." he whispered, his mouth quivering.

He wasn't one to show any kind of emotion, if any at all, and this would be a sight for Della to behold. As he trained alone on Tython in his younger years, his body became his mind: strong, hard, and unmoving. Growing up with the Jedi and no parents, emotions were something he never quite learned about. The knowledge of the Order was enough to teach him how to conduct himself with others. Still, this would prove strange as he had developed a strong paternal behavior towards others, especially his Apprentices. Even so, he never developed any strong bond with the Jedi, feeling himself a nuisance or a burden to the Jedi regarding his lack of Force abilities. If only those Jedi Master could see him now and understand how each student can be difficult and present their own odd obstacles. But when they are pushed through, achievement flows through.

Her next statement struck him and he physically flinched by twitching his head in his strong meditative state. How had he developed this wisdom himself if Ayva had been present and contacting him. Perhaps these were memories of her teachings that he recalled a bit differently and gave new insight upon her words. Even this realization was above his norm, but he accepted this answer as she continued with her question from before.

"I believed this place gave me wisdom," he revised his statement to tell the truth she revealed to him. "This is Della Frey, my Apprentice. I was seeking a haven to train her."

Against her's, his own voice was harsh and dissonant to listen to. He attempted to keep his answers short, not only to keep his concentration on Force surrounding them but also to keep the harmonies of the world around them from deafening under him. Now, he'd felt, even became, the earth around him.

 

[TweedPawn]

Della felt the sadness in Sebastian. Her heart instantly grieved with his. She understood loss better than most. She had been taken from her planet, tormented under the Other, and then brought to a planet far away from everything she ever knew. She extended her sympathy towards Sebastian. He was hard to connect to, he was closed off.

Della sighed. What was going on? She never felt so ignorant since her arrival to Tython. She felt as if she was an odd person who did not belong in this moment. Only when Sebastian introduce Della to the being, did Della recall that she had a role to play in this moment. She remained silent and focused on the Force around her.

 

[Master Maverick]

Emotion. While not something that affected this spirit in any way physically or mentally, she was not immune to objectively feeling it. She understood the reasons for his feelings but was almost surprised that he was able to keep calm and composed. It's not because she knew him, but simply the strength of his emotions and his presence beforehand didn't suggest such a happening to occur.

A slow twitch would signify that she looked upon the younger female. Her physical features were not important to the spirit of Tython, but her presence and connection to the Force were quite desirable pieces of knowledge she hoped to obtain.

And gather she would.

Untrained, her memories, for the most part, were largely free game to any with sufficient skill to find and decipher. Her language, quite foreign and one even Tuwan had never heard before, was quickly translated and her history was determined in a matter of moments. Her personality, character, skills and abilities, as well as her potential, were all determined and she nodded curtly to the girl before turning back to the former Jedi.

"To infer the Great Temple is not a haven in which to train as a Jedi pains my heart greatly, young Jedi." Her words contained a hard tone this time, obviously offended at the lack of tact this man possessed. After a pause, she added with a softer, more calm voice, "But I understand what you mean. It is why I have left; to come to my previous resting place so I might commune with the Force one last time before I leave to perform my duties."

Turning to her left, she proceeded to walk around the pair, keeping the same distance but no longer looking at them. Instead, she gazed at their surroundings, looking upon what she had surrounded herself with now with eyes in the physical sense. Her displeasure at this was masked; it seemed so trivial when gazed upon in such a manner. Inconsequential and one-dimensional.

"I have followed you here for another purpose, however; to relay unto you advice from your late Master." As she said this, she continued to walk. After a moment of silence, she stopped, but remained with her right side facing the Jedi. "Do not feel anger for the past, nor fear for the future. Instead, remain aware of your surroundings and of the present in clarity.

"Better than a thousand words is one action which brings peace.

"Never will peace be possible for all until peace is within us all.

"All battles of any significance are waged not upon a field, but within one's mind.

"And the truth that you believe and cling yourself upon will make you deaf and blind to all else." Between each of these she paused, allowing each to not only be heard but to be felt within them. A moment after she spoke the last peace, yet another breeze wafted through the towering monoliths which creaked and groaned as they stretched. Her head, once more, uplifted as she took on this breeze with interest. Without warning, before the breeze had passed, she added, "She is deeply proud of you, Sebastian Solborne. She believes you to carry on her legacy as she had forseen and forge forward her Light, that which she imparted unto you upon the ending of your training." Turning, then, to the pair, she added now words of her own. "You still have much to learn, but she is always with you. If ever you have a question, simply ask it and she will answer. Of this I have no doubt. You are strong and determined and you will go far. This is why she picked you among the others. You have a destiny far greater than her own and her Light shines upon you always. Even in the darkest of places, she is there." The woman's face was still masked by her hood and she made no move to change this.

Now her attention turned to the girl. For several moments her assumed gaze lingered before she final spoke. "Della Frey. I sense that you are strong and resolute, not unlike your Master. You, however, hold on to much fear. What is it that your fear most, above all others?" Her tone was that of a sort of Goddess deigning to give advice to those she deemed worthy of such knowledge and wisdom. She waited, unmoving, for the answer.

 

[TweedPawn]

The weight of the moment was almost too much. Della maintained her concentration as she could feel something analyzing her. It felt as if she had become an open book. Perhaps, this entire time she was this easy to read. This vulnerable. She did not allow this sensation to frighten her, as it would have in the past. The Being meant no harm, and it was its right to do as it pleased.

The words of the Wise One etched themselves into Della's very being. Della would allow its truth to become her will. The clarity of her mind allowed her to understand the phrases. This is what the Jedi were. This is what they upheld. This truth would save them, and others. This was now Della's future, if there was such a thing as a future. No, there was no future. There was no past, there was just this. This moment that was subjective to how one perceived it.

Della felt a rush. It was the Force. She could feel it stronger now. It was with her and without her. She never wanted to part from this.

The Wise One spoke to her.

What did she fear now? She thought it was the Unknown. Then, it was The Other. Della realized that these fears came from the worry she had for her home. The Force spoke to her of a shadow that had come. Her people were in danger. She had to go back. She had to save them from shadows.

"Your Grace, my people are in danger. I sense that darkness has arrived there. It is the same darkness that stole me away in the night." Della shuddered. She knew what had to be done. She had to face the monsters that tormented her. It was dangerous.

"I will return to Sacul. I am willing to give life for their freedom."

 

[Master Maverick]

The girl's thoughts whirled around her, her emotions affecting them duly, as she determined an answer. More interesting than this, however, was the Force around the young Jedi; it became more focused and concentrated. She became calm.

There was a substantial silence that followed Della's rather presumptuous answer. She was young and rash. However, there was a time when Tuwan would have been described as much similar to that. She did not judge the girl, simply acknowledged it and would now address the faults in her reasoning and self-insight.

"Your people are not the only ones in danger, Padawan. The galaxy is at danger. Why are your kind, then, so much more important than any other to deserve such a sacrifice?" The question was largely rhetorical, but a pause was created with a vibe that she was not to answer, but simply think on the answer. "While it is the duty of Jedi to serve and protect the galaxy, it is foolish, if not downright irrational, to simply sacrifice oneself for others simply because we feel this is the right thing to do.

"I understand your feelings, Padawan, but you must not allow your attachment to cloud your thoughts. A worthy goal, indeed, to save and protect one's homeworld. However, you deny yourself many opportunities to grow and only limit yourself to such a narrow path and goal. The galaxy is large, Padawan, and while you have hardly experienced any of it, take it from one who knows it intimately; there is much more to the galaxy than a single planet. You need only reach out and feel that which comes naturally to you to know this. Even as you do so now." A cool rush of the Force would wash over the pair simply to emphasize the point.

"Know this; your life is not your own. This is the path of a Jedi. However, due to this, it is all the more important to keep it. Your death is not only a mortal one, but a tear in the Force which darkens it. More so, it is the loss of peace in the galaxy, that which we hope will some day reign. Your duty is this, not simply to defend and protect against harm, but to spread peace and justice throughout the galaxy. This is impossible without your mortal body."

Once again, there was a pause as a fallen branch far off snapped and leaves rustled before the swaying of the branches high in the canopies took precedence once more. "However, it is not the loss of the planet you hail from which terrifies you, but the loss of your home and family. I know it is difficult, but you must let go of these attachments for you only allow those who would work against you to gain power against you. You allow them control over you. Love them and care for them with all your heart, mind and soul, but know that you only weaken yourself and deny yourself the fullness of your abilities that would save them should you hold on to such attachments.

Return to them... in time. First, learn much and train hard. You are in more than capable hands," she added, looking at Sebastian. "You will do well." With that, she was done with this pair for the time being. She knew that the Knight would seek her out once more, but duties needed to be carried out and Tuwan would not be tardy for them. A mission awaited her attention and she needed to make her way back to the Temple to ready for her leave.

"I leave you continue your training now. I have tasks to attend to and must excuse myself. It has been a pleasure to meet the both of you." With that she bowed with a slight bend at the waist before going back the way she had come. Her footsteps were silent which was exceedingly unusual given the detritus on the forest floor. It was magic of some kind, but she was soon out of sight, adding evidence that she truly as a spirit to those who would believe such superstitions.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Her words seemed shallow him. Perhaps the feeling of the Force all around them and his ability to feel the expanse of the forest itself, lessened the impact of her words. The Temple always felt stuffy to him. He didn't like to feel confined, which is why he often ran away and into the forests to train or just escape. He couldn't get a feel for sharpening his mind, so, instead, he sharpened his body. This proved to work for his mind as well, but only recently. He never found much use in old knowledge, but that was soon to change. Everything else she said was deeply profound if not touching his heart directly.

"Do not feel anger for the past, nor fear for the future. Instead, remain aware of your surroundings and of the present in clarity.

"Better than a thousand words is one action which brings peace.

"Never will peace be possible for all until peace is within us all.

"All battles of any significance are waged not upon a field, but within one's mind.

"And the truth that you believe and cling yourself upon will make you deaf and blind to all else."

This mantra, he focused on it intensely as his Padawan and the being conversed.

"Keep in the present.
Actions bring movement.
Peace is inevitable yet impossible.
Conquer your mind.
Be receptive of others."

This would help him remember her advice, and adhere to it. He found comfort in this. He felt weak and small as he realized how far away from these words he'd fallen. He focused on his body for so long, it too him years to begin to understand his mind. However, perhaps this was the path he was supposed to take. Once he was in-tune with his body, he began to understand his mind. Because of this, his skills developed in such a way that best fit himself, and he learned how to defend against anything. His reserves were deep and his focus unmoving. He was becoming strong in the Force.

Another tear would flow down his cheek when he relayed Ayva's feelings about him. However, he was just as confused as he was touched. How could Ayva believe he be able to accomplish so much. He wasn't flattered but, instead, felt fear. However, this fear was soon transformed into determination to do his best in the essence of his late Master. He delved deep into the energy of the Force in an attempt to find this path he was supposed to take, but nothing came to him. He searched more and more until he spotted the Light. "Patience," the voice whispered, echoing the guidance he gave to his previous Apprentice. She was right, and going through life would be where the Force wished him to be.

He never once looked upon the figure that approached them and guided them with words. It was ironic that this same creature which preached about actions over words would use so many to relay to them knowledge that they acquired from her short time there. Even as she departed, his focus on their surroundings kept strong. He could feel the branch falling into the soft sod of the forest and slowly become one with it. The rotted bark and the insects crawling around it made him tingle and quiver a bit. The leaves gently guided the branch down to its resting place and counseled the rest of the tree in its next phase of life. It was peaceful.

He struggled to keep the Sense of the world around him, but he was able to. The Force was strong, and he could feel its presence even as she left. He would slowly lessen the area of focus until it fell on the two of them. Della still vibrated in, what seemed to be, uncertainty. "What is it by Apprentice?" he asked softly, still acting outside of his usual behavior. Still, his voice was more coarse than the sentient once there but he attempted to match its kindness and directness.

 

[TweedPawn]

The truth stung. Every word of it. Yet, Della made it her will. It was hard to accept it, but she understood that she had to. The gravity of the words Her Grace spoke weighed heavily on Della's mind. It was almost too much.

She was going to have to give up everything to save what she held dear, yet hold on to her love for her family and home. The darkness was everywhere. She was just a girl, only sixteen. Just months ago, she was running and dreaming about a mediocre future safe and sound. It wasn't what she had planned.

Sebastian spoke to her, more softly than when they first started training. Della opened her eyes and looked at her master, tears brimming.

"It is a hard thing to accept, what Her Grace has said. I...Never asked for this, but I know that it is what I must follow. I thought that if I could just go back home, that everything would be just how it used to be. But I can't go back to the way I used to be. I am not just a simple farm girl anymore." Della thought of the light weapons she had seen the Jedi use. The electricity that scarred her. The journey across the stars that brought her here.

"If I went back, I couldn't stay."

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Sebastian was silent, absorbing the confession of his Padawan, as he rose from his meditation. He still focused on the area around him. He looked up that which he could feel through the Force. It was definitely more brilliant to look upon it with his eyes than with the Force, but that could, perhaps, change if he was to develop this skill. He walked over to a small tree nearby and touched it with his hand. It was coarse and looked as if it had been damaged by an animal marking its territory. The Force had it feel soft and brittle even though, when he tried to bend a branch, it only turned into a U, proving its flexibility. Maybe this is how the Force wanted him to view the world as. Maybe this was how the sentient had viewed the world and its inhabitants.

Sebastian knelt by the tree, again falling into the meditation of the world around him. "Run, run far and fast. Allow the Force to flow into you and carry your legs over a great distance. Do not stop until the Force tells you when to stop." His words were, again, cryptic yet clear. He didn't explicitly state that he wished to track her through the forest with only his Sense, but he need to develop this while he still retained the knack for it. The Force was strange, foreign, and he wanted to learn everything he could about it as his connection grew.

 

[TweedPawn]

Della knew this game very well. It was common for the children of Sacul to chase and hide from each other. The skills they flexed during that crucial playtime could save their lives. Now, those same skills would allow Della to challenge her Master. If he wanted to play this game, he would be hunting someone who would be worth the challenge. Della felt a small smile grow on her face.

She took a moment to recall the meditation and stillness she had felt with the Force. She allowed it to build in her legs and her senses. It was like watching a clock's gear become wound up. The energy built and built inside of Della until she finally understood to dash.

When she vanished into the wood, she was silent. Her footsteps avoided the crunching of leaves and her body avoided the branches that would break easily. The only thing she could not control was her scent. She had sweated much since her training in the forest. She would have to learn how to fix that.

She then realized that by using the Force, she was leaving a second trail. One that would make it easy for Sebastian to find her. Della suddenly stopped. It was abrupt and controlled. She closed her eyes and focused on the Force that flowed freely through her. She had to make it smaller somehow. If she did that, she would be slower. However, She was far enough from Sebastian where the distance would give her time to focus on her stealth.

It wouldn't be enough to simply be silent, but she couldn't quite get the Force to stop rushing through her. Why wasn't it working? Her abilities were not strong enough, her focus not sharp enough. Great, she would have to pray she could remain hidden enough to avoid detection through the senses.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

She seemed enthusiastic to begin her training, as was he. She reminded him of himself when he was younger. Emotional, naive, but ever passionate and determined to become strong. Though the feeling of the Force faded as the sentient departed, he was able to feel Della sprint through the forest virtually silently. He was proud of her skill at stealth. Perhaps he should teach her Cloak, but that would come later when she learned more about the Force. For now, she had to work on becoming one with the Force. She had to learn how to utilize what the Light would allow her to have at a given time. As she became Lighter, the Force would allow more to her.

Even so, his Sense of her suddenly diminished as she stopped. She was clever, testing him though he didn't explicitly say. She began sprinting and the Force she used lessened greatly, making it much more difficult to track her movements across the forest floor, and even into the trees. He could actually focus as he sat there, meditating. He couldn't feel her, but it was something else. Her steps were far too light to be able to feel anymore as she increased the distance, but he knew where she was. It was a smell, an odor. She was sweating, becoming tired and fatigued from exerting so much energy. She'd have to increase her skills in Revitalize before learning Cloak. If she could stop herself from tiring and, thus, sweating, it'd be easier to Cloak oneself on the run.

As she fell deeper into the leaves and branches of the forest, he was able to feel her, but through the wind. She created light bursts of air as she pushed herself through the trees. When he could Sense her person, he could see the trace amounts of the Force being used in her legs and arms propelling her forward. She was good, but much improvement could be made. They'd have plenty of time for that, though.

 

[TweedPawn]

There was a thicket in a tangle of shrubs and young trees. Della nestled into it, taking care not to snap any branches or crush and leaves. She looked around. There were thorns all around her, but they would provide excellent cover. There was also a way out, should she deem it necessary to sprint again. For now, she needed to recover her energy without giving herself away.

Revitalization would work, but it would be like turning a light on in a dark room. Della took a few handfuls of dust and threw it onto herself. The dirt absorbed the sweat. Hopefully, it would be enough to mask her scent while she took a moment to recover in the thicket.

Della would have to be alert, but calm. This was no predator she was hiding from, this was someone who knew ability beyond what a mere animal could use. Della would need a trick. Something that would ward off Sebastian from her trail. Her mind scanned the catalog of trickster stories from her childhood. She had nothing to blind him with, nothing to coat herself with, and nothing that could really hide her.

She couldn't give up though, and running simply wasn't going to do it. Della bit her lip. Even if there was a force ability that could make it look like she had gone down a rabbit trail, it would still give her away. A rabbit trail!
She needed to create some sort of false trail, but how? This was so frustrating! She was trapped by her own inability to keep herself completely hidden.

The dirt could help. Della quickly threw more dirt to help absorb more of her sweat. She then dug a quick little patch of ground to make it look as if she went the direction she was really going to avoid. She pulled a strand of hair and netted it onto a young sapling.

If this didn't work, nothing would. It was the only trick she could think of.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

As she continued to increase the distance between them, she faded into the Force and, eventually, 'disappeared' from his Senses. What was odd was that it he 'knew' she had stopped. He didn't stop his meditation, focusing on enhancing his own senses: feeling the vibrations the Force made from living things; hearing the wisps of movements through the Force; seeing the Force flowing through he forest; tasting the humidity and the odors of the plants and animals; and smelling the cool air and the earth it carried through the wind. He'd never experienced such heightened and potent senses before, but it didn't overwhelm him, not here alone in the forest with only his Apprentice to train.

He stayed there, allowing Della to, probably literally, sweat it out as he just sat there experiencing this relationship with the Force. He'd always had a very physical relationship with it, never being able to use such techniques as Telekinesis or even Push. However, he'd never bothered attempting to develop them as they'd be weaker than anyone else's who'd practiced them for a few month even if he practiced them for a year straight. But anything he made use in his body, anything kinesthetic, would immediately become adept and powerful. His ability with such things as Tutaminis and Body and Revitalize, he'd never met anyone else with the same level of strength or ability. He knew where his weaknesses lie and he knew how to compensate for them. Something Della would learn soon enough.

He rose after ten minutes and began to walk in the direction she ran. His Force Sense was active, but at a much lesser degree as he wasn't fully meditating on the technique. However, the forest itself was more beautiful, fuller in these eyes and ears. But what filled him the most was the aroma of the bark and the leaves and the vibrations of the growing plants and scurrying wildlife and even the humidity of the air. Because of this, everything looked and sounded different to him. The other senses enhanced a human's main two senses used for navigating through a forest such as this. However, he had to focus much more with Force Sense in order to find her. She'd be good at this, no doubt, and he wasn't an experienced tracker or bounty hunter.

At the moment he focused on his Senses, his left leg propelled him through the leaves at a blinding speed. His gait was wide and slow, but he blew through the forest faster than the wind itself could travel through the branches and fern. The tailwind offered resistance and the leaves vanished if he was to touch one of them. His three lightsabers stuck facing behind him during this time. His eyes were sharp, and he noted a slight disturbance in the dirt below him. However, in the lowering sun of Tythos, they disappeared almost completely as she must have realized this fault and corrected it almost immediately. But the next Sense was easy to take the lead, her smell.

It wasn't odorous, but it was pungent. She wasn't much used to the humidity of a forest, it seemed, and 'playing' such a game must have made her excited and, thus, produce more sweat. Regardless of the reason, he followed this wide path of smell until he passed it and all he could smell was the forest. Since he'd trained so rigorously within these same forests, his body had become used to such humidity and would often retain this water in order to sustain his training. Perhaps this was a prerequisite to Revitalize. This same Revitalization was able to keep him from exerting so much energy himself as he sprinted through the forest.

His feet stopped gracefully, seemingly impossible in itself, but his feet just touched the ground and his forward movement ceased. Instead of looking around, he stretched his Senses out to feel where she might have been. He began walking backwards and then to the right. He stopped before reaching a thicket in the forest, much like many of the other overgrown areas of the forest. He could feel a still vibration in the air, something unlike a small creature that he'd experienced many times. Della's movements were unique in their own, but she was obviously too still for him to notice any of this. Also, the smell had dissipated and disbursed. He took too long to reach this place to pinpoint any one location to the origin of the scent. She'd figured a way to mask it.

"Sometimes the best way to lose a tracker is to trap them." He spoke to her, knowing she was close by. Even so, he couldn't Sense where she was precisely. He never opened his eye, only relying on his touch, hearing, and smell to locate the girl as he sat to meditate more closely his surroundings. It didn't seem to do much.

 

[TweedPawn]

He wasn't staring at her, but Della began to wonder if she had lost. Sebastian's words sounded like excellent advice and Della made sure that she would remember them. Della debated if she should follow his advice immediately, or if it was the time to meditate. For some reason, the thought of losing to a Jedi Knight didn't seem disappointing. He had used a skill that Della had yet to learn, though she wondered why he couldn't tell where exactly she was hiding.

She stepped towards him, curious to learn of his intention. She was cautious of what he would do next, and her steps carried no sound. Her natural shyness was beneficial in this situation. She wasn't sure what to do next. Perhaps she should concede defeat.

She allowed herself to be open again. If Sebastian was going to continue this, he would quickly take pursuit again. If it was time to rest, she would gladly do so. She was exhausted and getting dehydrated from this rotten weather. Her muscles were aching again, and her feet were sore in a way they had not been since she was a child.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

In his meditation, he could begin to feel Della's presence, but it was odd. It was all around him, whisping its way through the Force. His Force Sense was immature and newly developing and would go through phases of clarity to ambiguity before he learned its characteristics within himself. But what he felt concerned him as the Master of this girl. He was pushing her into a relationship with something she'd only recently learned about, but she was definitely learning about the entity he called the Force. His body began to ache slightly and his mouth dried though the humidity of the forest was high. Was he feeling precisely what she was feeling? This was definitely odd and something he'd never experienced before. This would be something to investigate, but he needed to counsel her so she wouldn't be succumb to dehydration or fatigue. However, the fact that she hadn't already collapsed was a sign of her growth in the Force. This was pleasing to think about.

"Find the river nearby, my Apprentice," he commanded of her but in such a way as to keep herself hidden from him. "Go there and rest. Allow the Force to heal you and fill you. Listen to its whispers and feel its pulses. They will guide you."

He could hear the flowing of water as if from a creek or small stream but the vibrations were bigger than that. That was their next destination. They were far from where three used to be, but the forest offered much more than one particular spot. And with the Being gone, he could now explore the vastness of the Light which inhabited this planet. Though the words of the Being chastised him for not confiding in the Temple, he felt that walls held nothing of the Light and the people were stubborn or uncaring of others. Ayva had taught him on her home planet and most of the lessons he'd learned were from missions on distant planets or journeys to find himself within the galaxy.

His Sense diminished into these thoughts. Why was he not comfortable within the Temple? Why had he dashed into the forest immediately after meeting Della? Why was he here? He found no answers but imagined his past and viewed his vivid memories through the Force. He now knew of his past and heritage, as incomplete and hollow as it was. However, he was satisfied with the minimalist answer provided on Ord Cantrell and didn't wish to learn more for the Force told him there was nothing else. It sounded more like he would learn at a later time, but that was not the story he'd tell others. But, for now, he had to focus on training himself and his Apprentice within the forests of Tython.

He stretched out his Sense once more and could not feel the physical pains and unhealthy state-of-beings he did before. He did not move, however, and continued to expand his Sense, which was lesser than before. The influence of the Being was gone and he wasn't able to feel or hear what he could before. The taste was gone and the smell had lessened. He knew what he had to work on, something the Temple could not teach him for no building had lips to whisper knowledge and no Jedi could peer into him like the Force could, or Ayva.

 

[TweedPawn]

Della was more than grateful for the chance to rejuvenate herself. She quietly walked away from Sebastian. She closed her eyes to allow her ears to detect running water nearby and stepped towards the sound. She stepped onto the gravel banks and allowed herself to soak in the shallows as she felt the overbearing heat slip away. She took a couple of gulps from the water as she rested on her back.

That meditation technique would be perfect right now. Della took a deep breath. She allowed the sensation of the shallow water flowing over her to help her thoughts drift from her. This was it. Della felt in harmony with the water around her. She could feel her torn muscles and ligaments heal themselves and become renewed. It was beautiful.

The Force was flowing through her again. Della gave herself to it. In her mind's eyes, she could see various colors forming abstract shapes. What they were, she didn't know. Nor she she care. She was just happy to be in this moment. She began to wonder the other paths her life could have taken and became grateful for this one.

Her muscles were beginning to relax even more. Della was finding it hard to stay awake for some reason. Perhaps, it was her exhaustion kicking in. She dove deeper in the Force instead.

There was suddenly something sharp in her mind. An arrow.

Stay hidden...run...

It was a throbbing beat inside of her mind. She heard this before. Why did it keep coming back? It wasn't logical.

She attempted to push it out of her mind. She had to be reasonable now, no chances. She tried to push the alarming sensation as if it was simply an obstacle.

Then, a pounding migraine suddenly occurred as soon as Della tried to bury her instinct. She growled as her concentration broke and she sat up in the stream. Great, just great. Why now?

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

He could feel quivers through the Force that were uncharacteristic of the stream running through the forest. It had to be Della. It was quick and temporary, obviously human. He also suspected that they were the only two sentients around. The Arbor-sentient had left and would have sensed others around them, even this far out. She was conflicted, it seemed. She was nervous and unsure. This was detrimental to her health and preservation within these woods. He stretched his Sense toward the figure and enveloped himself around it. It was Della. The same insecurities and determination could be felt exuding from her being. He didn't think his intuition would increase to such a degree, but intuition must be a sense as important as the other five known to all.

"Calm your mind. Relax. Focus within the Force and you will know what to do." Every Jedi was different. He couldn't teach any one person a particular way to perform a Force technique for each person would interpret such things differently. The Force understood all and would be able to tell her what she should do and how if she was to listen carefully. Even his own hearing was muffled and unintelligible to the Force at times. But if he could encourage the development of such a skill in Della, she would prove to become stronger than he would become. This would only come through hard work and heroic determination, however. It would be exhausting emotionally and physically.

He was experiencing this even now. Training himself in ignoring emotions almost completely within himself, it was strenuous to feel Della's strong emotions of fear and uncertainty. "Be mindful of your emotions," he echoed to her, repeating the distant past though he wouldn't realize. As he'd learned in the class he 'taught,' emotions weren't harmful if one understood them and could control them. There were even those who could manipulate or use them to greater means of power or strength. Sebastian would have to learn this if he was to further develop his Vaapad skill. Currently, he'd just ignore them and turn them onto his opponent instead of utilizing the feelings and growing some kind of stronger from them.

He'd push on, feeling her emotions and attempting to endure having them envelop himself. Even as she finished resting and began to speed away once more, he'd continue to feel her emotions and the strain she'd place on her muscles. He'd be able to identify exactly how she was running only from understanding his own anatomy into deep intimacy.

 

[TweedPawn]

Della shook her head to clear her migraine as she sensed Sebastian. Della began to feel guilt over the fact that she needed Sebastian to repeat himself to her a basic concept of the Force, but she appreciated the reminder every time. Her anxiety needed to flow out of her. She had to cleanse herself mentally. Della closed her eyes.

She stood up in the water. She began to desire the sensation of the Force flowing through her. Normally, she paid it no mind unless there was a goal she needed to accomplish. Now, she actively sought it simply because she was drawn to it. She wanted that stillness again. To feel that moment where everything was possible. She couldn't be still, Sebastian would be tracking her again soon and she needed to stay one step ahead of him.

But, if she could hear more then losing him would be easy. She needed to do more than hear him. She needed to sense him. It meant that she would be vulnerable to being detected. If she broke off the connection quick enough, she would be able to confuse him. She began to walk silently, trying not to break her concentration. She reached out to where she had heard him. The Force brimming in her like the surface of moving water. Her entire body was filled with energy. She felt the entirety of nature rush to overload her senses, and then everything became still.

she then heard something like a whisper. It pulled her to go across the river. She wasn't running, but walking silently. This was the path she needed to follow. She didn't need speed to gain footing against her Mentor. A careful, silent foot would gain more ground. As soon as she crossed the water, she looked from a cover of branches to see if Sebastian was following.

She began to pick up speed. Her steps were lighter than they have ever been. They were more silent. She felt herself already becoming more drained, but she knew she had to push herself. She had to follow this pull.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Her presence floated away. He could sense no movement in her but he held onto aura with a loose grasp, attempting to follow her, now, silent movements through the forest. She didn't seem to be moving as quickly, but it was faster than Sebastian could easily keep up with. He felt as if he was floating in the Force. The soft soil didn't cushion him as his sight of her muscles disappeared through the trees. He could sense nothing else around him other than the shrinking Force signature of his new Apprentice. It was calm and diligent though, immediately before, anxious and rushed. This was a good sign, she was improving quickly. His pushing her physically pushed her mentally and she succeeded. A spark of pride quickly extinguished itself deep in his core. It would have been hard to detect as his nature to suppress all emotion was so strong, it provided immediate results.

It wasn't long until the aura was lost within the twisting branches and soft leaves of the forest. His reaction was to raise from his position swiftly and hurl himself through the trees with the Force. Because of his, his Sense all but vanished. But in the direction she was traveling, he could Feel some kind of ancient archaic energy that was not of the Force. At least, this energy did not resemble the Force as he knew it. It wasn't long until the Rabbit came into view; Della was heading straight toward this structure. He assumed she'd do so intentionally, and, although she may not have felt it, being a newborn of the Force, Sebastian could feel an eeriness about the temple.

Della had vanished, assumingly inside the structure of limestone and granite. It was a modest structure, wide and stout. It would seem to carve itself deep into the depths of the planet. Above the door was a broken red circle. His knowledge of the world's ancient culture connected this with the Je'dai who, eventually, worshiped Bogan, the moon of Tython embodying the Dark Side of the Force. It was the practice of these early Force Sensitives to balance their relationship between the two moons, the other being Ashla, embodying the Light. When one would become too focused on one moon, they'd be forced to meditate on the opposing body for an indefinite amount of time until their energies were balanced once more. This temple was clearly created after the secession of to groups, eventually creating the Sith and the Jedi.

He knew it didn't feel like the Force, especially the Light, for it embodied the ancient aura of the Dark Side once studied and practiced by beings of the past. Considering this building's age, it had to be kept up for it to look so intact, regardless of the fact that it was crumbling and would seem to topple at the lightest wisps of air. It was held together by this Ancient Dark energy. Someone, or something, had to be inside. Della had retreated into the structure and his reading of her aura had completely faded by the pale Darkness. Fear entered his heart for only a moment when he walked toward the temple cautiously. His sense was now limited to his physical body as well as his intuition. His eyes and ears took in much information all around him in order to aid his body in reacting correctly to any situation.

Della had to be rescued.

The area was empty, void of the Force. Through his senses, he could still see and feel ripples around him, but all ceased in this building's location. The temple wasn't Dark, but it held much corruption. The Sith were not existent on this planet but someone or something that would fall upon this place could easily fall under its influence and begin listening to its cryptic whispers of true knowledge and universal peace through power and conquering of other bodies. They may have been clearer to others new to the Force, but with Sebastian so drowned in the Light, the voice was muffled and incomprehensible. It was a long walk to enter the temple.

There was no light within the building, but torches clung to the wall as if they feared the cobbled floor. Through the ceiling, cracks let in light but glowed orange in the setting sun. The glow of Bogan this eve would then take its place, emitting the felled rooms with red light and shimmering the glyphs on the wall. He should have called out to Della, but the Light silenced him. It wasn't fear but caution that would still his voice from calling out to his Apprentice. He, instead, observed the walls, the pictures of the ceremonies conducted, as the Light seemed to take him down into the bosom of the structure. The walls became dirt and crumbled as he walked by. Bogan's light, oddly enough, continued through the base of the temple while the Ancient Darkness thickened as he descended further down.

 

[TweedPawn]

What was this strange place? Why was she pulled here? She had never seen anything like this before. She stopped when she entered the building. A sudden shudder came over her, but the pull kept tugging at her, drawing her in. She found herself unable to resist this pull now. Soon, she found herself surrounded in a void. But, she kept being pulled.

Della's instincts were screaming at her now. She had to get out. There was danger. A terrible danger. She couldn't sense her master. She felt alone.

"Sebastian?" she whispered, almost in a panic. There was something she once experienced before here. It caused her to shudder. It was oppressive, like thunder. She remembered someone who said that once. A memory came to her.

"What's wrong, Claude?" Della once asked a frightened child. The grass lands were still that evening. It was quiet, like a graveyard. Other children were with them that evening. It was custom for children to band together and act as their own small society away from adult's prying eyes.

"Something's coming...I don't know what it is...I have never felt it before" Claude replied.
"Is it a predator?" Della asked.
"No...it's different. Dark. It's oppressive...Like thunder" Claude walked through the grasses and sat on a hill that overlooked the lands.
"There is it...that's where it comes from...Oh divines, it's coming for us...coming to take us" the boy began to breathe rapidly in panic.
"What's coming? What is it?" Della asked.

Della would learn that night what Claude had meant. It had been her oppressors, her captors over that hill that would claim her.

Oh Divines, that's what this place was. It was connected to them somehow. A whisper, something separate from her instinct was calling for her attention. It called for her fear, it desired her panic. Della darted further to try to escape it, but it kept following her. It was clinging to her. She could feel it on her skin like an illness.

"SEBASTIAN!" She cried out. Where was he? Did she lose him? Oh Divines, this was a fine place to lose him! No, she would not give in. She could not afford to panic. If fear gripped her, there was a chance that she would start to spark again.

She remembered that awful ability. She had gained it while tormented by her captors. It had taken months to finally get to a way where she didn't allow her fear to manipulate her like that.

It called her again. It wanted her to spark. She could feel it gather around her hands. She had to be calm. She had to remember the light, to remember the promise she made to Atreia. Della took a deep breath. She just needed to meditate. To remain calm. Della reached out towards the Force, remembering the way she felt when she was around the Tree and Sebastian. She would not give in, not if she could fight it.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

"Yes," a voice hissed from the shadows. "Calm yourself. You are in a new place." This voice had a warmth to it but would send icy shivers down anyone's spine. "This fear you feel, this uncertainty: use it. Feel the caution inside you and allow it to heighten your senses. The Force is all around you and yours to control. Feel your Master leisurely making his way toward you, unafraid and unrushed. He feels no fear for your safety but knows not of your condition."

A body could not be seen but the voice drew closer to Della, enveloping her in its awkward Darkness. "Della. I know of you. Saculian girl abducted by the Sith, the abomination of my teachings." Cold chills would flow down her back as he opened her up like a medical droid prepping for an autopsy. "So much fear, little girl. Control it. Though you feel it consume you, take the urge of your need to escape and focus the Force into your mind. Sharpen it. Strengthen your muscles and your senses acute. These emotions need not to hinder you but, instead, aid you in your escape. You don't have much time," he ended with his voice in her ear. Time would echo through her as she began to act.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


His name echoed through the stone and gravel of the walls within the temple. It echoed without ceasing. The voice, from a young girl, changed into an older man's hiss which cut the moment of his feet immediately. "You feel nothing, Jedi Knight Sebastian? Not knowing emotion is not knowing the Force. Life is of emotion as the Force is life." Sebastian's eyes darted around the dark corners of the small room he'd stopped in. The voice was much more distant to him than it was to Della, Sebastian's ability to Flashburn much more developed than Della's. The only reason he didn't shut it out completely was that the words, themselves, were interesting. "Emotions develop power, much like this Vaapad you've practiced. Only until you learn to control and utilize these feelings will you be able to master such a technique."

Sebastian kept the voice distant in his mind. His Force Sense was completely gone as he tried to control the distance between himself and this entity. "Fear..."

"You fear..."

The voice bounced off the walls as if searching for the answer.

"Weakness? No, that would be ironic." The voice cut itself off sharply as he grew closer to Sebastian.

"Relinquishment." The word boomed in Sebastian's head. He had opened himself up completely and the voice began to spout histories.

It spoke quickly. "Your mother was a harlot and you are a bastard. You weren't loved and the Jedi personified this feeling. You craved attention until all that came of it was disappointment. You learned to shut yourself off and created strong barriers. Emotions caused you to cry for days until you worked by yourself on yourself for days and days. You ran from them, escaping their gazes and judgements. You hate the Jedi. You hate them. Hate them!"

Sebastian had fallen to the floor to meditate. The voice was right, but he sat there in his usual stoic stature. "I know this and have come to terms with it. Long ago I hated the Jedi. They have been forgiven."

Laughter echoed throughout the entire temple. "Yes," it started calmly with a hiss. "That hatred made you weak. But you gave into it and grew little. You're weak because you held no anger. You only felt disappointment in yourself. You didn't grow. Didn't grow." The voice echoed and began to fade away. "Find your Apprentice. Show her the power of no emotions."

Sebastian's Sense exploded from his position, forcing the voice away from him. Della was quickly found. She wasn't moving but her energy was lower than before. Something was wrong. He rose quickly and whispered through what little Force there was. "Calm your mind, my Apprentice. Shh." He could feel the Force vibrating violently from her position in the darkening temple. Bogan was glowing brightly in the night sky and lines of red shown through cracks and craters in the structure. It glowed off the walls and they seemed to move in their places. The scenes of the glyphs moved with violence. They were violent. Human sacrifice and bodily mutilation all to appease the Force they worshiped. This voice was corrupt and had probably already corrupted Della.

He leaped across rooms and down flights of stairs, quickly reaching Della. "What is it?" He knew something was within her, speaking to her, feeding her philosophies that could shatter everything she had learned. He hoped she hadn't fallen though their time in the temple was not long enough to the effect to be permanent. "Please, come with me, quickly. We have to leave." He didn't touch her, playing caution to the possession of his Apprentice of this entity without a face. He suspected she'd follow him if she was fine.

"To save your family you must break the bindings others hold you to. Following others is a crutch all must overcome in order to become strong enough to save who they wish to keep alive. Your people are being raped and murdered. They are being enslaved and terrorized as we speak and your Master doesn't believe you ready to face these horrors. If you don't go now, you won't have a change at saving them." His voice was jeering and almost combative in a way. It would be clear to a skilled Light-sider that they were trying to manipulate a potential puppet. But someone so ignorant of the Force to begin with would not understand this, nevermind the existence of such a phenomena.