Ask Contrition

[Eirik Sunwielder]

Hanging listlessly in the silent void of space, the metallic temple of Brighthome was everything Eirik loathed. There was no warm sun beating down on him from overhead – only the cold, fluorescent lighting glaring at him dispassionately. There was no soft loam with its burrowing insects beneath his feet – only hard durasteel that echoed his falling steps. The walls were harsh and angular and the hallways snaked like great veins coursing through the body of this steely creature. He was like a caged animal in places like these; he longed to be planet-side, not hiding away in the unknown reaches. This safety was fleeting as the vicelike grip of their ancestral foe slowly constricted them. It made him restless.

Yavin had been a major loss for the Order and many fled into the far reaches of space; some left with a semblance of order and returned to havens they knew the enemy could not find, while a frightening many simply retreated in a blind panic. He hoped they would be found. They needed every Jedi for the days to come.

Eirik had been in a sour mood since the jungle temple fell to the Sith, which only exacerbated his saturnine disposition. Still, the Order needed its peacekeepers and defenders now more than ever, and he would not shame his legacy by shrinking away when the call to action came. Brighthome would be a temporary sanctuary, but one that was very desperately needed.

Dark rings hung low under his venom-green eyes like the twin suns of Tatooine dropping below the desert horizon. He hadn’t gotten much sleep since the evacuation. His beard was groomed just enough to be presentable, and his hair style was little more than whatever he managed by combing it with his fingers as he arose from fitful rest. He tasted the stale, recycled air silently hissing out from the vent nearby. Today would be a long day.

He had gotten the news not long after Hailee’s investigation that she was to be his new apprentice. Penance for her mistakes and the negligence of her former master. He was not angry, nor was he upset; he was disappointed that the Order had failed this Padawan learner the way that it had, and he silently vowed to make amends. Padawans needed a guiding hand, now more than ever, and Knight Erval had done naught to aid her in her development. The sins of sloth permeated the hearts of many Jedi in this dark era of the Order, but Eirik believed that even the fiercest storms would eventually abate.

Quiet thuds from heavy footfalls preceded his arrival at Padawan Lightwood’s quarters on the station as he passed by his peers and comrades, offering little else in the way of greeting aside from a mute nod and a wan smile. First impressions were crucial, and so he had taken extra care grooming himself, though no mere combing of hair or brushing of teeth could hide the exhaustion that blanketed him. He wore a set of simple earthen-toned clothes; he was never one for feigning stylishness. His sunfire sword lightly bounced with his steps, coming to a rest only as its master halted in front of her door.

He thumped two knocks against the metal of her door before calling out, ”Padawan Lightwood,” in his rumbling, gravelly voice, ”This is Knight Sunwielder.” He took a step back and clasped his hands behind his back, patiently waiting. He wondered if his new apprentice was just as curious to meet him as he was to meet her.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

Hailee had begun to lost track of time because right after meeting Councilor Vanloa, she had headed towards her assigned quarters. She didn't like being stuck at the station as the walls were so bare and clinically cold and outside there was nothing but the wide, dark, endless space. Hailee loved her room in Yavin and the location right by the thick jungle...it was always buzzing with life and the living Force, whereas here, there was not much...

And so she sat on the little carpet in the middle of the room, crossed-legged and focused, meditating and meditating and meditating, reflecting on everything that had happened and having the Justicar's and the Councilor's voice echoing through her mind until she could hear steps approaching.

Her curiosity rose, just as some actual excitement about her new master's arrival. Her emerald gaze remained fixed on the door, but she kept sitting as if frozen on the ground, hundreds of thoughts racing through her mind. 'This is your last chance'. It was true...she wanted to seize it, hold onto it, and leave all this mess behind, but she had no idea what was about to come. Or who.

Sunwielder sounded so...friendly, warm and positive, so she was rather optimistic about the arrival of the Knight that would now take her on as an apprentice, and while she had been overly nervous at the meeting with the Justicar and the Councilor, she was completely calm now. However, as two loud, firm knocks followed by a deep, rumbling voice echoed through the door, she flinched at first, realizing that she possibly had to adjust her hopes.

She rose at once, smoothing down her robes while she deeply inhaled. She swallowed her excitement, not wanting to seem too exuberant, before she opened the door. She welcomed the knight with a warm smile, however instead of a face her gaze met a rather bulky, muscular chest first, before her eyes quickly wandered up to his striking green eyes.

Her smile didn't fade, but she had to admit to herself that the imagine she had conjured up in her mind didn't exactly fit the bearded warrior that was now positioned in front of her door. Despite his relaxed posture, the green eyes were embedded in a either stern looking face and she wondered whether those features matched the knight's demeanor. "Knight Sunwielder, it is a pleasure to meet you" she shifted were she stood, a hint of new nervousity now accompanying her movement, but her smile was still genuinely friendly as she slightly, but respectfully bowed her head. She wasn't exactly intimidated by his rather harsh appearance, but it seemed like there had been a reason why they had assigned him to make sure she would never stray from her path again...


@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

Several heartbeats passed by as Eirik waited quietly in front of Hailee’s door. Where she was a vaporous flurry of mixed emotions, he was, for the most part, utterly placid. He’d read over the investigation’s findings and the reports on both the Padawan and her former master and had gleamed enough information for him to begin his work correcting her path. If she was receptive, as he hoped she would be, it would be a painless process.

Though, that old saying about pain and gain sang true more often than not.

He rolled his neck from side-to-side as he waited for the girl to gather her nerves and greet him. A small pop-crack sounded in his ears and a trace of relief followed suit, easing his weariness for a fleeting moment. The mechanical door slid aside with a metallic hiss, revealing his new Padawan without much fanfare. She was a head shorter than he was, bearing the demure youth of one unmarred by life’s myriad toils. He could sense the brief flash of uneasy confusion as she took a moment to make eye contact with him.

Eirik did not return Hailee’s smile. Though he was glad to have an apprentice upon which he could impart instruction, this was still an act of contrition for her. A probationary period. His eyes studied her face in silence for a few heartbeats before they flicked up to pass over her chambers. Like most others in the temple, hers was spartan in appearance, and he could empathize with her distaste for it all. He would ensure that they spent little time in this steel tomb.

Eirik returned his attention back down to the woman as he brought his hand up to lightly touch his heart. ”The Council has assigned me as your new master,” he remarked with a polite bow of his head, mirroring her own motion. His voice was calm, though still harsh from a lifetime of conflict. He raised his head and returned to his hands-behind-back pose. He tilted his head backwards, down the hall.

”Gather your belongings,” he said, ”And walk with me. We’re to depart from this place as soon as you’re ready.”

He’d wait for her for as long as he’d need to, knowing full well that the sudden order to depart would probably catch her off-guard and unpacked. There was no major rush; time was difficult to tell when surrounded entirely by durasteel. His restlessness urged him to speed her along so that they could be out and adventuring, but he tempered those passions for the sake of not overly stressing the girl right off the bat. That would come later.

Once she was ready, he would begin to stroll down the halls at a leisurely pace, again passing by fellow Jedi and offering his usual wordless greeting. Everyone was busy with their own trials in the wake of Yavin and he did not feel a need to waste time with idle chatter.

”Your sunfire sword,” he said, looking down at the woman as he walked, heading for the hangar spires, ”What happened to it?” He referred to lightsabers with the traditional name by which he knew them during his time as a Paladin on his home world, caring little for whether others would immediately understand to what he was referring or not. He wanted to hear from Hailee why she did not carry her own lightsaber, but rather had the profaned red-bladed tool of their enemy. It was one of the findings in the report that well and truly confused him.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

The inner whirlwind of excitement calmed down once the door was open and it felt the determined serenity that radiated off him helped with that. While her heart had heavily and rapidly pounded in her chest, it was now slowing down as she let out a first breath, her emerald gaze still locked with his.

His eyes studied her for a moment as well and as this didn't go unnoticed by Hailee, it added to this inner uneasiness. It was no fear, but this uncertainty she couldn't fully place. What had he heard or read of her? What had the Councilor told him? Has he seen this report written by the Justicar? And what did he make of all of this?

Was he believing she was a rather hopeless case or was he actually interested in helping her through all of this? Had he been forced to take on as an apprentice or had this been a deliberate choice? She herself wanted just one thing: To leave it all behind, close this chapter and move on. She knew she still had much to learn, but while she wouldn't give up, ambitious and stubborn as she was, would he do the same?

There were countless questions in her head, all adding to this nervousity that was now flaring up again, but deep inside her she already knew that time would tell. Patience was definitely not her strong suit yet, but she had already made so much progress that she was certain she'd make it through all of that, especially because she had learnt so much after all this mess...

Her wild stream of questions was stopped by his remark that answered one question already. He had been assigned to her and this obviously had reasons, reasons she wouldn't question though. He didn't smile, but it didn't seem like he did that often anyway and so this didn't unsettle her that much.

She immediately nodded as he asked her to pack, actually relieved about this quick departure as this wasn't a nice place at all and it came in handy that she had only brought a few necessities that were were already half-arranged and sorted in the rather small, sterile quarters. She hadn't fully unpacked as this room hadn't given her the vibe of being an actual place to stay.

The knight who waited in front of the door would only wait for a minute until the blonde reappeared, a backpack slung over her shoulder. "I am ready" she simply stated, swallowing down the urge to ask 'where are we going' even if she was overly curious about what he had planned. She followed him without any questions, accepting that her place was to follow him and that this was absolutely no place for her usual fieriness.

They walked in silence for a moment that was only broken by the short words of greetings she offered other Jedi on their way towards the hangar. His heavy steps resounded alongside her faster, quieter steps and as he looked down, she immediately looked up, her eyes slightly wider than intended.

Sunfire sword? Now that was...unique. She obviously understood what he meant, but she has never heard anyone refer to a lightsaber like that before. The metaphor somehow had a beautiful ring to it and she wondered where this choice of words came from, but she saved that question for later as well. "My own lightsaber had been taken away quite some time ago by the Sith who had captured me. Back then, I had gotten into a situation where I had to defend myself and I had no choice but to take his...Since I never made it back to my old master, I had never gotten the chance to either get a new one or purify the crimson bladed one". It was now in Zathria's possession as she had taken it once Hailee arrived on Brighthome. It was now an actual relief that this relic of this past was gone...

@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

Eirik continued his stroll to the hangar spires. He was in no rush, finding this time to be as good as any for introductory chatter with his new apprentice. Her uncertainties bubbled just below the surface of her thoughts; he did not fault her for these. She was young and had been led astray and was being guided back onto the path of purity. He would not show her any sympathy, but he did understand the doubts that polluted her mind.

He listened to her explanation, brows furrowing in contemplation. She had lost her weapon and resorted to using the profaned tool of the enemy. An involuntary grunt of disapproval escaped his lips as he pondered the matter, unnoticed by the Knight. He responded with a curt, ”I see,” before settling back into silence for several more paces. With a sharp intake of breath, he rounded a corner and paused, raising a hand for the woman to halt. His hand drifted down to his waist and unclipped his lightsaber, lifting it up for Hailee to see.

”Do you understand the importance of this?” he asked, turning the hilt over in his hand as if inspecting it. The pale light overhead shone dully in the metal, reflecting a nebulous image of the two Jedi looking at it. ”It is a symbol,” he answered before she could respond, ”Of our Order. Of whom we are and who we are meant to be. For millennia, we have wielded these sunfire swords in our fight against the darkness.” His grip tightened around the weapon for a brief moment before he returned it to his belt. ”A Jedi without their blade is like a farmer without a hoe. A smith without a hammer,” he noted with a twitch of his lip, ”It is like having a limb removed.” His hand rose up to scratch at the underside of his chin briefly.

”I am disheartened you did not make it your sole purpose to reclaim what you had lost, but you are young. I do not fault you for your errors.” He looked down the hall at the turbolift that would take them to the hangars. ”We will forge you a new lightsaber before I deem you ready for more,” he declared as he looked back down at Hailee with a scrutinizing glare. He gestured aside with his hand, wordlessly suggesting the two resume their walk.

”Are you familiar with Tython, birthplace of our Order?” he asked, looking ahead.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

It seemed like which each and every step they took, she was managing the calm down some more, but her mind was still rather agitated. She bit the insides of her cheeks, her emerald eyes directed to the front while they made their way through the corridors. While she couldn't wait to get off this station, she was still walking into the unknown and was therefore glad for the movement, as it was at least some outlet for this subtle, but continuous nervousity.

His sudden halt surprised her and she immediately glanced up at him, obviously not having missed his displeased grunt. Well, how could he have reacted any differently. It had been foolish of her to carry around this crimson bladed lightsaber of the enemy for so long. If she had somehow managed to reach Pêro, he would have been able to help her, wouldn't he? But it hadn't been that way. She had been stuck with it as it had been her mist efficient means of defense for quite some time...

She listened to him as he started to explain that this lightsaber was indeed far more than a weapon. Yes, it was a life insurance, but it was definitely much more. He worded it quite beautifully with the lightsaber being the Jedi's weapon to defy the dark ess and she swallowed hard at his grave words.

She nodded, not only to signal her understanding but she definitely agreed with him. She had felt helpless without her own and the crimson bladed one had only been a part-time solution, one that had unfortunately stayed much longer than intended though. Her eyes flicked from the metal hilt to the ground and back up to him again as he clipped it back to his belt, however not saying a word just yet.

Yes...why hadn't she tried to get it back? Well, to begin with, she had had no idea where Ronan had taken it. She had assumed it had been shot right into space as she had never seen it again, and well then she had traveled all across the galaxy, so the chances of getting it back had lessened each day. As he suddenly mentioned that they were about to forge her a new one though, her eyes widened, this time in positive excitement though. "I-...really? I mean I can't wait to do that...it's been long since I've had my own lightsaber and even then I didn't have it for long. Thanks...". Somehow, she had expected something different first. That she maybe had to gain the privilege to own one again first, but those news excited her in a very positive way that generally aided her overall mood. Somehow, the tension slowly started to fade and she felt more lighthearteded.

"I've...heard of it. Pêro had talked of it, but I've never been there before" she truthfully replied when he asked her about Tuthon. With Yavin lost, Tython was perhaps the most important place for the Jedi, wasn't it? Was this where he was taking her for this first quest? Now, she wanted to know and so she asked: "Is this where we are going?" Her genuine curiosity now shining through. She started to move when she gestured for her to do so, his intense still making it seem like he was seeing right through her, but she was actually starting to feel better.

@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

Eyes fixed ahead as the duo walked towards the turbolift, Eirik listened to the life return to the girl beside him. Her uncertainties were still there, but a youthful exuberance began to force its way through the cracks as he made his intentions clear. She might have been elated to be earning her lightsaber again, but he felt differently. She was a Padawan learner of some years having to forge a new lightsaber; to him, this was a sign of a grave misstep in her path that needed immediate correction. It was a Jedi’s right to wield their iconic tool, but she would still have to earn that right.

”It is,” he replied, ”Though you are not trusted enough to have the navi-coords to Tython on your ship’s systems. We will fly in the Sunfang.” The turbolift’s doors opened with a mechanical hiss and he stepped in, ushering in the Padawan alongside him too. When they were ready, he keyed the lift to take them to the hangar where his ship underwent final checks before departure. He was silent for the first few moments in the lift as he gathered his thoughts on how best to proceed with his new apprentice.

”Tython is a sacred place,” he began, looking down at Hailee with the stern expression of a schoolteacher, ”A planet rich in the Force. It can be… overwhelming for the first time. You will need a calm spirit and a steady mind.” He paused, looking at the woman’s face with that scrutinizing stare once more, assessing her in silence. He took in a half-breath and continued.

”We will travel an old path that leads to an ancient forge where you will fashion your new lightsaber,” he said, ”But it will not be an easy road to walk.” The door opened abruptly as they reached the top of the spire, and Eirik chose to end his explanation on a nebulous note. He beckoned Hailee to follow him to his ship ahead. Already, the ramp had been lowered and it was prepared to go, it only needed its passengers.

Eirik marched aboard with Hailee in tow and headed for the cockpit. Unlike his Brighthome quarters, the interior of the ship was not austere at all. Myriad wooden totems, bone charms, esoteric fetishes, and trinkets from his homeworld and his travels lined its gunmetal-grey walls, juxtaposing Old World tribalism with modern science. He kept his shamanistic traditions close to his heart and brought his home with him wherever he traveled to not forget his upbringing. He brushed a hand along a rune-painted animal skull set atop a small crate and murmured something under his breath before making his way to the cockpit.

”Make yourself comfortable,” he called out as his astromech began to prep for takeoff, ”The journey will take some time.”

A small grunt escaped him as he said that; all journeys took time.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

They soon entered the lift, but Eirik's reply somehow felt like a slap right in the face. He wouldn't entrust her the Tythoon coordinates? Fine, but it still didn't feel good at all. She had no idea where Sunfang was, but she'd accept it anyway. "Sunfang? Which sector is that?" she curiosly wanted to know, not commenting on the pervious thing.

As soon as the lift opened its mechanical doors with a soft hiss, she stepped out and walked alongside him, her eyes already scanning the ship ahead. It seemed like only the two of them would travel, but she was completely fine with that. "I don't care how hard or rocky the path, I'll walk it and I'll succeed", there was an absolute determination in her voice now. Staying with the Jedi had been a fully conscious and deliberate choice. She wanted to learn so much more, she wanted to train, to achieve full balance and to continue to do good. She wanted to help whereever she could, but like they had all said: She had to learn where her limits laid. She had to learn where to draw lines and when it was potentially more clever to stop trying to save someone. She looked back one last time, also accepting that her intense time on Brighthome was over, before she marched up the ramp.

She was absolutely willing to leave those misled chapters of her path behind though and to start a new, considering this from a certain perspective and she was absolutely excited to find out what he had to teach her. But first things first: The journey ahead was long and so was this flight, apparently, so he didn't have to ask twice. She'd make herself comfortable for now, but as soon as she had mediated for a bit, she wanted to head back towards him, curios about the stories he had to share and always down to start training already. Before she would head to her quarters to unpack here though, she had to examine the ship's unique interior and so she walked around for a moment, before she decided to revisted him in the cockpit. "I've never heard the term 'sunfire sword' before and I also haven't encountered such cultural influences in terms of the interior. Where do you come from, if I may ask?". Now that the nervousity had passed, she was completely defrosting. There were many questions in her head, but she chose to only ask one at a time. His background intrigued her, especially because it was different from what she had usually seen.

@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

A brusque, over-the-shoulder ”My ship,” was all that was said in response to the question regarding what the Sunfang was.

Preparation for travel took only minutes; Tython was an oft-visited world for Eirik, for it was the heart and soul of the Jedi Order. When all other worlds and temples had fallen, he knew Tython would remain a bastion of the Force for their kind. They needed to safeguard it as best they could, and so he felt it prudent to withhold the means to access it from his new apprentice until she had proven herself trustworthy. Her brief pang of betrayal did not go unnoticed, but he needed her to be willing to accept the judgement given to her.

Like a great, steely bird, the Sunfang lurched into the air of the hangar before flitting into the yawning maw of the empty void. His ship swept aside the temple after clearing it, rapidly shrinking in his viewport as they adjusted their heading and his droid punched in the celestial coordinates for Tython. He let the device do most of the work; flying was, for him, still a cumbersome thing. The Force aided his reflexes, but just as he had felt like a caged animal on Brighthome, so, too did he feel restrained inside the ship. He was glad they were soon to be planet-bound.

Hailee did as he instructed and found herself some space on the ship to settle in, for which he was grateful. He listened to her walk to and fro, observing the various charms and totems that decorated his ship. People like him, especially in the Jedi, were uncommon for more civilized societies. He did not fault her for her curiosity, nor did he feel any heat of embarrassment or shame for the way he revered his old ways. She eventually came to him with the many questions he knew she would have.

A corner of his lips tugged upwards only slightly as she asked about his home. He offered her a curt, ”Weik,” in response before the final calculations were made and they were ready to jump to hyperspace. His hand pushed the weighty lever forward and slammed them into the undulating miasma of warp-travel, putting the hard part of their journey in the hands of fate. He took in a deep breath of the cold, recycled air and stood up.

”A planet far in Wild Space that few have heard about,” he elaborated, turning to look at his new Padawan, ”Where the ease of technology and modern comforts has not cursed its people with indolence.” He passed her and picked up a small jar of grey soil littered with tiny bone fragments, holding it up as if it were his planet. ”I am from a shamanistic people in the polar north. We lived in a cursed city and prevented the encroachment of barbaric raiders who worshipped darker gods than us,” he set the thing down and rolled a shoulder, grunting softly.

”I was wyrdtouched. Cursed by the stars to bear a dangerous gift and raised to make war before I learned to talk,” he continued, lifting the same jar with the invisible energy of the Force. It turned slowly in his hand, suspended silently in space like an item on display in a shop. ”Until the Paladins took me to the southern reaches and raised me as their own.”

Everything he said would probably sound like something out of a story book to her, he was sure, but it was his past. It sounded fantastic and mysterious because that was what his home was; an untouched jewel in the galaxy, rich in the Force and steeped in esotericism. He slowly lowered the jar and returned it to the nook in the wall upon which it rested before turning his attention back to Hailee. He settled into silence for a moment before allowing his stern expression to ease.

”Your turn,” he said, ”Tell me about the home of Padawan Hailee Lightwood.”

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

The lift they entered had much more significance than it might have looked like. By stepping into it, Hailee was literally putting distance between her little stay here on Brighthome and thus between herself and the rather unpleasant chapters of her path. This here was a new beginning, with a new master and she was both, happy and excited to get started.

Well, apparently her own thoughts had turned her a little absent as she hadn't fully understood what he had said and so his explanation enlightened her. Sunfang was no planet she had never heard of - even though it would have been an admittedly beautiful name for a system - but it was a ship. The name was still kinda lovely, even if the ship rather complied with the 'fang'part than with a potentially sunny part, but it somehow fitted Eirik and his appearance.

This was clearly a warrior's ship and while there was almost a little irony in him being a Jedi, the full picture made sense somehow. After she had posed her question, she curiosly waited for his reply, especially because the name drop of the planet didn't tell her much. She was glad that he started elaborating and while she curiosly listened to his story, she took a seat in the co-pilot's chair.

His story was obviously packed with strange elements and mysterious passages she hadn't encountered like that before, and so he'd eyes widened in actual excitement. "Wow". It sounded interesting, that was for sure, even if his comment about the non existent technology made her chuckle softly. It seemed like his upbringing had been the opposite of course, but this made this master-padawan combination even more valuable in her eyes. What she also understood from his explanation was that his culture was still an important element of his life and she respected that. "Have you ever been back on Weik?" she wanted to know, intrigued as she was, her gaze temporarily flicking back to some of the decorations before she watched him making the jar levitate.

But then his way of adressing her so formally somehow created a weird distance she wasn't used too and that threw her a bit. She slightly tilted her head to the side, a sad smile crossing her lips as she began after a short break. "My story is neither pleasant nor as fantastic or interesting as yours. I grew up in Coronet City on Corellia. My parents left me behind when I was a child and I had to fight to survive. It took years until I gained my actual independence and managed to open a small business on my own". Back then, her life had gotten much better once she had achieved this vital milestone, but escaping the underground hadn't been so easy.

"I can't remember when exactly I had discovered my connection to the Force, but I had occasional weird incidents happening, like people who suddenly let themselves be persuaded easily or things that shattered all of a sudden". This detail was probably the most interesting part of her story...but if he wanted to learn more about Corellia, she was obviously willing to share that as well. "Corellia is...a dirt hole. At least Coronet City. I know the planet has some beautiful forests and jungles, but all I've ever seen was this urban, industrial area and that wasn't very pleasant". The crime, the hustle and bustle of the city...she had grown tired of all that and she had no intention of ever coming back.

@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

Eirik did not immediately answer her question, but instead listened quietly to Hailee’s recounting of her formative years. It was wholly unlike his own savage upbringing on Weik. Ten years ago, he might have struggled to understand what her life was like, but he was seasoned, now. More than a decade of roaming the galaxy with the Jedi exposed him to myriad cultures and worlds, from sprawling urban jungles replete with crime and poverty to barely civilized backwaters whose citizens managed to eke out a modest living from the land. For all his traveling, there were few worlds that compared to his home, and even fewer that managed to instill him with the reverent awe that Tython did.

His eyes drifted to the undulating miasma of hyperspace occupying his viewport. The first time he had seen it, he was mystified. It was like the highest sorceries to his young eyes, and he wondered what kind of fel magic was needed to make these metal beasts sail through the void so effortlessly. His understanding of interstellar travel matured since then, but he still took these moments to appreciate the boundless beauty of the galaxy.

Eirik looked back at Hailee, realizing that he had grown quiet for several moments as he contemplated the stars. With a quiet huff, he leaned against the bulkhead to his right and folded his arms across his chest. ”To answer your question – no, I have never returned to Weik. It is a planet lost in Wild Space; finding it is a matter of relying on the Force to bring you there.” His expression hardened again, briefly, as he recalled his home world. That it was so difficult to locate was the reason why he kept his culture so close; wherever he traveled, so, too, did his people, so long as he kept their legacy alive. His gaze returned to Hailee, allowing his expression to ease once more.

”Your tale sounds harrowing,” he remarked earnestly, ”It’s fortunate you escaped it when you did.” His hand reached up and scratched at his cheek, nails clipping slightly with the still-healing scars and cuts that he wore proudly.

A series of informative beeps and boops from his astromech alerted him that they would be arriving to Tython within a few hours. Fatigue warned him that he ought to rest before the next leg of their journey, but he found it prudent to learn more about his new apprentice. ”Tell me about how the Jedi brought you into our fold,” he said, canting his head slightly like a curious canine, ”Before we arrive to Tython. We'll be there in a matter of hours.” Just as he had neglected to mention how he was taken from the Paladins by the Jedi, so, too, did she not elaborate on how she became a Padawan to begin with.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

The silence that followed after was slightly unsettling for the blonde padawan, but she was assuming that such a story always required some time as there was a bit to process. She was actually curious about whether he had been on Corellia or even in CoronetCity before, but she doubted he was a man for the hustle and the bustle of great cities.

When he started examining the stars that zoomed past them, Hailee took another look around in the cockpit, thinking back to how she learnt to maneuver ships. She was rather decent with it now, but still prefered not to be the one steering larger ships, but well, autopilot systems and droids usually helped with all that anyway.

She looked back to him after a moment, his pensive tranquility turning her a little antsy again. She was used to talkative, sociable companions, but something about her new master was different. He was considerate and while his features were witness to a certain toughness and strictness, he had still been polite about everything so far. She still didn't fully know what to do with the silence that sometimes interrupted a conversation, but she tried not to make to much out of it. If he was the slightly taciturn, reflective type, she'd be able to deal with that as well.

From his reply she understood that even if it was hard to find the planet, he might have been interested in returning though. His hardened expressions told her that there was something inside him that wanted to go on that quest, but perhaps there would be a time when he would actually manage to do that. She could only imagine how it must have felt like to actually want to go back to your own home. She only had those feelings for Yavin, but Yavin was lost now and she'd never want to set a single foot on Corellia ever again...

"Yes...it really is" she replied bit absently when he mentioned that it was good that she had managed to escape, swallowing down the memories that threatened to fight their way back up to the surface. She owed her escape to Pêro as he had found her, and she would ever be grateful. It was a pity that she still hadn't been able to contact him and she really hoped that he was well, but it didn't seem like anyone really knew where he was.

She let out a slight sigh as she leaned back in the seat, her emerald gaze flicking back to Eirik, not minding to elaborate further. It would be good if they got to know each other and so she didn't mind telling him the whole story. "After discovering my force-sensitivity, others realized that something was a little off and apparently rumors spread quickly, because a few days later, I suddenly had knight Erval showing up at my doorstep. We had a little conversation and he started to explain why I had those powers...I literally didn't know much about the Force back then. He offered to take me with him and I didn't even have to think twice before agreeing. It had been the best decision I ever made and I was so overly grateful that he had found me. We immediately flew to Yavin where my training began soon after...". She vividly remembered all of that, but it did make her a little sad, or at least nostalgic. She smiled weakly as she reveled in those memories even though they were a slightly painful reminder of a time where everything had in fact been perfectly harmonic and this chaos hadn't happened yet.

@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

Eirik remained silent for Hailee’s tale, offering faint acknowledging nods at a few points. Her tale was not unlike many other Jedi he had met and so he did not press the subject further; he was sure that he would find out more about his new Padawan during their travels and trials ahead. When she had finished recounting her recruitment, he nodded his head firmly and pushed himself off the bulkhead upon which he leaned.

”Rumors of unknown magicks spread like the plague,” he remarked, opening a side door that led to an austere room free of his esoteric totems and charms. A faint chuckle escaped his lips at the recollection of his own clan’s reaction when it was revealed that he had been star-marked to wield the unseen powers of the Force, contrasting it with the more modern appreciation that Hailee’s genesis had. ”We’ll see your powers honed keenly,” he added, turning back to look at the girl, ”But after we land in a few hours. These can be your quarters to rest and meditate in if you choose. I’m going to rest in my own.”

With that, he passed over to the other side of the hall to his own den and disappeared beyond the sliding door without further fanfare, leaving his apprentice to her own devices. He eased himself down cross-legged onto the pelt of a skinned animal and laid his sunfire sword in front of him. With a tired sigh, he let his eyes drift shut to contemplate the new developments in his life and his new trial of training a punished Padawan. Within moments, his mind would drift to thoughts of life, the past few days, and eventually home. If left undisturbed, he would continue to silently meditate.

The Sunfang would erupt from hyperspace hours later, giving the two enough time to rest and prepare for the upcoming expedition. Navigational alarms and updates roused him from his rest, signaling to the Weikian that it was time to show his new apprentice the birthplace of their order.

Tython filled the viewport of the ship: a silent sphere hanging in the emptiness of space. A mottled splash of viridian-and-sapphire terrain splayed across the surface of the planet, broken only by jagged mountains jutting upward like spines and obscured on occasion by puffy white clouds. Eirik took a moment to stare in wonder at the world in its serenity before pushing forward on the throttle and bringing them in for a landing. Heavy turbolasers hidden in jungle canopies silently tracked the ship as it swept in across the surface, ever watchful for intruders without the proper authorization codes.

On most days, he would have brought in the ship to the temple to resupply and rest among his peers, but they were not on a social call to the more civilized parts of this untamed world. Instead, he continued to pass over the jungle until eventually they crossed into the hemisphere still shrouded in the darkness of fleeting night, where lush forests of Ak trees turned to verdant seas of grassy plains, then wide valleys, bottomless gorges, and eventually the arid, stony lands of a mountain’s base.

It was in a small, wooded clearing that he set the ship down like a cumbersome, nesting bird, the support struts pressing firmly against the hardened, rocky soil. He allowed his droid to finish up the shutdown procedures and rose from his pilot’s chair.

He grabbed a heavy vrakshound pelt from a successful hunt on a distant world. Wrapped around one shoulder was a paw of the fearsome predator, while the other bore what was preserved of the thing’s menacing upper jaw and head – teeth and all. It was winter in this part of Tython, and as the sun had not yet risen, he knew it would be frigid outside. The ramp slowly lowered, exposing them to the harsh, icy wind that waited outside.

”Bundle up,” he said to Hailee, speaking up for the first time in many hours and gesturing to a pile of animal pelts if she had no cold protection, ”Winter on this world is unlike any you might have experienced.” If she chose one, it was highly possible that it would hang over her like a massive, heavy drape – it was framed for the larger Knight, after all – but it would provide necessary warmth.

He paused, then, and looked over at his apprentice before speaking with an air of reverent solemnity, ”And take a moment to truly feel the presence of this place. You are on Tython, girl. There is no world more sacred to us or as strong in the Force in the galaxy as this one.”

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

She still wasn't sure what to make out of his silent, brooding manner but she kept retelling her story until she was done. She then expectantly waited for a comment of some sort, but instead of commenting on her story, he started focusing on their shared aptitude with the Force.

It was almost a little ironic that while she had grown up in a urban, modern world, he had been brought up in an environment lacking all progress or perhaps even fully developed civilization. It had sounded calming, yet mystical and it intrigued her strongly that it sounded like a life that was thinned down to the stuff that was actually necessary, much more in balance with nature, so it definitely had something beautiful and fascinating about it.

She finally nodded when he mentioned that they'd start honing the Force once they arrived and so without further ado she turned to leave as well. "Thanks. Then I'll be back in a few hours" she calmly told him, a soft smile on her lips before she headed to her designated quarters.

She would still find time to examine the interesting interior further, but for now she wanted to rest, mediate and centre herself as well and so she did. Right after arriving, she unpacked a little before she made herself comfortable for a little while, right before she began mediation.

She didn't even realize how quickly time was passing by and right after the ship pulled out of hyperspace, she got up and made herself ready for the departure. Her room was different than her last on Brighthome and also nothing like the temple quarters on Yavin or the usual ship cabins. Everything on the Sunfang was seemingly so loaded with cultural symbolism from Weik and she was actually curious to learn more about it, but for now it seemed like Tython came first.

The ship approached the planet's atmosphere and soon it was already busy landing before Hailee walked back to her master wo was coiling some large pelts around him. She raised an eyebrow, remembering that Tython was indeed cold, but she had to admit to herself that she had apparently underestimated the weather. "Oh" she replied, her gaze wandering over to the selection of fur before she picked up one of the light colored ones.

She started wrapping the pelt around her because she had in fact not brought many thick, warm clothes. Right after she was done with that, she stretched and expectantly looked up to Eirik, who already posed a first task. The way he adressed her as 'girl' actually displeased her, but of course she left it uncommented for now, also realizing that this might have been another cultural thing instead of something disrespectful.

He was indeed right about the planet though. The place was almost slightly buzzing with the living Force and she began to wonder why such a frosty place was so vividly humming with light. Yes, Tython was an old and sacred place for the Jedi, but it was interesting. She wasn't too keen on the cold, but she was excited to touch the ground for the very first time and to explore the planet.

The pelt was obviously comically large for the Jedi's short, slender frame, but she could already begin to feel the warmth it started to contain. She closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled, focusing on everything she sensed within the Force and tried to take it all in for now. She was excited to get going but managed to patiently stay calm for now. "When was the last time you've been here?" she wanted to know after a while, reopening her eyes.

@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

The fresh air was almost intoxicating after having been cooped up for so long. Eirik breathed in deeply, feeling the sting of the frigid air on his lungs that had, for weeks now, breathed only stale, recycled air. His gaze turned towards his Padawan, knowing that the strength of this world would resonate soundly within one not even fully developed in the Force. The way the cloak wrapped around her made it seem like the pelt was swallowing her, but he was certain it kept her warm – at least for now. Even passively, he could sense her wonder and awe at the world, and so an idea formed in his mind.

”Many years ago,” he answered, making his way down the ramp and leaving the shelter of his ship, ”It always amazes me how vibrant the life on this world is. The Force is strong here.” And unbalanced, he thought to himself quietly. Tython was a world often wracked by Force storms as Ashla and Bogan – Light and Dark – fought for control. He had chosen Tython for a specific purpose once he learned Hailee was without lightsaber. The Force would present trials for her in their travels, testing her resolve and commitment to the Light.

His eyes strained as they adjusted to the sudden dusk when they left the ship, but he could make out the features of the wooded clearing around them. Frost encrusted the grass and trees, and a thick cake of ice covered the featureless land distantly. The exhaust of venting hydraulics from the ship kicked up blizzards of rime behind them. Above, star patterns twinkled in the curious, permanent night. One of them was Tython’s growing sun, so far away now. Come thaw, Tython would spin into the warm embrace of its star again. Then it would become a blazing globe. Now, it was just a fuzz of light.

The perilous chill of the cold wind began to cut through his cloak despite his insulation. His eyes watered and the tears began to harden on his face. They were on Talss, a part of Tython known as the Dark Continent. A thousand-kilometer-long stretch of volcanic mountains dominated the landscape of this shrouded place. Their journey began here, at the base of one such mountain. Beyond these frozen hills were seemingly endless plains where the harsh wind stripped plant life free from the ground. Despite the beauty of Tython, it was also impossibly deadly to the unprepared. Finding the crystal cavern would prove to be Hailee’s first trial.

Air steamed from the heat that bled from the pair’s cloaks. Jewels of frost-flakes fluttered in the inky blackness around them, sparkling as they crossed through the Sunfang’s light beams. His boots crunched through the dark, frost-coated grass before he halted some meters from the ship.

”I have kept the knowledge of your coming trials a secret for a reason,” he began, turning towards Hailee, ”But now it is time that you know. Tython is a planet flush with the Force. We seek an ancient forge where you will create your lightsaber, but the path is not an easy one to walk.” He took out his lightsaber and held it up in the barely-visible twilight. He thumbed the activation rune, spitting forth a beam of brilliant blue light that cut through the darkness. His hardened features were illuminated in its gentle glow. Snowflakes gently sizzled against it, muted by the constant hum of the blade.

”The crystal is the most important part of a lightsaber,” he explained, ”All else houses it, focuses its energy. Without it, you have nothing but a piece of metal.” He lowered the weapon. The icy grass near the tip of the weapon began to rapidly thaw, flashing pale green in the night. ”The way to the forge we seek begins with a crystal cave, within which you will find your own kyber crystal.”

He thumbed the stud again and retracted the beam with a quiet hiss, plunging the two back into darkness. ”The crystal chooses us as much as we choose it. You must reach out, feel the channels of the Force, and allow it to guide you to your goal.” His hands retreated back beneath the cloak, clipping the lightsaber to his belt. ”Or we will freeze out here.” He keyed a button on his wrist and the ramp to his ship began to raise, sealing them off from its shelter. His methods were unconventional, but it would inure his new Padawan against hardship. The cave was not far from their position, but only Hailee could locate it through the Force. Eirik already had his chosen crystal; the caves would not sing to him like they would to her.

Somewhere out there, within those sulking basalt and granite vaults, the Force whispered, beckoning Hailee to find her path through the murky winter or suffer in silent death. Kyber crystals sat dreaming in a crypt of aching ice, awaiting their chosen wielder to unearth them. Eirik trembled faintly against the cold, staring down at his Padawan.

”And recite to me your understanding of our Code as we travel, Hailee.”

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

Right as Hailee was clad in the huge pelt, the cold air mercilessly streamed in, not only surprising her, but immediately encompassing the padawan so that a severe shiver was sent down her spine. From what she had seen for now, Tython seemed rather inhospitable and dangerously frosty despite the sheer mass of vibrant, strong buzzing Force.

She followed right after he stepped out into the cold and closer towards the ice covered surface, wrapping the pelt even tighter around her, but the truth was that it didn't keep her warm. It felt okay for now, but she wondered how long they'd stay out here in those icy surroundings as the oversized pelt obviously let quite some air in,

But the Force wasn't fully calming as she had often experienced it on Yavin, but it was wild instead and she didn't quite know how to feel about that. She was searching for enlightenment, for new ways to reconnect with the Force and the Light, but this place wasn't harmonic. She didn't question why he had brought her here and rather assumed that it was because of that exact fact. She too, wasn't fully balanced right now and she desperately needed guidance and maybe in such a place she'd find it.

"It is indeed" she quietly replied, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to take it all in, but once she focused on it, she almost found it a little overwhelming. She breathed slowly, each and every breath she let out sending a cloud of steam into their frosty surroundings while the silver continued.

With each and every step she took, it seemed like the movement helped a little after all, but she was afraid the journey wouldn't just be exhausting, but also freezingly cold. She had to blink repeatedly as her eyes slightly burned against the sudden change of temperature while they adjusted to the darkness as well. While squinting she could make out the outline of a mountain ahead, but she dared not to ask whether he planned on wandering around for hours in this hostile environment, already dreading the answer would be positive...

The Icy wind wasn't helping either, but she tried her best to hold up well, not wanting him to notice how she was already freezing a little. As Eirik started speaking again, she raised an eyebrow, curios to find out what he hadn't told her yet, and the excitement grew as he started elaborating. "An ancient forge? Do you know where exactly it is located?" she wanted to know, even if the answer could have possibly been obvious.

She then attentively listened to him, watching how the vivid, blue light fought back the dark that surrounded their pelted figures. The blue reflected against the frosty surface while she glanced up at her master who was towering over her so easily. "The crystal...yes. I've heard of how they usually call their owners. The bled crystal of the red lightsaber I had to use started whispering to me too, apparently trying to make me listen, but I didn't. I refused too...Then I sometimes heard the harrowing screams and agonized cries from within. It was...terrible...". She replied, her expressions slightly darkening. No, this was all over and the chapter closed, there was no need in thinking back to those times.

As he continued, her expressions changed once again after she nodded happily when he explained that she would have to find it herself. Pêro had taught her how to listen to the Force and how to let it guide you, but right now there was so much going on on this planet that she knew she had to focus properly first. Additionally, the merciless wind and cold would complicate their journey and she was truly hoping they'd be able to follow a more secluded path that would offer some shelter.

As he suddenly let the ship's ramp retract, it sounded like he was not planning on letting them use the ship as their base and that it was rather upon Hailee to accomplish her quest first. That was when ber eyes widened and a slight hint of panic set it. "Wait...are you implying we'll be out there until I find the crystal and we'll forge the lightsaber? Because...it feels like it's way too cold to survive for lomger than a few hours..." she was really not sure about that, but the thought of being out here in the cold and in the dark unsettled her. She knew he wouldn't let her down but she was hoping he wouldn't use pressure to make her achieve this goal.

They started walking forward and while she tried to process all that information, she still stared at him wide-eyed. Was he...being serious? She swallowed hard and glanced ahead, her thoughts starting to run wild for a moment before she slightly nodded, taking another breath of icy air. "The code...yes" she replied rather humbly as she pulled the pelt that was serving as a cloak even closer, coiling it closer around the slender frame once again while she tried to focus. "Emotion, yet peace..." she recalled, using that exact moment to bring her own emotions closer to peace even if there was lot going on. "Unlike the Sith, we conquer our emotions. We do not follow them blindly. We're striving for balance and harmony" she then dutifully began, wondering whether he had a different understanding of that all.

@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

He was entirely serious.

”I did not say this would be easy, Padawan. We will stay out here until you learn to put aside physical craving and trust in the Force.” Her youthful impudence did not win her any favor with him.

A pale nocturnal glow shone from distant Ashla and Bogan, bathing the frozen land in just enough light for the duo to make their way through the night once their eyes had adapted. The light from his ship was distant now. Thick trunks of trees and fluttering snowfall obscured it enough once they had left the clearing. It was cold, painfully so, but the heavy cloaks the pair wore would be enough to keep the important parts warm.

Eirik’s brows furrowed at Hailee’s questions. He had told her exactly what it was she needed to do if they were to make it through this trial, and he would not deviate even an inch from his plan. The Jedi did not need coddled, protected whelps; they needed peacekeepers capable of taking the fight to their eternal foe. The Force would guide her if she would allow herself to be carried by its currents. He would not show her a path that would teach her nothing.

He continued to walk, guided by nothing but his legs until Hailee learned to let the Force take the reins. He was content with wandering aimlessly through the forest; the winter of Tython had a vicious beauty to it that reminded him of home. The native beasts of this world might take offense to their trespass, however. In the distant blackness, a predatory howl echoed. Their footfalls crunched through the snow and ice as they approached closer towards the gradual slope of the mountain’s base. He looked down at Hailee as he walked, listening intently to her recite the first line of the Code.

”Emotion, yet peace,” he echoed after hearing her understanding of it, ”And yet you claim that we must conquer these emotions, unlike the Sith.” He exhaled, filling the air with a quick huff of steam from his nose. ”But the Jedi are not conquerors. We do not make war – neither within nor without. We are guardians of peace, not bringers of war.” His tone was stern, but not unkind. ”Do not compare us to the Sith, for there is nothing to compare. Focus not on how your foe is different from you when you do not yet know yourself.” He chastised her, irritated that her former Master did not refine her understanding of the Code before he abandoned her. Truly, the Dark Side was insidious.

He halted, keeping his gaze on Hailee. ”There is no emotion,” he said, reciting the old Code, ”There is peace. To feel pain, or fear, or grief is a luxury that we cannot afford. Our enemy uses these emotions against us, for they are slave to them. Only through harmony within, without, and beyond,” he lifted his gloved hand palm up, letting snowfall slowly gather in it, ”Do we find peace.” He lowered his hand back to his side.

”This is a nice spot,” he looked around. To one side was the edge of the wood-line; on the other side was the growing slope of the mountain. Kilometers above, its peak pierced the clouds, straining to touch the stars dancing in the night. A harsh wind whipped at them now that the trees did not provide as dense of cover as before. It howled cruelly.

”Reach out with the Force, Padawan. Feel its ebbs and flows, like water running over a stone.” His venom-green eyes looked back down at Hailee as he spoke. ”Forego your attachment to your body. The numbing pain of the cold, the cry of the wind. It is all transitory – the Force brought you here for a reason. Listen to its call and let it guide you – guide us.”

His tone was both reverent and instructive as he urged his Padawan to reach out and let the Force bring them to the crystal cave.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

She had a feeling that if her new master was one thing, it was serious. She questioned while she had even asked him because yes, he had warned her. While she had imagined a rough trail through the thicket of the forest and maybe across some mountains, she had not expected him to enter a deadly, yet beautifully white, frost-covered landscape that would require her to find both, the Kyber Crystal and the Forge, before they'd make it back to the safe refuge his ship offered.

Hence, she still stared at him in slight disbelief as he placed all of his trust in the Force. Yes, that was what the Jedi were capable off, but she didn't like their odds as she was already freezing heavily. "I-.." actually, there was no purpose in arguing. He wouldn't let her do that and he seemed as serious as ever, so expressing her doubts wouldn't change a thing. "Yes...I will" she added quietly and with a sigh, accepting his decision with an inner reluctance and actual worries, but they could still turn back if this wasn't working...right?

She focused on her steps, carefully placing her footing as the ground was slightly slippery. Her feet crunched in the fresh snow , breaking through the crisp layer of ice that was resting on top of the snow. It was dark, but her eyes were slightly adjusting to it despite the continous burning and watering the wind caused.

She walked straight forward for now, closing her eyes after she had recited the first line of the Code, just like Pêro had taught her, until the silence was once again broken by his dark voice. He denied what she said and cited the old code, explaining exactly what he meant by that.

She stopped as well, her emerald eyes squinting yet attentively studying him. She understood why he phrased it this way, but had been convinced that the Order had changed. Emotions were...the natural cause and as long as they could be maintained, she had assumed that they wouldn't pose any issues.

Yet she had seen how emotions had caused plenty of issues actually...chaos even. She let out a sigh, slowly nodding. "I see". She noted how stern his tone had gotten and how he meticulously recited his understanding of the Code. "And yes...you are right" they did not conquer. They did not assert dominance over the helpless like the Sith did, but how could you get away from all emotions? How could you be fully at peace, at harmony, all in balance without any emotions? That was something she still needed to learn and it seemed like he began teaching her.

She began to think that she didn't know a lot, or that he needed her to grasp the code from a fully different perspective. Taz had once asked whether she had closed all chapters of her past, but there was still conflict and unrest within her. They had to snuff that out and resolve it once and for all.

She kept eye contact and nodded another time. She was open to learn and to pick that all up, but she felt like he would overthrow everything she had learnt so far. Finding peace. Yes, she yearned for that. As he asked her to let the Force guide them, she immediately got down on the ground, actually trying her best to ignore the cold.

She had learnt how it was easier for her to focus when she was already in contact with the ground, and thus she even removed her gloves, burying her hands in the snow. "I will...I'll try". She knew there was no try, but right now she was shivering quite a lot and she knew focusing like that was hard. Peace. Through all this chaos she tried to find the flow, just like he described it.

The place was buzzing with the Force and at first she felt pulls from all different directions. With closed eyes, she reached out and slowed her breathing. There was a cloud of steam leaving her with every breath she took and her cheeks already burnt against the cold, but she had no choice. Through his unconventional methods she'd have to find the crystal without feeling to pressured, as difficult as it was.

Forego the attachment to her body. She tried. Hard. She focused on the Force, that living, vibrant energy and nothing else, so that her body was not her main concern. Slowly but steadily, it felt like she was drifting off, at first into the unknown even. The agony was indeed turning silent, until it was only a faint whisper, yet she was still shivering.

The ebbs and flows. Something was reaching out to her, too, she just had to find it. She felt like even Eirik was suddenly far far away as her mind briefly flicked to a cold, yet light place she hadn't seen before. A cave of some sort. Mercilessly cold, yet also offering something. Something she desperately needed. It was like faint beacon, yet she could sense it. She reopened her eyes with a gasp, switching back into the here and now. "It's...faint, but I saw something" she declared, jumping back to her feet and shaking off the snow. "It's a long walk...but we need to go this way" she nodded her head towards a slope to their right, putting the gloves back on. Now she was freezing once again..."Can you feel it too?". Not that she wasn't sure from where it came from, but was he truly just relying on her guidance?

@Painus

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

Snowfall formed a small, chilly nest amidst the tangles of his hair as he stared down at his new apprentice. Breaking the old habits that caused her wayward journey distant from the teachings of the Jedi meant that she would need to be exposed to difficult lessons. Her old master neglected to instruct her. He would not.

Eirik’s gaze drifted over towards Hailee’s hands as she buried them in the snow. A brow lofted, bemused, but he did not say anything. It was not unusual for him to see one connect themselves with a world so directly to feel its unseen currents. She was sure to feel the pain of frost, however, and he wondered if she had the fortitude to ignore it long enough to hear the song of the Force calling out to her.

Several heartbeats passed by as the two remained still as gargoyles in the night. Eirik could sense the gaze of curious nocturnal creatures peering at them, but he knew they would not dare approach so brazenly. Instead, he focused on his Padawan as she concentrated. His mind began to wander, questioning the path she walked before the two met. Her master had been absent in her life, leaving her without guidance. For a Padawan to be alone in the galaxy was a dangerous thing, for the minds of young Jedi were malleable and given to temptation. Steam billowed out from his nostrils with a frustrated huff, framing him as some leering dragon in the darkness. His frustrations towards this Pêro would not die easily.

Her gasp roused him from his thoughts and brought him back to the present. Snow fell onto his shoulders as he gently shook it free from his head to look in the direction she had indicated. She was on the right path. ”Good,” he offered curtly, once again resuming their march through the chilly twilight. ”I can feel it, though it is faint. I have already been chosen by a crystal, and so the caves do not sing to me as they once did,” he replied as they walked, tugging his cloak closer to his body as he shivered.

”What did it feel like as you reached out?” he looked down at Hailee, allowing her to guide their journey, ”Describe it to me like you might describe it to one who has never felt the touch of the Force.” All Jedi felt the Force differently and curiosity compelled him to understand his Padawan better.

”And when you are done, tell me why it is Peace that comes first in our Code.”

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

Somehow, the climate fit her new master's demeanor...especially after he had revealed that he planned on using rather radical measures to bring her back to path of the Jedi and continue her training. His methods were unquestionably rough and apparently merciless as well, just like the weather here and while she could still carry on right now, she was already cold and was truly questioning how long they could stay outside without any issues.

A few questions wandered through her head: Would this be a weeks long exhausting journey and they'd have to find appropriate camping spots as well? What creatures lurked in the shadows and would something even try to attack them? Food was rare here, that wasn't hard to tell in such a hostile territory and what if she'd follow the wrong trace, the wrong calling?

It seemed like she had to fully trust in his methods just like she had to trust in the Force. There was no plan B and no turning back and she had to be open to it all. They still had to get to know each other and get used to working together, but she was still a little worried. She didn't question his skills but she found this all a little radical...

She rubbed her hands warm again by creating friction, but it didn't have truly long-lasting effects. The weather seemed stable but this frosty darkness simply wasn't the a pleasant place to be. What she could sense through the Force was still and living energy was surrounding them everywhere, but there was at least some direction she could feel a calling from rather clearly.

She did much smaller steps then him, which was not only a matter of height, but through quicker, yet smaller stepping she was feeling like she could create some more warmth. She tried clinging onto positive thoughts and not focusing on the cold, yet she shivered strongly and she could feel all muscles tensing up. Would they get used to it after a while?

She attentively listened to what he explained, finding it quite interesting how those crystals chose their future owner. She was still thrilled to find her crystal, but the more they walked, the more she realized that calling this a rough, difficult journey was an understatement. "Oh...that's interesting. Where did you find your crystal back then? Here on Tython, back on Weik?" she wanted to know, quite curious about the story and hoping that conversation would distract her from the unpleasant circumstances.

When he asked for a clarification about what she felt, she briefly glanced up at him again before focusing on the trail. "It was...bright and clear. Like a shining like far off, accompanied by a higher pitched, clear sound, almost like an electrical whirring. This place is truly overflowing with the Force but stronger than all of that, there was this other sensation. I briefly imagined something like a frosty cave and deep inside, carefully hidden, there is this shining crystal. It's far off and thus quiet, but it seemed like if we would get closer, it would get warmer as well...". The clouds of steam from her warm breath kept dancing around her face, the cold wind that followed burning stronger than before though.

This wasn't just a work, she slowly got the feeling he used this journey to learn more about her was well. Also, he was checking what she had learnt so far, seemingly eager to get an understanding of what she understood so far, ready to form and reshape misguided information though. "Peace is our highest priority. The state we want to preserve, between everything. It's not about peace between living things though, but also a state within...I think that's what you meant about the emotions. We need to be at peace with ourselves in order to bring peace to and preserve it in the galaxy.. ". As helpful as distractions were, it was also more exhausting and her breaths grew heavier as she stomped through the snow.

@Painus