Ask The Path Less Traveled

[Izel Thral]

Izel stopped at the mouth of the caves. She didn't want to interfere with the Padawans' trial. Reaching out with her Force sense it was easy enough to identify all three of them, and should she feel any kind of danger it would be no issue coming to their aid. Even though Max's words about joining the Sith were clearly not meant to be taken seriously the Vratix couldn't help but cringe a little, thinking back to her own failures to control her darker impulses in the past.

"You shouldn't joke about such things..." She said quietly while looking at the ground. Unbeknownst to the Jedi Knight the darkness brought about by her own memories would mesh with the energy Max had created, further strengthening the insidious atmosphere within the caves. The Force would tug stronger at Isen, calling him into the tunnel he had previously pointed out. Not only that, but all three of them would feel their worst traits being amplified by the dark energy in the caves.

Meanwhile Izel continued her conversation now in private with Max, trying to steer their talk in a different direction. "But I wanted to thank you for accompanying us anyway," She said gratefully. "I'm still trying to get the hang of all this. Training Isen on his own is nerve racking enough. I nearly had a heart attack when they asked me to oversee this ceremony." Despite what she believed was good progress in her apprentice she still couldn't help but feel like she could be doing better as his master. She would never express such personal doubts in front of Isen of course, she always made an effort to appear as confident as possible around him, but she still had those doubts nonetheless. She was sure every teacher held them, and was eager for a chance to discuss how to overcome them.

@Nefieslab @Isen @Andrewza @Corbeau

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Of course, Fiach may have made strides in her understanding of social situations and clues – but inference and sarcasm were still beyond her grasp. Was the reference to the Republic a joke, or an opinion? It was certainly not a fact – although it could be argued that it served the galaxy for a very, very long time without too many hitches (or Lords of the Sith ruling it).

She nodded at Isen’s recommendation, however, and waited to see what Delnor might say. His response was far less cryptic and was in accordance with Isen’s suggestion and what the Force was telling her.

She turned to face the tunnel and was about to take her first step when she heard something. Was it a voice just for her, or had the others heard it? “Was that just me, or did you hear a voice?” Regardless of their responses, she began to walk along the chosen tunnel. She was, by default, given the role of leader due to her experience – and it was something she was learning to do without prompting. This was a test after all, and maybe for Fiach, leading was part of the lesson she was expected to be equal to?

@Reyn @Nefieslab @Isen @Andrewza

 

[Maxims Tionson]

"Hmm... gonna need to disagree with you on that point."

Leaning against the wall, Max closed his eye for a moment but didn't stop smiling. He knew he was considered a little bit of an oddball but some of the other Jedi but he had his reasons. Most of them even made sense without needing to lean on the Force too.

Perhaps it was a by-product of having come to the Jedi later in life, but he found he was best served thinking things through without including the Force first. Then, once he had come to a conclusion, testing that same resolve with the added information and insight that the Force brought with it.

"I should be able to joke about a terrible thing - because doing so removes it's power over me." he argued, cracking the eye open slightly, "When you let a memory stay haunting it's a weakness to my mind. It's a road to darker thoughts, it's like... like a wound. If you leave it as it is then it'll always hurt when you touch it and it might get worse but if you stitch it up? It hurts more in the short term but in the long term it doesn't hurt. Then it's nothing but something to laugh about later. Am I making any sense?"

He was a Jedi Master so he was basically required to monologue at times but... he wanted to be more personable than his old Masters. Growth wasn't a lecture, it was a discussion and part of any good discussion was the ability to self-analyse and realize that, yeah, you might actually be wrong.

Max flicked a pebble at Izel's chest playfully with the Force.

"Hey - give yourself a break eh?" he suggested with a brighter smile, "Been around you long enough to know you're a bright kid but better than that you're... well you're kind. Gentle. You're doing right by Isen."

@Reyn

 

[Isen Ramm]

This was an interesting crew, no doubt. Very agreeable, but it seemed to him that the padawans were still feeling each other out. It was apparent early on that nobody shared his sense of humor...that's assuming that what Isen had would be considered humor. At the very least, they didn't get his joke about democracy and republics. Ah, well.

Isen had pointed out the direction he felt the Force was calling them to...or at least him. Who knew how this would go, after all? They had been instructed to work together, but what if the Force directed them to split up? For now, at least, that wasn't an issue. Delnor seemed to endorse the idea of following Isen's intuition and Fiach didn't seem to object. Delnor said that Isen should go first since it was his suggestion. Convenient, Isen thought to himself.

Isen showed no emotion to that, but nodded and started to make his way deeper into the caverns. Isen took the lead and started walking along the selected route when he heard Fiach say, "Was that just me, or did you hear a voice?"

Isen looked over his shoulder as he continued to walk and shook his head. "Can't say that I did. What did it say?"

@Reyn @Corbeau @Andrewza @Nefieslab

 

[Delnor Riek]

Spoiler: OOC

Sorry for the delay my PC was broken only got it back today

The route was easy going at least and Delnor spoke out loud though it was more to him self "I wonder what made these caves and tunnels. or are they even real and we all passed out on the ship still" Delnor knew the force worked in strange ways so Delnor would not of been shocked if that was the case.

The two masters followed but seemed to be deep in some debate and Delnor did not really pay to much to what they said but he did stop when Fiach spoke about hearing voices. He tried to listen but heard nothing "I did not hear any thing either. Though there is only one way to go for now thankfully." Delnor did wonder what the voice said but suspected it was not meant for him in any case

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel remained silently thoughtful as she listened to Max speak. She understood what he meant, and recognized he was probably right. Though she felt their stories weren't exactly comparable. His 'wound' had been inflicted by someone else. Izel's had been the result of her own actions and lack of self control.

Lost in her thoughts she was suddenly jolted back to the real world as the pebble bounced off her chest, antennae twitching as she fixed her eyes back on Max. He had only kind words and assurances for her. She on the other hand couldn't help but feel she had been subconsciously hiding her true nature, and was growing more and more fearful that nature would reveal itself sooner or later.

"I'm not so sure." She disagreed in a strained voice. "When I encountered the Sith on Ontotho I... did things..." She averted her eyes. "They made me so angry... I wanted to hurt them." She looked back at Max. "I wanted to kill them. I've never felt like that before. I forgot all my training, I let them get under my skin and I almost got us all killed." She sighed and shook her head. "I've spent so much time meditating and trying to better myself as a Jedi. But what good is all that training if I can still be so easily manipulated?" And what good would her training be to someone else if it failed her? Or was she just too weak to be a Jedi? The more she thought about it the less Izel focused on the Padawans moving deeper into the cave, eventually losing her connection to them.

Meanwhile the caves would grow darker and darker the further the three apprentices moved inside. The voices would grow louder in their heads, each hearing unique things, deeply personal remarks and accusations, questioning their past actions and mistakes. Chastising them for their shortcomings. They would see more shadowy figures in the ice, watching them with burning malevolence.

@Nefieslab @Andrewza @Isen @Corbeau

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Having a discussion with Izel was nice. It was nice because it actually felt like he was having a discussion rather than trying to argue with a brick wall - unfortunately a lot of their fellow Jedi were rather thick-headed and full of certainty. There was nothing wrong with certainty... right up until the point where it blinded you to the possibility that you might be wrong.

Izel listened but she really took on board what was said rather than just thinking of ways to try and beat his own argument. It was a refreshing change of pace.

"Let me ask you something Izel - do you think I'm a good Jedi?" he asked her, seemingly out of nowhere, before he continued, "Because I've felt that way before too. I've cut people limb from limb and I regretted it each and every time after the fact but during it? I've done it and I've felt it."

He looked up at the stars for a moment.

"Being a good Jedi is knowing that you have that anger inside of you and not being ruled by it. In the heat of battle you can do things to secure a victory that you're not proud of but still be proud of the victory." he waved his hand in the air slightly, "I'm not saying that the 'ends justify the means' type of thing in all situations but in combat...? It often does. Because it's not what you do during life or death combat that define you, Izel, but what you do with either victory or defeat."

@Reyn

 

[Fiach Dubh]

First Isen and then Delnor confirmed they hadn’t hear a voice. She drew a deep breath and considered what this meant as she did. Exhaling, she nodded as if agreeing with something before saying, “No matter. What I heard was either the result of an over-active imagination, or was meant for me alone. We may be a team, but expect our interactions to be individual. The challenge will be knowing when to work together, and when we need to go it alone. In the end, when we find our respective crystals, it will be a matter of facing whatever the Force shares with us alone.”

“The crystals will be deep within the cave. To reach them, we will have to pass through visions and voices. Some of them may frighten us. Some of them may be drawn from our own pasts. They are our deepest fears. That is what we must face. We must let your fear enter us. Do not battle it. There is no shame in it. Our feelings are our strength. Experience them and let them as we proceed towards our goal. There are lessons to be learned even from fear and anger. We must face those lessons and move on with calm and justice."

@Nefieslab @Reyn @Isen @Andrewza

 

[Isen Ramm]

Isen nodded to Fiach as she explained, or rather didn't explain, her voice. It was personal and for her. That was that. Isen wasn't much for prying anyway. Isen was still in front and the pathway narrowed into a tunnel for a ways, winding around this way and that way. Isen noticed that, for him at least, the icy walls seemed to change back and forth between a vibrant, cobalt blue and a bright, blinding crimson. Isen felt the message was clear- they were indicative of the Isen's possible paths on his Force journey. The Jedi Guardians of the past bore the blue lightsabers. Jedi Guardians- protectors, professionals of the martial arts. Experts in battle. Isen had always known this. He did not need the walls to flash blue to him to clue him in that his strength would lie in training his body and mind for combat.

It was the red that startled him. It was the clue that perhaps his future was not as cut and dry. There was a different path Isen could take, a path that would always be stalking him like a predator waiting for the prey to show a moment of weakness. The other path was the way of the Sith. Though he had not heard of any Jedi turning to the Sith since days before the Empire, it could simply be that such an event was due...

Isen paused momentarily and looked over his shoulder at the other two and considered asking if they saw what he was seeing, but despite the light show that the walls were providing for Isen, no such evidence could be seen reflecting on himself or the other two. Likewise, the others seem to be walking without noticing anything strange within the ice. Isen concluded that the Force was speaking to Nara through voices, and to Isen through visuals. Eventually, the reds and blues merged into a singular purple. Isen could only conclude that his fate was uncertain and not fixed.

Eventually, the tunnel gave way to a large cavern with a huge vaulted ceiling. Two primary paths laid before them. There was a cliff that was scaleable and led to a large open platform. What sat atop that platform could not be seen. There was also a large pond with a sheet of ice over it to their right that led to another large cavern. The ice looked solid, but some cracks certainly gave Isen some pause. That said, the glint of crystals could be seen on the far side of the cavern if the light hit them just right. He stopped and took both options in. He crossed his arms as the other two would come to see the same two options. "Well, we can climb or test the ice." He looked to both of them. "Thoughts?"

@Reyn @Nefieslab @Andrewza @Corbeau

 

[Delnor Riek]

Delnor could see faces in the walls. Faces of obscured by a misty fail but there forms kept changing in any case so even when Delnor looked on to them the form changed and Delnor could not figure out the features. Still there was nothing stopping them so kept on moving. "So the rest you seeing faces to or just me"

The new cavern they entered showed two paths, both could be dangerous. Looking at the cliff it would be hard climb and even harder to climb with out climbing gear "I am sure i could climb the cliff but it would be hard to do so and i am not sure you two could climb with out climbing gear. The ice looks weak you would need to spread your weight out to be able to get across safely"

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel listened intently to what the Jedi master had to say. She had to admit it was a slightly frightening concept, separating what you do to win a fight from who you are. It seemed somewhat like lying to one's self.

"I'm sorry but I have to disagree," She said, shaking her head. "If you allow your anger to overcome you, even in a life or death situation. No especially in a life or death situation, then it does rule you, because often that's when your self-control matters most. As Jedi we should be above such base instincts. My Master always stressed the importance of serenity, of not letting yourself be affected by what's going on around you. He told me that's how you maintain oneness with the Force." She turned and took a few steps away, deep in thought.

"The Sith rely on such emotions, that's how they gain their power. And I don't want to be like them." Thinking back to when she had given into the dark side, she remembered how good it felt. And that was the most terrifying aspect of the dark side. It felt good to give in and let your emotions, anger and hatred control you. She had felt so powerful. But afterwards all she had felt was shame. She never wanted to feel like that again. She turned around again to look at Max.

"I don't think you're a bad Jedi. I know all the good things you've done. But... I can't accept what you say. I don't want to feel that temptation ever again." Perhaps the old Jedi Order had been correct on some counts after all. Perhaps it was better to purge oneself of all emotion. Izel wasn't sure. But she was sure that in the future she would try harder not to let such feelings overcome her, no matter what the circumstances were.

@Nefieslab @Isen @Andrewza @Corbeau

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Max just smiled a little bit and eyed the cave that the young ones had gone into as Izel spoke. She was a rather eloquent speaker all things told and he enjoyed having the discussion of morality and what it meant to be a Jedi with her.

"I believe the difference between us, and our approach to being a Jedi, is that I can accept my emotions, even the negative ones, in the moment and let them go after or even during. You believe that you need to be serene throughout." he smiled a little bit wider, "And that's okay - I believe that there are different ways to reach the peace that allows us to be Jedi."

He gave her a small pat on the shoulder.

"If your way allows you to control your emotions rather than letting them overwhelm and control you? Good. But just as we're all sentients and all unique, we can find ways to balance ourselves in the Light." he gestured around himself with his other hand, "Izel, I think you're a good Jedi but I know your way wouldn't work for me. And that's okay. There are many roads to being a Jedi embracing the Light."

Max sat down, crossing his legs and slowly beginning to emerse himself in the Force. In the Light and all the warmth of it washed over him as he continued to watch the cave.

"Shall we give them a beacon?" he suggested with a smile, "I want to try and project a sense of hope to them - do you want to assist me?"

If she wanted to or not, he would reach into the Force and push the Light toward the younger Jedi. To let it sing to them through their connection to the Force, to let them feel the rising triumphant horns of the song of the Light side of the Force fill them with hope and wonder.

@Reyn @Isen @Andrewza @Corbeau

 

[Fiach Dubh]

They continued to walk, and Fiach heard no more voices – but kept her wits about her as the tunnel finally ended as they reached a large cavern – and once more they were presented with a choice. Was it always so with the Jedi and the Force? Maybe it was symbolic of their lives – which path to take? Neither appeared to be Light or Dark, and perhaps – Fiach mused – this was all about trusting in the Force?

Neither of her companions seemed to be definitive in their thoughts – although she sensed one preferred the climb and the other the ice. Not wishing to break a tie, Fiach chose her words carefully, so as to share her views but not finalise any decision.

“The climb seems a challenge with no visible outcome. The ice appears to lead to crystals but should not be taken lightly given the cracks. If this were a metaphor, the ice seems the easier route and will trap the unwary. The climb appears a risk with no discernible reward. Therefore both are viable if we treat them with respect. We should ignore what we see, what does the Force tell us?”

@Reyn @Nefieslab @Andrewza @Isen

 

[Isen Ramm]

Isen spent a long time looking up the cliff. That was his preferred choice. It was a physical challenge to scale the wall, a challenge he would like to accept. The ice...well, that seemed like dumb luck. Either the ice was strong enough to hold his weight or it wasn't. Still, he had already chosen once and they got here. He felt most inclined to let someone else have a go at letting the Force speak to them. He backed up and folded his arms. He did his best to hide his frustration with their unwillingness to just...choose, act. He would hide it well because his demeanor, as a general rule, rarely ever changed. "Good points, all," Isen said.

At this moment, he could feel the air change. The caverns had been feeding negativity and doubt to him from the beginning, but Master Tionson's waves of positivity and self-confidence began to meander through the caverns and into his consciousness. His thoughts ventured into a possible future, one where he is older, wiser, and is teaching a Padawan of his own. The vision changes to a Jedi a thousand years in the future opening a Holocron built by Isen detailing the movements and techniques of a new lightsaber form created by Isen. He watched his blue and white self lecturing and modeling the form with precision, power, and grace. Truly, a master of the lightsaber. Again, the vision changes to Isen sitting in a chair, one of may arranged in the circle. He had a seat at the Jedi Council. The caverns, before now, had been showing the worst of what could become of him. Isen did not know it this positivity was coming from the Masters, but for now, Isen was being flushed with the very best of his potential. Instinctively, Isen knew that these were the two extremes. None of the visions particularly likely, but perhaps not out of reach.

Again, he looked to his left at Delnor and to his right to Fiach. "I think we're fine either way. I trust either of you to set us on the right path."

@Reyn @Nefieslab @Andrewza @Corbeau

 

[Delnor Riek]

"If you are both happy with the climb we should go that way" Delnor walked to the wall. It seemed to grow taller and the swirling faces he saw before still drifted among the ice. Delnor put them to back of his mind as he studied the wall. "It might be tricky guys but follow my lead. All so remember to focus and look up"


The first hand hold need a jump. Though it was not to high it may of be hard for some one who had never climbed a mountain before. Delnor though simply felt naked with out a safety line. "i am one with the force and the force is with me" saying it over and over and over Delnor focused his mind. He suspected worry and fear unwise here and any case he was a good climber why did he have this fear.

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel's antennae twitched as she listened to Max speak. She appreciated his words, but he didn't seem to understand what she had said. Her way wasn't working for her. In all honesty she didn't know what would work. Ever since Ontotho her fear of the dark side had grown, and it was her inability to control that fear that filled her with dread over her position and future as a Jedi.

Her mandibles moved as she tried to better articulate her problems to the master, but he had changed the subject back to the ritual. With a defeated sigh the Vratix nodded and sat down beside him. Lowering her head she reached within herself and tried to create a state of serenity as she did during her meditations. She recited the Jedi Code in her mind, and focused on more pleasant memories to balance out the darkness within her. The change was not as quick as Max's, but eventually she was able to expel that darkness and begin to join him in radiating energy from the light side.

Inside the caverns would brighten again, unnaturally so for being so deep. The Padawans' minds would be put at ease rather than prodded at, and the temperature would seem to increase somewhat, though this might have been an illusion. In whatever path they decided to take they would find extra strength and resolve to carry it out.

@Nefieslab @Isen @Andrewza @Corbeau

 

[Maxims Tionson]

As both he and Izel began to drift into the Force, he could sense that his friend was having trouble with it. It was... not his place to lecture her or to force her to adapt to his ways. Max was her friend and he would support her but he could not show her the way because the way needed to be her own.

He reached out, physically, and took one of her hands in his own.

Using the physical touch as a bridge, he not only projected the Force outward to give the younger Jedi hope and courage but also to extend that same blessing to Izel as well. It would be like a warm breeze across her entire body, like dipping herself into pleasantly hot waters... the sensation was different for everyone who felt it.

"Force Valour." he whispered aloud as he concentrated on it, "A gift, freely given, from one to another in times of strife. In combat or in emotional doubts, Valour; bravery in the face of adversity."

He smiled even with his eye closed.

"If you push it, it can make your allies stronger, faster... it is meant to support both yourself and your allies."

@Isen @Andrewza @Corbeau @Reyn

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach had some admirable qualities – and some that were less positive. On the plus side were patience and a logical mind. To choose the climb suggested that they wanted to take control of their destiny, whereas the ice indicated they would have to trust in the Force. On that basis, Fiach would have chosen the latter – but they were here as a team and not as a collection of individuals. And, in her opinion, better to arrive at a joint decision having reflected on the choices than to simply pick the first one that came to mind. But she would readily accept that others might not see it that way, and cast her as someone who lacked decisiveness. Even if they were (she believed) wrong on that count.

But even she knew that democracy was sometimes slow…too slow…and so she knew that if they didn’t decide now, she would have to nudge the verdict along.

It was Delnor who broke the deadlock and given both she and Isen had agreed to go with either plan, Fiach was honour bound to agree. So, she nodded her agreement and listened to her fellow Padawan as he explained his approach to climbing the cliff face.

She looked back – in the direction of the two Jedi Knights, not that either were visible, but she could sense their presence. And the words of one came to her unbidden – or at least a paraphrase of something he’d said on more than one occasion.

“If all you have is a hammer, you see every problem as a nail.” Was she developing into some inscrutable Jedi Master? “My Master taught me to be more rounded, and not to see every challenge as one that the Force alone can solve.” And she reached for the cable launcher on her utility belt. She activated it and the sharp spike bit into the ice above. She tested the line. “At least there’s no wind to factor in,” she said, “Just have to keep your body loose and pay attention to your balance.”

@Andrewza @Isen Ramm @Reyn @Nefieslab

 

[Isen Ramm]

The young Kiffar couldn't help but turn his lips on one side into a grin as he watched Fiach shoot a cable to the top of the ledge and test its strength. She seemed a pragmatist and a clever one. More clever than Isen anyway. Isen looked down at his belt. It was sorely lacking toys. His ADD again, or something akin, he supposed, left him ill prepared. He quickly looked over at Delnor and lifted a brow to see if he would take the cable route as well. Or perhaps he would test the ice. But for Isen, he felt like the Force had a lesson for him here. He needed to scale the rocky ice. He stood there, looking at the cliff face and said, mostly to himself. "It wants me to climb it." He sighed, continuing to look for the best route to the top. There were plenty of handholds and footholds along the way, but some routes were icier than other. "I can't explain it," Isen said. "But I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to scale this thing."

With that, the young Padawan started to navigate his way up the rock face. The ledge awaited some forty-five or fifty feet above. The most difficult portion was a section that jutted out over the them, forcing a climber to find a route that would put them leaning back toward a fall. Isen quickly scaled the first fifteen feet. It was easy. He was using the senses that all sentients have- sight, feel, reason. He was not looking through or using the Force. This part of the route was easy, using the Force was unnecessary.

Or so he thought. Without warning, Isen felt his body getting pushed back. He did not slip or fall. He did not lose his grip. The Force willed him off the rock, and with it, a whispering in his mind. Isen landed as gracefully as one could expect, on one foot, one knee, and one hand. No injuries, just contemplation and a bit of hurt pride. Isen looked back up at the rock and smirked. "It won't let me climb it without using the Force." Isen approached the wall and closed his eyes, using the same practice as he did when he would chase Master Thral in the treetops with his eyes closed, jumping branch to branch dozens of feet or even higher into the canopy of the Ajan Kloss jungle. The same rule applied here. The branches became the hand and footholds. The jungle became the cliff. Very same concept. Again, Isen began to climb. This time, using the Force, he closed his eyes and quickly scaled fifteen feet, then twenty, then twenty-five. Again, the Force pushed him back off the cliff and again, Isen fell to the icy floor below. A harder thud, but again, Isen broke his fall gracefully and without incident. And again, the Force whispered to him in his mind.

Isen looked toward Delnor and Fiach and couldn't help but laugh. It was a quiet laugh, but he shook his head before approaching the icy rock face again. "I got it wrong. I got it all wrong. The Force doesn't want me to use it....It wants to use me." Isen looked up at the fifty feet needed to scale. "Ain't that a heck of a note for someone who likes control." This time, Isen closed his eyes and did not trust his ability to use the Force. He simply trusted the Force. He let go of his need to control, cleared his mind, and scaled. And he scaled quickly. He scaled as if the cliff was dry and the labor was easy. He scaled the fifty feet, stood at the top, looked down at the other two and simply gave a "hmph." That was not what he expected.

Behind him, the ledge gave way to a dark tunnel. Pitch black. He could not see inside of it at all. Perhaps this wasn't the right way after all. He would give the group a chance to decide the path moving forward, allow them the climb and the experience before the bad news presented itself.

Isen turned back to the group, gave a wave and said, "That was an incredibl....." Before he could finish his sentence, he was sucked backwards into the pitch black off the tunnel. Isen could see nothing, hear, nothing. All of his senses, save for what his feeling and intuition in the Force had left him.

@Corbeau @Nefieslab @Andrewza @Reyn

 

[Delnor Riek]

Delnor plodded along up the cliff taking it slow when he spotted the cable fly up. It was the pragmatic way to get the job done and if he had climbing gear with him Delnor would of used it to. Only he had not thought to bring it with him. Isen on the other hand was all so going by hand. Though far faster and less methodical. At first Isen seemed to fail. Though he moved far faster up he fell back down. Delnor though moved at a slow steady pace.

It was then that Isen shot passed him, his hands and feet moving to hand holds that not even Delnor had seen. Had Isen just let the force guide him. Delnor felt silly for not trying that though now the climb up was made easy. He simply followed Isen up.

Standing up top finally Delnor wanted to congratulate Isen but could not see him any where "Isen, Isen where are you" Delnor stepped forward in to the blackness ahead after his fellow padawan.