A Whole New World

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"A lightsaber is a weapon, much like any other. The key to wielding this particular weapon is both practice, and by following the flow of the Force. It will become your sixth sense. You will learn to listen to it, to feel it, to rely solely on it in the thick of battle. It will be your lifeline and savior. And upon your death you will return to it. The Force, it's everywhere, and it is every thing."

How was that for inspirational speeches? The Twi'lek wrapped her fingers around the hilt of the saber, placing it back at her side. "Now, I am going to show you something that you already possess the ability to do, though that talent has been locked away deep inside, undiscovered. Today, you will find that talent."

Sera walked lightly towards the opposite edge of the room, picking up a few small blocks that younglings typically learned telekinesis on.

"I want you to lift these blocks without touching them." She placed them on the floor a few feet away from Arlan. "Like so." Her hand reached forward, her eyes focused on the three small objects. A moment later her hand flicked upwards, the three small wooden blocks jumped up into the air, eye level between the two, floating lazily in suspended air for a few moments before being lowered to the ground.

"The Force, it is limitless. The only limitation is your knowledge of it. This will be your first, most basic challenge. You must focus, clear your mind, believe in yourself, allow the Force to flow through you. Feel it, harness it, and do it. Give it a try."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan was a little bewildered by the sudden rise and levitation of the blocks now present before him. Serra was demonstrating a feat few others could do, yet here before him he bore witness to the terrible and awesome power that Force Users wielded. Sure lifting blocks to teach a simple lesson was an innocent feat harming no one, yet with a greater will behind said power mixed with ill intent atrocity could rear it's head. A cold sweat fell down the side of Arlan's face as he stood there speechless, eyes transfixed upon the floating bricks Serra presented him. She expected the same feat from him but Arlan doubted seriously if he would be able to actually life the blocks on his first attempt at harnessing the will of the Force. Yet he would try. Arlan figured he owed Serra at least that much for all she had done for him and continued to do still.

With outstretched hands Arlan looked towards his intended target and began to concentrate. He had no idea how to bend the force to his own desires, no idea how he could possibly make an inanimate object move, yet he believed in his heart Serra would not have asked such a feat from him if he had been unable to complete it. So there Arlan stood, his face flushed from intensive strain as he clenched his eyes tightly and continued to concentrate. In his mind Arlan tried all visualizations that came to him, seeing the Force as energy, as water, and wind, but still he only felt the slightest tinges like a distant call. Slowly he opened his eyes and stared towards the blocks stacked upon the ground, relaxing his body and letting free the tension that had built up. With all his willpower he reached out towards the blocks a second time, hoping to do as his Master had. The results, however; were very much so lack luster. For there at that moment the blocks did not rise from the ground and hover in midair, yet the top block did tilt just enough to roll free from the pile.

Arlan stood, taking a few bated breathes as he looked back towards Serra. "I think that is as much as I can manage, I could hardly feel anything at all." Arlan spoke softly fixing his gaze upon the block and wondering what it was he had done wrong.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera stood quietly, observing Arlan as he struggled with himself to lift the blocks, nearly straining each and every muscle in his body to their limits to move something so tiny. He was using the wrong muscles for the task. He was not listening to, nor allowing the Force to flow through him, to become the conduit for which to channel the energy. It was the mistake each and every Padawan that had come before him had made, herself included. She smiled at the irony of the situation.

Then the block fell to its' side and rolled a ways away from the pile. She clapped all the same. "That was all you could manage. Still, you moved it, perhaps not much. Perhaps not more than a gentle breeze could have done the same. But you moved it all the same." She wandered back and retrieved the small block, placing it back at the top of the other two. "You've made the same error that all Padawans make. You are trying too much to physically feel the Force. It is not something tangible, like air, or water, or fire. It is raw energy." She waved her hand, all three blocks raising back up, and as she waved her hand in a circular motion they too rotated.

"The Force is all around. You do not need to find it. You simply must grasp that which is already there and bend it to your will. With practice comes perfection. Telekinetics is my gift as a Jedi, perhaps yours comes in other forms. Each Jedi has their own niche. No Jedi can master every technique, for no-one can live forever." Sera gently lowered her hand, placing the blocks back where they had been.

"Now, clear your mind, focus on nothing but the blocks. Close your eyes and feel with the Force. Use it to lift them, as an extension of your own hands."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Serra's patience with him seemed to know no bounds as she further explained the Force and pointed out his mistakes. She was of course correct in all her assertions, Arlan knew that even with the little knowledge he held of the Jedi ways, but still he had a hard time wrapping his mind around how to correctly take hold of the Force. If it was everywhere, all around each and every person in daily life, then surely harnessing it's power should be a task easily accomplished. Arlan had entered this brief training session with that thought in mind, yet he had never been more wrong in all his life. Despite the abundance of the Force around them it was not something so easily manipulated and to do so would take more concentration than Arlan had ever devoted to a single aspect at any given moment. However; he pressed on for this was a milestone that e knew he had to pass.

A nod of his head towards his Master told her that once more he was ready to try, yet this time he would relax. He could not force the blocks to move with a show of strength, no, it would take a deeper act on his part. Calmly he took in a breath, slowly letting his surroundings fade into the back of his mind as he visualized the blocks and nothing else. His hand stayed outstretched as he pictured the invisible energy whirling around him and extending towards the blocks. He saw within his mind the clear visage of his target rising from the ground and carefully floating there for a moment, and when he opened his eyes again Arlan was shocked. There before him one of the blocks stayed suspended in the air. Perhaps an inch, no more, off the blocks below it it hovered but as Arlan gasped in awe it fell to the ground at his feet.

"That was.....unexpected." Arlan spoke truthfully as he eyed the blocks suspiciously. He had not believed he would be able to lift the blocks at all, even as slight as he did, and in doing so he surprised even himself. "Still though, I was no where near to what you could do." He continued. "Is it even possible for me to reach your level of manipulation?"

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Green eyes observed the Padawan as he began to understand that which was required of the task. Sera folded her hands behind her back, intertwining her fingers together. Slowly the block shifted in place as Arlan maintained his hold on the Force, lifting it ever so slightly from where it sat. And there it would stay, suspended low to the ground as the man opened his eyes to reveal his accomplishment before the block fell back to the ground, his concentration having been broken. She heard his concern relative to his ability to compare to her skill, as well as the question of whether he could possibly attain such finesse with the ability.

"Never feel as though you must live up to the ability that I, or any other Jedi possess. The only standards you must live up to are your own. Success is self-defining."

She picked the blocks up one by one, before placing them back on to the shelf where she had gotten them, turning her head to continue speaking as she set them down. "There are several things you must remember, if you are to compare yourself to me. First is that I was discovered as a child to have the ability to manipulate objects with my mind. That was my gift, and what brought me to the Jedi Order in the first place at the age of seven." Sera made her way back to Arlan, standing an arms distance away. "I've also continued to train that ability throughout my many years as both a Jedi Knight and Master. That is my niche, my specialty." Lifting her arm she rested a pink hand against his shoulder in a reassuring manner. "This is only your first steps. You may find your calling in other areas as a Jedi. And while I can train you on the endless uses of telekinesis, you may find other abilities more to your taste, whereas my skills may be limited. But to answer your question, yes, it is possible to reach my ability, or even surpass it."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

For a man as prideful as Arlan it was hard for him to actually believe Serra's words carried any true weight, yet somehow he knew she was sincere. He was of course still disappointed in his pitiful show of power in lifting the blocks but the long he thought on his Master's words the more he knew it was far to early in his training to show noteworthy results. A sigh would escape his lips as he turned from where the blocks sat and looked on towards Serra, wondering all the while how long it would be before he dared call himself a Jedi. Serra continued speaking softly, her words firm but comforting all the same. Few people Arlan had met in his life were able to do both simultaneously, yet another of his Master's unique gifts he thought to himself. Still, if she spoke true then one day it could well be Arlan demonstrating incredible abilities or at least he hoped so.

"I understand Master, and do not take my eagerness to grow as overzealous pride." Arlan spoke confidently. "I'm the sort that has always stuck to my guns and mastered what I set my mind to. I know full well that I cannot breeze in and take hold of these age old gifts. No matter how long it takes I will keep at it until harnessing the Force is second nature." He continued as he looked to the blocks now on the shelf and then back to his master. "Under your guidance I do believe I will become a Jedi of some sort. Whether I'll be the model stalwart protector you speak of I cannot promise, but you have my word I'll try all the same." Arlan finished as he moved loser to Serra, letting his lips curl into a wry smile as he did so.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"That is good to hear." She offered a warm, reassuring smile. "I trust you'll become a fine Jedi. That's not something I'm worried of at all, Arlan." He had all of the qualities that a Jedi should have. Determination, mannerisms, eagerness, and an openness to new ideas. There was little else she required of a student, and why she felt confident in taking him under her wing as a student. Whether he knew it yet or not, he was progressing quite quickly for someone that had begun so late in life. She was both pleased and impressed. Deciding that it may be prudent sooner rather than later to ask such a question, she just went with it.

"Are you ambidextrous? Would you be comfortable holding say a blaster in either hand and remaining as accurate with one as the other? Or do you have a dominant hand?" The question might confuse him, given that there was no context behind why she was asking such a thing. "I ask because it is prudent to your lightsaber training. There are several different variations of both combat and weapon styling." She once again removed her own lightsabers from their resting place and held them up in her hand. "You see, my weapons are curved at the hilt. The reason is more than aesthetic. The curve helps with how I handle them during fights, allowing me to twist and twirl them much easier while moving. Not all Jedi prefer this method, and even less prefer two weapons to the single, more traditional style." She held up a finger. "Though there is one other type of lightsaber common enough in the galaxy, the saber staff. A lightsaber capable of being a single bladed weapon, or a double sided. Some can even be separated into two different lightsabers, but that is much less common."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan could see that Serra was pleased with him at the moment, and that alone proceeded to reaffirm his determination. It was then that Serra began speaking to Arlan on matters of Lightsaber form and combat, primarily on the matter of which hand was his dominant. Arlan himself had always favored his right hand in truth, but over the years he had developed an innate ability for using both hands equally. Though he had no real idea what that had to do with any sort of Jedi training, save for perhaps fitting a correct choice of Lightsaber for him, but he knew Serra would not lead him astray and her asking was all due importance. Turning to face Serra, crossing his arms and smiling, Arlan thought for a moment before he chose to answer. The question was simple enough, but always one should think before answering.

"I prefer my right, but I'm just as good with my left." Arlan spoke boldly. "There have been plenty of times where that fact alone has saved my life, and I'm a might proud of that." Arlan continued smiling. "I don't rightly believe that I could wield two Lightsaber at the same time with much grace or accuracy." Arlan thought that was important to point out. It wasn't exactly that he was afraid of trying to mimic his Master's style, just that such might not be the best match for him. "Why do you ask Master? I didn't think I would be dealing with a laser blade anytime soon. Surely we are far off from anything of that sort."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"Of course not. But the manner in which I train you relies heavily on the manner in which you will wield a lightsaber." It would be a waste of her time to try and train him primarily in the style of Jar'Kai and Ataru, her preferred method, if he did not believe he could proficiently manage two sabers in his hands at all times. Ataru was also a very acrobatic and exhausting form of combat. The fact that she was nimble, flexible, and dexterous enabled her to exploit that form to its' maximum potential. Arlan was a bit larger than her in both height and weight, and to her didn't look much like a dancer or an acrobat. She would likely hold off on training him as an Ataru fighter, and instead opt for Makashi, a much more manageable, yet still highly effective manner of fighting.

"We'll start you soon enough on a training saber, so that you are comfortable with the basics of combat, defense, and form. Once I am confident that you won't accidentally sever your hand we will take a trip to Ilum, an ancient Jedi world. It is there that you will locate a suitable crystal for your own saber, and I will show you how to construct the weapon that you will claim as your own."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan let go a silent breath of relief as Serra confirmed he would not be taking up the Lightsaber anytime soon. Though Arlan was eager to increase his abilities, everything was still so new to him. With his meager mastery of the Force he knew deep in his heart he was not ready to take up the weapons of a Jedi, and so Serra saying as much was good news to him. Now though more questions swan through his head, primarily concerning the world known as Ilum. There was probably a time where Arlan had seen it marking some star-map or heard of it in passing, but he had no knowledge of what exactly the planet was like. Serra made a passing reference to it being similar to Hoth in their earlier journey but even still mush was left to imagination. For a pragmatic, often overly so, man so much being unclear was more sinister than any foe he could face. It was not the time for petty doubts though, now was the time to train. Serra had been even with him so far, Arlan could only hope she would continue to do the same.

"I see, then we have much time to prepare then." Arlan spoke, still looking a bit relieved. "I'll admit I am curious about Ilum, but in no hurry to see it. Everything takes time and training a grown man to be Jedi is in no way an exception. There is still so much I have no clue about, or little idea of. The Jedi have existed for longer than I've been alive, but I've rarely heard anything of the order itself." Arlan continued as he leaned against a nearby wall. "You would think there were no Jedi but then out of no where a new story would pop up telling of how the Order saved or rescued someone. Such ambiguity would have to be intentional, would it not?"

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

There was a short silence between the two while Seraphina thought on his question. Finally she formulated her own opinion of the matter. "I don't believe it's intentional, so much as not broadcast." That would likely require a bit more elaboration, she thought. "Basically, the Jedi don't look for recognition or praise for such deeds, and we mostly operate in such few number that there's rarely ever any publicity for such things." She laughed, adding, "We also don't typically do interviews, so there's usually nothing to report on in great depth." Besides the large scale battles against the Sith empire fought alongside the Republic, the Jedi rarely appeared in great numbers, and typically stuck to the temples on their various worlds. "And without seeing a lightsaber swaying from one's hip, or being informed of such, most wouldn't recognize a Jedi anyway."

Ilum...Now that was a world she wasn't fond of. Not so much because of any particular dangers there, as there were some. No, her distaste for the world came from the fact that it was bitter cold, constantly snowing, and the wind chills would likely freeze you to death in an instant if you found yourself ill prepared for such a journey. She shivered at the thought of the planet. "Ilum is...Unique. It's cold unlike anything you've ever experienced. But it is the location of one of the few crystal caves in the galaxy. They grow in droves within the deep caves. It's a magnificent sight. Countless Jedi have made the trek there. It is a humbling experience."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

It seemed to Arlan that Serra spoke the truth on the Jedi's public dealings, and that was humbling to Arlan in a slight way. The Jedi were an ever present fact in the Galaxy as it was today, yet not many knew of them in any great detail. Hearing from one of the Jedi Masters that this lack of knowledge was not an intentional act on the Jedi's part just proved to Arlan how vast the Galaxy was. On some planets people knew not of even the Sith and their vast armies sweeping across the Core Worlds, until recently Arlan himself had never come face to face with one, that alone showed there were some things one had to see to understand. That rule certainly applied to Arlan as his training progressed from mere lecture to practice and his Master prepared him for the trials ahead. Before the death of his wife and mother Arlan had been a rather straightforward man, rushing headlong into whatever fray presented itself to him, but now he had calmed and saw the error of his past ways. It was a good thing too, for he had quickly found out how dearly patience would be needed in his future exploits.

Looking at Serra as she spoke of Ilum Arlan could tell it was a sordid subject for here. Perhaps some past trauma had cause the planet to leave a bad taste in her mouth, that much Arlan could understand if it proved true. Still though he was curious but decided against prodding his Master for more details. No, instead he turned to a more inquisitive stance towards his training. "So, Master, I know there is still much for me to learn and I know you probably grow tired of this back and forth. Whatever the task, whatever the trial, I am ready to proceed." Arlan spoke confidently as he leaned forward from the wall and took a few steps towards his Master. "If may well be years upon years before I can call myself a Jedi, but we will never know until we press forward eh?"

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek placed her hand gently on the upper arm of her apprentice. Given that he was half a foot taller than her that was about the best she could do. She ushered him forward with her hand to walk with her through the remainder of the temple. "Come." She smiled warmly. "Let me show you around the rest of the temple. We'll continue with your training shortly. I'd like for you to be familiar with everything here." As she led him through the temple he would see the large sprawling cafe where many Jedi of all types sat, enjoying a meal. She walked him through the hangars, the archives, the Jedi Council chambers, and then outside. The area she saved for last was her favorite place on Ossus.

It would take the pair about fifteen minutes of walking uphill to reach the point she valued most, having spent many hours of her years here, at this very spot training, meditating, and resting. The massive waterfall that fell to a sparkling lagoon below was a sight to behold. To Sera, it was the most beautiful spot on Ossus. She had practiced with Jedi Masters she now called friends. She had trained countless Padawans here as well. When she was younger she would venture to the waterfall to escape the dreariness of the war with the Sith. A place to unwind.

"This is my spot." She said cheerfully. "Whenever you feel down, burdened, I find this spot always cheers me up. I hope it can do the same for you."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]