Enduring Light

[Jannik Morlandt]

[Prior to the One Sith Invasion of Coruscant, between this thread and that thread...]​

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LOCATION​

OSSUS​

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He had not seen the Shi'ido master since before his trip to Ruusan with Kira and their first lesson at that time, the first help Erinyes had given him, felt like the hardest thing he had done in his short time with the Order, thus far. Willingly and purposely opening himself up to the stream of time and possibility, welcoming vision to the doorstep of his mind and inviting it in was incredibly daunting, but... but there was a degree of control in the act that had never been present with the unbidden visions that visited fear and severe uncertainty upon him, and the in theory the larger degree of exposure would aid in enabling him to fare better when the visions came roaring through without warning.

In theory. He still felt anxiety and apprehension over the act, but he had been taking a little time out of each day, as prescribed, to increase his familiarity, and had managed to do it most days when he could talk himself into it, and it was only just starting to become a daily venture, less fearsome, but still with the naggling worry that, perhaps, he was being lured into a false sense of security. Which was ridiculous - what reasons had he to not have faith in the people that guided him on this path?

None that he was aware of.

That aside, the cerulean woman had requested his presence this morning, wishing to impart further knowledge to him. He had heard a saying once, saying that variety is the spice of life, and he could only hope that today's subject (or subjects!) was something a little different from their previous meeting. So he stood, not in a room, but in the entry hall, awaiting her arrival, feeling rather well-rested, and slightly anxious. As she came into his view, a slight smile curled his lips, and he bounced up on his toes only once, before coming back down onto his heels, his hands folded behind his back.

"G'morning, Master Draclau," he started, "Tis good tae see ye. Ah hope y'ave rested well?"

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[member="Erinyes Draclau"]

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

"Jannik," came Erinyes' soft welcome, her large alien green eyes settling upon his form with a warm smile. A hand would extend for him to join her, motioning over to an open seat beside her.

"Good Morning," she'd say, as she sat cross legged upon a small cushion. While Jannik certainly held a raw potential in the Force, there was much training that the young man still had to undergo. This would be another lesson for him to be a candle in the dark.

"Did thou sleep well" she'd ask, knowing he had trouble sleeping due to the dreams that would come. In slumber, the mind was more open to Force Visions, and what may be thought upon as dreams were really images of the past, present, and the future.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

Accepting the invitation, he shuffled over to the place alongside the Shi'ido Master, sitting cross-legged as she had. The calm nature [member="Erinyes Draclau"] presented was in sharp contrast to the bubbliness that Kira exuded, and where the latter kept his spirits high and bolstered his meshing with the life of the Jedi, the former cemented it with solemn duty and responsibility, and the acceptance of what this life had dealt him. Not only the acceptance, but the embracing of it.

"Eh, more or less. Better than some nights, but not th'best o'th'best. 'Twas enough," he said, in admission. "Enough tae make it through th'day not so worse f'wear."

Though, at that moment, he did yawn. A small yawn, but a yawn, nonetheless.

"So, what hae ye got for me, t'day?"

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

"A method to ensure a path to a pure light, Padawan Jannik Morlandt." she would tell him, smiling at him gently. "We shall endevour to strengthen your bonds through the Force through meditation."

"Jedi Knight A'dele Adonnai has spent long hours meditating into a trance like state." she spoke of the Zabrak healer who normally spent times in the archives.

"Thou art strong in the Force, but thou must learn to simply listen and stay still, regardless of thine surroundings."

"Have thou been able to reach a center of peace? Tranquility?" she asked.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

He had to think, back over his days, pouring over, picking over the minutiae both dull and seemingly meaningless, as well as more interesting and supposedly meaningful. At what points in his life, past and present, had he found the largest measures of peace and tranquility? He felt he knew, the answer rested on the tip of his tongue, on the foremost fringes of his psyche. His brow furrowed for several moments, before the answer formed, his brow relaxed, and the words passed his lips.

"The majority o'times, Master Draclau," he started, his voice largely calm and even, "has been when ah've been connected to music, whether by th'playing of it, listening to it, or thinking on it. The simplicity of humming a tune, particularly of a lullaby that sticks in my memory, with faint recollections of..."

He trailed off. He had never been absolutely certain just who that was, but he had a feeling, just a feeling that the obscured yet gentle face had been that of his mother. There would never be any knowing for certain, he thought each and every time that his minde travelled those roads, but the faint memory still clung to him, as if it mattered so much, more important that things that were much clearer, crisper in his memory. He had to wonder why that was, and he had so many times in the past, but there was nothing for doing so in the here and now, in this moment. It wouldn't help him to consider things that ultimately might not have any answers.

"...well, 'twas a faint memory, but the lullaby remains. Th'point is ah b'lieve that music, even th'memory of it, is the best bet."

A ghosting smile played on his lips. Some of his best memories involved music, his whole life woven with its notes, harmonies and melodies.

"What d'ye think o'that? D'ye think that might do?" Then his smile widened, recalling their first session. "Accourse! If ah recall correctly, music means something for you too, dinnit?"

He just might be on the right track, if that was the case. He had a good feeling about it, in his gut!

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

Her smile would widen. She gave an incline of her cerulean head. "Aye -- The Force speaks to me in a variety of tones. There is music all around, and in this I am able to center myself to its guidance."

"Let use now center ourselves. From here we shall begin thine first lesson." she told him, "With the Force, there is much that one can do.

Thou art a candle in the dark, Padawan Morlandt. Let us make that a more tangible connection." Her hands would rise and in this they would cup together.

"The Force is more than a current -- but that which connects us all. From this we must learn to alter that current and manipulate it. Sense it flowing around thee, Padawan -- and let us start to alter its course."

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

It took him another few moments, it having been more than mere days between their meetings, to realize that the 'centering' she spoke of was the same serenity, inner peace, and tranquility that he had learned to attain during their previous, very first session in each other's company. It should have been obvious, but most of the skills he had attained thus far were different from the ones that [member="Erinyes Draclau"] sought to impart to him at first, so the connection wasn't as clear. All in all, he was glad to have put two and two together, or the entire exercise could very well end up taking much, much longer... not that this was a test, but it could very well be expected that he'd have the aspect of centering himself down to something close to a 'T', on account of daily practice in the skill of farsight - which was aided by bringing one's self to inner peace - having been prescribed. If there was one thing to be said for that practice, it was that it had gone a long way to making him used to handling the snippets of the flows of time itself that the Force granted him sight of. Granted, nearly all of that practice was basically controlled. How would he fare the next time a true, full-bodied vision hit him square between the eyes? It was that which remained to be seen.

So, he began with centering himself, closing his eyes and leveling out his breathing by stretching out the steps of the breathing cycle, slowly breathing in, holding it, then breathing out, again slowly, the Force readily open to his growing will to command it - but he did not yet command it to do anything, having simply been instructed to observe the current of the Force and the way it ebbed, flowed, and rippled, the way it surrounded him, enveloped him, and yet was in front of him at the same time. He recalled something, when his mind hung on the word 'manipulate'...

"Manipulate. Y'mean like in th'telekinetics ah learned in me first week?"

It could be that, though it was quite certain he would be learning something (or some things) entirely different, with completely different applications, today. Of course, anything done with the Force could be considered a manipulation of it, but his head hadn't taken it that far. The one connection was within the limits of his knowledge. Deeper Jedi philosophy was a broad and largely untouched subject for the curly-haired padawan, but not one he was likely to ignore for the whole of his career as a Jedi. If anything, he had the rest of his life to be a Jedi, the rest of his life to dedicate to the Jedi cause, and to improving himself.

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

"Inde'd, manipulate. thou art able to sense the force around thou -- anon thy art to manipulate the force in a manner that goes beyond that of telekinetics -- but a rearranging of particles into matter that can become another representation of that same energy. "

"Much like an electric current, the force is an energy source that can be manifest'd in different ways. the one i shall bewray thou is a method to alter the energy into light. " A quiet manipulation of the Force between her palms would shift, as if the atoms and particles within their confines would start to bounce and shift with excited energy. Heat would bloom, but not in a manner that would harm. Instead that energy would be transferred into a growing sphere of light.

"But more aptly... used to combat the forces of the Dark..."

She was, of course, talking about Force Light, a method of purging the Darkside of the Force. When used against a darksider, Force light would weaken the darksider's connection to the Force. With the light of the Force, a Jedi could either purge or contain dark side manifestations or nexus points, whether in places, spirits, or even living persons, though sometimes to detrimental effect. By channeling the Force into withering blasts of light-side energy, the darkness can then be diminished or destroyed permanently. Force light could also be used to sever the bond between a Sith battlelord and his or her followers.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Erinyes Draclau"]

Opening his eyes, now centered and fairly calm, Jannik listened to the shi'ido master explain what particular method of alteration of the Force she meant; what he was here to learn to manipulate, and observed the demonstration she gave, turning the aforementioned energy into a ball of brilliant light between her palms. It was the most tangible, visible manifestation of the Force that he had encountered in his so few months with the Jedi. There had been a lot to see, as he had very rarely been left to twiddle his thumbs, and even then there was always something he could or should be doing. At some point along the way, it had ceased to be a matter of keeping his mind off the circumstances that had lead him to take up the life of a Jedi, and had instead become something else - a purpose.

And the light was fascinating, the mention of its use to 'combat the forces of the Dark' making sense. It was a manifestation of the Light of the Force, itself, meant to incapacitate, overwhelm, or even obliterate the grip of Darkness. He had found some time to read a smidgen of theory on the matter of Force Light, months ago, but this was the first time he had seen it in practice, and his mind was reconciling the two.

"An' ah s'pose it'd make a nifty torch too, aye?"

A more rhetorical query than anything. A simple touch of levity that was embedded deep in his character to inject into any situation, where at all appropriate.

"So, Master Draclau, how do ah go about..."

He made a gesture towards the ball of light in her own hands, trying not to stare more than he had already. It was immensely bright, after all, and he was already seeing spots.

"...doing... making that?"

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

Jedi Master Erinyes gave an incline of her head, closing her hands so as to contain the bright soothing light.

"Force light is a physical manifestation of the Lightside of the Force in its utmost pure form. One must be completely attuned to the peace and serenity that is found within the Force to properly manifest it and control it.

Thou art able to manifest this by channeling thine center and becoming a vessel for the Light Side of the Force -- guiding it with thine hand to the direction thou requires.

It is one of the most difficult of powers to learn to wield, Jannik Morlandt -- but it is a building bridge for a more powerful use of the Force called Wall of light. "

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Erinyes Draclau"]

Wall of Light... He tried to imagine that, and it seemed impressive in his imagination, conceptualized. Not to mention what it seemed to suggest, being a stronger manifestation of the founding skill he was learning now, and that it was termed as a 'wall'. No matter what culture you looked at, a wall wasn't something that a single being could erect alone and that fact fascinated him - the possibility of several Jedi, pouring their Light into the eradication of something Dark? The more Jedi added, the greater the effect, in theory. His mind went to Ruusan, and the explanation of its present nature that Kira had given the day she'd imparted to him a different kind of light.

Someday... he reaffirmed with himself. Beating back the Dark in a fashion that didn't necessarily kill? He could get behind that, but that 'someday' would require an application of efforts, now. So he breathed out, well and settled in his calm, the doubts of months before no longer there to interfere, and in its place a growing faith. Somewhere along the way, he'd begun to give himself fully over to the Light. Doubtless, this growing faith would be tested in the times to come, but here it brooked no opposition and he put his hands together as if in prayer, taking the centre of peace within less through his own will, but with the will of the Light, the faintest of glows coming through the spaces, the skin feeling somewhat warm. That too was calming to see and feel, and the further calm it created made the glow brighter as he opened his hands...

...and received a face full of his own Light for peeking, sending him reeling back, flat out on the dojo floor. Another moment passed before laughter burst out of him in a great tumble, despite the fact that it somehow hurt a little outside of the brilliance that would make him see more spots and made the fleeting thought cross his mind that his masters were trying to get him to blind himself.

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

There would be a sparkle of amusement within the large green eyes of the Shi'ido Master, "Thou art but a brick within the wall Padawan Morlandt. One small part. That is why many are required to forge and sustain the wall of light.

There is danger in such a power. For loss of control may lead to a reckoning that may consume the entirety of a planet." she would warn him, rising to her feet.

"We lay down this wall one brick at a time," she'd say, walking over towards him before extending her hand to help him up.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

His laughter quieted in the wake of the words that [member="Erinyes Draclau"] spoke. A wall, one brick at a time, an analogy well understood. It would take more than him on his lonesome to accomplish the greatness of a Wall of Light, and he hoped someday to see it used... as much as most circumstances that called for it were not exactly the kinds of things one would wish for.

"Danger, gotcha," he lightly parroted back, sitting up and taking her hand when offered to get to his feet. "But it must be amazing t'see, tae be a part of, yeah?"

He couldn't help but think of what Kira had said to him, back on Ruusan. It was the first real goal he'd made since this change in his life's direction, and he hoped to see it fulfilled in his lifetime. It helped to have things to look forward to, however far off they were.

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

Erinyes took a deep breath, and her large green eyes would start to drift away, as if falling into the reverie of distant memories.

"It can be, young Morlandt." a second later, a slight furrowing would draw over her brow. Images would dance like ghostly shadows in her mind. Dathomir. Another group of Jedi. The meld and the wall of light that had consumed one cursed by the Dark, leading to her death.

"But one must take caution." she reiterated, returning her attention to him. A small cordial smile would shine from her lips. " There is another manner, by which one is able to increase the resolve, accuracy, and capabilities of thineself and thine allies."

"Jedi Knight Adele Adonnai describes it as a precursor to a greater method of inspiring morale and strength. Force valor can be pinpointed to increase resolve, and it is as much of an important role as that of a Guardian being the steadfast tower."

"Using the method of centering thineself, the focus can turn to use the Force to strengthen thou's resolve. With practice, it can be implemented onto another."

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Erinyes Draclau"]

That was quite some news to him, how there was a way to improve resolve through a manner other than his own will, which was as-yet an undependable method. Bit by bit he was taking this life on as his own, despite the unfamiliarity, the unknowns, the uncharted territories in his mind. Less and less he could be wary of the unknown, given time, but for now, there was always still that tiny, niggling strand of concern he had to contend with. A smile, a nod of understanding, and it was quelled. This was not in the same vein as the matter of precognition.

"So how does tha' work?" the query came, "an' whar does it lead, what could this be a precursor of?"

Valid questions. He had an interest in what could be... whether that was a side-effect of his gifts? Well, that was inconsequential. What mattered was that it was a positive, and any positive helped.

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

"By tapping into the Force, a one can increase the rate at which one's capacities functioned, allowing the body to move more quickly, strike more powerfully, and fight with improved accuracy. " Erinyes would tell him. "Thou are using the Force to influence thine will to encourage, to strengthen, turning it into a tangible fount of energy for thineself and thy allies."

"None the less, there are two more abilities which were closely related to Force Valor." she would explain further, "Battlemind is a power centered around a Jedi's connection to the Force, allowing a vague precognition to allow one to strike with increased accuracy.

Enhance thou's ability is a similar to Force Valor, but is instead used to bolster the physical abilities of the Jedi." All were the building blocks to what will be a rare power used to mass support armies.

"All of these are used to fine tune the ability of Battle meditation; a power that considerably boosts the morale, stamina, and overall battle prowess of one's allies... and providing a way to simultaneously reduce the opposition's combat-effectiveness by eroding their will to fight."

The extent of the power of the Force one could weild in such a manner was certainly extraordinary.

"With the Force, one could coordinate entire fleets of ships, allowing them to perform at maximum efficiency, acting as a single entity with the ability to counter every enemy move quickly and effectively. "

With this explanation, Erinyes would give a soft smile. "Let me show thee, Jannik." With a soft fluttering of her eyes, Erinyes would easily float into her center. The rush of the Force would soon be a welcomed presence, wrapping round her like the warmest of blankets. Manipulating this energy, the Shi'ido female would in turn redirect that energy towards Jannik himself.

In him, she would pour bolstering energy to strengthen him from his most recent experiences. Give him a bit more pip in his step. As the Force would rush through nerves, that push of energy would feel as if he'd had five cups of stim caf without the heady rush of caffeine.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Erinyes Draclau"]

He listened and understood, committed to memory the things to which this skill, this 'Force Valor' could be connected, and all sounded like very useful things that he would have to investigate, to see if it was feasible for him to do them. He didn't feel that he would ever be a strong combatant (he couldn't know for sure, but the path he had taken thus far seemed to confirm it), but he wouldn't want to feel utterly helpless. He had begun to feel useful and purposeful as of late, as he took on more that he could control.

When she worked her power on him, let him feel that which he was to know, it instilled in him an energy that he hadn't quite felt in some time. So much sleep had been lost over visions, and sometimes it felt as if he was eternally trying to catch up. Most days had been better since coming to Ossus and familiarizing himself with its peace, but the effects still hampered his cycle of rest. This ability would help, if he could wield it. A contented smile bordering on the start of an energetic grin overtook his mouth at how he was feeling.

"Tha' feels great," he said, with mild insistence, "an' here ah was, wondering what use it'd be tae meself; ah'm not certain how much of a combatant ah would be, but feeling it made me understand tha' it's much more than tha'."

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

"Indeed it is." Erinyes would agree, giving a nod. "The role of those who would support the front lines is an important one, Jannik. In this method, thou can do much to boost the morale of thy companions around you." she would tell him.

With her showing him at the least how it felt, the difference, then he too should be able to keep in mind how the Force would work in this method. It was an aspect of alter and control, and with practice he would be able to touch not only himself, but others when needed.

"Dost thou have any questions?" she would ask, waiting patiently.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Erinyes Draclau"]

"Should ah try this on me own, now?"

That had always been the way of things, and it felt silly to ask when he'd usually just went ahead and did it, but perhaps that was for another time. It would feel strange to not have tried at least once in the presence of his instructor.

"Ah otherwise hae no other questions aside from... what might be next."

 

[Erinyes Draclau]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

That whimsical smile would appear anew. "Indeed young Morlandt, try it thineself." her eye would brighten, as rare childish humor would dance across her large emerald eyes.

"Start small, then slowly work your way throughout thine's body. Sense the Force flowing through thee, then manipulate that energy to increase thine's resolve.."