First of Many [Valae Kitra]

[Thurion Heavenshield]

The Silver Temple
Planet Voss

Having recovered from most injuries suffered at the hands of [member="Mythos"] during their fight on Lujo, thanks to his wife [member="Coci Heavenshield"] and the healing properties of his homeplanet of Midvinter nursing him back to health, Grandmaster Heavenshield was back in action on Voss once more. His right hand remained sore and lightly bandaged, and the scar still adorned his right eye. At times his eyesight would become blurry, but it occurred at shorter intervals than before. He just considered himself lucky to still have his eye at all.

Finding some time to spend with his padawan, Thurion decided that now was the time to introduce [member="Valae Kitra"] to the art of the lightsaber. She had performed remarkably in all challenges set before her so far, and he had no doubts she would do so now as well. She had learned from her experience in the crystal caves on Ossus to let the past go in order to live in the now to secure a better tomorrow, which will grant her the focus required to truly become Jedi. The past should not be forgotten, however, as remembering where you came from keeps one humble, but one mustn't dwell on it.

Strolling through the otherwise for-once empty courtyard, Thurion shot a smile at Valae when he found she was already waiting for him. "Eager as always, I see," he greeted her with a slight bow, trying not to grimace at the stinging pain it caused him to do such. "A good trait for a student to have. Did you bring your training saber, perchance?"

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Valae had risen early in the morning, before the sun had graced the landscapes of Voss. Today she was to meet with her Master and begin saber training. It was an essential skill for any Jedi, and she was aware of the value of this experience, but she still felt hesitant. The padawan knew she would need to know how to defend herself, but she couldn’t imagine facing another in battle. She did not feel that she had the heart of a hero, for within her beat a rapid and worrisome heart, like that of a frightened rabbit. Valae dressed in simple training clothes, and covered herself with her brown robe.

After having a calming cup of herbal tea, she set out towards the courtyard and walked into the brisk morning air. The sun had risen, but the chill of previous night hadn’t burned off quite yet. The young woman waited in silence, taking this time to quiet her mind and reach out with the force. She could feel the presence of her Master, the strong ripple in the force was growing closer with each step. Valae had only heard bits and pieces about the battle on Lujo, but she had been most distressed to hear that the Grandmaster had been injured. However, she supposed that it was the price one paid when fighting for a worthy cause. She had awaited news from Midvinter, and had been ever so relieved when she heard of his recovery.

A smile broke onto her face when she opened her eyes to see [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] standing before her. Though her expression became wrought with worry when she saw him bow, and spied the slightest hint of pain in his movements. Valae was at his side quickly, and she took the moment to look him over. “Are you alright, Master?” She asked, concern shaking her voice slightly. It was Valae’s way to fuss over folk, especially those she cared about. “I do have my training saber, but are you sure-” Valae paused, deciding that it was not her place to question him further about his health. If he saw fit to teach her, she would accept his help this day.

She brandished the worn hilt of the training saber, and resisted the urge to ask about the battle, even though she was curious.

“I hope to have my own soon.” She smiled.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Her obvious concern for him was heartwarming and made him settle his bandaged hand upon her cheek. "I'm always good to devote myself to my apprentice, kindhearted and caring as she is," he assured her with a smile. "Wounds like these will always heal; bones will realign, flesh will mend. Our bodies are instruments of the Force - tools, if you will, and like all tools they break if not looked after or if overworked." An overly practical way of seeing it, perhaps, but such was his philosophy. Thurion then stepped toward a nearby bench to remove his robes in favour of the training garments worn underneath them. Facing away from his padawan, he took this moment to let his smile fade as he allowed the pain to remind him of his physical limitations. He would not allow it for long, however, as once he turned to face Valae again the pain was suppressed and his smile reappeared.

"You will, Val. A day will come when I have nothing more to teach you, and you will pass on what you have learned to a padawan of your own. It is how traditions are maintained, not unlike those of a family." Stepping towards her, Thurion summoned his most loyal of companions to the palm of his hand only to quickly switch to his left upon realising his right was not yet fit to support the weight, shaking his hand as if having just touched a hot stove. "Guess I'll be flying lefty for now," he remarked with a quick chuckle.

"Now, at the core of any usage of the lightsaber is your stance. This stance will change depending on which form you use, but as is tradition we shall begin with Shii-Cho - the First Form. This form is the most ancient, dating back to a time when lightsabers were first created by some of the first Jedi. It uses fluid motions, akin to a river flowing freely," he explained while his body began to demonstrate without activating his lightsaber, merely walking her through the motions. "It is often called the 'Determination Form' for its deliberate movements and precise strikes, and evolved from a time when regular swords became obsolete and ligthsaber technology became the norm."

Thurion returned to the opening stance of Shii-Cho, beckoning Valae to step forward and mimic the positioning of his feet. "Give it try. Should you fail, know that it is better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all."

[member="Valae Kitra"]​

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

As Thurion walked past her, she moved off to the side of the courtyard and removed her robe as well. The light fabric of her training outfit was no match for the morning air, but she knew that she would soon be warm enough. She watched as her master turned towards her, and she returned his warm smile. Valae watched as Thurion drew his saber, and she winced as she saw him attempt to hold it in his injured hand. Despite her instinct to speak up, she remained quiet and listened to the words her master spoke next.

Valae’s dark eyes tracked Thurion’s movements closely, watching as he demonstrated the sequence. She could see how his every step and strike was honed with precision. The padawan could see how these movements evolved from sword fighting. She watched his footwork carefully, trying to take mental notes for her own practice. Valae stepped forward quite timidly when her master motioned for her to mimic his example. She stood next to Thurion and observed his stance for a moment before attempting it on her own.

She let her left knee bend slightly, and stepped back with her right foot, making sure to keep that leg straight. Her eyes shifted to the side again, and she saw that Thurion’s feet were both facing forward and she corrected her stance accordingly. Valae wobbled a bit at first, as the positioning felt awkward and strange at first. Her hands gripped the hilt of the training saber, her right hand held above the left. Valae let raised the saber a bit above her waist level, and let herself sink into this stance for a moment. She quickly realized that this stance was an example of stability, now that she had figured out how to split her weight evenly between both legs.

“Does this look right?” She asked, looking sideways at her master.

Being athletic was certainly not one of her strong points, but she was determined to make it through this practice.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Taking notice of Valae's wobbling start, he reached out with his bandaged to lightly grab her shoulder to steady her while getting used to the stance. When she felt she had it nailed down, Thurion began slowly circling her where she stood to note any imperfections in her stance. There were some minor ones, but those could all be attributed to it being her first time attempting it. Force knows he needed a number of tries before getting it right when he was a boy, despite Master Asha's expert teachings. Where he had been eager to study the art of the lightsaber, Valae appeared reluctant and somewhat timid. Perhaps the latter makes for a more refined final result? Time will tell. "Very good," he finally spoke as he made a complete circle and stood before her.

"Remember, Padawan: To Jedi, mind and body are one. They do not act separately, but in unison, and as such both need to be honed equally. The body cannot act without a mind to guide it, and the mind cannot perform their intended action without a body to do so with." Those had been Asha's exact words to him, as she had walked the way of the Jedi Sentinel and thus required as much knowledge of the Force as she needed combat training. While Thurion had followed the way of the warrior first and foremost, he too believed the mind was not to be neglected. Brawn without brains is only one half of a complete picture.

Stepping forward, Thurion gave Valae a few nudges in different places of her body to check her balance and make sure she retained her stance. "You learn quickly," he said with a smile on his lips. Once he'd spoken, however, his vision began to turn blurry again and he stumbled backwards a couple steps before regaining his balance. Knowing she would come to his aid, Thurion raised a hand in protest only to have it waver the moment after. "I guess I... better sit down," he admitted in defeat. Finding the nearby bench he'd left his robes on, he took a seat and tilted his head back, eyes closed while resting both hands in his lap. "I'm sorry, Val. I had hoped my injuries would not impact your training."

[member="Valae Kitra"]​

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Valae was growing more comfortable in the stance as the moments went by, and she was feeling accomplished when Thurion praised her. However, her eyes grew wide as she saw him stumble and she quickly stood up to help. She paused when she saw his hand, but she moved close to him to provide assistance, should he need it. The padawan watched as her master took a seat on the bench, it was the first time she had ever seen him look so tired. She could not even imagine the rigors of battle, but she could see that it was taxing on more than one level. Valae set down her training saber and took a seat next to Thurion.

“You don’t need to apologize, Master.” She said with a smile. “Right now your health is more important to me.”

For a few moments she remained silent, letting her eyes shift upwards towards the morning sky. Unlike many padawans, she was in no rush to learn saber skills. Of course, she wanted to be able to master the skill, but she was fine with making slow progress. It did not seem that saber fighting was for the faint of heart.

“To be honest, the idea of fighting really scares me.” Valae said softly, deciding that it would be best for Thurion to know her feelings.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Breathing deeply Thurion sat resting on the bench with his padawan at his side. The sun slowly made its way to the top of the sky, wrapping the landscape and its denizens in its light and warmth. When he was a child, Thurion often thought of the sun as being the most inherently good thing in the galaxy, always brightening up the darkness and bringing warmth and comfort to anyone it comes across. "You're a sweet girl," he told Valae while resting a hand upon her shoulder as she sat beside him. When she mentioned being afraid of fighting, Thurion set his eyes on her.

"Only a reckless fool would fight without fear in his heart. Being brave and being unafraid are not the same, Val." He leaned forward, hands now resting in his lap as he stared ahead.

"I have seen many things and faced many dangers in life, yes, and each time I was afraid. Not of death or my enemies, but of the danger that could befall those I love unless I do something. So you see, cannot be brave without being afraid." His gaze settled on the entrance to the temple as the first of many younglings and padawans stepped outside for today's training. A smile found his lips as he then turned to Valae and took her hand in his. "No more lessons today, my dear," he told her. "I want you to go out and enjoy yourself - to have some fun! I fear I am no use to you in my current condition, anyway." He sat back up, resting his back against the bench once more.

"For now, I think I will just sit here for a bit..." he uttered before closing his eyes, allowing the morning sun to wrap him in its warm embrace.

[member="Valae Kitra"]​

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Valae listened to Thurion speak, and realized that it was quite nice to simply sit and talk with her master. They weren’t on a mission; there were no threats to their safety here, just two kindred spirits sitting on a bench. She took in a deep breath of morning air, and let the soft rays of the sun fall onto her face. When she had first arrived on Voss she had found the single sun to be a refreshing change, but there were still times when she found herself missing the intensity of the twin suns of Tatooine. However, she did not miss the desert all that much, she’d seen enough sand to last her a life time.

It seemed the temple was beginning to wake up now, and she watched as many other padawans prepared to begin their training. She blinked a few times when Thurion said that he wanted her to enjoy herself today. Valae looked down at the bandaged hand that was grasping her hand gently, and she hoped that her master would make a quick recovery.

“I think I will go out for a walk.” Valae said with a smile. Later on she would also practice the stance she had learned, as she wanted to be prepared for her next lesson. Slowly Valae rose from the bench and smiled at Thurion. “Please take care, master.” She said with a nod before she set out.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

A few weeks had passed since Valae’s first training session, and she was feeling a little better about the idea of using a saber. The padawan was grasping the basics of using the force, and her improvements had given her a renewed energy. She had spent many an afternoon out in the training grounds, and she had become very good ‘friends’ with the wooden training dummies. Valae now knew that most traditional sword fighting was done right-handed, regardless of one’s dominant hand. As she happened to be right-handed, this fact suited her and made the motions seem a bit more natural. The padawan had also learned that the hand held towards the end of the hilt was the one that generated the power, and the hand near the hilt was in charge of guiding and directing the blade. Valae had been using a wooden practice sword to get to know the striking patterns of Shii-Cho, and the weight of the sword was helping to tone her arms.

Once again, she found herself in the familiar training ground. Her brown eyes scanned the area; it was quiet and peaceful today. She was alone with her thoughts and the beaten figures of the wooden training targets. The padawan circled one of the targets, and let an imaginary foe take its place. A hand reached out, fingers outstretched in the direction of the weapon rack. Valae closed her eyes and gathered the force to her, concentrating on summoning a wooden sword to her waiting hand. It was a new skill that she was working on, and as such... it didn’t work perfectly. She heard the wooden swords shifting on the rack and then a clatter as one of the swords flew out, but landed at her feet. Oh well, it had been pretty close. Valae bent to pick up the sword and realized that there was a familiar presence nearing.

The padawan reached out with the force and a smile grew on her face, she could feel that her Master was approaching.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Another wooden sword would leave the rack and soar through the air until it calmly reached the palm of the Grandmaster's hand as he casually wandered the courtyard to meet up with his padawan. The weight and feel of the training sword was tuned to resemble that of a lightsaber, and he'd even lent his own skills in carpentry to their creation. His injuries had since their last meeting mended quite well, with his right hand being back to its former strength. His eyesight had improved considerably as well, with little to no bouts of blurred vision.

"Hello, there," he greeted Valae with a wide smile, wooden sword in one hand and using it as a makeshift cane while the other casually kept behind his back. "I am pleased to see you've taken your training into your own hands, Padawan. It speaks volumes about your willingness to learn." Walking up to her offered her a respectful bow, as is tradition, before skipping the formalities and instead stepping forward to embrace her. "How have you been, Valae? Making friends, I hear?" In spite of him being a very busy man, Thurion was always happy to hear of his padawan's progress, be it her social life or advances in her training. Even so, prying would never be his intention.

[member="Valae Kitra"]​

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

“Hello, Master! It is good to see you!” Valae chirped brightly as she turned to see Thurion. She had bent at the waist to return his bow, and when she straightened up she found herself in a warm embrace. The padawan hugged her master, and it suddenly reminded her of the night that they had first met on Tatooine. It seemed like such a long time ago now. She smiled thoughtfully as she considered his question. Her time at the Silver Temple had treated her well, she felt very much at home on Voss, and had even found that she missed her old home less and less. However, she knew that there would always be a part of her that longed for days past. The friends that she had made during her time here had made the transition easier for her; she had never known such camaraderie before.

“Yes, I have made some great friends here.” She nodded. “Everyone has really made me feel like a welcomed addition to the Sanctum.”

For a moment the padawan searched her master’s face, looking for any sign that he was still feeling unwell from his injuries. However, after a moment or two, she had observed indications that he was still having trouble. In fact, he looked well rested now and Valae was most glad to see that he’d made such swift progress. She held up her wooden sword, and then turned her eyes back to Thurion.

“I’m starting to get better.” She said, unable to keep from smiling. In the time since their last lesson she’d focused on the form of making strikes. And she had learned to like the fact that her wooden practice target never moved or attempted to strike back. In the back of her mind she knew that there were very few foes that would remain so stationary and still... but it was a good way to learn the basics.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

"I am glad to hear it. Friends are so very precious in times like these," he spoke, smile ever intact. "You've managed to impress my son, too. Not an easy feat, mind you!" He let out a chuckle before letting the serenity of silence take over, with but a few birds chirping and bees buzzing in the background. Giving Valae a pat on the shoulder, he walked past her to stand in the middle of the cobbled sparring area. His eyes inspected the training dummies from where he stood, noting the light beating they'd been given. It's a wonder they had not yet been forced to switch them for newer ones; proof that old age is merely left to the eye of the beholder.

"Show me," he said while turning towards his student, gesturing to the dummies. "Show me your technique. Just do what you just did; pretend I'm not even here." Easier said than done, he supposed. He remembered back to when he was in her shoes, albeit much younger. When Master Asha would tell him the same thing, Thurion would shake his head in protest; he never wished to imagine a world without her in it.

OOC: Sorry it took so long!​

​

[member="Valae Kitra"]​

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

When Thurion instructed her to demonstrate the abilities she had been practicing, she smiled and gave a nod. Valae cleared her throat slightly, as though she were about to give a speech, and stepped back into her stance. It felt a bit odd to act as though her master was not standing there, his ever watchful eyes upon her. However, his presence was soothing to her and she knew that she would probably perform even better this time. The padawan drew in a deep and even breath, and with her exhale she thrust the training sword forward. As her striking pattern set into motion, she made sure to keep up with her footwork. Her movements were becoming well practiced, but it also meant that she varied very little from her pattern.

The form of saber fighting was starting to feel more comfortable to her, but she knew that her true test would be against a live opponent. Valae often needed time to think about her attacks, and worried that she would not know how to counter attacks... She knew that she needed to feel, and let the thoughts move to the back of her mind, but it was something that was easier said than done.

Valae’s training sword tapped lightly against the wooden training dummy, she enjoyed the satisfying sound it made upon contact. She made a final strike for the dummy’s sword arm, and then straightened up, her gaze shifting to Thurion. The padawan’s eyes were searching his face, much like a child waiting for a parent’s much needed approval.

"How'd I do?" came her quiet voice.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

OOC: No problem!

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Watching her closely as she dished out the damage to the poor training dummy, he noticed a drive behind each strike; there was a great deal of focus on display, and an urge to achieve perfection. While her strikes were not without flaws, he doubted he could do much better at her age.

"It's not terrible," he teased as he reached out to brush away a few strands of hair stuck against her moist forehead. "You've improved much since our last session. You've got the footwork down and your body has gotten stronger. I'd say you're beyond hitting training dummies and ready to take on a harder challenge."

Stepping towards the centre of the training area and now wielding the wooden saber with both hands, Thurion let loose a few combos versus the air before turning around to face Valae again, his guard now lowered. "Come here, child. It's time we take your training to the next step." He was aware of her hesitation to face another in combat, even if it was just practice, and thus would not rush her in any way. "Take your time."

[member="Valae Kitra"]​

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

A smile finally broke onto Valae’s face, and she even laughed at her master’s teasing. Thurion’s praise meant the world to her, and she was thankful to hear that she had indeed improved. She watched as the Grandmaster stepped forward with his wooden saber drawn. Calm breaths, quiet thoughts, the padawan let her worries fade away.

“I will try, Master.” She nodded.

Valae resumed her stance, and silently mused how it was strange to be facing a living opponent. It was a bit more distracting, but she let her eyes focus on her targets ahead. She had to imagine that Thurion was a faceless man; otherwise, she would have been even more hesitant to strike against him. Once more she found herself trying to think about what to do, and she reminded herself that this was not the time to over analyze.

Her right foot edged forward just slightly, almost as if it was not willing to obey her command. However, a moment later she had summoned the will to jet forward quickly, her training saber moving in a downward strike at Thurion’s right leg. Valae heard the sound of her sword making contact with Thurion’s, and once her blow as blocked she jumped back away from him. Now she wasn’t quite sure what to do... keep pressing or remain in a defensive posture. She knew that this would vary with each scenario, but for now she stood ready, her sword held out to defend her sword arm.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Having blocked Valae's initial strike, Thurion would go easy on her at first to see her confidence build up, then slowly pick up the pace to see whether she could handle the pressure. His own blademaster, old Master Jaxton back on Teth, had not been as forgiving; there was a do-or-do-not mentality prevalent in his teachings, which made for a touch climb for a beginner. However, going strong from the start did make for a solid ground level to develop on further down the line, and also kept a young Thurion on his toes at all times. There had been no sugar coating, and he couldn't argue with the results.

Calmly stepping forward, Thurion allowed their two wooden sabers to meet while she defended. "Slowly," he said. "Pretend we are fighting at the bottom of the sea, or in the vaccum of space. Then, once assured of your own ability, turn it up one notch at a time." Valae would be the one to set the pace for this session, as only she would be able to tell whether was ready for more. Another strike of his was aimed at her left shoulder, exaggerating each motion so she would be able to pick up what to look for when anticipating an attack.

[member="Valae Kitra"]​

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Valae took deep breaths, attempting to keep her heart beating calmly. She loosened her grip on the hilt of her wooden saber slightly, realizing that she had been holding it so hard that it hurt her hands. The padawan let her knees bend slightly and bounced a few times to help remind herself not to become too rigid in her stance. Upon hearing Thurion’s instruction she remained silent but nodded slowly, letting her mind blur her surroundings, removing all distractions again.

Her eyes shot in the direction of movement, this time spotting her master’s arms moving in a slow arc. Thurion’s movements were almost as though time had been slowed; just enough to let her glean what was coming next. She could tell that his strike was now coming in at a high target... definitely not below the waist. Valae looked now to the hilt and tip of the training saber coming towards her, the angle now showing her that it was striking left.

Valae shifted her weight and lifted her training saber parallel to the ground, meeting Thurion’s strike with a light tap. Her movements had been a bit jumpy, but she had let herself simply react to what was happening, instead of trying to think about it. It felt like a step in the right direction.

Slowly she moved away again, one foot crossing in front of the other as she began to move in a half circle. Her right foot came forward now, and she let the training saber thrust steadily forward towards Thurion’s wrists.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]