I advise you not to be complacent…

[Corvus Raaf]

Since Sera’s departure, Corvus had kept a watchful eye over Zylah’s progress. She was the sort to simply go and seek knowledge without being obliged to wait for it. So she’d allowed her to remain without a Master.

But there came a point where the Trials would become relevant and so Corvus had approached the young Padawan about making the informal relationship more concrete – and was delighted at the response.

With what lay ahead, Corvus was – as ever – guided by what the learner wanted to develop and the primary thing on Zylah’s mind was a saber of her own making and a crystal that reflected her purity of spirit.

And Corvus knew exactly where to go to find such a crystal. And, unless Zylah objected, a special place to craft her saber too.

So Corvus stood on the ramp of her Corvette and waited for her newest Padawan to arrive. From here they would dock with one of the Kenobi Class Praxeum – where Corvus seemed to be spending more and more of her time – before heading to the isolated, frozen and crumbling planet near the Tion Cluster in the Outer Rim Territories. But the benefits would most definitely outweigh the icy negatives – at least in Corvus’ eyes.

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

"Miiow." "I can't, I'm sorry, I can't" "Miiiiiiiiiiiow!" Prudence insisted, tugging at Zylah's leg as the Padawan tried to make it out the door. "No, you stay here, Prudence" While the kitten might not speak Basic, Zylah liked talking to her regardless. "I won't be gone long... Ok, maybe I will. But I'll be back! I've told Kaia to come check on you" Prudence had become quite popular. Whenever someone passed her in the hall, she always seemed to catch their attention, urging them to pause and give her a light petting session. She was a happy kitty. She'd be fine on her own, with enough space to roam the halls and do as she pleased. With her irresistible demeanour, she probably got fed more than she ought to as well, but in any case, Zylah had told Kaia to make sure that she had all she needed.

Zylah finally made it out, now standing the risk of being late. She ran through the halls, with a light bounce in her step. She was feeling good. How could she not, when she had Prudence to keep her company? Best. Gift. Ever. She travelled light. Perk of being a Jedi; you could pack and get ready in an instant. Jedi robes, check. Semi-fancy boots, check. Jedi tunic, with change, check. Training saber, check. Padawan good to go!

Seraphina's departure had come as a shock to Zylah. It was unexpected, and she wasn't sure if she understood everything that lay behind her decision, but she respected her wishes, and supported her in doing what was right for her. It wasn't like she was turning Sith, right? It had left Zylah's future a little uncertain for a moment, but when Corvus had offered to take her on, she had been delighted. She was one of the Jedi Masters Zylah probably got along best with, and she'd already helped her out with some training in the past.

Zylah stopped running just after she came into view, as an attempt to mask that she had been running late. In the end, she was right on time. A brown bag hung from her shoulder, containing the extra robes from her quarters. Just in case. "Master Raaf" she said, making a formal bow as she stepped up to the Grandmaster. She looked up from the bow, with a playful smirk, adding "Corvy" a stark contrast to the formality of her greeting, she was now even daring to use a nickname. She was growing bold. Perhaps too bold? Zylah knew Corvus preferred to be called by her first name, rather than dropping titles on her. If the nickname would be well received or or not remained to be seen.

[member=Corvus Raaf]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

A small smile tugged at Corvus’ lips. Of late she’d been allowing her emotional barrier down at least part of the way. It was in a big way a part of being around her sister so much - and slowly she was cataloguing emotions that she previously had no reference point for.

And gone was the regular mention of her being a cold-fish - at least to her face. It was never a malicious nickname - but it was both apt and frequent. Of late she’d endured a new monicker - Corvy. She was unsure who had started it - but her sister constantly referring to her by the name seemed to have reached every Jedi’s ears. And in truth she didn’t mind a bit.

She gave a small bow as was her customer and then waved a hand into the ship. “Don’t worry about unpacking, we’ll connect to a Praxeum first and then we can spend some time training before we reach our destination.”

Corvus simply headed straight to the cockpit, and clearly expected her Padawan to follow her. “So…did you pack something warm? If not, you can borrow something from the ship when we dock. And have you been on-board a Praxeum before?” Corvus cast her mind back to the first time she’d visited one. And the second, and the third. Each time was a tremendous experience as it was like travelling in a floating Academy. There were all the facilities you needed but with the added advantage of being able to move from planet to planet and therefore suffer no down-time.

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

"I won't" Zylah said, smiling, glad Corvus seemed happy to see her. Or was she? At least she hadn't been unhappy. Or was it all in her mind? Now she was over-analyzing again... Having been down this way before, she knew it was better to just drop the train of thought when she started thinking along those lines. It didn't anchor her in the present, it didn't keep her mind clear to receive new impressions with a fresh mind. Unless given evidence of the opposite, she'd assume all was well.

"That sounds very good!" she added, following Corvus into the Corvette. She was always excited to get some training done. The Padawan had a few holes, in both her offense and defence, that ought to be addressed. Zylah would follow her all the way to the cockpit, only slowing down a little when she was asked about her spare clothes. "I... I didn't. Poodoo. I didn't think of that" of all the things, if she was first going to pack, why did she not bring something to suit different climates? She wasn't entirely sure what it'd be like where they were going. Oh well, it became lesson learned, one she'd hopefully remember next time. Thankfully, borrowing something from the ship was an option. She let the bag drop into a corner of the cockpit, where hopefully it wouldn't be in the way.

"I never have! Are they nice? They sound nice." after having spent more time around Corvus, she felt more at ease to just speak her mind, even if she didn't really have anything important to say. Praxeum. It was a fancy word. Were they stepping onto a fancy ship? It was a little exciting.

[member=Corvus Raaf]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus may have lowered her barrier somewhat, but her business first approach remained. She tended to dispense with the pleasantries of a greeting and jump straight into what needed doing. Her sister had politely chided her for it.

“Oh, and how are you?” she offered, by way of making up for her brusque manner. “And the ship we’re going to dock with is a floating Academy. Robes, equipment and clothing for all terrains, they’re on board.”

“And the Praxeum took my breath away the first time I saw one. And the second, and the third. But first I’ll give you a quick tour of Raven. And introduce you to someone.”

Corvus gave the whistle-stop tour; the galley, med-bay, meditation chamber and main meeting room were standard fare. “This is your room when we travel,” Corvus showed Zylah to a small bedroom with en-suite facilities. “I tend to use this ship for missions. And…”

A gold-coloured protocol droid suddenly appeared from out of the shower in the en-suite bathroom. “All functioning correctly.”

“This is Cornix. He was a present from a Padawan and my best friend she…she helped by adjusting his programming.”

“Improved Master, improved. It allows me to tolerate your many, many imperfections.”

“He’s…useful. Translates all my incoming messages. Even though they’re all in Galactic Basic to begin with. One day he’ll learn to mark them as Unread, so I know which ones to look at.”

“No time for trivia Master, your inadequacies are not my concern.” He bowed to Zylah. “A pleasure to meet you. Anything you wish, you simply have to ask for. And please tell me you’re going to pilot us? I don’t think I can bear another crash.”

Corvus just shook her head and chuckled. “When my little sister stole my first ship, I wish she’d taken him with her. No offence Cornix.”

“None taken, Master. I wish she’d taken me too.”

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

"I'm doing fine!" she said with an enthusiastic smile. "How are you doing?" she returned the question.

"That sounds great!" A floating Academy? That sounded wonderful. It would surely be a sight to behold. She had never been to something like that, but she was excited for her first visit. The way Corvus described it didn't dim her excitement. Luckily for her, that meant she wouldn't be underdressed. Did the Jedi snow outfit come with a pair of cute, fuzzy boots? Perhaps the robe had a furred hood this time? Perhaps she ought to think less about style and more about practicality? Probably. Jedi thoughts, Jedi thoughts.

Zylah replied with a smiling nod. She was ready for her tour, and both eager and curious who she'd be introduced to. She liked Raven. It had everything they'd need, and a little more. She wondered if she'd ever be in posession of a ship like this herself. It would indeed make missions easier.

"Oh, how nice!" she replied after Corvus introduced Cornix. Such a sweet thing for a Padawan to do. Zylah would watch the banter between the Jedi and the droid, finding it hard to withhold a growing smirk. It was highly amusing. "A pleasure to meet you too, Cornix" Zylah said, returning the bow. She had never bowed to a droid before, but it'd be rude not to, right? She quickly turned to Corvus "He's charming." When Cornix said he wished Corvus' sister had taken him with her, she had to laugh.

She took the question about piloting as a joke, assuming he wasn't serious. Zylah was a capable pilot, involved in talks about reviving a Jedi fighter squadron. If needed be, she could probably operate the thing, but she assumed Corvus would be doing that, or an auto-pilot. Regardless, she trusted this wouldn't become a crash. Right, Corvus?

[member=Corvus Raaf]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled at the enthusiasm she was being subjected to. “I’m great thanks,” she said. “And I see you’re admiring the ship. I’m the only Jedi I know that uses one – so once you’re a Knight and permitted to travel alone, you just request one and it’s yours.”

Cornix bowed low to Zylah. “The pleasure is all mine,” he said and scuttled off.

Corvus gave him a funny stare. “He’s never that polite. At least not with me. Oh well, take it as a compliment. And reserve judgement on how charming he is until you’ve travelled with him for a while. But trust me, I would hate to see him go.”

Corvus showed Zylah the controls. One ship was broadly like another and as a Corellian design, the layout was broadly like all their ships. And before long they’d co-piloted the ship to the Praxeum. It’s size alone was impressive, let alone the beautiful design. But of course to Corvus it was its practicality as a travelling Academy she liked the best.

“Right, once we dock I’ll request some winter clothing – it’s standard Republic issue – white and warm. You can wear it over your robes. You just have to leave your cloak behind. But…more importantly…we have a little bit of time on our hands. And when that happens, my first thought is to do training. So what should we do?”

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

The thought that she could just straight up request a ship and have it approved excited her. A ship of her own... Now that'd be something, wouldn't it! She wondered what she'd be like as a Knight, what kind of Jedi she would become. Recent months had shaped her greatly, more so than years in the past. It had been a busy time. But, she had lived, and was stronger for it. Everything was a learning experience, and so far she had no regrets. Even her mistakes had been essential in helping her prevent similar or worse situations in the future, for herself, or her own padawan, should she end up with one.

"I think he's just doing it to provoke you" Zylah said, chuckling a bit as Cornix walked away.

Zylah was paying attention as she got an introduction to the controls. She was pretty sure she knew what she was doing, almost. At least enough to not crash it. She hoped. She thought. Yeah. Definitely. Right?

When the Praxeum came into view, Zylah's mouth dropped into a gasp. It truly was like nothing she had ever seen before. It looked massive, and beautiful, with golden ornaments on the outside. "Why aren't we here all the time..." Zylah managed to say, still gawking at the ship. They were going onboard that? Awesome.

"Oh perfect! Thank you" Zylah said with a smile, after recovering from her stunned state upon seeing the view. "Oh, that sounds great!" the thought of training with Corvus always excited her. "How about Force Barrier? It'd be good to know how to protect myself from other attacks, with the Force and otherwise." Zylah suggested. Defensive Force abilities weren't exactly something she had any vast knowledge of. Her most frequently used technique was Force Speed.

[member=Corvus Raaf]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus had experienced the reaction to the Praxeum many times over both herself and through others.

In truth she’d spent less and less time at the Academy and more time on the ship of late. She had only a handful of Padawans now and at the stages of their development, they needed time doing and learning as opposed to just learning. And the Jedi on Ossus could manage with the Younglings perfectly well.

And she had often thought that Cornix’ behaviour was part of the programming to keep her mind active when alone in space. A docile and subservient droid would be no company at all.

Zylah was picking up the controls easily enough and with a small amount of practice would be able to pilot her own ship. Corvus was a Corellian and had grown up with ships of all shapes and sizes, so found most of what as required second-nature.

Once they docked, Corvus informed the crew to set a course for Rhen Var but instead of taking her to a training room, she decided to give her a tour instead. It was literally like a floating Academy. There were training rooms for all needs, access to the Holocrons and Library remotely, and all the equipment they would ever need.

Corvus chose some shapeless but practical white snow clothes, although she kept her Jedi boots on – but wore padded overshoes to give extra warmth.

By the time the tour and outfitting was over, they were ready and Corvus took them down to the surface. “Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten,” she said as they landed on the barren snowy surface of the Silver Jedi planet. “I just had a slightly different plan.”

Once the door was open, the icy wind made it clear they’d dressed appropriately. Given the noise, Corvus touched Zylah’s mind gently. ‘OK, we’ll stop just outside the ship for training.’ There was humour in Corvus’ words and once they’d taken up a spot where the ship provided some respite from the wind – if not the cold – Corvus started to make snowballs.

‘OK, I need you to get as comfortable as you can and then start to Meditate. Once you have connected fully to the Force we can proceed.’

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

As Zylah wandered around the floating Academy with Corvus, her amazement did not lessen. It was new and exciting, so right now all she wanted was to live and train here. It was just like a Jedi Academy, only in space. So much better. The Jedi were totally cool. "Who studies here? Do Jedi live here?" she asked, as they walked around. "I mean, I didn't even know this was a thing before now" was this a Jedi Academy like any other, or reserved for special uses?

Like Corvus, Zylah got geared up, putting on some warmer clothes. Republic standard - warm and white. She turned to Corvus, her movement a little inhibited by the thicker clothing, and faked some strikes she was pretty sure belonged to some kind of martial art, maybe Teras Kasi, while adding the appropriate sound effect "Haiiya!". She was making fun of how big the outfit seemed to make her look, and how silly it looked. Well, it wasn't that bad, Zylah was putting it on the edge. Such a change in attitude from when they first met, Zylah was much more relaxed around Corvus now, able to act more confidently.

The Padawan followed her Master out, very curious what she meant with those words. What was Corvus up to? As the cold winds hit her, she was ever so grateful for the ship having granted her access to a warmer set of clothing. If not for that, she wasn't quite sure what she'd do. She felt Corvus voice in her mind, like she had back on Ossus. Her tone only made the girl so much more curious. What were they gonna do?

When she started making snowballs, she couldn't help but grin. A snowball fight? Who ever said Jedi were always serious and unable to loosen up to have some fun? Zylah was almost on her way down to make her own snowball when she heard Corvus' voice again. Oh! Now she got it. Kind of. This was going to be part of her training.

Like she'd done so many times in the past, Zylah kneeled down, closed her eyes, and opened her mind. This was probably something she could've done standing, but this point, it was just how she was used to doing it. She repeated the process of meditating, and Corvus might note that the wait before the young Arkanian girl was ready had almost been cut in half since their first encounter. 'I am ready, master' the playfulness was gone, her tone was that of a calm and determined Jedi. She sounded almost professional.

[member=Corvus Raaf]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened to the questions and answered them as quickly as she could – in case she forgot them all.

“I’m finding Ossus is being used more and more for Younglings and Ruusan hardly at all. So I was thinking of doing more of my training here – when I needed to – or more field-based work. Learn on the job so to speak. And few live here – but as I say, there is no reason why you couldn’t. It could just as easily be a base as Ossus for example.”

“In truth they’re underused, so why not take advantage?”

Corvus smiled at Zylah’s fake martial art. With lightning speed, Corvus snaked out a hand and touched Zylah’s nose. To a non Force-user, her arm would have been a blur. “Maybe one day I’ll teach you if you’d like. No Force involved whatsoever and the training also helps you predict attacks. When the Force isn’t around, it’s invaluable.”

Now outside, Corvus watched her Padawan move into a Meditative state. “Good. Now the Force is within you, around you. Imagine pushing it out of your body, to create a kind of armour around your body. Then keep pushing, and it will form a natural bubble shape. Some imagine it will be a liquid, others a hard shell. It’s whatever works for you – but once you’re ready we can test it.” Corvus smiled and picked up a snowball, throwing it up and down in her palm. “And I’m a very good shot.”

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

What Corvus said made sense to her padawan. There were no younglings to be seen on this ship, and it seemed almost inappropriate to bring them as well. It pleased her, however, as it seemed Corvus found her ready to take her training to the next level. She would seek to not disappoint. "Why not indeed! I might." she replied with a smile. Would Prudence like it in space, she wondered? It'd be lovely to not have to leave her for travelling.

Zylah had tried to snap up Corvus' hand, but she had been way to fast. Before she could really react, her nose had already received its boop. The look of Zylah's face was one of surprise, that quickly turned to excitement. "You're fast! I would very much like that." Some formal martial arts training would certainly come in handy, if she was ever disarmed or her lightsaber malfunctioned. A lesson for another day.

Later, as she sat focused in the snow, Zylah paid attention to every word Corvus said, as she always did. Her fair skin and near-white hair almost seemed to blend in with her surroundings. She did as she was told. As if a physical act helped her visualise it, to see the move through, her hands moved close to her chest, then were slowly pushed outwards. Similarly, she envisioned the Force manifest within her, then slowly push out towards her skin, then slip beyond to become a protective layer. Did it hold? Was she doing it right? Time snowballs would show. Like she had with her mental barrier, she envisioned it to take the shape of liquid. A bubble of water.

Though her eyes were mostly closed, her lips formed into a tiny smirk. "Let's see what you've got, Master" the emphasis she put on the last word made it sound like a playful challenge. Bring it on, C!

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus made a mental note to teach her Padawan Teräs Käsi at the first available opportunity. You never knew when you’d run into some naughty Sith sibling that had the same skill-set!

Corvus had attracted a fair few nicknames in her time – most of which she’d overheard – but it seems her Padawan had one that she’d yet to share. So Corvus simply focused on the task in hand.

Her Padawan was good – she already knew that – but this was a draining Ability for anyone – let alone someone starting out along their path as a Jedi. Corvus herself used it only half a kilometre from here and if it weren’t for her Padawan at the time, would have perished.

Constructing it was relatively straightforward – replenishing it when it was hit was a lot harder. But, as ever, Corvus simply put that down to practice. Good technique and then endless repetition. Once Zylah was a Knight, she could teach her to form a shield instead of a bubble. More focused and requiring less power – but harder to create in the first place.

But Corvus nodded as she saw her Padawan’s first efforts and so the Master simply threw snowball after snowball at the protective barrier.

“Let’s see what you’ve got,” she retorted, a broad smile on her already cold face.

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

The first snowball made its way towards the Padawan. Moment of truth! The snowball seemed to slow down, but for an instant. Then, however, it powered through Zylah's defences, and struck her directly on the nose. Zylah's face exploded into a puff of white, as she toppled over and landed on her back. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, unrestrained laughter.

She wiped the cold snow off her face, then sat back up again, grinning. "I'll get you for that, C!" She teased her Master. Nicknames, at least dear ones, she felt, were better spoken, than hidden away in one's mind. Besides, she felt a need to try it out. It still sounded as good to her ear as it had to her mind.

Zylah found herself surprisingly tired, even this early on. It was more an exhaustion of the mind, rather than of the body. It had required a maintained focus she was not used to. The ability was new as well, and she likely exerted way more energy than she needed to. Instead of letting out the appropriate amount, containing it, it was as if she was leaking all of her energies out, unable to hold back.

The barrier was reformed, and once more, the Padawan was under assault. Snowball after snowball hit against her warm, protective clothing. Until finally, one snowball was deflected. Instead of hitting her head on, it was redirected, sliding off Zylah as if her shoulder had been a smooth surface it could not get any grip on. It wasn't exactly a perfect block, but it was a start. It had Zylah gasp, mouth shaping into a wide O, as she followed the path of the snowball, now tracing behind her. When she turned back to face Corvus, however, her mouth got filled with snow, as another hit straight into her face. She paid dearly for being easily distracted.

After coughing and spitting out the snowball, followed quickly by another round of laughter, the Padawan was back to setting up her defences. It was a hard process, but at least it felt like she was making process.

[member=Corvus Raaf]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus wasn’t sure what surprised her more. The fact the snowball passed straight through the Barrier or the nickname.

Regardless, she smiled as warmly as the freezing conditions would allow. And then she laughed at her Padawan’s predicament.

But as Corvus expected, Zylah kept going. She always did. Corvus remembered her own experience of learning this Ability. She was sure she was slapped in the process – but that had nothing to do with the quality of her Barrier and was more likely to be an aspect of tough love. But Corvus had been slow to pick this up – as she was with its derivative – Force Shield. She shuddered involuntarily at the memory – but at least could pass it off as being cold.

“Practice, practice and practice. The three most important things to remember as a Padawan.”

And as they progressed, Corvus was able to pack the snow tighter and tighter and use some Force to throw the projectile until her Padawan was able to stop each and every one.

Corvus smiled again. “OK, that’s enough fun for one day.” She had herself had a lot of fun, Zylah perhaps less so. “And we need to get to the cave before nightfall.”

So Corvus led the way, the biting wind restricting conversation to mental projections only and these were brief, given Corvus’ desire to keep as much of her focus on her surroundings and also her footing. ‘It was just over there,’ Corvus pointed at a large hole in the ice to their left, ‘That I nearly died. A Barrier kept the snow and rocks of me until I could be rescued. Oh happy days.’ Her thoughts sounded quite chirpy given the nature of the revelation.

And within an hour they’d reached the base of a mountain and a further thirty minutes later had reached a ledge where, now up close, you could see a small entrance to what promised to be a small cave beyond. ‘Here we are,’ she offered. ‘It’s a lot larger on the inside than you’d expect. And where did 'C' come from?’

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

The laugh didn't bother Zylah in the slightest. It wasn't a humiliating one, and it came from the warm place of someone close to her. It was easy for the Padawan to get affected by the merriment, and join in with Corvus' laughter.

Practice, practice and practice. The three most important lessons, and she remembered them well. She had tried her best to apply herself, and those three lessons, to everything she learned. Prudence had become a willing playmate and training partner, helping Zylah grow with both Empathy, and other mind-effecting powers. She may have made the cute kitten levitate once or twice. Zylah nodded in understanding. Hard work was the way of the Jedi. A sort of self-sacrifice, to better prepare them for the role of Defender of the Galaxy. Having a brave and patient kitten to help made the process much more enjoyable though.

They went on for a while, Corvus tossing snowballs, and Zylah gradually getting better and better at defending against them. The satisfaction and joy she felt when snowballs shattered against her defences was amazing. To feel accomplished was a vital component to ensure a learning environment that was both healthy and efficient.

"Alright! That works for me!" Zylah said, shaking some snow off her clothes before getting back up to her feet. Despite her being on the receiving end of the barrage of snowballs, Zylah too had had fun. She had learned something new, something to practice. She felt like she was moving forwards, progressing. This was good. "How do you use this? Is it kind of like a stop-and-channel power, where you're static? Or can you put up a light shield around yourself as you engage in lightsaber combat?" she asked. It would be useful regardless of Corvus' answer, but she wondered if there was a defensive Force ability she could actively use while fighting. Zylah imagined it might become too exhausting though, but you never know. She thought it best to ask.

Like the obedient paddy she was, Zylah followed her Master, bracing weather and wind to reach the cave. She heard Corvus' voice in her head, which was just as good, 'cause she wasn't sure how she'd talk under the current conditions. Zylah was busy making an effort to cover up as much of her face as possible. The girl nodded in understanding, and looked towards the hole. If not for the biting cold wind, she would've gasped. 'That must've been horrible! I'm glad you made it.' Of course she was glad she made it. She felt a bit silly for projecting those words afterwards, though she didn't know what else she could say. It was true, and Corvus probably knew as much without the need for the half-Arkanian to say it.

Their trip continued, for what felt like hours, though the harshness of the environment made her lose track of time. Corvus had been her before, but to Zylah, this was a fresh challenge. It seemed the Force kept her warm, or perhaps it was her clothing? Regardless, the duo made it to the small entrance. 'Oh great' Zylah couldn't help but replying, in a semi-exhausted 'finally we're there'-kind of way. 'I bet' she concurred. The entrance made it look tiny. But looks could be deceiving, with all the snow, it was hard to get a realistic grip on the size of her surroundings.

'I don't know. It just kind of came to my mind, and I thought it made sense, right? C for Corvus. Do you mind it?' the voice of Zylah mumbled away inside of Corvus' head, whether invited or not. She wasn't sure if that would be the one nickname that would stick, or if she'd fall back to Corvy. Maybe she'd think of something fancy and new. Corvalicious... Ok, it'd probably be a better idea for her to focus on the cave and prepare for whatever it had in store for her...

[member=Corvus Raaf]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

“It’s static and remember it stops things coming in as well as getting out. So if you put one up, you’d break it if you used your saber from the inside. But you might be surrounded by a gas and it would help to keep oxygen in for example.”

As they walked and Zylah reflectd on Corvus' narrow escape, Corvus smiled to herself. ‘Me too,’ she projected. ‘Believe me; I’m as relieved as you are.’

As they approached the cave, Corvus smiled again. ‘No, C is fine for me, I’m not fazed at all…Z.’ She pronounced it Zed, rather than the common Galactic Basic version of Zee. Her accent was showing.

Then they entered the caves. Initially there was darkness and the temperature rose significantly. Enough for them to suddenly feel warm and Corvus removed the snow gear to reveal her Jedi robes underneath. Once she’d secured her sabers to her belt, she looked around.

The cave was enormous and looked as though it went a long way into the mountain – with tunnels leading off at regular intervals. A fair way down, on the left, one of the branches gave a hint as to what was down there. A soft hue suggested something was glowing – lightsaber crystals.

Corvus looked up at the ceiling and checked for any unwanted visitors before speaking to Zylah. “OK, we’ll head down to the tunnel entrance. Beyond that is another cave, even bigger than this. We’re likely to meet someone en route. Don’t be alarmed. But soon, I’ll have to leave you as finding the crystal is a personal thing. But more on that when we get there. And keep your wits about you, there’s many a nasty thing found lurking in these caves.”

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Zylah took note of her Master's answer. It was indeed static, though the restricted movement and focus required probably meant it was more potent than it would've been if it had been mobile. Though she wondered if there was a lighter, mobile alternative. Perhaps with a reduced purpose and efficiency, the barrier she had been taught could function as such?

She was glad Corvus didn't miss the nickname. Of course, Corvus was running the risk of setting Zylah off on a nicknaming spree. Who knew what might come out of that? Lady C would just have to wait and see. At the sound of her own nickname, her head tilted in the direction of Corvus, visible excitement on her face. Z (Zed). She liked it! Nicknames were fun. The accent made it feel a touch more special. 'Good!' the Padawan replied happily.

Seeing Corvus undress, and get rid of the winter gear, Zylah did the same. Now they looked more like Jedi, and less like cute snowwomen wandering about. It was a fascinating view, despite the darkness. The cave felt huge, like the entire mountain was hollow. She tried to extend her presence to get a feel of the cave, and how far and wide it went. She was unable to map it out completely, but it she got a sense of the size of it.

The soft hue from the glowing lightsaber crystals was exciting sight to see. She felt was if she was on the verge of one of the more memorable events of her so far young Jedi career. The start of her very first lightsaber. It felt exciting but intimidating at the same time, but the Padawan tried to contain her emotions, and not allow them to surface to the point where they would cloud her judgement. This was not a day to let details slip by.

"Alright, C." she voiced her understanding, although the encounter she was referring to puzzled her. Suppose time would show. On one hand, she had Corvus there, which added a significant level of comfort. On the other, soon, she would be on her own... With nasty things lurking in the dark. Giant spiders? She hoped it wasn't giant spiders. "I'll stay on my guard" she nodded. She would've added a 'I won't fail you', but it was kind of implied in the determination in her tone. Besides, she stood at the risk of letting down more than her Master. There was herself, Kaia, and the entire Jedi Order. But constantly letting the risks of failure weighing down on her served no purpose, so she pushed them away from thought. She was a Jedi Padawan, and the Force would guide her on the path she was meant to take. She knew that now.

The duo started walking down into the cave. Zylah was even walking a little bit ahead. Of course, if there was a specific way they were meant to go, she would let Corvus correct her. Though in a sense, it felt empowering to be able to take a few steps alone, with Corvus' supervision. To prepare her for the journey alone that awaited. She could do this. Just in case, she didn't try to impose herself on her surroundings, but she did try to extend her presence and perception of the cave, to take note of any irregularities. Like eight-legged beasties popping out from unexpected places.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

So…C and Z (which really ought to be Zee – if only for the rhyming potential) stood there in their robes and once ready made their way deep into the cave.

Was it an anti-climax that they weren’t attacked? Hopefully not. It was one thing to have to fight giant spiders and quite another to hope to. But then there was always the return journey – when their guard would be down. Now that was always a more dangerous time.

As they approached the cave and both the light and the sensation of the Light bathed them, Corvus stopped. She sensed a familiar presence and nodded to herself.

“This is where I leave you. Someone else will take you from here.”

 

[Ghost of Ulic Qel-Droma]

A disturbance in the Force grew until, in front of Zylah, a transparent image formed. Like a holocron and definitely not human – but filled with the Force.

“I have been observing you. And I bring you a warning. I am not a guardian of the place you seek – I have no power to stop you – but I beseech you to consider your motives before you enter the Solari cave itself.”

“I was once a Jedi. I went by the name of Ulic Qel-Droma and once trained a Padawan not far from here. Sunrider. She was a great student. But that is of no consequence. I was once a good Jedi and at one time a very bad one. This planet represents where I returned to the Light side and also where I finally joined the Force.”

“My body was placed in a tomb a distance from here and protected by some guardians of its own. A young Jedi named Anakin Skywalker defeated them and learned from me about how to defeat the Force Harvester. Another fine young Jedi – no doubt destined to do great things.”

“But without the guardians, my tomb was repeatedly robbed and desecrated. My Force ghost fragmented. The Yuuzhan Vong came and went and I suspect I’m the last remnant of my ghost left.”

“As I say, I am no gatekeeper but I have a sombre message for you. The caves are strong with the Force. Is it Light or is it Dark? That all depends on you.”

“The Force has brought you here. Your path is clearly set out but is fraught with danger. There is a part of yourself in these caves – you may not be seeking it but you will find it."

“Jedi believe they choose a crystal to create a saber. The truth is that the crystal – as an embodiment of the Force – chooses you. At least that is my belief.”

“Choose not the prettiest or the one whose colour reflects what you believe a guardian or a consular should have. I’m not saying don’t choose blue or green or any other colour that is traditional – but trust in the Force.”

“And welcome again Corvus. I sense you are here if you are needed but i ask you to remain outside, the Force will tell you if your presence is required.”

Turning back to Zylah he finished, "Your path now is a solitary one. Go wherever the Force takes you." With that, he slowly dissappeared.

[member="Zylah Dvale"]