Private Kyber Spelunking.

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Earlier, aboard The Atrisian Pathfinder, currently in orbit over Naboo

Wearing: Nathan's Robes

Armed with: Nathan's Training Lightsaber


It was the first time Nathan had ever actively trained with his wife, Vera Mina

Vera had great potential, and the knowledge that had come with fusing with Arianna Belasko , but little experience at actually utilizing it herself. Her surface Identity was largely used for civilian or diplomatic matters. Her awakening Force Powers, knowledge bubbled up from her absorbed personas, had not been utilized much by her personally.

Nathan wanted to fix that.

Vera waited in a sleek red reflective armor weave catsuit. Their baby was in a booth next to the chamber guarded by their daughter, Sera Mina , who was cradling the sleeping baby gently.

Vera was armed with a training saber herself. Her pregnancy had precluded the development of her abilities in lightsaber combat in her default form. From what Nathan knew, Vera's body was loaded with genetic and cybernetic upgrades. Being part of the basis of the entire Nuetralizer Machine Race, Vera claimed she learned extremely quickly in this form...

"Good morning, Husband..." Vera said pleasantly, brandishing the white blade of her training saber.

"Did you...sleep well?" Vera asked slyly, a coy smirk crawling up her face.

"Heh..." Nathan chuckled, his own blue blade activating.

"I can't go easy on you in this place, Vera."

Vera's smirk grew into a grin.

"Why, Nathan, I'd be disappointed if you did."

"What style do you have familiarity with in your current guise from absorbing Belasko?" Nathan asked.

"Shii-Cho..." Vera answered. "It meshes with my Katana programs..."

"Makes sense. Stick with the basics for now. Remember: YOU are the host. Every other Persona in you is ultimately weaker than you as you currently are." Nathan reminded. "You decide how powerful you become..."

"As it has always been..." Vera replied.

The pair rushed each other. Vera's take on Shii-Cho was raw and almost feral. Unsubtle. Nathan was on the defensive immediately, caught off guard by her savage approach.

He slipped into Soresu for a moment, parrying brutal chops.

"This style heats the mind of the practitioner, it tempts them to kill. But ideally, it's used for disarmament. To end a fight without taking a life."

"Strange... completely opposite to how my clan approaches Swordfighting..." Vera replied as their blades locked.

"There are many things that we will have to cover in order to properly make sure you are protected." Nathan replied as he forced her back and struck at her ruthlessly with Makashi. This time it was Vera on the back foot, and only her genetic and cyber enhancements allowed her to keep up with the strikes, but eventually, with an elegant, twisting thrust, he disarmed her.

"Makashi, right?" Vera asked analytically, a holdover from her days when she had been an extremely advanced bio organic HRD.

"Yes. Created specifically for lightsaber fighting, unlike the form you were just using. People who stick with Shii-Cho, however, can eventually overcome this weakness, with enough training." Nathan answered, tossing her back her training saber.

She caught it with telekinesis. Nathan raised an eyebrow.

"Most Force Spawn cannot use telekinesis..." he noted.

"Most..." Vera said proudly, floating it back to her hand.

"It's good you have been practicing..." Nathan encouraged. "Keep doing so."

"Thank you, Husband..." Vera replied, reactivating her blade and savagely attacking him once more, though this time, her offense was far better thought out and Nathan had to go into Soresu early to fend her off, realizing Vera had advanced her skill as though she had been practicing for months in the span of a few minutes, and when she attacked him with elements of his own Makashi, it began to dawn on him just how terrifyingly advanced her learning systems truly were.

It took him a few more minutes before he managed to disarm her. Vera was grinning.

"I'm starting to like lightsaber fighting!" she exclaimed. "Again?"

Nathan chuckled, notably winded. No point in holding back now. She needed to be at her best as the Matriarch, no matter her guise.

"Sure, Honey..." he said, tossing her her blade...

When she attacked him again, he realized she was already starting to figure out how his Soresu worked...

Present...

Wearing: Dooku-Pattern Armor (Red and Gold)

Armed with: Nathan's Saberstaff


Naboo surface, plains...

The Silverlark Shuttle , docked on the family star galleon had descended to Naboo with Nathan on a personal mission today.

House Bloodscrawl operatives had reported discovery of a cave full of kyber crystals, undisturbed, unspoiled. It had been found in some cave systems at the base of some larger hills closer to Theed, recently opened up from minor seismic disturbances in the area.

Nathan, of course, was naturally eager to explore it, hoping to find some crystals he and, more importantly, his wife, might try to bond with in the future. Vera would have gone with him but her paranoia regarding the safety of the baby ran as deep as his own did. Ideally, at least one parent was around the baby at all times.

Nathan had paid the docking fee, and soon was journeying outside Theed into the wild. He felt the life around him and for once did not ignore it, though he maintained a stoic silence otherwise, walk metronome like in its precision.

Nathan was not of a mind to go looking for trouble. He had had far too much of that lately. He sensed he was on the threshold of... something...

In a rare move, he had actually brought his saberstaff with him into the open. He normally chose only his lowest tier weapons. Not today. No one knew him really in the High Republic. He had successfully protected that royal official and had gotten the hell out of dodge before anyone had managed to lay real eyes on him. That was how he preferred it. He didn't need his name out there even if he was doing his job. The ones you don't hear about tend to live longer in this profession. A lesson from his first life.

Little did he know he was about to run into someone else from that night in the palace as he approached the entrance to the cave...



Kyric

 

[Kyric]

One of many reasons Kyric refused any attempted promotion to the role of Jedi Knight had much to do with kyber crystals. Having never constructed his own saber, let alone seek out kyber to bond with, the kiffar felt he simply wasn't ready to take that step. Skill and training aside, there were certain traditions within the Jedi Order's vaunted history even he couldn't ignore.

And the construction of a personal weapon was at the top of that list.

It's what drove Kyric to pull his old speeder bike out of storage for the first time since he managed to put the thing back together. He mounted up in the early morning while the mist still hung heavy over the streets of Theed and set out over the sprawling hills of the Naboo countryside without a destination in mind. His thoughts drifted as they always did, but beneath the rushing wind and warm sun, he found it easier to direct them back to his task at hand.

Hours on the bike eventual saw Kyric crest a tall hill in time to catch a brief glimpse of the Silverlark Shuttle drop below a nearby tree line.

"That's prolly not a coincidence," he mumbled, the sound of his own voice buried beneath the whipping winds. Yanking back on the throttle, he shot up and over the next hill, kicked the bike's anti-gravity function into gear, and landed atop the dense forest no differently than solid ground. The bike bounced up and down like a jet-ski, much to Kyric's delight.

By the time he crested over the final tree and dropped back to the hills below, the ship ramp had descended. The kiffar made no attempt to hide his approach, choosing instead to extend his intentions out in the hopes any force sensitives aboard or nearby could feel Kyric's desire for peace, and if given the chance: communication.

Though the young Jedi knew much of Naboo's recent history from his weeks spent cooped up around the palace, he had no personal connection to the planet. Not one member of his impressively short lineage ever stepped foot on the mid-rim world.

Whatever bonds Kyric forged on this planet were his and his alone; unbound by the legacy of his father, or his father before him.

The thought broad a broad grin to the kiffar's face.

Kyric guided the speeder bike to a slow stop about fifty paces from the ramp of the Silverlark. He hopped off the bike and leaned against it, his thumbs tucked into the utility belt hanging from his hip. A holster on his right thigh housed a simple blaster pistol. Above that was a sheathed vibroknife. More interesting than either weapon, his katana, Resolute, hung from his left hip. The worn cloak and frayed bandages around his arms gave off the impression perhaps of a dangerous drifter, but his presence within the force was akin more to a puppy than that of a killer.

"Hello?!" Kyric called. "Anyone home or did y'all enter these here caves?"

---

Tags: Nathan Bloodscrawl

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

His presence had been sensed by Nathan during his walk to the cave systems. As he had not gotten too far from the ship he had landed in the wilderness, he decided to delay his trip in order to investigate.

He patiently walked back to the shuttle, even now being very careful about when and where he displayed his ability in the Force.

It took him about three minutes to walk back. Unlike the Force presence of Kyric , Nathan's presence was experienced, and practiced. It was the sort of presence he had never displayed in the Alliance, or even the Trade League.

His hands were clasped behind his back as he walked back up to the shuttle, expression calm, hiding his surprise at once more seeing the young man from the palace. His face had been obscured that night, his presence hidden in the Force. It wasn't now.

Nathan calmly examined him.

"I had just left to attend to a personal matter at a cave not far from here..." Nathan answered calmly. "May I ask what brought you out here? Are you in need of assistance? My name is Bloodscrawl. Nathan Bloodscrawl."

(Clip of Bond Theme plays for a few seconds OOC)

"Jedi Knight." Nathan elaborated.

 

[Kyric]

Nathan's approach not from the ship, but the cave, definitely caught Kyric by surprise. He pivoted in the Jedi Master's direction, brow furrowed, mouth slightly agape, and did a very thorough once over of the man.

The sight of the Dooku-Pattern armor sent a wave of memories crashing through the kiffar's mind; memories of a distant war fought by the young Jedi's father, Ryv Karis, beside the missing Lucien Dooku. In each memory, Lucien was adorned in the armaments named for his legendary lineage. They protected him against the worst the Sith Order could throw at the Imperial. And now this strangely familiar figure stood before Kyric, garbed in the likeness of the missing warrior, with a flare for something a bit more eye-catching.

Kyric respected that.

"Er... assistance? No, not really," the one-eyed Jedi blinked slowly. He appeared confused for a moment, then he pushed those feelings away and latched onto the stranger's introduction. The name Nathan Bloodscrawl meant very little to Kyric. While the younger man was blessed with a perfect memory, it meant very little when faced with a walking enigma.

"To be honest with you, Mister Bloodscrawl, sir, I was sorta flyin' by the seat of my pants'." Kyric motioned back toward Theed with his thumb. "I left the city a few hours back just followin' my gut in the hopes of wanderin' onto somethin' neat. But uh- all I saw was your ship. I was figurin' it wasn't a coincidence—y'know, the Force an' all."

Kyric pushed off the speeder and took a few steps closer to Nathan.

"Seein' as you got a lightsaber, I'm hopin' yer a Jedi given we're on Naboo. You need any help? It's sorta the only thing I'm good at."

---

Tags: Nathan Bloodscrawl

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

"Yes, I'm a Jedi..." Nathan answered succinctly, still studying Kyric . The boy sought input. Experience.

Nathan didn't mind having him along.

"I was heading to a recently uncovered cave system that might be full of Kyber Crystals. Wanted to see if any of them were high quality enough to be used for lightsabers. You can go with me if you wish. I don't mind the company." Nathan added, pointing in the direction of the cave system.

As they walked together through the plains, Kyric would be able to get a very good look at Nathan's Saberstaff, which gave away his level of experience at how expertly it had been constructed.

"I'm a recent arrival to the High Republic. I function as a courier--

(Cutaway of Radscorpions being blown away by a Hunting Revolver)

--between various Jedi Enclaves..." Nathan explained. "But I still very much function also as a Jedi Guardian...you would be surprised at how often the two occupations intersect."

Nathan took at glance at Kyric.

"So what kind of Jedi are you studying to be?" Nathan asked

 

[Kyric]

"I'm real lucky to have stumbled upon you then, Mister Bloodscrawl. I've been in a bit of a rut recently," Kyric started. "Y'see, I never got around to constructin' my own lightsaber. I've got the technical know-how, but circumstances haven't really permitted it."

One didn't need the Force to guess the younger Jedi lacked much in the way of conversational tact. He appeared to say whatever came to mind with little thought. It was entirely earnest in nature, but not the greatest asset when faced with one more competent in speech craft.

Kyric followed along beside Nathan, matching pace with the older man as they spoke.

"I was hopin' somethin' out in the wide-open parts of Naboo could give me some sorta direction. Instead, I've found you! And yer discovery. That's probably the more important part, but a friendly face always makes the journey more enjoyable."

The kiffar stopped rather suddenly and facepalmed.

"I never properly introduced myself! I'm sorry, sir. I'm Kyric! Another new addition to the Jedi Order here on Naboo!"

A few quick steps saw Kyric beside Nathan once more, even-paced all the same. The kiffar slipped bandaged hands into his pockets like a school-boy and bounced excitedly from one foot to the other. He listened excitedly to the the rest of Nathan's introduction with clear interest.

"A true-blue Guardian, huh? That's real kick-ass, I tell you what."

Nathan's following question momentarily stumped Kyric. He never got around to committing to any particular discipline within the Order, but the abilities he so often employed made the choice easy enough with some thought.

"S'ppose I'm workin' to be a Jedi Watchmen—like from legend. Most of my prior tutors were the Sentinel type, with a big focus on diggin' for intel, pursuin' threats across the unknown, and meetin' them head on. I've got a real good memory and a talent for seein' even the faintest echoes left in the force, so it tracks. Plus! I like travelin'. Lets me see all sorta cool stuff. Know what I mean?"

---

Tags: Nathan Bloodscrawl

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

"Well, nice to meet you, Kyric. And it's good you're studying to become a Sentinel or a Watchman, we need more of those..." Nathan said. In truth while he was a Guardian, he was more than capable of giving even the best Jedi Shadow a run for their money due to his more clandestine activities. Jedi Guardian was simply the easiest way of describing him.

The boy had an exuberance that he himself had lacked at that age. But then again at that age, he had simply been a mutated killing machine forged by the Sorceress that had adopted him as a son.

"I would of course be happy to aid you in the construction of a lightsaber should the cave provide the proper materials..." Nathan offered, wanting to get the boy started. He was starting to get the feeling that this wasn't an accident. That this meeting was something the Force wanted...

Nathan tried not to think about it.

They eventually reached the cave entrance and Nathan could already feel the strong flow of Force Energy. Clear. Untarnished.

"I'm getting a good feeling about this..." Nathan said as he headed in first, one end of his saber staff emitting a blue blade as he took the lead.

"Stay close to me, Kyric...just because a place feels peaceful doesn't mean there isn't danger lurking..." Nathan advised.

The cave was full of glowing blue crystals that all emitted a light side signature.

Nathan, being very familiar with Lightsaber Construction and the crystals that went into them, identified the variant of crystal on the spot

"It would seem we have stumbled onto a find of immense potential...these are all Thontiin Crystals. But I have never seen them in such large amounts..."

Nathan ventured forward.

"They were used as aids in Force Healing during the ancient Clone Wars. They are definitely usable in lightsabers. Their abilities can be focused through the blade in rather unique ways. And Lightsabers that have them allow their wielder to battle through extreme pain that would floor anyone else..." he trailed, moving forward through the cave, coming across a geode that had glowing blue spheres with an Asterism at the center.

"This cave is a one in a billion find." Nathan said, stepping close. "These here are Ankarres Sapphires. One of the powerful types of healing Crystal and focusing crystal in a lightsaber that can be used..."

He turned to Kyric.

"It would seem we have hit the motherload. But I've never seen such a concentration of healing crystals in one area. It can't possibly be naturally occuring...this...this just doesn't happen. Just finding one Ankarres Crystal or a Thontiin Crystal would be the find of a lifetime for Jedi. But a whole cave? That's unheard of...

Nathan in the distance spotted a carved out alcove in the rock where something in the shadows sat on a raised pedestal...he ventured towards it in curiosity and froze when he saw what was on the pedestal because he recognized the make and knew it's origin immediately.

It was one of his family's Distinct Lightsabers, worn and with a patina from the ages. But he was willing to bet it was more than functional...

"Huh..." Nathan remarked to Kyric

 

[Kyric]

The offer of further aid given so freely by Nathan gave Kyric the impression of a real Jedi Knight. Not that the boy doubted his senior, but the kiffar's experiences with others within their order were... lackluster, to put it mildly.

Few were the Jedi who rose above their own conflicts to extend a hand to those struggling up after them. Death freely stalked the galaxy—perhaps now more than ever—and there wasn't an Order active with the know-how or numbers to face it. Many younglings and Jedi Padawan were left to their lonesome, struggling in the face of the insurmountable, broken in the wake of it's passage. It was in these small gestures of kindness where Kyric most found inspiration.

The thought reminded the young Jedi of his father.

"I'll take any help yer offerin, sir. I've got enough of an understandin' to build somethin' basic, but nothin' like the master-craft at yer hip."

Kyric kept close to Nathan at his suggestion. The kiffar knew little about kyber crystals or the nature of their creation, so he used the opportunity to study the cave in great detail.

Surrounded by a dark gray stone on all sides, Kyric expected the place to feel dull and devoid of life. But when he cast his senses into the Force which suffused every inch of the room, he felt an overwhelming sense of life. The cavern thrummed with energy not unlike a heartbeat. Serenity washed over the kiffar; it carried warmth that wcleansed his darkest feelings and replaced them with peace.

The crystals varied in size, but even the smallest cluster struck the young Jedi as a work of art.

"Not that I'm complainin', Mister Bloodscrawl, but what coulda caused somethin' like this? Crystals with this kinda power seem too good to be true. And to find so many? I'm thinkin' the Order can make real good use of em."

At seeing Nathan's attention shift, Kyric followed his gaze to the alcove. Unable to make out the details of the shaded space, he followed after his companion and peered past him at the old lightsaber hilt.

"Weird," Kyric said. "You think there's someone else wanderin' 'round here?"

He cast his one-eyed gaze back to the crystal cavern and searched the space beside Nathan.

---

Tags: Nathan Bloodscrawl

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

"I doubt anyone has been in here for ages..." Nathan said as he stared at the ancient Bloodscrawl Lightsaber ...

He removed it from its rest and activated it.

As expected, a truly red blade, from the aura to the very core of the saber that was normally white, all red, a deep crimson. He shut it off.

"I don't sense the Dark Side..." Nathan said to Kyric , telekinetically disassembling the blade to reveal the pure red crystal .

"Not a synth. This is natural..." Nathan trailed, before reassembling the hilt around it.

"Perhaps... perhaps whoever built this..." he trailed, grasping the worn, aged hilt. "Is responsible for creating the crystals in this cave somehow...they must have been immensely strong in the Force.

He looked back at the rest it had been on, and searched the pedestal, finding a switch and flicking it. The back of the alcove slid open and the pedestal lowered to allow passage.

Nathan stepped into the space beyond...

He spotted a lightsaber forge at the center of a simple chamber.

"Kyric..." Nathan said. "Those crystals...do any of them call to you?"

 

[Kyric]

The blood red shine took Kyric by surprise. Never before had he seen a lightsaber crystal of such color not infused wholly with the dark side, yet the thin blade ejected by the emitter felt almost natural. Devoid of the baleful intentions forced upon kyber to bleed it red, the lightsaber in Nathan's hand left Kyric intrigued, as opposed to the caution he normally showed in the face of a crimson blade.

"I've never seen kyber like that," Kyric admitted while watching Nathan disassemble the hilt with his mind.

What few crystals the kiffar knew were shown to him back on Denon. They came in the common variety of blue and green favored by Jedi Knights. Most were mundane compared to the likes found within the cavern surrounding Kyric and Nathan; devoid of any special features, but strong enough to power the legendary Jedi weapon.

Kyric wasn't sure what to make of his companion's musings. The kiffar knew not the origin of kyber, let alone the power necessary to create a cave like this. He knew only of planets like Ilum and Dantooine, home to ancient caverns predating the modern era. Scholars within the many temples spread throughout the galaxy debated the significance of kyber to this day. Another mystery born of the magnificence of the Force.

Nathan's question captured Kyric anew. He turned his attention back to the room and considered the many stones interconnected within the Force. Power suffused every inch of the room with warmth. Everything felt distinctly the same to the young Jedi.

What little light shone through from tiny cracks in the ceiling refracted through one particular crystal nestled in the shadow of a large growth of kyber jutting down from above.

"I think so," Kyric said with more certainty in his voice than the words provided. He hustled over to the tiny crystal and took it between his thumb, index finger, and middle finger. After a moment of gently shifting the crystal about at its base the kyber came free. It chimed like a tiny bell, sending a wave of electricity through the kiffar's body that elicited a fresh layer of goosebumps.

"Whoa," he muttered. "Is that normal? I thought it sound like stone breakin', not a cute little bell."

---

Tags: Nathan Bloodscrawl

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

"Natural Red Kybers do exist, but they are very rare. They are most often Adegan crystals." Nathan explained to the younger man. "They often produce a lighter colored red blade than Sith blades. But the one this produces is even redder than both. Possibly because of a higher iron content in the lattice structure. I imagine this is a ceremonial piece...functional, but not often used in public..." Nathan mused about the ancient lightsaber.

"In extremely ancient times, The Jedi Order wielded lightsabers of every color, red included. It was only after we encountered the Sith that using a red blade acquired a stigma to it..."

Nathan watched as Kyric went off to pluck the crystal, asking if it was supposed to chime like that.

"If it chimes like that it means it was calling to you. It was ready to be harvested." Nathan replied to Kyric . "It is no accident we found this cave. The Force wanted you here. It wanted us to find this place...

Nathan checked the Lightsaber Forge Compartments, and found sealed kits of working components. Hilt pieces and the like.

"Kyric, I think you should forge a lightsaber here. But meditate with the crystal first. Bond with it. After you forge it...how about a lesson?" Nathan offered.

 

[Kyric]

Warmth radiated from the kyber crystal in Kyric's hand in soft undulating waves. Whenever it bounced along in step, it echoed the same soft chime. A greater sense of peace fell over the kiffar. Whatever potential dangers awaited them slipped away, momentarily forgotten. Almost trance-like, he marched to where the forge stood strong.

Ancient etchings carved into the smooth metal took unfamiliar shapes to Kyric. The compartments left behind kept many of the components in good condition, undamaged by time or the elements. Even the handheld blowtorch still fired a steady blue flame. He couldn't help but agree to Nathan's assessment with a weak nod. Coincidences like this one didn't exist in a universe like theirs. The Force moved in mysterious ways, an ever-present ally to all living beings. It protected them. It guided them subtley, like leading two Jedi on a similar path together into a cavern of rare gems.

"Yeah, I think I'll do just that, Mister Nathan. Focus my mind. Forge my very first lightsaber," Kyric nodded excitedly. Wielding his father's blade never failed to bring a smile to his face, but this was different. Whatever he created here was Kyric's in its entirety.

"And any sorts of wisdom from you would be greatly appreciated, sir." He added with renewed vigor, then turned his attention to the crystal proper.

Kyric closed his eye and dropped into a kneel before the forge table. The back of his hands rested on his knees, the kyber glowed faintly in his right hand, which was cupped by the left. He rested back on his ankles in the seiza position. For several minutes nothing happened. Kyric remained still, his sole focus on connecting his mind to the crystal. The endless stream of thoughts racing through his head slowly faded away until they disappeared entirely around the sixth minute.

The crystal floated to rest half a head above Kyric. Tiny metal fragments rose from one compartment, while electrical wiring ascended from a second, and ancient, treated wood, forged from the forests of the Naboo, joined from a third and final box. Four more minutes passed before the blade's assemblage completed. The wooden components, infused in proximity by the crystal's power, melded well with the metallic pommel and emitter. The wood itself now depicted etchings not unlike a city skyline intermingling with blossom trees and other wild-life.

Forged in the likeness of its strange master, the blade represented his upbringing on Denon and the span of years he spent on rough and tumble planets like Concord Dawn and Atrisia. The blue saber burst from the emitter to the echo of an ethereal chime that resonated with the many crystals in the cavern. The etchings carved into the hilt reflected the light off a thin lining of a silvery metal he drew out from the Forge.

When Kyric opened his eye again, the cerulean burned the silver-blue of starlight in the presence of his new blade.

"This thing's a beaut!"

---

Tags: Nathan Bloodscrawl

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

"Don't rush it. Think it out. Go with what feels right in the construction process..." Nathan advised. "Beyond that, every first time construction is a unique experience.

Nathan waited, leaning against a wall in the chamber, watching Kyric construct his lightsaber...

Ession, Gulag Era.

(Bloodscrawl Family Theme Plays)

A ten year old Nathan Bloodscrawl followed his father, Angus to an old cave in the Nightingale Plains that he was normally told to avoid. Today, he was making an exception.

"What are we doing here, Dad?" Nathan asked.

Angus, who looked like an adult version of Nathan himself but with graying hair turned to his son wearing flowing crimson robes with gold trim, these were the same sort of design and adult Nathan would eventually use when designing his imbued Robes for use by Jedi in the High Republic, turned and looked down at his son. At Nathan's age, he was already slightly above his father's waistline in terms of height.

"You are advancing in your training faster than your brother in lightsaber combat training. I feel the time has come for you to progress..." Angus answered, countenance stern as always. "This cave has the answers you seek."

"Are you going with me?" Nathan asked.

"You must do what comes next alone, my son." Angus answered. "It was how I had to do it. The Bloodscrawls have gathered the crystals for their public lightsabers here for decades now...so must you..."

Nathan hesitated at first but remembered his family were not a bloodline of cowards and ventured in.

It was dark and dank inside, but he saw a glow in the distance.

He finally came into a giant grove of multi hued Kyber grows that sang.

And something strange in the middle.

It rested on a pedestal, in the center of the cave, a strange Lightsaber Spear. Fascinated, he approached.

He stopped as he sensed some. A sort of heat at the edges of his mind.

He saw a... shimmer...an outline, very faint, of a hooded female in thin robes

Ah. So that is what I sensed. Finally. Someone worthy of speaking with.

"Who...what are you?" Nathan whispered.

A ghost.

"Of who?"

Someone long dead. No one you would know, child. The Ghost answered. Tell me...why have you entered this cave?

"I'm...I'm here to seek out my lightsaber crystal. I'm going to be a Jedi, someday..." Nathan answered, not sending the Dark Side.

Are you? How interesting. You're a Bloodscrawl, aren't you?

"Yes."

I knew a Bloodscrawl once. I served him well. He was a great warrior, Strong with the Light. I sense that same potential within you...

"Really?" Nathan asked, quite naive at this age. He had not yet lost his innocence, nor gained more than the most rudimentary of survival instincts.

Indeed. I would test you, if you would permit it.

"What's the test?" Nathan asked. "Do I get anything if I win?"

Indeed you shall... it answered...


Present...

Nathan watched as Kyric constructed his blade with a great eye for beauty and detail. Nathan's blade by comparison was a master craft because of its expertly combined multiple functions.

"Well done, Kyric..." Nathan complimented. "And now, as for your lesson. I think I will teach you Form Two Lightsaber Combat. Makashi.

Nathan activated his blade, putting it at a non lethal setting.

"Form Two was built specifically for dueling other Lightsaber users. Swift, elegant motions, light slices, cuts and thrusts that rely heavily on footwork and positioning. Strong power attacks can counter it if the practitioner does not maintain maximum creativity and avoid becoming a slave to the form. Don't try to use it against Blasterfire unless you are exceptionally talented with the style, and even then never try to use it against more than a small group..."

Nathan had never displayed any knowledge of Form Two among Galactic Alliance Jedi. The most they ever saw him using was Form 3 and a tiny amount of Form One.

Kyric was the first Jedi to ever see Nathan use Form Two.

"Form Two can be used with a fully active saber staff instead of Half Active as I do, but that is an advanced discipline..." Nathan said to him. "But their are advantages to using double length hilts with Makashi. But take heed at what I say next: To truly Master a single style, you must master every style, including their sub disciplines. All those styles are interconnected, the way the Force binds all living things. If you focus on one style, yes, you may well become competent. Proficient. But you will never truly master it. But as to how I teach, I go for no formal katas. No controlled conditions. All my learning was done in the field. Against people who were genuinely trying to kill me. And though my blade is set to a non lethal setting. I will still strike at you the way I was struck at."

Nathan lunged with Force Speed without warning, going for a an elegant slice at Kyric's exposed legs. Kyric would have to think fast...

 

[Kyric]

Power raced into Kyric from the newly forged bond with the sapphire. Warmth swelled in his chest, then rolled through the rest of his body like a strong breeze. Strength flowed between him and his blade.

Nathan quickly commanded the room, channeling Kyric's serene focus into the promised lesson. He wasn't altogether unfamiliar with Makashi and its sibling styles, but he didn't count himself an expert. All of his knowledge with Makashi came in the form of sparring with his instructors. He hadn't wielded the Way of the Ysalamiri against an enemy with a killer's ire. But he had witnessed it in his dreams—visions imparted by his bond with the Jedi Master Bernard of Arca.

Kyric listened to the lesson with rapt attention. Never would he ignore the chance to learn from one further along the path than he, and Nathan's wisdom translated well for Kyric. The kiffar was action oriented. Intent on whatever task faced him. Hesitation is defeat, to ponder and think when doing suited just fine. An adherent to the blade in every facet, he internalized each word. There was no greater gift than shared strength in their fight against the darkness.

Nathan's actions before the lesson did not go unnoticed. His student mirrored the master's adjustment to the lethality of his blade. Not unlike Nathan, Kyric wanted to preserve life where possible. It was evident the young Jedi put heavy consideration into his saber's construction, though it certainly paled to an expert.

When Nathan flashed forward, the quickdraw specialist in Kyric circled away in a swift-pivot on his back leg. He rolled out to Nathan's side and struck for the instructor's wrist. The chop came in a blur, speed and accuracy enhanced by the harmonious state of its wielder.

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Tags: Nathan Bloodscrawl

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Ession, Gulag Era

You shall be tested with questions, the Ghost declared.

"Questions? I'm great at questions!" Nathan said enthusiastically.

Excellent, it replied. Here is your first: An evil man is preparing on destroying everything in his path. You want to attack, but others warn you that to strike first makes you no better than he, and that they will see you in the same light as they see him. What do you do?

Nathan thought a long moment. He had never been asked this sort of question before, and answered on instinct, from the heart.

"I attack first anyway, because evil triumphs when Good People do nothing. Evil triumphs when Good People only react instead of act. And besides, to bow to peer pressure is an act of fear in of itself. It means you value the opinion of people who may be wrong more than you value and trust your own sense of morality."

Interesting...the Ghost trailed.


Present...

Nathan adapted instantly to Kyric's evasion and strike for his wrist by twisting his blade to hard parry it before striking directly at his throat. He would give no warning or lecture. He would let Kyric react naturally and as fluidly as he could. Nathan's counter itself would be lecture enough. Makashi had to be developed through instinct, Nathan felt. It had to experienced, rather than taught, to take its precepts into oneself.

Either way. It would be interesting to see the reaction Kyric would have...