Learning the Ways of the Force--Pt 3 The mind of the Warrior

[Akio Diachi]

Felucia It was a haplessly inhospitable planet, but one that Akio had been drawn to all the same. His reasoning was the same as it had been many times--the Force had drawn him. He tread across the jungle, taking in the beauty of the deathly place. Everywhere here there was chaos, there was terror, there was wonder and there was splendor. However, the Chiss was unafraid. It was not because of his Armor around him. Nor was it because of his katana and wazikashi, but instead because he trusted the Force.

He closed his eyes and let the pleasure of the feeling wash over him. It was an unending joy to constantly bask in the presence of the Force. The spacer ducked under a branch and carried on over his way. The warm sunlight flowed down upon him, giving Akio both warmth and light. The Force here certianly throbbed like it never had from others.

But amid it all, the living, streaming life, he could feel something calling him, almost audibly. A strand of the Force whispered along him and pulled him in, pulling him towards that moment. The Chiss did not hesitate, instead he began following the call with his feet in a delicate, steady trod. The Force's strange ways for him had come to be understood as a way of life. It was always a venture from one way to the next, no matter where it called he followed.

And in return, he had been rewarded; his weapons and armor all came from this. The pack on his back with his robes, food and water had come that way, and he was never ready to settle down. Because he had to keep searching. Always searching, always following where the Force lead.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The Chiss halted in his tracks. Amid his whispering sounds of the Force he could feel the tingle of someone else. Something else. As the breeze picked up with a delicate swish, the Blue Wanderer's trained ears picked up the sound of an out-of-place rustle.

Guided by the Force Akio leapt out of his place in a somersault across the dirt path. A Rancor charged from the brush, his clawed fist swiping where the Chiss had been moments ago. He could feel the wind whip around at tendrils of his free dark hair. The brutish monster snarled in frustration as his hand swept in a heavy back-fist at Akio's body. The Chiss bound away in a quick back step from the blow. His right hand instinctively grabbed two of the throwing quills from his sheath under his arm. The spikes flew through the air, sinking deep into the Rancor's flesh with a flourish of blood. The monster roared in rage, his nostrils flaring in anger. His arms failed in rage, swipping at Akio's body as the Chiss quickly found himself in the full retreat. Blow after blow swept just barely away from the Chiss' chest, he could almost feel the claws graze his thin armor. It would resist the puncturing wounds of these heavy claws, but the force alone would be enough to shatter his rib cage, Akio knew.

Suddenly his foot caught on a rock behind him, sending the Chiss sprawling backwards. His years of training helped him land unstunned, but in a fraction of a second, the Rancor was upon him.

 

[Akio Diachi]

As the Rancor's fist came down for his chest, training took over. Akio's left hand gripped a trio of throwing quills and unleashed them in a fierce volley, like lightening his hands recoiled grabbing a second assault and unleashing it again. The assault hit the beast like angry bee stings on his face; under the eyes, above them, the jaw, the tender nose flesh, and in the neck. The monster roared in pain as it retreated in a a rampage.

Akio panted as he sat up. He had lost his cool, in that moment he felt a loss of control, not just of his environment but himself. These are not the ways of the Force, he chided himself. Self control, calm, these are the ways of the Force. The feeling lingered in his body like a metallic taste in his mouth. It was strange, one that he could not yet identify; it was not fear, hate, rage, or depression. It was a feeling of strong alertness, a will--a will to survive.

The Chiss sat up and checked himself over--no damage, thank the Force, but eight of his 20 throwing quills were still in that monster, and that was something he could not stand. He sighed and shook his head in a slight sense of regret. He would have to hunt this monster down now and take his weapons back. Something he was not looking forward too.

Akio rose and began following the trail of blood and damage through the forest. Toppled trees, halfed boulders and crushed brush marked the way through the plant matter. His feet were nimble and quick as he scurried after it. This time his ears were more perked, his senses focused on the hunt, instead of just the pleasure of the moment. He had unwittingly fallen back into his old patterns as an assassin, not a monk.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The only thing more impressive than the mass of these brutes are their ability to keep moving, Akio thought as he continued on his path. It had been hours, he was getting exhausted. The blood along the trail had gotten thicker, and the track more destructive. By the Chiss' guess it appeared that the beast was getting tired and slowing down. Did I damage it that bad? he wondered. Did I sever an artery? Or nick one?

He came at last to a massive clearing. Bones of dead Rancors spotted the area, some more recent than others. All were licked clean of the flesh off their bones. Akio summize that it was from a local scavenging race. Then he saw it, the Rancor trudging through the dead bones. His movements were sluggish, uncoordinated, like a drunk Weqquay from the Outer Rim. It was dying, slowly, and painfully.

Give it an honorable death, whispered a voice inside Akio. One befitting its rank as a warrior and hunter. If the Chis had been more aware he would have known that it was a whisper from his past, another remnant of his training as an assassin before he lost his memory.

As the Rancor slumped on his hindquarters, Akio drew his wazikashi. The blade gleamed a purple-blue with the shimmering power of the Force. At the sound of it being unsheathed, the Rancor's bloody face looked up at Akio. The beast gave a snarling protest. Let me die with dignity, it seemed to glare as it rose once more, with great difficulty.

Akio drew closer, his steps were measured, careful and guarded. Even in its weakened state, this monster could end his life in a single move. That was something the Chiss could not allow to happen.

 

[Akio Diachi]

His heart pounded in his chest as Akio drew closer. His eyes locked on the indignant eyes of the Rancor. Even in his death, the beast refused to admit defeat. I want to die fighting, it seemed to defy him. Akio reached the edge of his prey's reach, his steps circled the beast with a calculated and careful measure.

All emotions were gone. All feeling was gone. Inside Akio felt nothing, he was a weapon, nothing more. The Rancor turned with Akio, facing him despite the smaller enemy's circle. I know how this ends, the Rancor glowered But that doesn't mean you will have it given to you. You must earn this privilege.

Akio lunged forward, and the Rancor swiped in a heavy-handed swing. The Chiss recoiled, as the fist went by he curved his blade in a wicked slice. Blood splattered out from the razor-sharp edge as it severed tendons and muscles. A hearty groan of pain went out from the Rancor. Akio Charged forward, this time for real, but the monster would not give up at the first sight of blood. The maw of what was left of his arm back swung, and there was nothing the Chiss could do to avoid it. His free hand stretched out, a single thought consuming all of his existence Absorb the blow. Do not let me be crushed here and now. His mind, in the moment of survival, adapted to the situation. For an instance a glowing barrier of purple light shimmered before Akio's fist, blunting the Rancor's blow. Blunting, but not stopping.

The Blue Wanderer was still sent sprawling end over end. His body clattered across the field of bones, only stopped when it came in contact with the spine of a dead Rancor.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio shifted onto his feet, preparing himself for a rebuttal assault. His hands gripped his Katana stored behind his back--but there was no need. The Rancor looked at him with still defiant eyes, come and take it.

The Chiss quickly retrieved his Wazikashi from the ground and closed the distance between him and the monster. His steps did not slow, he was in a sprint, a full sprint. It was do or die, it was survive or be killed. The Rancor's eyes clicked with understanding. This is the moment one of us dies. It squared its feet, growling in anger. His one good arm was ready, claws poised in a savage expression. The Chiss reached the Rancor's edge of reach and did not stop. The beast swung as fast and as hard as he could, but blood loss and pain had slowed it down too much. His claws dug deep into the earth as Akio's blade sliced just under the Rancor's left knee. His aim was true, the edge carved a path through tendons and cartilage, rendering the joint useless. Unable to stand any longer, the Rancor began to fall, his maw parting in a cry of agony.

As the body came closer to the ground, Akio twisted his wazikashi in a second, tight slice. The edge tore through the Rancor's right him. Severed tendons snapped under the pressure with a hiss and pop. The beast was completely immobilized, its life was flickering out, fading fast as he collapsed in a sitting position. The Chiss stabbed his blade into the Rancor's chest, between ribs deep into its body.

His eyes met the Rancor's as the last flickers of life faded out Akio met its eyes.

You have beaten me, the monster conceded. Well done.

It was an honor take your life, Akio could almost hear himself saying in reply, though he did not know where it came from.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio did not know how long he stood staring at the lifeless husk that had been the Rancor. His blade dripped with the blood of the once-formidable hunter. He was unsure what had happened, how or why. He didn't know what had come over him, and he was almost scared to find out.

These were not the ways of the Force, Akio reminded himself as he cleaned his blade and retrieved his throwing spikes. He cleaned these as well before storing them in their proper sheaths under his forearms. He had killed, he had gone beyond self protection in that fight. And he was not proud of it. His body ached from having sustained the blows of being tossed across the graveyard.

Was this what you sent me here for? Akio wondered. To fight? To kill? To see something about myself that needs changed? Surely it was not to kill.

Almost as if to answer, he could feel the Force begin to wrap around him once more. The amulet around Akio's neck began to glow softly with the Force guiding him away from this place. Before he left, Akio pulled the horn form the Rancor's skull. It was not a prize, nor a trophy, it was a memorial to remember a great warrior who had fallen. Akio moved from the graveyard as he stored the horn in his pack on his back.

 

[Akio Diachi]

A scream cut through the twilight silence, breaking Akio's train of thought. He halted in his tracks, then there was a second one, definitely a girl's scream. The Chiss had been walking for hours, plus the fight today he was utterly exhausted. But all of that stopped in the moment when he heard this. He bolted in that direction, his feet hardly touching the ground as he covered it in a matter of minutes.

As the Chiss came into the clearing he could see the small ravine that the ship had landed in, barely fitting. There were men scattered around, two were holding a twe'lik female, the one who was screaming, struggling and fighting against them. Another two were doing their best to subdue a human female, two more of their compatriots moved to assist them. Others were watching, or going through boxes scattered across the ground.

Without thinking, Akio's legs coiled, springing him in a massive leap. His body went spinning head over feet in a graceful arc. His hands gripped two of the throwing quills each, as he came closer to the ground, he let the fly with the flick of his wrist, killing one with each blow. He landed on his feet softly before their bodies hit the ground. His left hand gripped his wazikashi, his right his Katana. As the Chiss drew each, he carved massive slashes across the bodies of two men standing near him. Their halved bodies fell to the ground in a clatter, but he didn't stop. As the others began to draw their blasters Akio dashed past the closest one, his Katana's edge gashing through his throat. The two men grabbing the Twe'lik took a step back, fumbling with their weapons as Akio drew closer like the angel of death. The last thing their eyes saw on this earth was the flash of his blades.

The four survivors unleashed a volley of mad fire at Akio's body, most of the shots ran wild, but one hit his back. Through the thin fabric, Akio could feel the impact hit him, but the burn did no damage. His turned, his red eyes cold with every step that drew him closer to them. Their firing continued, but was grossly inaccurate. The few shots that landed hit him with no damage. He let his Katana spin with a flourish, cleaving off one arm before his Wazikashi rammed through the body's diaphragm. As it fell he pulled back cleanly before beheading the second. The third of the men turned to run, only to feel both blades hurled through his back, and come out the other side.

"Don't come any closer," the forth warned as he took the woman hostage. His blaster pressed against her temple, 'I will do it!"

 

[Akio Diachi]

"Put her down," Akio ordered, his words sharp and cold. "Now."

"I will, I will kill her," the man warned, pressing his weapon harder against he temple, "I will blow her brains out right now."

"Last Chance," Akio said firmly, "let her go."

The man's finger tightened on the trigger, but Akio was faster. His left hand gripped a throwing quill and let it fly with a deadly accuracy. The spike launched itself through the air, lodging itself between the man's eyes, tunneling deep into his skull, through his spinal chord. He never knew what hit him. As the body collapsed lifeless the woman broke free of it in amid a mass of sobs and tears. The twe'lik raced to her side, wrapping her arms around the woman comfortingly. Akio quietly went about retreiving his weapons, first his blades, then his quills. He cleaned each of them before storing the weapons in their respective places.

"Holy chit," said one of the women.

Akio looked towards them, his face behind his mask registering shock. "Raven?"

The young Twe'lik gave a nod, her own eyes agape with surprise. Her red-headed mother in her arms was equally surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Raven asked at last.

Akio gave a slight smile and a shrug, "I suppose you could say what I have always been doing, I am still on my quest."

"How long can it take for one quest?" she balked.

Akio removed his head covering and gave her a slight smile, "Lifetimes, sometimes."

 

[Akio Diachi]

The Chiss followed the two women onto the ship that they had ridden it the first time they met. He could not help but see the irony in the moment. When they had met, the Chiss was rescued by them, and now the debt had been repaid through is rescuing of them. He felt a pang of sorrow as he remembered Raven's father--he had died with Akio, killed by sand people as they covered the retreat of the women to safety.

The Chiss had avenged his death, killing the remainder of the attackers. It had been a brutal affair, one that he had blacked out on just like today. I am dangerous when I kill. It does bad things to me.

"We never got to thank you," Velda broke the silence as she brought him a glass of tea. "You saved us. We would have died back there without you."

"We went back for you," Raven offered, "but you were gone. We buried dad like he always wanted, out into space."

"You gave us a chance at a second life," Velda said kindly, 'And for that we owe you everything.'

Akio looked up at them with sad red eyes. He wished that was true. He was the reason that she was a widow and her daughter was fatherless. If he had never guided them there, they would have never been hurt. He would have never died. It all would have been ok still. This is why I must wander. I am a threat to everyone who I meet.

Raven ventured her hand across the table, gently clasping Akio's in her own, "What are you searching for? We can help you."

Akio smiled sadly, the truth was burning and painful, "I am afraid what I am looking for, no one can help me find, no one but myself."

"I am not sure I understand," Raven said after a moment.

"Inner peace," he said at last.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The Chiss agreed to stay with them for their next journey, though he mostly kept to himself. His time was filled with meditation, practicing with his blade, and trying to perfect the barrier he had made when fighting the Rancor. Slowly, over the hours he managed to gain more control over it, to learn to emit the purple field at will, and to make it last longer, in a more stable way. Raven and Velda tried several times to start conversations with the Chiss. Although he was polite, the Chiss hardly said much. It was not their fault, however it would be wise for them to keep their distance. I am a danger to everything, he reminded himself. Attachment will only result in their suffering.

Their journey took the trio from Felucia to Endor's forest moon on a supply run. There the Chiss began to quietly walk the street, into the forest. Here the Force was strong too, sweet, and gentle like a mother to her children. Though still chaotic, it was more gentle, more loving an caressing. The woods were a haven of light, Akio knew it. He reached a mountain pinacle and drew his Katana with a flourish. His blade went up in a graceful arc, bringing him into the trance like state he was so familiar and fond of. Spinning he merged, becoming one with his blade and letting the Force wash over him in that feeling he was so comfortable in. Total surrender, total tranquility. Spinning and twisting in a glorious display of finesse and practice, Akio let the Cortosis blade do its work, moving with the ajility and grace of a feline. Over, under, around and back he turned and twisted with a rapid and graceful perry and slice movements. It was all interwoven in their own way, in their own graceful, living way. He was one with the blade, with the Fore, with the enemy, with the world around him. It was all one, and in it was comfort, not fear. The abandonment of self for the truth of oneness. There is no need to fear blood shed, there is no need to fear anything, surrender to the Force. And let it control you.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The Chiss let the sweet feeling linger in his body for several moments as he began to climb down the mountain at last. The Force was with him once more, or rather he was with it. The feeling was one that he never wanted to loose again. I do not need to fear myself, nor do I need to fear the world around me. I am it and it is me. The Force is what binds us together and makes us different. We are all just manifestations of it.

He felt, before he heard the sound of a snorting snarl. One of the local predators, a boar-wolf came out from behind a log, snarling and raging. Akio felt the initial urge to draw his weapon and end its existance. But there is no reason. It is a single one, and small, you can easily subdue it without bloodshed. The Chiss lowered his hand and let his body relax, opening himself up to the Force once more. The sweet feeling flowed through him again and Akio saw as much as felt two others of the bristle-backed creatures appear from his left and right. There was no need to harm them still, they would be no match for his fists. Do as little damage as possible, Akio thought.

The fist made a leap towards the Chiss, his Comrades were not far behind. The Force alerted him, Akio deftly moved out of the way of the first, his left leg easily rose, meeting the second's snout as his right arm re-directed the third away. As the snout-hit boar-wolf squealed in stunned pain, Akio spun, grabbing it by the two forelegs and tossing it aside like a sack of beans. The first came at his back, mouth wide open to bite and rend him, but as the Chiss continued his spin, his arm extended in the asking hand, sending the beast wildy to the right. Hot on its heels the third came at Akio, claws bear, only to receive a toe-kick from Akio that stopped it in its tracks. He looked at his foes, they ran off snorting and squealing in pain and disgust. Do as little harm as possible. Let them go.

 

[Akio Diachi]

A week past. The Chiss stood watching the stars pass by through the viewport as the ship hurled its way through the galaxy. Their next stop was Nyriaan, a planet that was by far one of the strangest in the universe. Storms and a strange field around the planet kept things in a uinque balance that was unable to be replicated else where. Another sleepless night had transcended upon Akio, another night of lack-luster attempts to rest or even meditate. His elusive past was once again, haunting him like a ghost of the dead. He knew there was more to it that met the eye, and part of him wanted to find out--the other part was too afraid to. Fear. Fear of being something that he was unable to come back from--or that he would become it again.

Suddenly Akio realized he wasn't alone. In the back of his mind he could feel the tingle of the life form that was Raven. Akio looked over his shoulder and gave the teenage girl a slight smile. She smiled back, moving closer, 'What are you doing?'

'Thinking,' Akio answered, looking back to the viewport, 'I couldn't sleep.'

'Nightmares?'

Akio half-winced, half-smiled, 'Something about that.'

'Why do you have nightmares?'

Akio thought for a moment before answering softly, 'There are some things that a being can do that haunt them for a lifetime. Sometimes because they can remember, sometimes because they cannot.'

'Oh.'

'Why are you awake?' Akio asked back.

'I can't sleep either,' she admitted. 'Just thinking about dad.'

'Your father was a good man,' Akio commented. 'He loved you very much. You and your mother.'

Raven nodded her head as she swallowed tears down, 'Yeah, I know. He liked you. He liked everyone.'

'Do not be troubled,' Akio comforted her, 'we shall all become one with the Force. In due time you will see him again, on the other side of the veil.'

She gave a half nod, comforted by the words, 'Thanks. I guess I just, should go lay back down now. You get your rest.'

Akio felt her presence grow more distant, leaving him alone once more with his thoughts and the stars flying by.