Mastering the Forge

[Ignatius]

T Y T H O N
Vur Tepe

After my time spent with the Je'daii, I have come to love them as my family. They are of my family that I have made. While they may not be by blood, they are a group of people that I have looked up to, and looked towards for aid, or for advice. They are the one people who I have found myself well within. Becoming not just a Je'daii Journeyer, but also rising to become the Steward of Vur Tepe, the study of the forge, as well as the right hand man to the Master Thorve Emberfall. The woman who was the current Master of the Forge. In the past, there were many before her. People who sought to better the lives of others through their hammer and anvil.

It was here that I came to learn more. Ever since we had rediscovered the temple, as well as the Tho-Yor, we have been attempting to fix everything up. To rebuild what was once here so that we might one day use it again. Even though we will have a main location within the system that Aurum was in, we would one day come back to Tython. It was inevitable.

For this, I came to learn more of the forge. Of Vur Tepe, and complete my last trial set out by Emberfall. She wanted to see if I really was up to the task of learning how to be a Master of the forge, and of the force. She told me to visit, and to learn something. So I will. I carried a small bag with me. Housed inside was some food, and provisions should I need them. Upon my hip was my Oathkeeper, and along my back was Scindo. Finally I had upon my right thigh a simple revolver slugthrower. I carried it with me all the time just in case I ever did get into a gun fight. One was never too sure. While I doubted it, the gun could be useful in other ways as well. Providing myself food in the wild, or even using the gunpowder for a fire starter. Though, I didnt need that.

Walking up to a shuttle that would be taking me to the Tho-Yor, I climbed aboard. The Pilot nodding his head once when I motioned for him to be off. Sitting myself down upon the seat, I held on, and awaited my final trial.

 

[Ignatius]

The massive structure floated in the air. It was unsure how it could have even after eons of time between the first Force Wars, and now. Still, it was here. Growing ever closer, I could feel the subtle shift in the force. One that the planet itself had, and was fading away as the shuttle came to stop upon the ledge. One where a massive walkway led towards the inside of the structure. The Tho-Yor were massive ships that transported people to the planet of Tython. Now, they were redundant. Some had fallen back to the planet itself, and they were once used as weapons against the Ratakan Empire. Now, they were dormant. Hardly walked into for years. Dust covered the entire walkway towards the doors that towered over everything. The shuttle seemed barely an ant compared to this vessel. Considering it was said to hold thousands upon thousands of people in them, I knew this ship was going to be large, but not this large.

Drawing closer to the door, I saw upon it, etch marks. Ones that were of hands. Specifically for different species. Some I knew of. Human, Rodian, Wookie, and others I knew not. Slowly, gently, I placed my hand into the one that resembled a human. The hand then glowed a bright orange. Loud shifting of gears and metal began to reach my ears. The doors sliding open ever so slowly, and for a small amount. Igniting a flame within my hand, I walked in. Wary of what may be inside.

Stepping in, A bunch of lights came on. Followed by the doors closing back in on themselves. The final bang as they slammed shut only signified how I would not leave until I had finished my trial. Looking about, the lights that came on were barely bright enough to be useful. The tall ceiling made the lights show almost none of the floor in front of me. Using the flame I had conjured, I threw it forward. The light springing forth and zooming down the massive hall. A walkway that revealed that the ship was almost hallow. Walking along the pathway, I looked down to find darkness. Making another flame, I dropped it down. Watching it as this ball grew ever smaller. It seemed to never end. Even after dropping it, and loosing the light, I attempted to make it flare up, only for me to see nothing.

Confidence in my life should I fall was quickly dwindling. The rustic tone that seemed to be all around me as I attempted to keep thoughts of falling forever out of my mind. Walking onward through the path, I found that it would branch off in different directions. Likely leading to a different section of the ship. Living quarters? Engines? Life support? I was unsure, and I would rather not search through that for now. Maybe at a later date. Right now, I needed to reach the center. I needed to reach the main bridge of the ship to see if there were any logs or anything on how I could find something to learn from here. Walking further and further in, I found that the door I had walked through was shrinking down more and more. Fading into the darkness.

Turning back to the path ahead of me, I walked on. Eager to learn, but fearful of what I might discover.

 

[Ignatius]

The expanse of this world drew me in. Wanting me to deeply explore all of it. The footfalls of my boots were quiet, but still seemed to echo within the large chamber that is the Tho-Yor. I continued on. Using the small ball of flame that floated around my head as my source of light. The pathway was littered with dust. Inches thick, I had the notion to drop the ball of flame into the dust. Smiling I did so. Watching as the river of grey ignited. The dust and ashes lit up with a dull orange as it consumed all of it. Flying down the walkway, the orange wave consumed all of the dust. I smiled as I walked on. Seeing the remains under my feet as I neared what looked to be a center pillar. One that seemed to be an elevator. One of many from what I could tell.

Upon reaching it, scanning it with my eyes, I reached out slowly and touched the open surface of the wall. The ball of light floating moved so I could closely inspect it. Along the side, I found indentations. Two to be correct. Touching the top one, The door opened rather quickly. I was startled by this, and took a hasty step back. Raising my hands ready for a fight. Yet the empty cylinder proved to be nothing more than a capsule in which to stand in. Once more, this was built to hold many people, or a lower number of larger beings. The door was well over nine feet. I was dwarfed by this door.

Stepping into it, I slowly took my steps. Making sure it could hold me, let alone move. Once inside, the doors closed. A single light was on, but dull and barely lit up the top of the elevator. Using the ball of light, I found two more buttons. Pressing the top one, I felt a lurch of the machine. Breaking free of its restraints, and felt myself falling. Not climbing. I started to panic. This is not supposed to happen. I can die because of this. Looking up, I jumped with the force to the ceiling. Finding a solid medal top, I slammed my fist through the top. Grabbing a hold of the metal, and yanked down as much as I could. Squeezing myself through the hole to be on top of the elevator. I had no clue how far I had fallen. I was still falling. Jumping up, I slowed my decent just enough that when I started to fall once more, the elevator was dozens of feet below me. Reaching out, I grabbed onto a ledge. Very small, I felt my body weight grabbed by the gravity of the planet, and attempting to yank me down.

I yelled out in pain from my body wanting to yank my arm down with me. My fingers barely holding the ledge. No handholds anywhere else. I reached up with my right hand, and attempted to get a hold with both. Once I had, I released with my left hand and gave it a moment to rest from the wanting of yanking my arm out of its socket. It hurt to high heavens. With the bag and weapons on me, I felt much heavier. Screw it.

Using my left hand, I reached around to my back. Slowly sliding the bag of off of my arm. Transitioning to have my left arm holding me up once more, I slid the bag off of my shoulder and softly held onto the bag. Testing it's weight for a moment, only to purposely drop it. I watched as it tumbled over itself for a moment, before fading into the darkness. I didn't hear the crash of the elevator, nor my bag. So I could only assume they were still falling, or they had stopped at some point far enough away, that I couldn't hear it.

That scared me. Looking around for anything to try and grab onto, I created another ball of light. Letting it float up and around me to see anything. My arms were starting to give way if I could not find a way to climb, or get out of here. Hanging there, All I could do, was think and pray to whatever gods could listen to me.

 

[Ignatius]

Taking a few more seconds to gather my thoughts, I had been through something like this before. However, that was the inside of a volcano. Here was entirely different. It was an old relic of the past. A ship that could house information that we needed. Information I needed to acquire. Breathing in, then out. I centered myself. Even as I was quite literally hanging on for my life, I made time for meditation. To clear my thoughts. To gather all of my energies into one coherent being. Myself.

Matukai are people of the force. The force is not an extension of me. I am the force. I am the embodiment, the catalyst of the force. Unlike flames that could be projected from my body, I had to muster those same flames within me. Within my soul. My breathing become so slow, so long, that I may have thought I was dying as I was here. Instead, it was my body focusing everything into this one bout of massive force control. Much like the teachings from the holocron, the teachings of my father, and of my own experiences, Calm. Everything is calm. All building up to the massive explosion that is the release of that calm. The release would send me along my path.

I thrust open my eyes and with all of the strength I could muster, I pushed off. Pulling myself off from the ledge and up. My hands reaching out to my sides and released the force through my body. Grabbing onto the wall of the other side. Once more pulling myself up without any handholds. The pure friction of my hands having just enough of a grip to allow my yanking to propel me upward.

The second leap was more powerful than the first. Sending my flying upwards. I could feel the air as I broke through every barrier between myself and the top of this elevator shaft. The wind passing through and around me like I was a slug being shot from a gun. Feeling the apex of my jump, I began to gather the force in my hands. Gathering what I could muster for a second time, and then throwing it down in a massive telekinetic push. The massive downward force would propel me upwards again, and with that, I reached for my side. Grabbing onto the ledge closest to the top. I grabbed onto it with everything I had. Even then, I could feel myself slipping.

I hung from one hand once more. Pulled down by the forces of gravity. I had to fight back. I would not be stopped, and I will not fail. Tilting myself I pushed off with my legs, letting go with my hand to the other side of the elevator shaft, and then pushed off as soon as my feet and hands touched the metal. I shoved myself into the door with a crash that blacked me out.

 

[Ignatius]

I felt pain. A lot of it.

I could feel the cold floor against the side of my face. The weight of my body pressing down into the floor. Dust was all up inside my nose as I attempted to breathe. I could taste the grime and dirt upon my tongue. Throbbing of the mind within the skull. My hand moved through the dust along the ground to my head. Pressing down as though that would limit the massive headache I had. Opening my eyes, I found a bright light shining directly into my eyes. Bright blue, I looked up from where I lay. Seeing something within the center of a dais, I slowly pushed myself up. My elbows and wrists popped from releasing tension.

Audibly I groaned from the release, as well as the sudden pain. I slowly lowered myself back to the ground.

"I'mma take a minute."

I spoke entirely to myself. Taking a second to rest and to calm myself. Mediate even as I lay here to try and reduce some of the pain to my head. Standing up finally, I groggily got up. Seeing upon the dais that there was a many sided shape embedded within it. Tetrahedron? It looked like half of a Holocron. I looked upon it inquiringly. Before even reaching to it with my hand, I drew my sword. Oathkeeper's tip gently touched the shape. Nothing happened except for the soft clinking sound of metal upon glass, or whatever it was made of. I then sheathed the weapon. Reaching out with the force to feel it's presence.

Yes, it had one, but not of Light or Dark. It just was. I didn't feel anything wrong with it. Nothing seemed to be trapped or have traps around it. Shrugging my shoulders, I reached out to touch it. Nothing happened after doing so. Only when I concentrated upon the relic with the force through my body, did I feel a shift within myself. I felt as though the room was turning in on itself.

Suddenly, I woke up in my room back on Aurum.

 

[Ignatius]

Do you ever get the feeling like something is clearly wrong? Yeah. I had a feeling that I was not dreaming. Or well, I was stuck in something. A simulation? I rose from by bed. Looking around to find all of the same items I had. Nothing looked to be changed. However, I did spot something different. I couldn't feel the force. I couldn't sense my Oathkeeper that I kept with me at all times. That tipped me off. Standing up and walking over to the desk in my room, I pulled out a cigarette and attempted to light it with pyrokinesis.

Nothing.

Walking out from the room, in place of the holovision set, it was the half-holocron shape. Yeah. I was in a dream of some kind. I casually walked over and placed my hand upon it. Yet as soon as I did, I was thrown back by something. Slamming through the wall and back into my room. Getting up from the debris, I looked through the hole in the wall. Projecting from it was a bar of metal. Hologram of one at least. It then switched and formed into a sword, then to an axe, then into a saber. Walking towards it as it switched between these forms, I was curious about why I was being shown this. Why was it showing me weapons and metal? Just because I worked with it all the time?

Walking back towards it, I placed my hand on it again. I felt a surge of energy within my body. Pain flooded me as I was forced to feel this energy. I screamed from the pain. Eventually being able to pull my arm away from it, I could once more feel the force. I could feel the power and energy in this half-holocron. This time focusing upon the force, I touched it a second time.

Waking up, I found myself within the Forges of Aurum.

 

[Ignatius]

Once more, standing up within the blistering heat of the forge, I looked around. Once more, nothing out of place except for the half-holocron. However, this time it was inside of the anvil that I would normally use on Aurum. Again, I walked towards it and touched it. Yet nothing happened. Iwanted to try and understand what was going on. It kept showing me something. It wanted me to do something. Well, if it wanted me to forge something, then I would.

Grabbing one of the hammers from a drawer, I took aim as though I were working upon steels that were white hot. The hammer came down upon the bright blue tetrahedron. The surface cracked. Finding renewed vigor within myself, I placed my off hand upon the anvil. Letting my fingers barely be placed against the sides of the shape. Taking the hammer, I began to slam again and again. Strengthening every blow, and widening, deepening the cracks within.

"That's it."

Continuing to strike it, I found metal was beneath it. Taking piece after piece off, and removing chips of the glass that seemed to be there, it revealed the same shape, but of a metal. Slowly be surely, I could feel the force flowing through the metal. A force that was powerful beyond my own Force-imbued blade. Once I had removed all of the glass shards, I picked up the metal. Feeling it through the force, and clutching onto it as though it were made of the same glass that I broke. Closing my eyes, inversely my mind opened. Connecting to the metal.

Thorve had once told me that a master smith could tell the difference between any metal through the force, and that one day I would find out how. While I may not directly know how to create it right away, I would learn in time. With dedication, and persevering through all of the hardships and challenges sent my way. With the voice in my head of her reminding me this, I could feel the metal vibrating within my hands. The force grew stronger around me. It was when I felt flashes and thoughts rushing through my head.

Hammer hitting anvil. Forging a sword from this metal. Hot but still filled to the brim with the force. Hands that were not my own shaping it into a magnum opus. A perfect sword. While simple in construction, it was pristine. No flaws in any way. Thove was a Master of the forge, but even she could not make blades like this. Even with all of this, the memory of how this man created and shaped it. The folding processes. It astounded me with such care that this man took. The craft and the steady hands only revealed one thing to me that was clear. This person knew exactly what he was doing.

At that moment, I opened my eyes to see a sword in front of me. It replaced the metal I once had. Smiling brightly, I focused upon it with the force. Once more, I was transported. A dark room with a bright blue light from a Dais in front of me.