Sands of Self-teaching (PM to Join)

[Andorreth Vikar]

I'd been on Eshan for the last week and a half. Training with Celiana had been grueling and I'd gone for a long walk to begin thinking about one of the things Celiana had said. She'd said that I had incredible potential but that I needed to open myself to The Force. I didn't really know what to do with that and now I sat in a lotus position on the sands of a beach on Eshan. I held a handful of sand as I thought about what Celiana had said.

Suddenly I heard footsteps off to right behind me. "Celiana is right you know. You need to open yourself up and accept the powers you have." Smirking I said "I don't like people who interrupt without introducing themselves. You are who exactly?" I could hear amusement in her tone next. "Smart mouth on you boy. Perhaps you can sense my location?" "Indeed I can, what'd you have in mind?"

I had a moment to think before I felt them, rolling forward I simply tossed the sand into the air and put my will behind the sand. I watched as it hardened into a solid dome shield and I felt the sand take the impact of the four different knives. Letting the sand pass into grains again I rolled through the sand as it came down and caught the knives in each of my hands. As I came to a knee I flicked both my hands out twice each flicking the knives back towards the source of the sound of her voice. I heard the tink sound as she deflected each one and caught them.

Spinning away from my position throwing the knives I once more brought my will to bear on the sand and brought it up in a sheet behind me. Spinning around I turned and opened my eyes to see who'd thrown the knives. A Miraluka, that'd explain it.... "So you're Celiana's Master then, at least with blades anyways. I gotta ask something though...how'd you know? How'd you know I could do that?"

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I waited for her to speak and considered this new ability I'd picked up on self-preservation instincts. "Aye Mr. Vikar, I am Celiana's blade and combat instructor and for the record I didn't know you could do that with the sand. I had an instinctive hunch about it though, you should know that very few people have the ability you developed. As for interfering without introducing myself....my name is Akira Soriano. That name should mean something to you and you should also know the power of the ability you developed instinctively, it functions as both offensive and defensive."

"Also before I begin teaching you about this power there's something else you should know about it. The sands can be used to start lightning up which will be useful once Celiana teaches you what has become one of her signature powers. This power in order to learn it will require you to endure pain in the form of electricity. You have a good heart Mr. Vikar, you will need that in order to wield the power she is going to teach you. It is.....beautiful in its own way."

Looking at Akira I simply nodded. "Soriano family. Known as both Seers and wetwork specialists, also known as specialists in training people in the ways of Juyo and Vapaad. From what you've said I'm guessing that the power she talked about is a form of Force Lightning. In any case I'm ready whenever you want to start."

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I waited for Akira to begin her instruction and as I did that I saw her begin pulling away a maroon strip of silk cloth from her eyes. I knew Miraluka people were blind physically but I also knew they saw through The Force. As she undid her blindfold I waited patiently for her to finish. As she finished pulling off her blindfold she walked over to me and walking behind me she tied the maroon strip of silk over my eyes. "Mr. Vikar, as you know of my family talents I also know of your family. Corellian, nobility at that. The difference is that you are in fact an exile seeking redemption. I know of the assassin you seek as does Celiana, the thing is that she will tell you who it is upon completion of your training or when she feels you are ready to wield Tamerlein."

"That blade was mine once upon a time and I think it intriguing that the set chose my student to teach another. Now we begin your training with this power that you and I both share. I want you to go into a sparring stance, Echani if you please...." Doing as she instructed I waited for her next instructions. "You noticed the fact that I'm a Miraluka, since you know of us you know we see clearer than most species. I want you to listen to what's around you Mr. Vikar. The lapping of the waters of the lake, the wind, my voice.... Hold the stance as you do. After locking into those sounds I want you to make them background noise in your mind and then switch your attention to how the sands felt in your hands."

"Following that you are to lock that feel in your mind permanently. Feel the grittiness, the texture of the sands, then study it in your mind. If you can do this with sand you can do it with any amount of dirt anywhere in the universe. To do so though you must understand the structure of the type of earth around you down to the molecular level. I will give you time to achieve this, once you have done so I wish you to move the sands with your bodily movements. You should be able to use the sands and earth the same as you would a blade or shield. Think of the sands and earth as an extension of your body, able to shift into either offense or defense at a moments notice."

Doing as instructed I held the stance and listened to the waves, the winds, and even Akira's voice. Taking it a step further I focused on my breathing then melded the rhythm to that of the waves. Again following her instructions I began focusing on the sands, paying attention to a single grain I began looking at it in my mind. Pulling it apart in my mind I found what she was talking about, I could see the molecular structure...Expanding my focus out further I did the same with the earth away from the shores. Then after achieving this I listened for Akira's breathing.... "M'lady this is.....incredible seems a vast understatement...."

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I breathed in and began to move with smooth movements as I drew the sands around me. I could see through The Force....small wisps of sand began to gather around my hands, another thin ribbon of sands around my waist and two more small nimbuses around my feet. As I began moving I started doing as Akira had instructed and began hardening the wisps around my feet into blades as I kicked. The ribbon of sand around my waist I turned into a whip and as I spun I lashed out with the whip before changing the sand around my hands and arms into small shields. Continuing through the forms I kept my mind flowing as though it were the sands and waters around me.

"Good! Well done Mr. Vikar, now we'll see how you do against a Master bladeswoman using those sands...." With that I sensed a knife being thrown off to my left, but I nearly didn't sense the knife that clinked off of the first to flick back towards me. Flicking the sands I caught the second knife and brought it to my left hand. Upon doing so I felt Akira dart forward and draw a dagger, as she moved I moved towards her and hardened the sand around my hands into blades with the arms acting as shields. The wisp of sand around my waist I kept floating as a way of being adaptible. I felt Akira slip under my guard and jump into an attack but whipping the sand around my waist I caught Akira's right foot and brought her down onto the beach hard.

I felt bad for being rough but at the same time she was testing me and holding back wouldn't do me any favors. I felt her spin back into a low ready stance and heard her palm several throwing weapons. This was getting interesting to say the least.....

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I waited as Akira came back to her feet and said "M'lady, do you always see such colors? It's....beautiful albeit a little distracting." I brought my hands back in close into a loose guard position. I noticed Akira leap into the air and heard her flick the throwing weapons towards me. Rolling away from the position I'd been in I rose back into a low guard. I felt the projectiles hit the sand on the shore, there was another few thrown towards me some of them flicked off each other in the same trick as with the knives. Plucking a few out of the air I felt another slice through the skin on my cheek in a shallow cut.

"Well done Mr. Vikar, you have some remarkable talent. Firstly yes I do see those colors all the time, and I agree it can be distracting the real task of finding the beauty is sparring against someone and gauging their emotions while doing so through those colors. Emotions tend to have brighter colors or at least I think they do. Seeing someones emotions through The Force is a beauty unlike most things that people with sight tend to experience. In regards to my blade slicing your cheek simply remember this Mr. Vikar, nobody is the best. There's always someone better, also only the students have the ability to surpass the Master. Something to perhaps contemplate in your free time."

"As it stands you have the beginnings of what I believe you should know about The Force. How you use it is up to you, though I'd say it'd be a good idea to find a container that can't be broken and to carry a portion of sand, earth, or other minerals that you can manipulate or learn to manipulate with you in your travels. I'm convinced that you'll be capable of surpassing Celiana in bladework, unarmed combat might be another story but I think you're fit to wield Tamerlein." With that she bowed slightly to me and I returned her bow. "Mr. Vikar, there is one more thing I can suggest to you. Firstly keep that strip of silk, if nothing else it will serve to show Celiana what I think of your skills. More than that though I'd suggest learning to spar without your sight, in case you should ever lose it you'd be able to still see which is a good skill to have anyways."

"Secondly, I suggest that whether you use blades primarily or unarmed combat that you incorporate strips of materials such as the silk you have and others. Colors are best, natural or bright makes little difference. The main idea is that your opponent will try keeping track of the movements of the ribbons and will however briefly forget the fact of your blades or fists. Plus for your information it's a trick that the assassin you seek never learned or how to defend against it."

As she began to walk away I called out. "M'lady Soriano! If you'll excuse perhaps several impertinent and possibly offensive questions I'd like to ask you some things..."

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I sat on the beach while I waited for Akira's answer when she said "I'll permit the questions Mr. Vikar. Be mindful of what you ask though there's not much that will truly offend me, I appreciate your honesty in telling me I might find it offensive. Ask what you will of me Mr. Vikar." I was surprised at her though... "Well M'lady, excuse me. Akira, my questions are as follows firstly what exactly do you know about the assassin I'm looking for? My second question is the one that might possibly be offensive... I felt some tension between you and Celiana are you two a thing? I mean I get it the whole Master and student thing but it just seems there was more there."

She smirked and said "firstly on the topic of the assassin you're searching for the reason I know so much about him is that I was for a time his instructor. Though after our first several sessions I decided that there was too much at risk for me to allow him to stay. At the end of the final training session I had to draw live steel against him. He'd beaten Celiana into unconsciousness and I had to have another student tend to her. She was and is my greatest success she took an approach I never expected and turned towards the Jedi. She had been an assassin and due to my training she was very good at it. She took on the name of The Oracle and was the last person I decided to train. Outside of you Mr. Vikar, which says exactly what I think of your character."

"In regards to Celiana and I being how did you say? An item, yes in fact. Though it has been a relatively new development to be honest...."

Blinking at what Akira had told me I asked "What exactly is the purpose behind both you and your student teaching me these things if you don't mind my being brutal in asking M'lady." I could come up with several reason but instead she simply told me. "We are teaching you, training you because what he did to you wasn't right. He has a specific way to him that I and Celiana both recognize as honor. He gives the target a chance to duel him, if they win the contract is voided if he wins they die. However there is a third option if they refuse his duel he threatens the victims family. This third option is what happened to your brother. Celiana and I want you to end him he has honor, but it's twisted. His brutality is what he's known for now."

"We're training you so that you can claim justice for yourself and reclaim what was stolen from you. I have a request though from a personal standpoint....when you do face him I'm asking you to finish him but to do so with honor. A blade in his hand or him acting with dishonor is reason enough to simply kill him outright but he needs to see justice done against him. I'm going to grant you my personal permission to his weapons and armor as they were all forged and crafted by me. As he is no longer fit to wield them I am granting them to you."

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

Blinking several times at what Akira had told me I sank to one knee and held my right fist over my chest in a symbol of honor to her. I waited until she slowly came over and sat next to me instead. "Mr. Vikar, if you please have a seat. No man nor woman need bow their head to me. Though I thank you for the gesture, it shows me further what kind of man you are. An honorable one, tell me Mr. Vikar who is the girl I saw sparring against and being trained by my student?"

Pausing momentarily I simply sat next to Akira then said "Andorreth please, I've not yet reclaimed my formal title. Further than that there's no such need among good friends. As to the girl, her name is Jae Jordan. She's my pilot....and also my lover. Though I'd like to see about courting her after my title and citizen rights have been restored." I saw the flicker of a smile on Akira's face then it was gone. "Andorreth, if I might make a request...Ensure that you treat her with every courtesy, that you treasure her and fight for her. You see, there's something that Echani do in order to grow closer. It's a traditional honor duel, no weapons, no use of The Force, no clothing at all. It's an inherently intimate thing meant to build closeness between two duelists. It's also a form of courtship in the Echani tradition one you would be entitled to use in the case of courting Jae. You are Corellian but you have an inherent knowledge of Echani movements and combat."

"You have family that were at least partly Echani in the distant past. As such you are entitled to our ways and customs, something to perhaps think about. Before you begin heading back Mr. Vikar, here this is for you." I glanced down to her hand to see a medium bag of...Corellian sand panther skin. Looking at Akira I bowed my head and took it, I knew what she was thinking. Fill it with sand and close it. She looked towards me and said "At some point Andorreth you should return home and hunt that animal with the sands you carry in that skin do honor to the creature that bag came from. In any case you should be heading back to the Dojo now, supper will be soon and you should spend some time with Jae before joining us at the dinner table. Until then Mr. Vikar, I bid you farewell." She began to rise and without thinking I offered her my hand and pulled her back to her feet. Smiling she nodded towards the sands and I headed out to the beaches of Eshan. Opening the bag I simply pulled it along in a smooth movement using the bag to gather up the sands, as I pulled it up I closed the bag and cinched it shut before heading back to the Dojo to rejoin Jae...