Strengthening Oneself [Shadow]

[Lief]

Ten Years Prior​

Korriban: The Reign of Tyrin Ardik​

​

Kära had just reached the grand age of twelve. That meant half of her life had been spent in training and servitude to the Sith Empire, a scary realisation. Her Master, and Emperor of the Sith, Tyrin Ardik had decided it was time she began specialising in something other than her mentalist capabilities. As such sessions had been set up with one @[member='Darth Shadow'], who had recently returned to the public view. He was not someone she had heard of, nor someone she had seen before, and for the paranoid young girl that was difficult to accept. She did, however, trust her Master; he was the first Sith she had met upon Korriban, where she attempted to sneak her way into the Academy - as if by doing so she could integrate herself without their realisation. It was his guidance which had led her to become part of the Empire in the appropriate manner, and he kept her from facing any immediate threats during her transition period.

As such she did not question his prerogative; instead Kära found herself wandering through the halls of the Academy on Korriban, ensuring that she took herself off to the correct location at the appropriate time which had been decided upon by Shadow himself. It was one of the training rooms she had never been to before, off limits to the younger participants of the Sith due to the dangers a forge could pose. She knew what that meant: the likelihood was that she was being sent to learn Alchemy, specifically metallurgy. The idea excited the young girl, but it likewise worried her: it wasn't something she had studied up on, what if Shadow expected her to know more than she did? Chewing on her lower lip with her mixture of paranoia and nerves setting in, the young child finally entered the training room.

Therein she waited for her instructor, initially shielding her eyes from the fierce glow of the forges flames, her sensitive eyes struggling in the intense light. She knew it would pass, they just needed to adjust to the initial photon-explosion.

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

“Welcome, my dear,” came a voice from the shadows behind her. From the darkness appeared an old man, grey haired, tall, proud in bearing. His eyes stared into her, almost through her.
“The Emperor has requested that I instruct you in certain abilities and techniques. He did not mention the age of the Apprentice. How old are you, girl? 10? Do you think you have what it takes to begin the path of the alchemist?” he asked.

 

[Lief]

There came a voice from behind, prompting the girl to turn. Her posture was, as ever, perfect, and despite the unexpected nature of his words she showed no signs of shock or having been caught unaware. Her body dipped into a low bow of respect. "My Lord" she said, as she rose back up, her gaze lifting to settle upon the face of the man. Only then did she have any inclining of what he looked like. His words would have been enough to turn most girl's cheeks crimson, and even many boys, however Kära was mostly unphased. Her age was an oddity amongst the Sith, but she was by no means as young as she had been upon first training under their Order. It had hardened her against the worst the Sith could throw at her, verbal abasement meant little to her these days, whether he intended for it to seem that way or not.

"It seems my Master is not one to inform anyone of anything that is unnecessary. I am twelve, however my age is of no relevance here, My Lord." Her hands settled down to the small of her back, locking in place as they clasped one another. Her back straightened, posture perfect once again. The worries she had felt began to wash away, not because the man wasn't someone to fear but simply because she could tell from the off that he knew what he was doing. "I have what it takes to do whatever is required of me, My Lord, should I put my mind to it. I am the only one who can truly hold myself back." And that wasn't an arrogant assumption or statement, but simply a grim truth. She had been forced to face much in her short life, there was little she had not been exposed to, been made to try, whatever this man had in store would be no more difficult to face.

@[member="Darth Shadow"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

Shadow seemed amused by her confidence. “Oh indeed. The power of the self is wonderful to behold, but misplaced overconfidence is a sin.”

He waved a hand vaguely. “Regardless, the Emperor considers you ready for this, so we shall see if he is correct. Let us begin.”

The Force burnt hot, the only light in the dark room. Shadow crossed to it and levitated a bar of metal which partly rested in the flames. One end glowed cherry red, spitting in the cooler air.
“Come here, girl. Before I can teach you anything about alchemy, I must teach you forging. Take the cold end of the steel, feel its weight, and tell me what you think you know about smithing.”

 

[Lief]

That did bristle her slightly. It wasn't confidence she had been attempting to assert, it had just been a brooding truth. If she did not set her mind to trying to do something, then who would? The answer was, of course, nobody. She bit her lip slowly, watching the man. "I think you misunderstood me, My Lord," she said, however when he changed the subject Kära was gratefully relieved.

Stepping over to where Shadow stood she shielded her eyes for just a moment. Soon the glow was bearable enough that she could lower the hand and view the glowing rod of metal without risking her eyesight. Reaching down her hand she took up the cold edge of the steel; it was heavy, especially compared with the likes of a lightsaber, but it was surprisingly bearable to carry. Settling it back down for a moment she turned her head to glance upon him.

Smithing... Smithing... The word brought back memories, and lots of them. Of her childhood on Umbara, of Daxton's workshop too... "You have to heat up the metal, hammer and fold it, then temper it... My Lord." This wasn't something she had ever spoken about before, just observed. Biting her lip a little nervously she glanced back to the forge. Kära hated tripping over her words. "It depends on what you're making, My Lord..."

@[member="Darth Shadow"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]
“It does indeed, my dear. You have the basic components right, of course. However, in order to make what you wish, you must first know what you want, and be prepared to spend the time and effort necessary. To start with we will make a basic knife, nothing special, but it will still take several days to produce.”
Shadow took the glowing steel back and laid it on an anvil, holding it with the Force.
“Take up the hammer, my dear, let me see your strength. Hit the glowing end. Strike it with all of your strength.”

 

[Lief]

With a nod of her head Kära listened to what was said. Making a knife sounded good, it would be taxing for her given her weakened body but she knew it would be worth it. That, and it gave her the basics she needed to learn more. "Yes, My Lord" she said, stepping forward to take up the hammer. Kära bit her lip and fuelled the Force through her body.

After a moment she adjusted to its weight, and struck down against the bright, glowing end of the steel which rested on the anvil. The sound was close to deafening, but she did not show it. Kära refused to show weakness.

@[member="Darth Shadow"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

The clang of the hammer echoed through the forge, and the impact kicked up sparks from the hot metal. The girl had made a divot in the hot metal, smoothing it down a bit.
Shadow smiled grimly. "Impressive. Another 4,095 times and the weapon is made. But are you not a Sith? You have seen what can be achieved with brute strength, now call on the Force to achieve an even greater result! To a Sith the Force is your tool, your weapon, use it here."
With his spare hand he called another hammer so it hovered in mid-air, then brought it down with great precision on the glowing metal, leaving a bigger dent than Kara had. It was clear that Shadow did not exhaust himself swinging the hammer physically, but used his mind to make it happen.

 

[Lief]

The young girl glanced across to Shadow and nodded her head. "Yes, My Lord, I am a Sith, and I am aware of what the Force is capable of in regards to assisting with such." Telekinesis was a useful counterpart, and when he used the Force to hover the hammer she knew that it was what he had in mind. Blinking she watched as the hammer struck the metal on the anvil at a much better pressure than she had managed.

Mimicking his actions she conjured up the Force to levitate the hammer she had been holding. For now she did not strike it down, given that both heated metal and anvil were in use by Shadow. Instead she adjusted to the feel of having the Force wrapped around it. It was one thing to move and lift things with the Force, it was another to do something which required dexterity and precision.

@[member="Darth Shadow"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]
Shadow chuckled. "You are not a true Sith yet, girl. So put your mind to work on this task."
The Sith Lord called on the Force to levitate the bar to just below eye level. The tip had dimmed whilst they talked so it now only glowed dark red. Extending a hand, the Force crackled as lightning from his hand, the electrical resistance reheating the metal so it was ready for him to give to Kara.

Calling on the Force he offered both the hammer and the cold end of the metal to Kara. Now they would see just what she could do.

 

[Lief]

Kära kept her little mouth closed with regards to his first assertion. Perhaps he was correct, but she had been raised within the Empire more or less, and had even taken her own Apprentice despite holding the title herself... Of course, that was not at all common knowledge. She had been considered ready for Knighthood since the turn of her first decade, but humbly - and cleverly - she had outright refused her Master and Emperor. None of this Shadow needed to know, however.

Instead she stood and watched, her pupils dilating slightly when the flash of sparks appeared. It took all her will not to look away. "Yes, My Lord" she simply uttered, reaching out to take the hammer in her left and dominant hand. The metal she took next, settling it down on the anvil. Finally the hammer was levitated away from her grasp and brought down upon the glowing end of the ore.

The resulting sound was horrendously loud as Kära's blow had been far stronger than the initial one. Clearly she was a girl whose strengths lay in the mind, and it had shown even as a child. Her lip twitched into a very slight smile as she recalled name-snatching from the minds of Sith Lords. It had been a bold move, but ultimately had paid off. How far she had come in six years, half of her life.

@[member='Tamara']

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

Shadow leaned forward, examining her handiwork. He nodded, the power was there.
"Your goal is to hammer the metal flat, reheating as necessary, then folding the metal over and doing it again. A blade of sorts can be made with just a few of these, but to make a proper weapon you must fold and reheat, hammer and forge it over a dozen times at least. So you try now...conserve your energy, be precise, hammer it, reheat it, fold it. I will guide you."
Taking a second hammer and a second piece of metal, he showed her the correct steps to take in order to hammer and for processing. It would be a long process.

 

[Lief]

For a moment she stopped to listen, ensuring that she did not bring the hammer back down again; after all, that would be rude and break his words with unnecessary noise. "Yes, My Lord" she said again, opting to watch him hammer out the process before she continued herself. It seemed fair enough, hammer, heat, fold; it was just as she had studied a few years back. It was certainly doable.

Thus, through the Force, the young girl began to hammer the metal down, using the Force to not only move the hammer but to ensure pinpoint perfection on the location and strength of the hit. She didn't want to shatter the ore. The white-light-sheen the ore took when it was heated hurt her eyes but over time she adjusted to that, too. It was tiring work, but Kära did her best at using just as much energy as she needed without overdoing it.

@[member='Tamara']

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]
Shadow continued to patiently show Kara where and what to hammer to have the most impact. Finally though he laid aside the hammer.
“The hammer is useful, but the Force can replace even it to those with the strength to use it.”
A gesture and an invisible blow smote the hot metal, denting it like the hammer had struck.
“To one strong in the Force it gives an accuracy and strength that no mortal tool can apply,” he continued.

 

[Lief]

She watched the instructions as they were presented, applying the hammer to specific areas on the metal to ensure the best result. When he set aside the hammer she frowned a little, and continued to pound away at the metal with her own. That is until he spoke. Her actions slowed so as to be able to effectively listen to him without straining or seeming rude.

Her eyes widened when he used the Force as the hammer, her amazement apparent. "Telekinetic blast, My Lord?" she asked, although it looked far too pinpoint accurate for anything she'd ever done with Telekinesis. Would this be a lesson within a lesson?

@[member="Darth Shadow"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Lady Kyros"]

Shadow sniffed slightly. It was clear he did not approve. "Call it as you wish, girl. I do not label common actions with the Force as fancy and complicated titles. Use the Force, Kara. It is what separates us from the common herd of animals and sentients. Reach out with your feelings...envision what you wish to accomplish, then wield the Force as your tool."
There was a loud clang as an invisible hammer struck sparks from is bar of metal. It was more tiring, but it was also more precise, stronger than a physical tool.

 

[Lief]

She frowned a little, clearly the titles she had been taught for such were of no consequence to the man before her. As such she simply inclined her head and decided not to name things again, at least not in his presence. Another lesson learned, it seemed. "Yes, My Lord" she said softly.

Glancing down to the ore she settled aside the hammer and focused upon the Force. Drawing upon it she allowed a potent and directed blast of Force energy to be propelled down against the metal, as if it were being struck by a hammer. Again it sounded noisily around the room.

@[member="Darth Shadow"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

@[member="Lady Kyros"]

“Good…good! Do not let yourself get too excited though. Measured blows. The key is to be consistent, even, measured. Rash temper and furious passion can make your unpredictable, unreliable. Use the Force as your tool, ride the crest, do not be swept away by it.”
He went back to hammering his metal, folding it on itself, crashing down blow after blow, then quenching it in water.

 

[Lief]

"Of course, My Lord." She knew better than to become overzealous, and the hardships faced during her earlier years had ensured her a larger control over her emotions than most her age, nevermind most her age and under the influence of the Darkside of the Force.

She continued to work the metal with the invisible tool that was the Force, feeling its ever present flow washing over her and keeping her fuelled. Of course, it tired her to use it in such a way, but it was less physically demanding and more mentally... Which she could handle.

[member="Darth Shadow"]

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Lady Kyros"]

Finally, Shadow called a halt. They were on the twelfth fold.
“Now it is time to make the blade’s final shape, to sharpen and polish it, and then to bind it.”
He demonstrated how the blade had to be tapered, flat and in symmetry, then showed Kara how to polish and sharpen the blade using a grindstone, oil and obsidian stone.

With that done they both held their new blades in their hands, needing only to attach them to a handle for them to be done.