That Time with Those People

[Laira Darkhold]

Mandalore, home of the ancient warrior culture of the Mandalorians. They had not always smiled upon those that were sensitive to the Force, but in more recent times they had changed their minds. They now included Force Sensitive warriors among their ranks, and welcomed them from what I knew. I was still without a clan, but I was not without a purpose. I had already began to sell the Mandalorians arms and armors, vehicles and equipment as well. They wore their clanskin with pride, but it had been surpassed in recent times. Mainly by my company. Now I had a different purpose. I sought Knowledge. Knowledge is Power, and those without it die slow at the hands of their enemies, those with it survive and pass into legend. If I was going to be able to protect my love I needed that knowledge. Already I had reached out to several other Masters. Now it is about meeting them, learning from them, mastering their craft as much as they had. It took a village to train a Master, and I lived by that sentiment. If you did not adapt, you will perish. Such is the Law of the Jungle.

Now I approached the home of [member="Anastasia Rade"] a Master who lived on Mandalore who could teach me to heal people, a skill I had had used on me, but not one I used or trained myself. It would not hurt to learn it. Especially since the odds were I could use it.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Training others was not something Anastasia did often but it wasn't due to her not liking it. It was just she didn't have the time for it. The master's focus was elsewhere to the business, smuggling ventures, the constant battles, and of course her husband. Ana would much rather spend her time snuggled up with Orick in their cabin than on a battle field. She always looked forward to and cherished the moments they got to do just that.


The home that she had on Mandalore wasn't used much anymore. Ana spent more time on Nar Shaddaa these days and only visited from time to time. Today she was waiting for [member="Draco Vereen"] whom she had agreed to give some training too. The man had installed some cybernetics into her husband. Ana had been a bit on edge about the whole thing but it had turned out quite well. This little training session was in a way kind of a thank you but really it was more than that. Ana wouldn't waste her time if she didn't see the potential in him. She did and wished to help him craft his skills plus she had a feeling that she would learn a little bit herself.

As he knocked on the door Ana get the cup of caf on the table before going to answer it. Her guest had arrived. Opening up the door she smiled and gestured for him to come in.

"Come on in, can I get you something to drink?"

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Having also left Nar Shaddaa and my own beloved behind to train on Mandalore, it hadn't been my first choice. I would have preferred to stay with her, but time had not allowed. It moved on, and I couldn't become complacent. If I did, I might not be able to protect her when she needed me to, so these small sacrifices now would prevent a larger one later. I reached out with my Force Sense and scanned the small home, one being inside, my teacher, no doubt.

She opened the door, and the blonde Mandalorian woman, dressed in pink invited me in. It was true Orick and I had some history and got along fairly well, but he didn't know about my personal life, and I didn't ask about his. I kept to myself, played close to the vest for the most part. But for any form of Force Training, I often left the comfort of Nar Shaddaa to learn. It was much better than being caught unaware, and this particular subject intrigued me greatly. With knowledge in this power, I could learn to heal her if she needed it, to heal myself if possible.

"No thank you, I am fine right now. How are you? How's Orick" I asked. It was polite, even if unecessary. We both knew why I was here, but I needed to hear her out and let her be the Master.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

"He's doing well, busy on a job right now. Please make yourself at home." The fact that he was on a job made this the opportune time for this lesson with Draco. She had been messaging him previously about what his interests where just to save time. She knew he was a busy man and she didn't want to waste his time nor her own. Ana still had quite a bit of packing to do here.

On top of teaching him Ana had heard that he was a mentalist. That had never been something she had dabbled in. She had plenty of nightmares as it was and knew first hand the affects of some of the tricks. She did wonder though if it could also be used to soothe the mind. It was a question she would have to ask.

"Just so I am clear, your interested in Pyromancy and Force healing? Which one did you want to start with?"

She liked learning out in field and teaching that way which would definitely make today quite a bit of fun. She didn't expect him to give her a bunch of trouble.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I nodded, letting her speak politely before responding to the pretty pink dressed woman. "Glad he's doing okay. And yeah, Pyromancy and Force Healing, but I'd like to start and focus on pyromancy if possible and play around with Force Healing some, as well as any other neat tricks you might wanna toss my way." I told her. I wasn't here for no reason. I was here to learn and learn only. The rest of this was for everyone else's benefit.

I exerted my presence in the Force, and with some significant and noticeable effort, I was able to create the smallest fire in my hand... at least it looked like that. I smiled and the illusion dissipated leaving no trace or presence. "I can do more, but I try not to show off for women that are taken. Especailly those taken by my friends. Anyways, where would you like to start. I am up for whatever you want to."

Truly I was. The sooner I was finished training. The sooner I became stronger, the better I could protect the ones I cared about, the better I could destroy those that sought to do them harm. The sooner I could be at peace.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

She knew that many saw Force Healing as just one of those pretty little skills. It was overlooked a lot but Ana saw the value in such skills. She didn't want to be all fire power so to speak but have a few defensive skills plus she did like to help others. Ana hoped that Draco and her would have the time to get to this skill. "Illusion's interesting. I hear your good at mind games as well." She smiled shaking her head slightly at his remarks about impressing men.

"We will start with pyromancy but small at first. You'll have to be patient, if you try to start with big fireballs your likely to burn your fingertips off." She stated as she led him to the other room. This room she had used as a training room so if he did end up having an accident or two it wouldn't burn down the rest of home.

"Without any fancy illusions I want you to light the candle." It was a simple task and Ana knew it sounded like child's play but it wasn't an easy task. It sometimes took a few times to get it right with a few mistakes. She could be patient hopefully he could be as well. If need be Ana could even demonstrate.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I smiled and followed her into her training room. Pyromancy had its merits, especially when combating biological opposition, and I had a thing for fire. I was drawn to it, intrigued by it. I used it often in combat and I described it as a compliment to others on occasion. I saw it as resourceful and strong, powerful and fickle. It could warm you or kill you if you lacked respect for it. That is why I preferred it. But I saw the merits of Healing as well. It was a skill that could amend mistakes and save allies when needed. I just didn't see me being the one to do the saving, I saw myself as the one in need of saving. "I wouldn't say so, but I try to be humble."

When she instructed me to light the candle I took a moment and prepared myself, focusing the Force between my fingers and gripping the wick loosely. "Alright, gimme a second." I said as I focused on creating a small flame, or really just any flame. It took a moment but I was able to generate a spark, if not a full flame on the candle. A thin trail of smoke rose from the wick. I hung my head, a little defeated.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Mindgames as Ana knew were nothing to take lightly or did she. The young woman was well aware of what they could do to people. They were nothing that she had any desire to tangle with or attempt to try. She would never wish the nightmares that she had on anybody else even an enemy. Happily they were not here for any of that at all but Pyro and maybe healing. The last one she wasn't so sure he was interested in.

Standing back she watched as he tried to light a candle and failed. Ana had failed at it too her first time and she had practiced a lot to get to where she was today. The task itself seemed easy but it could be and was daunting at times. "It's ok, try again. Would you like a demonstration?"

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Being able to heal someone through the use of the Force intrigued me. It was something i had had done to me, a couple of time, but wasn't something I had ever attempted. I saw the great use for it, but I personally did not want to be forced to use such an ability. Being forced to do such was admitting that I would fail, and while logically I wanted to be prepared for such an occurrance, part of me didn't want to come to terms with that. So instead, focusing on Pyrokinesis seemed more appropriate, especially seeing that I was a borderline Pyromaniac and made use of numerous fire based weapons such as flamethrowers, magnesium darts, incendiary grenades, and the like.

"Yeah, a demonstration would be good. Generating a Fire is really, really difficult. Trying to generate that much friction through the Force is rough. I presume its easier to manipulate existing fires?" I asked tentatively. I wasn't sure how to manipulate fire either, or how to generate flames themselves through simply the Force. It would take time, but I would get the hang of it. Being able to feel how she did it was more likely to yield positive results anyway.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

"It is, just like using Force Push or pull. You can start a little spark ablaze but than again that is something that most can do. Being able to create that spark on your own is something different." It would come in time for him which made her wonder if she was starting off too far ahead. Maybe she needed to begin with the simple things and work her way up to actually creating a flame.

A snap of her fingers and the candle lit ablaze in front of the two. Ana made it look simple however it wasn't she just made it look that way. She had a lot of practice though and soon Ana believed that he could do the same thing with practice. "Try moving the flame."

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I watched her intently, focusing on what she did with the Force in those few instants. That was more important than her physical actions that caused the fire to light. The use of the Force to create intense friction through a fuel source used to kickstart a spark, followed by fueling it with oxygen, coaxing the fire larger through the web of connections through the Force. It took a great deal of control and talent within the Force to do such a feat, and it took practice. Lots of practice. I had access to a general knowledge Holocron the Obsidian Order had gifted me with, but nothing beat having a Master to show you how it is done.

With watching her manipulate the flames, even as subtle as it was. It was less Telekinesis for me, and thus a little more difficult. I could use the basics of Telekinesis. Not even in the slightest of ways. What I could do however was manipulate the flames directly. It meant that I couldn't be as fancy as some pyromancers, that I would be less about making the fire dance, and more about keeping control over it. It also meant I would never fully master the skill, being so closely tied with Telekinesis. But, I could live with that. I was more interested in adding to the fire, or keeping it from harming the ones I love. "That sounds simple enough." I agreed.

I focused on expanding the flames, making them grow larger, making them erupt and burn hotter turning the decent sized orange flame yellow, then drawing it back to a small flame, the size one would find on a candle, trying to focus on keeping it hot while manipulating its size. That would be a good start for now.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

"Even with the basics you can do a lot. You can keep a fire ablaze and watch it grow which can be useful or even quell a raging flame. That one I know can be a little more tricky but it is worth having. It saves lives which is always important. Your doing well for your first time. I couldn't just create flame my first time. Lots of studying and training which really I see now was worth it. The possibilities are endless and I know you'll get the hang of it."

Creating flame had always took a lot of her energy but it always was worth while and she could make big flame balls if she wanted to. It was something she really only brought out during battles when she had to. Burning down a whole forest was not her cup of tea or what Ana liked doing. She wasn't a tree hugger but she did very much enjoy the forest.

"Try making the flame bigger. Don't worry, you won't hurt anything."

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I nodded, listening to the Master intently as I separated my focus between the small candle and the Master's voice. She was speaking words of encouragement, and offering decent advice so I took it to heart and kept working on adjusting the size of the flame. I changed my focus from making it small and hot to large. Concetrating on increasing the size of the flame I strained a little but the fire grew and grew until the single flame was about a half a meter tall and wavering in the airflow fairly well. Maintaining it took a bit of concentration, but not the same leve as making it larger had. This was good. Maybe I could play with it a bit more.

I went back to making it bigger, this time trying to make it more of a raging fire. Slowly it became more than a single long flame and broke into a fire that appeared more as though it were burning from a long rather than a candle. I released it from my concentration to see what would happen and the fire shrank back down to normal size fairly swiftly, but that was only part of it. "Alright. I think I kinda got the hang of making it bigger and smaller, or hotter." I said, "How about we get into making it move and throwing it around?" I asked.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]