Faction The Barrier Within

[Ala Quin]

Mist gathered like breath over the cascades of Naboo’s lake country, diffusing the light into a soft, endless glow. The rush of the waterfalls filled the air with quiet thunder, a sound that seemed to breathe in rhythm with the Force itself. Ala Quin stood upon the stones near the base of the falls, the hem of her robes dry despite the spray that wove silver threads all around her. A faint shimmer curved along the air between her and the water.

“The Force Barrier,” she said, her voice carrying easily through the mist, “is not built of strength alone. It is the conversation between your will and the world that would tear it down. It is the ultimate test of calm....of stillness even in the heat of battle.”

She lifted her hand, and the mist parted. The torrent fell inches from her outstretched palm, breaking and rejoining as though the air itself obeyed her unspoken request. Then she stepped forward. Across wet stone. Through the curtain of water. Her bare feet touched down on the other side without a drop upon them.

“The simplest defence,” Ala continued, “is to block. The truest defence is to control oneself. You will learn to hold your peace so wholly that nothing may unmake it.”

She turned, golden light flickering faintly around her frame, the soft edge of the Force drawn into visible grace. A gesture invited all who watched, Padawan, Knight, or wanderer, to step closer and try.

“The barrier is built by defiance...” she said, smiling faintly, "...but is the outflowing of the calm resolve of knowing and being. Give it a try...walk to this side of the waterfall. You have to start somewhere.”

| @Open to All Jedi |​

 

[Casaana]

Tags: Ala Quin Open

Casaana stared wide-eyed at the Miss Grandmaster's demonstration, not that she was intimidated by meeting the head of the order. After all, she'd met several before, even dragged one's children into trouble. And after that dressing down, no intimidation could compare. But this barrier, Casaana could see the potential. She thought about all the times she'd been a hair's breadth away from death or serious injury and how nice it would have been to have a barrier of the living Force adding just that little extra protection. Like on Bogan when she'd used herself as a shield to protect Roman as they charged an entrenched repeater, or more recently on the Death Star III.

Defiance, she grinned thinking about it, she had that in spades if any disciplinarian was to be believed. Calmness was something else, that was boring... But Quin had said it was the calmness of self-assurance! And she had that! Deeply inhaling though her nose, she closed her eyes and nestled her awareness into the fog in the back of her awareness that was, to her, the Force. Then what? She cast her mind about, wrap herself in it, push outwards? Confidence! She took a step forward out onto the mist covered rocks at the base of the waterfall, then she reached her foot out to take another, confident in her peace, but not looking where she was going. Her foot missed the rocks and she fell over into the water downstream with a laughing "Ack!" as she was soaked.

 

[Ala Quin]

The first student tried. The first student failed. And Ala — Grandmaster Quin — laughed.

It was a full, unrestrained laugh, the kind one gives when joy refuses to be hidden. The sound echoed through the mist, softening against the rush of the falls.

“Fantastic!” she said, eyes bright as she clapped her hands together. “Excellent attempt... Casaana, isn’t it?”

Ala crouched upon the rock, mist coiling around her in a perfect sphere that shimmered faintly with light.

“My word,” she grinned, “I haven’t seen someone fail that spectacularly since I first tried this myself. Well done!”

There was no mockery, only warmth. The Force pulsed lightly as she extended her hand, lifting the drenched Padawan effortlessly to her feet.

“Defiance of oneself,” Ala continued gently, “not of the water... not of the fists of the rancor beating against your barrier...no, no. Defiance of your own fear.”

With a soft pat to her lap and a chuckle, she stood again.

“Give it another go. You’re already wet — there’s no danger left in failing twice,” her tone softened into a knowing smile, “this time, no fear of water...no fear of embarrassment. Let it fall away. Not cockiness, but calmness.”

| Tag: Casaana @Open |​

 

[Casaana]

Tags: Ala Quin Open

Casaana rolled her eyes, at least she was spectacular? "Thanks, yeah," she replied somewhat subdued when asked her name, accepting the offered hand and help getting out of the water. "I wasn't afraid." Water rained from her drenched cloths to the stones below, and the Padawan helped it by sluicing more of it out of her hair and squeezing it from her robes. "Just didn't know what to visualize."

A pair of deep breaths and Casaana was feeling re-centered, she let the emotions fall away as Master Qinn directed. Whispering, "an outflowing of calm, I am here." She summoned up the Force in the back of her mind, circulating its energies throughout her body and letting them flow outward before stepping once again onto the path. This time with her eyes open.