Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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The Teachings of the Force

Yavin IV....

Oh, Yavin IV. Rune has always found this planet to be interesting for some reason and he was never really able to say why, yet he has only visited this place once or twice, if he could remember correctly, and that was back when he still had a Jedi Master by his side. It was on this planet that he had learned how to construct his very own lightsaber, and it was also here that he was able to duel multiple times against his Master to prove his combat skills to her.

Needless to say, though, he ironically - and unfortunately - never learned much about the Force in these parts of the Galaxy. All he was ever able to learn properly was how to use the basics of the Force, such as the Force Push, and the arts of the movement of the Jedi with abilities such as the Force Jump and Force Speed.

Yet, that wasn't enough. No, it was clearly not enough. He needed more. Not.... Not too much, though, of course, of course. After all, Rune never wanted to plunge deep into the arts of the Dark Side, if he ever crosses the path of such a terrible-sounding thing, but he also wanted to approach himself closer to the Force, learn more about it.

It was pretty much then that the young man will be taken out of his meditation, lightly blinking as he looked around to see that he was still in his ship, the Moon Gazer, a basic YT-2400 Light Freighter model. It was the very one he had stolen about ten years ago now from the wretched Bounty Hunter Karth Den, and it was also the one he had been using for so many years.

He would then notice that his ship had finally taken itself out of Hyperspace and was now approaching the surface of Yavin-IV from afar. Huh, that was faster than he had expected, seeing as he was in another corner of the Galaxy not long ago. Maybe this ship wasn't too badly shaped in the end, even after so many years of service. Smiling, the young man would nod to himself once more, then pilot his ship towards the planet, the atmosphere slowly starting to kick in as the sky turned from a galactic black to a deep blue.

"It has been so long."

Soon, he would land the Moon Gazer within the praxeum beside multiple other ships that he guessed were owned by other Jedi, then head outside, wearing the pale beige garments of the usual Padawan along with his trusty lightsaber hanging from his waist. For now, he had left his blaster inside his ship, considering that, here, in a location built over relative peace, he doubted that anybody would suddenly attack the area.

He would then inside the Temple and head towards the Courtyard, walking within a straight pose. For a Jedi Padawan, he sure looked sage enough to be considered a Knight and his emotions seem to be in control... for now, at the least.

The sole reason why he came here on Yavin IV was actually to find a Master that could potentially teach him more about the Force, just like Kaila, his previous Master, wanted to teach him before her disappearance.

Not only that, but he was also not very decided on which path he must still partake yet as a Jedi. Should he be a Guardian? A Sentinel? A Consular? He had no idea.

It was only when he would find a proper Master that he will probably find his answers. Who knows, maybe the Force will also guide him on his path as well.

Arrived at the Courtyard, Rune would look around, happy to see that there were not a lot of commotions around here apart from some people practicing their lightsaber skills, and decided to sit down and start meditating, trying to convey the Force on his own for the moment as he closed his eyes, focusing.
 
A tall man, broad of shoulder and rigid in his gait, stepped out of the Academy and into open air. Immediately, the muggy climate assaulted his senses. The humidity levels were such that just breathing oxygen felt like drowning. Still...

He glanced up at the light filtering through the jungle canopy overhead, broken only where the praxeum jutted skyward. A beautiful day, full of promise. A thought which, six months prior, would have never occurred to a brain so full of dark, swirling clouds, swollen with portends of doomsday.

Time apart from the Order had rejuvenated his spirits, made him see the good they did even in the midst of this mad, eternal war.

Beneath firm brows, grey eyes peered out across the grounds. Stern and piercing, like iron lance heads, but the deeper one looked, the more haunting they became. Here was a man who had seen the horrors and lived, while others had not. The impression was punctuated by the scar, white with age, which started just under his right eye and trailed half-way down square, chiseled features. Thin lips pressed together, more familiar with the shouts of war than with the calming platitudes and vicarious laughter of peace. Whoever the mason was who carved this man from stone, he had not given him laugh lines. Yet this same mason seemed to have made up for the color left off in the rest of this statute by putting it vibrantly in the hair. Long locks of deep red they were... the color of blood.

Korr clasped his hands behind his back and strolled across the lawn. Clad in the cream colored tunic of the Order, he marked himself as separate from many present at the Academy who chose to wore no uniform at all. Rogues, but allies still.

The sight of an unfamiliar face attracted the Jedi Master's attention as he passed by. Though bearded and long of hair, he could not have been much older than Ryan himself had been during the Fall of Coruscant. The young man sat on the ground, clearly deep within meditation.

Rather than disturb him, Ryan decided to settle down opposite him. Bending low in his shin-length boots, Korr knelt and also closed his eyes. The world around him faded for a moment, until he opened himself to the Force. Smells and sounds rose in a chorus as Ryan's senses came alive, one with the world around him. Rather than a cacophony of unfiltered feelings, Korr recognized it as a harmonic symphony, perfectly in tune to the ripples of the Force.

Ryan let the new trainee's emotions wash over him as well, wondering who he was and what had brought him here.

[member="Rune Talrik"]
 
As Ryan, one of the few Jedi Masters present within the Courtyard at the moment, sat in front of Rune as the latter was still deep into his meditation, bending forward with crossed legs, he would then start learning more about Rune's present emotions.

Needless to say, although it did not really seemed to be like it, the young man was...... sad, maybe even a little bit depressed, one might even say. It was surprising, to say the least, for someone who was as sad as this person to push his emotions away into the corners of his mind and focus on his meditation the best he could, trying to open his mind to the Force, letting it flow through his body, feeling it course through his veins.

The young man had been meditating for a good while now ever since he has lost his previous Master. Although he was still sad about her disappearance, meditation was bringing him constant peace within his mind, bringing the turmoil of grief and sadness away from the present and instead pushing them towards the past. And so, again, even though he knew he had to find another Master that would lead him correctly on the path towards the Light Side of the Force, and not the Dark Side, whom Rune is still unfamiliar with, he still kept meditating, bringing his mind at peace as often as he ever could.

That... was why Rune was so interested in the Force.

And then, he would feel the presence in front of him, a man that was connected to the Force..... a man that has lived through many things in his deep past. Although Rune could not describe the man in his entirety, unable to describe his actual appearance with closed eyes, the Force would allow him to still feel the man's emotions.

Both of the men would meditate in such a way for at least a good hour. Or so, it was how Rune perceived it when he finally opened his eyes, stopping his meditation as he concluded that he had had enough, then calmly stared at the man in front of him, waiting for the Jedi Master to stop his meditation before he could speak to him, not wanting to interrupt him. And so, he would stay silent, analyzing the man and his appearance now that his eyes were opened. It was clear that, without the Force, he would had probably judged this man to be a bit suspicious, maybe even intimidating. But, thanks to his meditation, he knew that the man in front of him was no bandit, no smuggler, no Sith..... He was a Jedi Master.

It seems his journey to find a Master has already come to an end.

[member="Ryan Korr"]
 
Pain. Ryan was familiar with pain. He had known torture both physical and spiritual. As a Padawan he had suffered the Vong's Embrace of Pain. Night terrors still plagued him because of that event, even these many years gone. But that was not the worst of it. He'd held a dead lover in his arms, watched his friends dwindle into nothing (cut down or turned one by one), and stood by helpless as the Temple on Coruscant, his home for fifteen years, crumbled into nothing.

Melancholy. Yes, this too had afflicted him. How could the galaxy ever be at peace when a war, seemingly eternal, raged between Jedi and Sith? A question with many answers, but few worthy enough to light the candle of hope.

And finally, a yearning to find something lost. Ah. Here they matched as well. Korr had searched for the remnants of his people, the Vahla, but Isolda must have hidden them beyond his sight. One day he would find them.

Slowly, Korr opened his eyes and met the stare of the mournful seeker.

"I am Jedi Master Ryan Korr. Are you searching for something?"

[member="Rune Talrik"]
 
As the Jedi Master slowly opened his eyes to meet Rune's gaze, the young Padawan would feel eased, far from being anywhere near intimidated. Although the man clearly seemed to have passed through a lot, again, there was nothing that could be able to convince Rune to think that he was dangerous. In fact..... they seemed to have a lot in common.... They both have melancholy within themselves, a gloom of sadness that lives deep within their stomachs, aching and gurgling with difficulty while moving, and they also had both shared their lots of physical and psychological pain in the past.

But, no, it wasn't that that interested Rune the most.

No..... it was because this man was also somebody that was yearning to find something that he lost in the past and wanted to find back. Though Rune was unaware what this thing might be, he doubted that it was an object. Already, he could predict that the Jedi Master wanted to find somebody, or multiple people at once. It was kind of laughable how their issues and tramas were so similar, maybe even a little bit painful, pitiful.

All of these emotions, though..... They are not what a Jedi must suffer through, and even Rune was aware of that. This man, who presented himself as Ryan Korr..... It was a bold thing to think about, but the Padawan considered that the man in front of him must had once almost embraced the Dark Side at some point. Whether he was right or not was not something within his reach, and, for now, he preferred to keep this thought a secret to his own mind, something private that he shall not consider to publicly reveal until the right situation is reached.

At the Jedi Master's question, the Padawan would leave his reply soon after a small pause, calmly nodding and trying to be as formal and polite as possible.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Korr. My name is Rune Talrik. You might had already heard of my name, unfortunately, because of the disappearance of my Master, Kaila Saratzi. I was her apprentice for almost a decade and.... she has disappeared during a task the Jedi Order had given to her within private matters."

He would lose the soft smile he had been keeping this whole time, now replaced with a saddened expression, his eyes staring at the ground below.

"I suppose you might already know, by my words, why I came here already. Although I was certified with the title of Padawan not long ago by the Jedi Order, my knowledge of the Force is still incomplete and the path I want to partake as a Jedi, uncertain. Therefore, I believe that I might still need a Master at my side, to teach me the ways of the Force and keep me away from the Dark Side."

He would then look up once more towards Ryan, smiling once again.

"This is why I came here. To find a Jedi Master, and to ask if he or she would be generous enough to take me as his or her Padawan. I know I might sound foolish, maybe even selfish, but I cannot head forward with my eyes still shut. I need someone to guide me through this world of perpetual darkness, and to clear my blindness."

[member="Ryan Korr"]
 
Korr nodded slowly. "I see. You're wise to seek out assistance, Talrik. To walk this life alone is a dangerous task. Far easier to fall, or slip into evil ways."

The Jedi Master stood. "Walk with me."

A noontime breeze had come while they meditated and now its gentle touch cooled the sweat beading on Korr's brow and neck. Perspiration in a jungle was inescapable, even if all one had done for the past hour was sit in one place and think deep thoughts.

Korr started on the path that led in a circuit around the outer edge of the Academy grounds. They passed a pair of Jedi padawans practicing kata, their training sabers humming and weaving through the air. Others moved through the arts of motion, graceful and elegant.

"I am sorry to hear about your former Master. I've had friends vanish as well. Sometimes the Force plucks them from our lives and leaves us floundering. We must learn to let go of such connections, so that we may be drawn closer to the Force. But that does not mean we need forget the lost. If you want me to launch an investigation into her disappearance I can do so.

"As for the matter of your apprenticeship, I have recently returned from a... search, of sorts. I will take you on, if that is your wish, but it will not be easy."

[member="Rune Talrik"]
 
Of course, Rune would agree on Ryan's words about how dangerous it was to progress within the perpetual darkness of this world on your own, that it was almost suicidal to walk onto the path of the life that has been bestowed to him at his birth all alone with no one else by his side. In fact, he has already learned how dangerous solitude was when inexperienced in many ways thanks to Karth Den and the Coruscanti underworld, but, even if he was experienced as much as a Jedi Master back then, it would had only permitted him to stop one single event. But, despite the lack of combat expertise he had been a victim of back then, the Force gave him a chance to walk through this obstacle that was Den's criminal organization, and that is exactly what he did alongside his previous Master, Saratzi.

As the Jedi Master beside him would then ask him to walk with him on one of the many paths of the Jedi Temple, the Padawan would calmly nod and do so, still as trustworthy as ever for some reason, for the Force already proved him that Master Korr was not a threat, but a benevolence, another chance that would help him pursue the path the celestial powers has set within his mind.

Although a small, but cool breeze would lift itself up into the air and slightly brush against Rune's sweating face, for meditating in a jungle was surely going to lead to such a physical situation, the Padawan would walk beside Master Korr on the path, steadying his speed to match the Master's own motions. Of course, this was no simple task at first, but, eventually, he was able to do so and keep up with the man rather easily.

Following the man on the path carved into the very ground in a circuit pattern around the outer edge of the Academy's training grounds, Rune would be able to perceive many apprentices training between each other in various forms of practice, ranging from the typical melee combat training to the usage of the Force in a certain, particular situation.

Soon, the Padawan's eyes would slowly drift towards a couple of two apprentices that were both graciously practicing the arts of melee combat. By a simple gaze, Rune would already be able to perceive the Forms of lightsaber combat they were training with. For the moment, they were both aiming to master the second form of combat, Makashi.

A good start for great future warriors....

Thanks to his previous Master, Rune had already mastered multiple forms of lightsaber combat. In fact, he had learned all but two Forms: the Sixth and the Seventh Forms. Saratzi had already known all along that he had a natural mastery in melee combat and, therefore, she wanted to absolutely perfect the ways of the Lightsaber of her apprentice before teaching him further within the Force. A noble thought indeed. Of course, this allowed Rune to gain interest unto the Seventh Form, maybe even to the point of wanting to master it properly.

Maybe he could even produce his own Form.... Who knows..... The Force might make him drift towards this path as a Jedi.

But no matter. As Master Korr raised his voice, apologizing for hearing about Rune's previous Master, he explained to the Padawan that it was only but a normal thing to let go of connections and still remember them as an united memory. This made Rune ponder on his grief and mourning of the past memories of his Master, making him slightly look down, lost in his thoughts. But, as Korr proposed to him if he could ever launch an investigation on the matter, the Padawan would then find himself replying, just as calm as beforehand.

"Unfortunately, I have already proposed such things to the Jedi Order multiple times and they never came back with any results. This is maybe the work of the Force. I have a feeling that it might want me to do the investigation on my own, to find her on my own behalf.... or, at the least, with somebody by my side."

Then, when Master Korr told him about his apprenticeship, Rune's eyes would blink, a bit surprised by the matter, seeing as he had predicted just earlier that this Jedi Master might take him on. But, soon, the Padawan would find himself nodding with a calm smile, happy to see that the Force seemed to have been with him all along within his thoughts.

"I would be glad to be your apprentice, Master Korr."

[member="Ryan Korr"]
 
"That's unfortunate." Korr grimaced.

The most horrific investigations he had ever been a part of revolved around missing Jedi. Often they were captured, or had fallen. If the former, usually by Sith, who would then torture them to death, or turn them to the Dark Side. Korr wondered how he himself would fair under such an inquisition. The scars which wrapped around his upper arms, hidden beneath the robes, itched. More mementos of the Vong's cruelty. He decided he'd rather die.

"I will talk to the Council and see if nothing else can be done. In any case, you need not be alone any longer, Padawan Talrik." A reassuring smile flitted across Ryan's features.

A cautious man by nature, he did not take up the training of a new apprentice lightly, but during their hour of meditation together he felt as though the Force might be leading him in this direction. Perhaps he could help guide this padawan, show him a path easier than the one he himself had trod.

Korr came to a stop. They stood at the far end of the Academy grounds. Ryan stepped off the pavestones and onto the grass.

"Well, let's assess where you're training is at. Go through the basic kata of the forms you know."

[member="Rune Talrik"]
 
"I am very thankful of your decision, Master Korr. I will make sure to be the best apprentice you will ever had your eyes set on, I promise."

Rune would reply with a still soft, but now brightening smile, the Padawan now visibly very happy to see that Ryan has finally decided to take him on as an apprentice. Happiness was truly a wonderful feeling, so wonderful that it was almost powerful enough to make any men and women forget the mourning, forget the grief and even maybe forget the pain they have ever suffered within their lives. Needless to say, it's effects were quite invigorating on Rune's mind, and, already, the sadness that was consuming his heart only a minute ago was slowly retreating away, beaten by the happiness' armies in the battlefield of his emotions.... for now.

But his resumed apprenticeship under the teachings of another Master was not the only thing that was making Rune so happy, as the fact that Master Korr was going to talk to the Jedi Order once more about Master Saratzi was also quite relieving. Even if it might not resolve anything any further, maybe, this time around, the investigations will finally lead to some results.

As Master Korr stopped his walk on the stone path of the Jedi Academy grounds that was traced under their feet and instead headed towards the soft patches of green grass, Rune would do the same, halting his body by Ryan's side, then following him on the green-colored ground.

Rather ironically, the Padawan happened to know what was going to happen, having already experienced such a moment in the past with Master Saratzi. On the very few days that they had been present together on this planet, Kaila often brought her apprentice on the fields of lush green grass to practice the ways of the lightsaber, one by one. Despite their brief moment here on Yavin IV, it was here that Rune learned the most about each single lightsaber Forms he had ever learned.

As Master Korr told the young man to go through the basic kata of each single forms he had learned from experience alongside Master Saratzi, the Padawan would slowly nod and bring a hand to his lightsaber after he placed himself accordingly in front of Master Korr within a safe distance. Then, he would bring his lightsaber in front of the top of his chest with both hands and eyes closed, and activate it, the bright, purple-colored beam of light slowly pointing forward towards the sky before stopping its halt. For now, the blade seemed to be a rather normal lightsaber, just like any other normal ones..... but the hilt was still rather too large for one single blade. It was very doubtful that the lightsaber was single-bladed just by the looks alone, which was quite interesting, seeing as, if it was really double-bladed, it would truly prove Rune's expertise in lightsaber combat, seeing as not many Padawans truly used double-bladed lightsabers correctly.

After the weapon was truly activated, the Padawan would then start performing each single kata with almost no issues whatsoever: the wide sweeping motions of the First Form, Shii-Cho; the elegantly-stylized motions of the Second Form, Makashi; the strongly defensive maneuvers of the Third Form, Soresu, and, finally, Shien and Djen So, the paths of the Fifth Form, offensive variant of the Third Form.

All of the Forms looked downright stunning within Rune's katas, seeming to not have real issues whatsoever..... but there was one that Rune had not done yet: the Fourth Form, Ataru, which was the one Rune primarily used, and also the one which he considered the most concentrating.

Suddenly changing his footwork, he would put the hand that was holding his weapon pointing backwards behind his back, and his free, opened hand forward. The hand that was holding the lightsaber was holding the weapon in a downward, diagonal pattern, the activated blade pointing upwards towards the sky while another blade suddenly opened on the opposite side of the weapon, pointing towards the ground, which shifted the weapon into a double-bladed lightsaber. Then, Rune would quickly start performing the basic kata of the Fourth Form with incredible speed even without the use of the Force Speed ability itself, spinning the weapon with rather incredible expertise around his body as he performed many hits towards the air. For the Fourth Form, this was almost the pinacle of the Form itself; it was almost so fast that a normal outsider, unable to use the Force, would see it as a single blur.

And Rune hasn't even began to use his Force Speed ability yet.... How scary. Master Saratzi truly has done a magnificent job when it came to lightsaber training for her Padawan.

When he felt that he was done, Rune would then spin his blade once more, then turn himself in front of Master Korr with his weapon in front of him within a horizontal pattern, the blades slowly returning to the weapon's hilt. The young man didn't even really seemed too tired of his speedy attacks and various jumps he had made during the kata, and he would simply lift his head towards his new Master.

"Were there any corrections that needed to be done, Master Korr?"

[member="Ryan Korr"]
 
Snap-hiss. The sound, familiar in Ryan's ears, could fill him with reassurance, or dread. He wondered which he should feel now. In any case, a blade lit in the heat of battle never produced happy results. Korr wondered how often the boy had used this weapon to strike down another living being.

His stern gaze ran across the hilt. In his lifetime he had built exactly four lightsabers of varying makes. The lengthened hilt was one clue, but the emitter nozzle at the other end of the hilt was a dead giveaway. So, he had built a saber staff. Impressive.

Yet as Talrik moved into the first of his forms, Korr's brows drew together. The frown continued to deepen with every transition, every footstep, every angle of attack. The Jedi Master clasped his hands behind his back, slowly assuming a rigid, parade rest posture. His scar-kissed features remained stony, save for those intent eyes, studying the Padawan's movements until he at last came to a stop.

A gaze of iron drilled into [member="Rune Talrik"].

"Corrections?" Korr snorted lightly, detecting the arrogance beneath that tone. "It is clear that you were taught a wide range of forms, but your previous master would have done you a favor if you had only focused on one. As far as basics go, you are well on your way, but..."

The words came crisp and clean; the accent of a Coruscanti.

"Shii-Cho is simplicity, not unrefined chopping. Your Makashi is sloppy, with too many unnecessary flourishes. Practice that sort of Soresu on the battlefield and you're liable to find yourself a new career as a pincushion. Best not to talk of your Form V. Ataru? Ataru was fine, for a Padawan.

"Using that saber staff, you would be best sticking to Ataru. The angles of attack and mobility will benefit the downside of having no offhand with which to use the Force, so you are on the right track, but I will be frank. If you are to train under me you are to forget what you think you have learned. Your skills are adequate, perhaps even above average for a padawan. But face a Sith Knight in single combat and your confidence would quickly be your undoing."
 
Actually, Rune wasn't very arrogant in his tone of voice when he had talked about corrections. In fact, he had simply asked Master Korr about it because he wanted to perfect his Forms of combat as much as he possibly could and, therefore, he needed to make corrections to the issues he was facing.

And, needless to say, a list of corrections he needed to do was what he got. In fact, he had not really expected such a surprising reality from his parts, but he did not really acted in anger or frustration. He was actually curious on those statements, maybe even confused. Huh? He had done so many things wrong? What a strange predicament he was in, seeing as Master Saratzi had been complimenting him ever since on his prowess and expertise.

Maybe she had only been encouraging him by appearing as kindly as possible? That was a possibility. As cold, harsh and realistic it sounded like, it was still a possibility nonetheless. Again, there was also the possibility that Master Korr's words were false, and only there to make him stronger in the end.

But those were just thoughts. It was true that specializing yourself in multiple Forms at the same time was almost foolish and aggravating. Maybe he should just stick to Ataru for now, seeing as he was pretty specialized within it.

Unfazed by the harsh reality and the iron-carved expression of Master Korr in appearance, but still confused by them in his mind, Rune would still keep a soft smile on his face and nod politely, understanding the fact that a Sith Knight would had dispatched him quite possibly under a minute or two. Of course, he had expected such results; he was still a Padawan, and he had a long way to go.

"Confidence is not something that I have ever owned, Master Korr, and, if you think of me as arrogant for having used such a term towards my katas, please believe me when I say that I am not. I am not confident nor am I arrogant in the arts of fighting, for I know that an opponent that is stronger than me will cut me down quite easily without a flinch. I was always aware of that. In fact, this awareness of my weakness has been present during my past and even within the present time. Even if I am a Jedi-In-Training, I am not the most powerful being in the Galaxy. Compared to you, as an example, my skills are naught."

He would then bow his head, eyes closed.

"But, if you believe that I must forget my past teachings in favor of the Fourth Form, I will be glad to do so, Master Korr. I understand my errors and I must admit that having been taught in too many ways may result in a worst performance overall. I thank you for your judgement. From now on, I will make sure that my view on melee combat is not too broad, and I will only concentrate my footing on one single path."

[member="Ryan Korr"]
 
Quorl flew through the air, wings beating in slow and long movements. From the sky he could see all with his keen, even superior eyesight. Another flap and then some movement from his wings. He was a predator, he ate to survive and killed to eat and yet he was a Jedi. A rodent ran through some underbrush, hardly a snack truth be told. Another great gust of wind came about allowing him to glide on the thermals in a large swooping circle. He felt sorry for all those creatures who couldn’t fly. Not the wingless, for many had contraptions that could simulate flight, though it didn’t compare to his own natural prowess. A final gust sent him over the temple where he spotted more prey. He only hunted when he was hungry and instead took note of another site.

At first he watched the two humans. Owls are the most silent of all birds with even high sensitivity microphones having a hard time hearing them in flight and so Quorl was want to circle overhead, observing. Yes he could see now young master Korr instructing another fellow. Master Korr was a blunt instrument and yet knew what it was to fight, a fine instructor in saber combat and yet.

If he had ears they would have perked up, instead he tilted his head and allowed himself to hear what was happening while observing as not Ryan Korr demonstrated his saber skills. It was impressive that he’d learned so many movements despite his apparent lack of training. Quorl noted some of the imperfections in which Korr spoke. No it was better to focus on one or two forms outside the first one, and from there begin to master the other movements.

As Master Korr began his critique Quorl began his dive. Silent he swooped down upon the clearing where the two trained. He landed behind the padawan and began to walk in little circles, his head swiveling nearly three hundred and sixty degrees to maintain constant sight.

That is when he struck. Quorl grabbed a stick with his clawed foot and threw it to his wing approaching the padawan. With the stick in hand he prodded at the padawans foot moving it into position. Footwork was the basis for all forms. You had to move with fluidity. The stance had to be perfect, the movement precise. With the stick he traced a pattern in the ground, a short elliptical motion. If done right and with proper care it could turn the step in from an attack with a lightsaber to a sweep. Knock your enemy to the ground and you may maintain an advantage. The footwork was also the key to Ataru, a form much favored by the avian whose frame, size, and flight enabled him to utilize it with great efficiency.

Quorl had taught his last padawan the same form taking him for a month into the wilderness to survive and run drills. Not everyone had that luxury. Backing away from the two Quorl made a little hopping jump and flapped his wings finding a comfortable branch to stand upon. He looked down at the padawan and bobbed his head excitingly waiting to see what happened next.


[member="Rune Talrik"] [member="Ryan Korr"]
 
"I believe you and am encouraged by your attitude, but I am not sure you understand my point. Even if I was to fight a Sith apprentice, I would need to respect his abilities. It doesn't take a genius to kill a Jedi. Overconfidence is one of the easiest and most avoidable ways to get killed on the battlefield, with so many others besides. So when you face your opponent, do not underestimate. Palpatine's Empire underestimated the power of the Ewoks. Look where that got them."

Korr's lips twitched. Heopened his mouth to say more, but then an enormous bird swooped down out of the air and landed behind [member="Rune Talrik"]. Instinctively, Ryan's hand moved to the hilt of his lightsaber, then he recognized the Rishii. None other than Master @Quorl.

Both of Ryan's brows rose slightly as Quorl repositioned the padawan's feet into a proper stance before hopping off to a safe distance. The avian Jedi said nothing.

"Ah, Padawan Talrik, allow me to introduce you to Jedi Master Quorl, one of the wisest beings there is. Also in possession of a rather wry wit."

Even when entirely silent. Korr smiled, looking between the two of them. Well, if Quorl wished to assist he certainly would enjoy the help. Teaching a padawan was no easy feat, especially since it often caused Korr to wonder whether he himself had truly learned any of what he taught. Do as I say and not as I do, perhaps.
 
As Ryan would explain to Rune that he believed him and encouraged his attitude, but then told him that he had to respect his enemy's skills in combat and not underestimate him, the Padawan would then finally understand what Master Korr was trying to point out all along, which, frankly, made him a little bit embarrassed. How.... has he not understood that? It was relatively simple to understand after all, and it was also one of the many ways to not get yourself killed in combat. In fact, overconfidence is often the reason behind many deaths in combat, whether it is because of supposedly better skills, or the owning of better military equipment. After all, Emperor Palpatine, the leader of the now dismantled Galactic Empire, has seen most of his Stormtrooper troops beaten by mere Ewoks, whom were all mostly uncivilized and primitive in their technology.

Then again, the Ewoks had the fabled Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, princess Leia Organa and the infamous smuggler Han Solo at their side after all, which were all powerful legendary figures that would be forever remembered within the Galaxy's history. Without them, Rune doubted that the Ewoks would had been properly able to defeat the Empire's troops without heavy casualties.

As he was about to reply to Master Korr, wanting to tell him that he now understood what the true lesson behind this small scolding was, he would suddenly feel something land right behind him. It had been silent all this time, yes, but a large bird-like creature who was Force Sensitive couldn't possibly completely hide itself from another Force Sensitive. Thus, the Padawan, his eyes widening as he felt himself in slight danger, would quickly turn himself, then place himself accordingly in front of Master Korr, taking his previous stance and activating both bright purple blades of the lightsaber as he faced the Rishii. What fast reflexes.... for a Padawan. They were certainly better than average for sure.

Staring at the avian-like creature, Rune would definitely not seem trustworthy this time around. Instead, he looked cautious, maybe even a little bit hostile, seeing as he wasn't really understand why the Rishii has not decided to show itself accordingly. For all he knew, this creature could had been a Dark Jedi who was about to assassinate him, after all.

It was only when the Rishii took a branch and started pointing at his feet, then trace a pattern in the ground that Rune finally understood what this creature was trying to tell him. This beast.... It was a Jedi. It was the proper pronoun, seeing as the Padawan had basically no idea if this was a male or a female creature at first. Eventually, he would understand that the beast was a male because of some features here and there on the creature, and, for that information, he had to thank the Coruscanti Jedi Library.

In any case, this Jedi wanted him to practice on his footing, and the pattern that it had drawn on the ground was what he had to follow. Rune was definitely intrigued by this footing style, seeing as it seemed so..... obvious. He should had learned this from the start! It seemed like the perfect footwork for Ataru, seeing as it was so versatile, allowing a step-in from a lightsaber attack to an instant sweep and gaining the advantage over the enemy by knocking the enemy down on the ground.

"I.... understand."

He would blink, losing his hostile attitude as he now looked at the Rishii with a new smile, nodding. He would then hear the words of Master Korr resonating from behind him, presenting the Rishii as Jedi Master [member="Quorl"], apparently one of the wisest warriors of the Order. Smiling, the Padawan would look back towards the Rishii, then bow his head politely.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Quorl. I thank you for your advice on my footwork.... Within all the years I have spent on lightsaber combat, I had never heard of such a thing and, now, it seemed to be the most obvious there is. I shall now try to practice this footwork."

He would then stare back at the footwork and mentally save this little drawing on the ground within his mind, knowing that he would need to remember it from now on.

"Hm..."

He put his foot forward right beside the drawing on the ground, then would start working on his footwork, trying multiple times to do it properly. On the first try, he did it wrong and stopped before trying once again. On the second try, he has still not gotten it right, but he was pretty close. On the third try, he had done it properly, but it was sloppy and slow.

On the fourth try, he had finally done it properly and understood how it needed to be produced, imagining the motions in his mind as a 3D image he needed to remember from now on in his training sessions. He then proceeded to do the footwork again, and again, and again, now almost seeming like he had completely replaced his previous footwork in favor of this one in particular.

For a Padawan, this was.... a rather remarquable learning speed. When it came to lightsaber combat, that is. It was as if this young man had always fought with melee weapons before he was even born.

[member="Ryan Korr"]
 
Quorl jumped from his branch landing softly, silently to the ground. Cocking his head he looked around the terrain examining it. A small rodent skittered into the bushes earning an appraising stare. Then he started to move. Instead of walking he hopped along the ground his clawed feet digging into dirt as he moved in a circle and then flipped from point to point in an acrobatic display. He stared back down at the ground head cocked raising his wings and flapping twice. Then he walked away toward the padawan his body obfuscating the area behind him.

“For a moment, consider a wheel,” he said moving toward the padawan. As he approached he came to the side of the padawan allowing the figure he drew into ground to come into full view. A large circle bisected with sixteen lines at whose intersection lay another small circle. It was a wagon wheel the lines creating thirty two spokes.

As the avian settled onto a log next to the padawan he shook his body and allowed his feathers to fluff in size. Ah, that was comfortable. “Of many parts a wheel consists. The outer and inner rim, a multitude of spokes.” Flattening his feathers he cocked his head, “But all of that is nothing. There is no wheel if it cannot complete its task. It must be empty, to be of use.” A wing lifted into the air and pointed to the center of the wheel where the axle would reside. “It is only the empty space, which may be filled, that makes the thing useful. So too much you empty yourself.”

With a hop he left from the log looking for another place to perch. Stalking the ground with his upper body forward he moved over to a tree grabbing a branch with his beach and climbing up until he resided upon it. “A void to be filled. We are the wheel my friend, we have a void to fill with the force, we accomplish this through discipline and humility.”


[member="Rune Talrik"] [member="Ryan Korr"]
 
It was only when he stopped his latest series of now-corrected footwork that Rune would had noticed that Master Quorl had stepped down from his branch and landed on the ground, the Padawan blinking in curiosity. Although Master Korr clearly presented the Rishii as one of the wisest beings there was in the Jedi community, the avian-like had still not yet decided to talk and, therefore, Rune was still in the dark when it came to the function of Master Quorl's interactions despite the fact that he was aware that the Rishii species was able to communicate within most languages quite fluently, able to replicate speech and remember the words accordingly.

It was only when the Rishii started moving that the Padawan would then understand what was going on, seeing another pattern on the ground that Master Quorl was drawing yet again. How the beast actually moved to make said drawing was also relatively impressing for him, seeing as this creature's acrobatic skills seemed quite high.

After the beast was finished, Rune would be able to perceive the drawing as a circle with lines pointing towards the middle, which made him title its head in curiosity, wondering what it meant. Admittedly, when the Rishii started to explain what it was supposed to be, the Padawan's eyes would slightly widen in surprise, him having not expected the creature to suddenly start to speak in such a way, but he soon focused himself back towards the circle, which was actually the depiction of a wheel.

Now that he was explained what it actually was supposed to be, all seemed much clearer now for the Padawan, who would listen to Master Quorl silently and attentively as the latter would place himself at multiple places around both Rune and Master Korr, trying to find something to perch himself on. After this much needed explanation, Rune was now quite shocked at how wise this Rishii was, seeing as this theory of the wheel made.... quite a lot of sense.

What shocked him more, however, was how this also made a lot of sense with the Force as well.

This was clearly not something that Master Saratzi had taught him. Of anything, she had almost completely ignored the Force during his training and he now felt irresponsible for not having asked her about it. What a shame, for this hole in the wheel that was his body was still partially empty, only occupied by a discipline and humility alone. No wonder he had such difficulty standing himself in front of the voids of sadness.

"It... all makes sense."

He would put his hand on his chin, looking down as he spoke in a low voice, awestruck by this whole explanation.

[member="Quorl"]

[member="Ryan Korr"]
 

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