Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Private Trying not to get Overcooked!

Tasked with training a new recruit to the SJO, Ilwynog was glancing over the file of information, clear that there was a lot to unpack. The Padawan had a lot of positive reviews of people who had interacted the girl and trained with her, which was not surprising to Ilwynog, Diathims have a reputation for their hypnotic abilities. Whether or not this girl was in control was a separate matter, but it was clear that most people were enamoured with her. Something to be mindful of Ilwynog thought, they weren't keen to be infatuated with a Padawan. Stretching their limbs, it was a bright early morning, Ilwynog was a little tired from the previous night's lack of sleep. They were working on a case on the Sith Empire and their movements, it was important to keep an eye out on worlds that were potentially at risk of being attacked by the Sith. They wandered through the halls of the Silver Rest and stood at the entrance of the training area. It was going to be interesting to train the new Padawan.

They stood, in their armour, leaning against the wall and crossed their arms as they think on what to teach. The information on the Padawan was interesting, they seemed to be connected to nature but Ilwynog wasn't sure on their fighting capabilities and strength in the Force. Should be interesting to explore the potential of the Padawan, they remembered when they were a Padawan in the Force. It had been tough but seeing where they were now, it was worthwhile in Ilwynog's mind.

Andromeda Malvern Andromeda Malvern
 
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ




T A G S | Ilwynog Cysgod Ilwynog Cysgod

Why was she always nervous?

Andromeda had been here for almost a week now, she had been a part of plenty of lessons, met many masters and students. So why was it that she was always nervous? Andromeda crossed the courtyard with a quick pace, dashing in between the erratic shadows cast by the towering walls. She was not late, in any sense of the word. The young Diathim had made a point of arriving early to everything since she arrived at Silver Rest. Perhaps it was due to the nerves, but it mostly seemed to her that Jedi were not the type of people to appreciate tardiness.

When the new assignment had been given to her, she did find herself slightly curious at the prospect of training under what one master had described as a phantom. Of course, it made no difference to Andromeda what they looked like. Everyone looked like a phantom to her. Everyone was a faceless, blurry apparition against a blank backdrop.

Maybe that was why she had been assigned to them. Perhaps the other padawans felt a nervousness around them. Andromeda was not one to judge, not was she one to assume without first knowing all the facts. So, she tucked the prior information she knew about Ilwynog to the back of her mind.

It would not do her any good now.

A closed fist reached out to rap three times against the door in front of her. No matter who or what was behind it, Andromeda made her mind up to put her best foot forward.

 
A knock came at the door, Ilwynog opened the door using the Force, standing in the shade of the light as they looked over the Padawan, eyes inspecting the young Padawan trying to see how they could cope with the training that Ilwynog had put in mind. Privilege and upper class life could not be clearer about the young Padawan. Ilwynog in comparison was much darker, practical and their armour was jagged metal plates with wielding lines still clear. Their drab cloak covered their helmet and reached down to the ground with rips and weathered appearance. Wandering around the room, Ilwynog crossed their arms and shook their head. "So, is this the Padawan they sent to me to train? Hm. How would you describe your skill sets? And what are your aims moving forward, what Jedi do you want to be basically?"

Their robotic voice revealing nothing about the person under the armour, they had done this for practical reasons and it had been hard to make sure their previous identity was not known. "I am Ilwynog Cysgod, I am a Jedi Master, but my methods are highly unorthodox and I tend to push the boundaries when I am undercover working as a Jedi Shadow. I am a practical person, my skills and my mindset are all about getting the job done. I have worked hard and I tend to be harsh as a teacher due to this. I am also a Shadow so I will be working with criminals and other less savoury people." Ilwynog pointed out since if this did progress to a long term training, they knew the Padawan could be brought into dangerous situations if they followed Ilwynog.

"So, still want to train?" Ilwynog asked with an amused robotic tone.
 
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ



T A G S | Ilwynog Cysgod Ilwynog Cysgod

When the door swung open entirely of its own accord, Andromeda had to remind herself not to be surprised. In all her years the force had been a very sordid thing, but it was affluent here. Jedi used it when they pleased, and they used it often. Yet, the surprise over the door was quickly replaced by surprise of a different kind.

Andromeda did her best to swallow the gasp that bubbled in her throat. They really were a shadow. Even in her already muted vision the only thing Andromeda could clearly make out was the outline of their armour. Ordinarily, she could pick out the shadow of an arm beneath the heavy material, or maybe the flicker of a nose when they turned their head. Ilwynog? Nothing.

It was highly unnerving.

When they crossed their arms, coupled with a shake of their head, Andromeda could almost feel herself recoiling. They had no eyes, or at least no eyes that she could make out, but they still managed to bore into her. She felt rather like a piece of meat in a food market. Their questions came next, and Andromeda found herself struggling to summon the answers. Fortunately, Ilwynog continued, explaining a little more of themselves and simultaneously giving Andromeda time to formulate her answers.

The prospect of hard work did not deter her. She had spent much of her life being mollycoddled from it all. Despite her coy nature, curiosity had always been her defining feature. She was willing to give anything a go. Besides, practical sounded like the best thing to her right now. Up to now her time in the Silver Rest had felt largely useless. She was not trained enough to aid in serious missions, and she was not knowledgeable enough to offer advice or guidance to anyone. She had been, plainly put, a burden.

Silence finally dominated the room as Ilwynog’s robotic question was thrown toward her. Andromeda started from the top. “I’m pretty good with nature, I guess. Trees and-…” That made no sense, but she struggled on. “Dirt. Air. Not so good with fire but I’m a fair hand with water, and the other basics I suppose. I do not have any official training with lightsabres, or much in the way of defence.”

At this point, she forced a laugh. She must have seemed incredibly foolish to them. “I have no aims. My last aim was to escape from home. I didn’t think much further than that.” At this point she grabbed the hem of her snow-white robes, twisting the soft material between the tips of her fingers. If only for something to do. “I wasn’t aware that Jedi existed until a week ago. I wasn’t even aware there were different types. But I know I want to be one?” She knew the jedi specialised, of course, but different designations beyond Master and Knight were lost on her.

It was then that she decided to address the latter part of their speech. “I-..” Was it relevant? Andromeda was not sure, but it seemed to be. “I used to belong to a pirate clan called the Le’Blacks. I have plenty of experience with criminals, and less savoury types. I don’t have much experience in the way of hard work, but I’ve never been given the opportunity to attempt it either.” She sturdied herself at this point, squaring her shoulders with a confidence that seemed to be summoned from thin air. “I know I can be good, if someone gives me the chance to prove myself. Yes. I still want to train.”

 
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Nervousness came off in waves from the Padawan, it was expected, even those who did not look at Ilwynog in a traditional sense found their presence intimidating and lack of information from Ilwynog on what they look like, or even what their voice is, all that was given was the hard, cold metal armour with a brown cloak over the top. Closing their eyes they allowed their connection in the Force to sense more in Andromeda, gain an understanding in her abilities and nature as well, if her intentions were as pure as her words say. Ilwynog was curious if someone from what appeared to be a life of luxury was truly ready for the harsh life that Ilwynog would bring them into. The suffering, pain, and anguish that the people Ilwynog met could be heavily felt through the Force and that can break a sensitive soul, or push them down a darker, harsher path. Which Ilwynog wouldn't want, being practical and realistic, did not mean harsh and cynicism.

Shaking their head, being aimless was not a good thing. People needed to be pushed to bring out the best in them. "The Jedi are here to help people, protect them from danger, from evil. Some people take it to the extreme and go on crusades against people, I believe that this is folly, some people will always aim to cause pain and if we become oppressors then we have failed as Jedi. My focus is helping the small people, the people that are often overlooked by the higher ups." Ilwynog moved closer to the Padawan, looking down at her, "I will train you in some of the Lightsaber Forms, but they are not my speciality either. My focus is the Force and using the Force to be stealthy, I will also teach you non-Lightsaber combat, because there will be times we can't carry a Lightsaber so you need to know how to defend yourself with your bare hands. In terms of the Force, I will help you be able to conceal your connection from other Force Users, hide in plain sight and be able to detect the thoughts and intentions of others." Ilwynog explained as they then looked at the Padawan and thought about their connection to nature itself.

"Being able to use the elements will be useful as well and we can harness it more. It is not the field of my expertise but I can teach you what I know." The sudden confidence made them chuckle. "I will make you work, I don't need good, I need someone willing to listen and learn. You are a Padawan, you won't be good, but I will get you to a place where you will be. So, how do you want to start your training?"

Andromeda Malvern Andromeda Malvern
 
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ



T A G S | Ilwynog Cysgod Ilwynog Cysgod

Andromeda swallowed the lump in her throat. It seemed as though Ilwynog was less than impressed with her responses. She did not need eyes to see that, or indeed to see his eyes to know that. Andromeda had grown accustomed to the looks of disappointment people shot her when they thought she was not looking. Ignoring them had become easier over the days, but she could recall every single one of them.

The young Diathim assumed that was because of the way she looked. For most people, it must have come off as though she were exceedingly rich. Adron had dressed her in fine clothes and sent her with trunks more when she had left Illyria. In truth, the outfits were not too far from what her father had made her wear. Yet, they were riches in appearance only. Andromeda had never had a rich life. True, it had been a sheltered one, but sheltered in Hutt space. Sheltered in back-alley bars and rusted freighters. That was hardly rich.

Still, as in most cases when Andromeda felt as though she were being judged, she kept her mouth closed. Ilwynog had a lot to say in response to her answers, so she was content to listen.

Some part of her wanted to stop him when he mentioned lightsaber training. It was her least favourite subject. She did not understand it in the slightest. The blade was far too light, her movements were far too unbalanced, she could barely even manage a starting position during the previous lesson. Perhaps this is what Ilwynog had meant when they said they would work her hard. Hard would not be the lessons Andromeda enjoyed, no matter how much he pushed her. Hard would be when she hated what she was being taught. Hard would be when her arms were so exhausted, they could barely lift the hilt anymore. Hard would be wanting to give up and being pressed to carry on.

The realisation made her shuffle slightly in her spot. Fortunately, though they had mentioned lightsaber training, Ilwynog went on to put his prime focus into the force. Andromeda felt a wave of relief. Despite only being familiar with the force through her own experiments and tests, it was something that intrigued her greatly. Her father had shrouded it in such mystery that the young Diathim, of course, had to explore it. Now she was here at Silver Rest, Andromeda had found herself delving into every piece of literature, every holocron and every word that would tell her more about it.

Ilwynog asked her another question, apparent by the awkward silence that followed as Andromeda formulated her response. “I think I would like to start with more force training if it’s all the same to you.” She finally spoke. “I only know what I’ve been able to teach myself, and that isn’t much. I’d like to know more.”

 
Ilwynog wasn't disappointed in the Padawan, she was just a Padawan and there was so much learning that she had to do. That was how everyone started so to be disappointed in a Padawan would be only the failure of the teacher. There were plenty of Knights and Masters that Ilwynog could be disappointed in if they wanted to be disappointed in people. There was clearly an anxiousness around the Padawan when they mentioned Lightsaber training, it was typical for heavily based Force Users to despise Lightsaber training, however, it was also a necessary part of training. Ilwynog was also going to train her in many other ways of combat, because it was important to Ilwynog be as unconventional as possible, especially if this Padawan was going to help them on Shadow missions. They tried to express a more soothing aura in the Force to let the Padawan know that there was no negative feelings towards the Padawan.

The feeling of privilege was just Ilwynog and their own demons, they tended to judge those who had an air and appearance of being well off as somewhat spoilt and a bit over confident in their abilities. Though it was clear that Andromeda had clothes of someone from a more privileged background than Ilwynog had, she also had the aura of someone heavily sheltered and not one of someone who was use to using their privilege to be better than most. So, Ilwynog was sighing and realising that they were showing a bias from their own experiences that clearly did not reflect the young woman before them. Stretching their limbs, they took a step back, clearly the Force was where this Padawan was invested in so Ilwynog would show them a Force power that they thought Andromeda would be interested in learning.

"There is a Force Power that one can use to freeze objects and create ice, it can be difficult to master this power and I am far from a Master in it, since my focus over the last few years has been predominately stealth." Their hand lifted up and aimed towards the glass of water, breathing in deeply, they reached forward with the Force, cooling the air around the glass lower and lower in temperature, taking a slow process in the task as a way to demonstrate to Andromeda what they were expecting to see when she was to try. The temperature got to freezing around the glass and the water started to turn to ice. As the water shifted into ice, the glass shattered due to the extreme cold and the ice expanded against the glass.

Turning to Andromeda, Ilwynog smiled behind their helmet. "Now, it is your time to try. There is a second glass, I want you to reach out, feel the air surrounding the glass, feel the Force flowing from you and then aim to chill the air. It will take time, and you might want to be closer to the glass than I was, if that helps." Ilwynog explained and then gestured for the Padawan to try.

Andromeda Malvern Andromeda Malvern
 
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ



T A G S | Ilwynog Cysgod Ilwynog Cysgod

For some reason, when she expressed her desire to learn about the force, a calm seemed to come over the room. A calm that spread through Andromeda’s muscles and gently convinced them to release the tension they had been holding since the door had swung open. Andromeda was entirely unaware that Ilwynog was actually the source of this calming atmosphere that had suddenly dominated the room. However, regardless of her lack of understanding, she was grateful for it.

She suddenly felt as though the heavy weight of anxiety had been lifted from her shoulders. She stood a little taller, a little prouder, a little more confident. Any with eyes to see could tell that when Andromeda was confident, the Diathim in her truly shone. There was a faint white glow encircling the visible parts of her moonlight skin. Even her hair seemed to shine a little brighter.

It helped a lot, more than Andromeda had the words to explain. Suddenly, looking at Ilywnog was not as terrifying as it had first been. They were just another species, another life form with their own culture and beliefs that Andromeda could explore. They were Jedi. Just like she was going to be, and as they had already said, even if they disagreed slightly. Jedi were there to help people, to protect them from danger and evil. That was the most calming realisation of all.

Ilywnog continued. Thankfully, much to Andromeda’s relief, they decided to start with some force training. It was the most she knew about anything to do with the Jedi, so hopefully this was the part where she could prove to them that she was worth their while. Worth the effort it would take to teach her. When Ilywnog directed her attention to the glass of water, Andromeda could not help but crack a small smile. The shadow Master then provided a demonstration of what they were asking her to do. Andromeda paid intense attention.

It began with the slow chill of the air around her. Andromeda could barely feel it at first, but by the time the water began to crack and freeze over there was an obvious drop in temperature. She marvelled at the way the ice crept from the inside of the water outward, till it touched the inside of the glass, splaying fantastic irreplicable snowflakes across the translucent vessel. Instinctively, as the sound of the glass losing its structure rang in her ears, she raised her hands to protect her eyes. Of course, that was when she realised that she had no eyes to protect. Not to mention the fact that there was a solid silver mask covering what remained of them. When she peeled her hands away again, she found an embarrassed titter falling from her lips.

Then, it was her turn.

Water was easy. Water came naturally. It flowed the same way the force did. Erratic in its patterns but it followed a natural path. Andromeda was pleased Ilwynog seemed to have picked an easy task, despite his warnings prior to taking a step back. She had never tried changing the temperature of water before, but if she could move it and shape it surely this should have been simple. What difference did it make whether the water started out hot, or cold, or neither? What difference did it make that this water was in a glass and not some murky puddle or trickling stream? None, Andromeda imagined, but she could not have been more wrong.

She took a step forward toward the glass, and then another. Her slender legs effectively closing the six-foot gap between her and the second glass in two graceful strides.

Andromeda got close enough to hear the almost imperceptible vibrations of the glass against the wooden desk. Ilwnog had said she could step closer if she wished, and Andromeda was not one for dashing extra help to the side. Before beginning, she pushed the long flowing sleeves of her robes up to her elbows and settled her hands by her side. It was more comfortable this way. If she really focused, she could feel the force dancing between her fingertips like a gentle summer breeze through winding streets.

She focused, doing her best to heed Ilwynog’s advice. To feel the force flowing from her and into the air with the goal of matching the ict atmosphere they produced.

A bead of sweat pearled on her forehead and trickled slowly down the gap between her mask and her face. Nothing happened. Or at least, nothing close to what Ilwynog had achieved. There was not a distinct shift in temperature, despite the fact that Andromeda could feel the tips of her fingers growing slowly colder the more she tried. Seconds passed, and then minutes. All the while Andromeda kept her eyes closed, kept herself from using what little force sight she had mastered. She continued to attempt to feel the force swirling around her. She almost imagined it to be snowflakes, twisting and twirling in a harsh and unforgiving blizzard. She could almost feel them falling on her skin. Their frigid structure biting and nipping at anywhere that was exposed, but still, Andromeda could feel no change in the water.

Finally, she stopped. Releasing a heavy sigh as she slowly allowed herself to see the room again, shadow by shadow. When she focused her attention on the water, the first thing she did was reach out to dip a finger into the glass. Clearly, she had not managed what Ilwnog had accomplished. In truth, she had not expected too. Even they had said this particular force move was difficult to master. Still, she had expected something. As far as she could tell the water had shifted no more than a degree or two in temperature. And because of the slowly numbing sensation in the tips of her fingers, Andromeda could not tell whether it was colder or warmer than it had been before.

She took a step back, followed by another disappointed sigh. She would wait for Ilwnog to perhaps offer some pointers, and then she would try again.

 
Standing and watching Andromeda, she seemed to really benefit from their calming aura, which was comforting but also a little troubling. Had they made such a negative impact so early on? Or was it something in her past that made her so unsettled around others. Ilwynog would need to think upon it and hope that they could show the Padawan that while they might be strict and set a hard regime for her to follow, that they could be approached about anything that was going on in her mind. When they noticed her glow and Diathim fully coming out in her, they chuckled, glad that she was feeling comfortable enough around them to be her normal self. She seemed excited by the task that they had set her, which was good, they wanted to inspire her to learn but they were assessing her skills in the Force.

She seemed confident in her ability but as time passed, they noticed that she was struggling with the Force power, she was concentrating hard and her confidence in her powers seemed to be ebbing around and she sighed defeated after several long minutes. Ilwynog placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her. "Doing good, I can tell that you made the water cooler and to be able to drop the temperature is impressive enough. This time, touch the glass, it shall allow you to focus on the object and the water within. Distance can be tricky to master. Don't aim for what I achieved, aim to cool the water and not freeze, freezing will take too much energy for a first time. If you get it cold enough to be icy then you will be on the right track." Ilwynog explained as they took a step back.

"The technique was good, but calm your thoughts, this is a new power that you are using. It will always be difficult to use it and control it at first but like anything, practice will make it easier. So, breath, don't let your mind focus on negative thoughts, you are on the right track and you are able of doing this. So touch the glass, feel the Force in your hand and use it to cool the glass and the water, picture the air getting colder, the water dropping in temperature like it does from a tap. Steady and don't worry about the time it is taking you, just focus on doing best you can on the task."

Andromeda Malvern Andromeda Malvern
 
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ




T A G S | Ilwynog Cysgod Ilwynog Cysgod

Ilwynog’s comments did give Andromeda a slight boost in confidence. Doing good was better than not doing at all. If they seemed to think that she had made the water cooler, Andromeda was going to take them at their word. “I know it will get easier. I suppose I just have great expectations.” She cracked a small smile. If anyone would understand that sentiment, it would be Ilwynog.

Heeding his words, this time Andromeda dropped to her knees in front of the table. Unlike most padawans, her undiscovered Diathim genes made her a might taller than most. The top of the table lined up perfectly with the top of her shoulders. The cold in her fingers had all but disappeared now, so she stretched them out and placed them gently on the surface of the glass. Ilwynog continued, and Andromeda found their words exceedingly helpful.

They had a way of explaining things that just seemed to click with Andromeda, so she tried again.

The force came slowly this time. It was not a snowstorm. It was an icy cold breeze that trickled through a house, and Andromeda was the crack it seeped through. She pictured it starting slowly, at first. The kind of chill you would chase away by an extra layer or two. That was where Andromeda allowed it to build from. The breeze grew, and with it, the chill. Andromeda allowed herself to create more cracks for it to seep through. For it to steal the heat from the walls themselves.

This time, she could feel it in the air around her. Not just in her mind but in the actual room where she knelt before the glass. She knew it was taking her longer than her previous attempt, but that did not matter. The temperature was dropping. The fine platinum blonde hairs on her bare arms were beginning to stand on end, merciless to the cold as it swallowed her form. She had given up last time, at this point. Thinking that because the air felt slightly colder, the glass must have done too. She would not do the same again.

Andromeda pressed on. Until the hairs on the back of her neck stood just as those on her arms had. Until the chill that was once a simple breeze had torn down the house completely and replaced it with an unforgiving blizzard.

That was when she heard a crackling. The kind of crackling you hear when water was beginning to freeze over. Andromeda snapped her focus back to the glass, sending both the blizzard and the chill scurrying from the room like mice. Hesitantly, she allowed her fingers to shift from the side of the glass to the top, where she could hopefully feel a difference.

A paper-thin sheet of ice and formed over the top of the water. It clicked against the glass when Andromeda dipped her finger into it. The heat radiating from her skin had been enough to melt it the moment they came into contact, but it had been there. Andromeda pulled back from the glass with a beaming grin on her face. That was more like it.

That was the kind of progress she expected to see from herself.

She turned to look up at Ilwynog with a beaming smile on her face. She knew this was only the beginning, she knew that she had much further to go, but today. This lesson. This was the first time Andromeda finally felt what it meant to truly control the force. Not just control it, but understand it, manipulate it. Become one with it. She could not and did not want to prevent the expression of joy that pulled her lips up and dimpled her cheeks. She was proud of herself.

 
Andromeda seemed to take Ilwynog's words well and understanding the process that they were talking about. As she adjusted her stance and knelt before the glass, Ilwynog knew that this attempt would be better. Better was all that someone needed, to see that progression would instil confidence in a person better than lectures and constant notes. It would also push Andromeda to do more since she had a baseline to work from, which is what Ilwynog wanted from her, to see a baseline. As the Padawan took stance and she focused, working hard to adjust the temperature of the glass, the process taking its time but there was a determination that Ilwynog had not seen before, which was reassuring, clearly she was not a quitter and was going to put in the work. Something that Ilwynog would commend her for. As they felt the temperature start to reduce, they noted the steady nature of it, good to see control in her actions and that she wasn't letting emotions or pride control her abilities, otherwise there would be a lot more random fluctuation in the temperature as she worked the Force.

However, it was steady and it decreased enough for them to see a thin layer of ice form, which was impressive since they hadn't set the bar for that to happen. It was good that Andromeda had pushed herself to achieve that and positive that she had proper self-motivation. Ilwynog then had to check themselves, were they allowing her Diathim charms to praise her well on the task? Sudden realisation that they could be falling sway there like so many they had criticised to begin with. Though they thought about their actions and thought about the praise they were willing to give. No, nothing seemed abnormal though they weren't known to be a teacher so it was hard to do a comparison either. "Well done, taken a solid step forward. Practice this daily with a glass of water each morning, once you can freeze the water completely by touch then you can start taking steps back and attempting to do so from a distance. You'll find that this won't take as long to master as it sounds, you'll be deepening your connection in the Force simply through training other skills so your abilities in Force Powers will grow quickly initially then it will get harder to improve them beyond a certain level without hard work and dedication. Why Jedi specialise in certain areas, I can heal with the Force but nowhere to the level of a dedicated healer, and they cannot use the Force to cloak themselves like I can." Ilwynog explained.

"Every morning we will do some simple combat training, nothing too heavy since you are clearly wishing to learn the Force more, but some enemies will use objects to prevent access to the Force. You need to be ready to fight enemies that do this." Ilwynog explained as they stretched their body, "To train unarmed combat like I want us to begin with, it is unfair for me to be in my armour and you not to be in armour." They looked around, the training room was secure and Ilwynog inhaled. They removed their armour, then looked over to Andromeda, "any information about my real identity that you think you gain from these duels, will be incorrect, and you will forget. If I find out you mention anything about my identity to anyone, then this relationship ends. My job is highly risky and I am best when no one knows who I am." Ilwynog was very serious but also quite nervous doing this, however, it was only way to properly train and they had known this whenever the Order previously mentioned them training one on one.

Andromeda Malvern Andromeda Malvern
 
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ



T A G S | Ilwynog Cysgod Ilwynog Cysgod

Once again Andromeda found herself beaming at the praise that Ilwynog handed down.

It was a small achievement. Exceedingly small, in comparison to what other, younger padawans could accomplish. However, the more she thought on that statement, the more it made sense. Of course, they were better than her currently, some of them had been living in Silver Rest since they were old enough to walk. Andromeda had barely lifted a finger when she arrived here. The only thing she knew of the force was what she had stumbled across herself, and lightsabers were all but fantasy.

That was a week ago. Now, look at her. The tips of her fingers pressed against a glass of water that she herself had cooled. From nothing to this? It was quite a big leap. It had just taken Andromeda all the way up to this moment, with Ilwynog, to see it in herself.

When Ilwynog mentioned practising every day, Andromeda felt a bubble of excitement. So far, up to now, most of the tutors had given her work that Andromeda did not like. Saber stances and meditation and other things that she simply felt useless at. This was the first time she had received homework that she was actually looking forward to completing. She nodded her head eagerly at Ilwynog as she finally stood up from her kneeling position. Her slender hands brushed away the dust and dirt that pressed against her robes from sitting on the floor, but she still listened intently to the robotic voice.

However, in the next few seconds, Andromeda found herself wishing she had not. Combat training. Her shoulders almost cringed in revulsion. She could not deny Ilwynog’s reason for wanting to train her in such. There had been a few missions already where Andromeda had tagged along and felt utterly useless when it came down to the wire. It would have been nice to help master Varn when they were on Voss. Maybe then he would not have looked at her so sheepishly after they were attacked by the mystics. What was worse, however, was the fact that Ilwynog wanted to focus on unarmed combat.

Andromeda had never even dreamed of fighting without a saber. Her limbs were gangly, they did not have much muscle to them, and she struggled to drag a chair across the room. Never mind hit anyone with any meaningful force behind it.

She was just about to open her mouth to form words of protest when Ilwynog mentioned removing their armour. Immediately, Andromeda could tell it was something they rarely did. Much like Andromeda’s mask was to her, it was protection. In more than just the obvious ways. It was a layer of defence against the harsh reality of the galaxy, and somewhere to hide behind to become anonymous. Andromeda could feel their unease radiating through the room as they peeled the armour off piece by piece.

Andromeda, for some strange reason, smiled. At first, it was just the flicker of a grin on her painted lips, but it quickly pulled up into a glow that was on the brink of laughter. “I don’t think you’ll have any problems with me describing what you look like, Master Ilwynog.” One of her slender fingers reached up to her mask and tapped a sharp white nail on the edge of it. The sound it made was not hollow, but metallic. It rang out through the room for a few moments. Even if she wanted to describe them, she couldn’t. Her force sight, for a Miraluka, was particularly poor, but Andromeda was none the wiser.

She simply believed that all Miraluka struggled to view the galaxy. That all Miraluka saw the world in shadows and dancing lights. Nobody had told her any differently.

To her, Ilwynog was a mass of hazy lines. Their form was mildly human-like, she could tell that much. She could see the mass of hair on their head, and the outline of their eyes and nose, but that was pretty much it. Still, she offered them further reassurance. “You have my word; I will not betray you.” In truth, Andromeda had hoped much the same for her since she had arrived at the Silver Rest, not that anyone knew who she was anyway. But still, there were people out there. Pirates out there that were looking for her. Determined to find her and exact their revenge. It was best that she remained a mystery too. So far, the only person who knew anything about that was Master Varn, and that was the way she preferred it.

Now that Ilwynog seemed to be ready to begin, Andromeda found herself feeling a little awkward. She stood still opposite him, at first. Then her feet shuffled into the stance that Matvec had taught her when they had trained with sabers, but that did not feel right for hand to hand. So, she shuffled back. Then she raised her arms up to her face, curling her slender fingers into fists, but that felt even more awkward. So she dropped her arms, where they hung limply by her sides, to await Ilwynog’s instructions.

 
The praise seemed to be an appropriate level for Andromeda which was a relief to Ilwynog as they stretched their limbs, it was odd sensation to be out of the armour. Much like Mandalorians, Ilwynog would sleep, eat and drink while wearing the armour, so to be out of the armour they felt lighter and in some ways less restricted. But they also felt a lot more vulnerable and less protected, looking at Andromeda, she gestured that her lack of standard vision would prevent her from revealing anything about their identity. Ilwynog knew that Andromeda put down that she was part Miraluka, a race of people with naturally strong connection to the Force power, Sense. In some, they could see such a clear image in the Force that it was not too different from a more natural sight. So, Ilwynog was being precautious but they had to take Andromeda at her word, trust was important between a Master and Padawan so Ilwynog needed to show trust to then receive trust in return with Andromeda.

"I was being cautious, I know that some Miraluka can have extremely good vision due to Force Sense, even those who aren't Miraluka can hone their abilities in Force Sense and can see a great deal." Ilwynog stated, it was something that Andromeda might not have realised since she seemed to be so new to the Force that she might not have linked her ability to see related to the Force. Ilwynog could tell that there was more to this Padawan than what they had read on her file but Ilwynog was not going to seek out that information, it would be unfair, since they were not willing to reveal their life and their past. As they leaned back, it was clear that Andromeda was not a fighter, her stances were poor and she lacked much in muscle strength but Ilwynog knew that they had to teach her practical self defense otherwise she was at risk of hurting herself, getting captured or unable to stop others getting harmed.

Moving over to Andromeda, they adjusted her stance, raising her arms into guard stance. Ilwynog then adjusted her legs to be in a stronger position, their voice was softer than the robotic tones of the armour. "You don't need muscles or strength to win in unarmed combat, most of the time, you don't need to necessarily need to hit them or be skilled in combat. All you need to understand is how to use their weight against them. How to sense their movements and predict what to do next. For now, you can use the Force to sense things and if you focus your connection in the Force to your senses, then you should be able to see more clearly what is happening. It has taken me years, but even blindfolded I can predict and fight an opponent, just by using the Force."

Hopefully that would help Andromeda feel more capable in her abilities for combat. As long as she got the basics and kept up the practice in them, then Ilwynog would let her focus on the Force.

Andromeda Malvern Andromeda Malvern
 
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ



T A G S | Ilwynog Cysgod Ilwynog Cysgod

Andromeda did not need eyes to see that Ilywnog was not exactly comfortable out of their armour. She resonated with the feeling. When it was time to sleep, she often pulled the silver mask from her face to clean it and set it aside while she slept. Her head felt a thousand times lighter than normal. As though someone had stuck a tube into her ears and filled her with helium. It was often difficult to regain control of it for a good while when the weight had been lifted, and that was just her head. If Ilwynog was used to wearing the armour all the time, the sensation must have been everywhere.

Dizzying.

It was then that Ilwynog spoke, commenting on her Miraluka heritage. Everything froze, somewhat. Suddenly, her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of crimson. How could she not have concluded this by herself? When she realised the force existed, and when she realised that she had a connection to it? It all seemed to fall into place. Andromeda felt horribly embarrassed.

Ordinarily, this would have meant the sealing of her lips. An awkward silence and a battle in her mind between saying something and keeping quiet. A fight between the fear of looking foolish and the constant need to develop her knowledge. However, Ilwynog had been kind up to now, despite their firm hand in the beginning. Andromeda did not feel quite so pressured to get things right as she did in her other lessons or activities. So, she spoke her mind.

“I had no idea we used force sense.” Her sheepish tone finally blurted out. “My Father... Well, he wasn’t my real Father. He didn’t tell me much about Miraluka. Or much about being one. Or much about the force.” A sudden realisation sprung to mind. “But, if it’s a force ability, does that mean I can get better at it?” She felt stupid the moment the words left her mouth. Of course she could improve her skill in force sense. Just as she would eventually progress from a thin sheet of ice over water to shattering the glass from the sudden drop in temperature. Quickly, she shook her head to prevent Ilwynog from answering and to show them that she had already figured it out for herself.

She made a promise to herself to return to the subject once the lesson on basic combat had been completed. It would be like a reward, of sorts, for making it through the worst of it. Andromeda focused on Ilwynog’s instructions as they guided her hands and arms into the proper stance for combat.

“I suppose with being a Miraluka, sensing things in the force is easier?” If they had a natural affinity for using the force to see, it stood to reason that they used it to sense in combat as well. Andromeda adjusted herself, just an inch or two here and there to compensate for the length of her limbs. Matvec Triddol’s words rang out in her mind as she did. ”Your starting spot should be your own.” The Nautolan had taught her much. She had picked up a good basis for beginning from Ilwynog, but it still needed to be her own. She still needed to feel comfortable with it, and that went a long way with learning to become familiar with it.

Andromeda rolled her shoulders back slightly and stood a little straighter. “Is this good?” She quizzed the shadow at her side.

 
It was not difficult to see that Andromeda had no idea about her Miraluka heritage which was odd, usually people tended to be well-versed in their races limitations and strengths, especially when things can be very hard for the Miraluka in certain areas. Ilwynog didn't think it was their place to inform her of what Miraluka history was or what it meant to be one. That was something she should be allowed to learn in her own time. "If you wish to learn more about Miraluka and your people's history, there should be holocrons which would be audible accounts on their history, culture and what the Jedi know about them. The choice to learn more is yours and I will not force you to learn more about them, I don't know too much, they are not a species I have encountered much when working in the underground criminal world. However, the archives will be where you can find all the information you will want on them." Ilwynog then watched as Andromeda adjusted her stance to be more comfortable with her body but maintained the important aspects of the stance to not completely change the stance.

The girl was smart, when she realised her sight was based on a Force power, she asked if it could be improved but then came to the conclusion that it could. While Ilwynog knew that she would not see as other races could, Andromeda would be able to see other things more clearly than the average person could. At least that was what they had been told Miraluka could do if they trained the power. "Yes, sensing things through the Force is inherent in all Miraluka and they are always the best in that ability, a Padawan who is a Miraluka would be able to use Force Sense better than a Knight and comparable to some Masters. Depending on how strong the ability was for them to begin with and how hard they trained to improve it." Ilwynog explained, "most that I know of use their powers to be strong Force Users, less focused on combat but there are always some that will hone their skills for good Lightsaber combat. Just be careful when around objects that will dampen or remove your connection to the Force, it can render you defenceless since you won't be able to see at all. We can train to hone your other senses when around things like ysalamiri which removes a person's connection to the Force and favoured pet of Mandalorians when in combat."

"However, that will be a lesson down the line if you wish to learn it." Ilwynog reassured that it would be a lesson that Andromeda would have to want to learn, since there would be so many other things that she could learn and prefer to learn. "Your stance is fine, this won't be a sparring match since it is clear you have no combat experience. This will just be a guide to some basic moves you can use and then you can try using them on me, it shall be slow and you will set the pace." Ilwynog then moved in close and stood slightly in front and to the side of Andromeda and did some basic punches and mentioned how it was important to balance your stance while punching and using your weight to power the move. After demonstrating some moves, Ilwynog was unsure how much Andromeda could see of their movement but they moved over to her and then held up their hand, telling Andromeda to hit it with all she had. Assessing her strength and how well she had been able to take in the lesson so far.

Andromeda Malvern Andromeda Malvern
 
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ



T A G S | Ilwynog Cysgod Ilwynog Cysgod

Andromeda nodded at Ilwynog’s comments. She knew that much about Miraluka at the very least. That Miraluka saw more than most.

On Voss, when she had Varn had taken the opposite tunnel to the rest of their team, they had bumped into several mystics. To Andromeda, they were horrific shadows of crimson that blended into the darkness of the room. Even through their attempts to disguise themselves using a puppet replication of Varn’s daughter, Andromeda could still see them for what they were. Varn, on the other hand, could only see what was placed in front of him. He only saw the solid, tangible version of his daughter. He only heard her cries for help. He could not see the shadow pulling at the invisible strings tied around her limbs.

The shadow had even gone so far as to point this out to Master Varn. In a taunting, derogatory manner that had made the walk back to join their group one of the most awkward walks, Andromeda had ever taken. Perhaps if she had known then what she knew now, about Miraluka, she could have comforted him better. There was little use thinking on that now though. It had come and gone, and she was already handling the consequences. Whether she was doing it well or not remained to be seen, but Ilywnog would not have answers for her there. They were much more focused on the combat moves they were going to teach her.

Just as Andromeda should have been.

She nodded her head in response to their comment on learning force sight further. Andromeda had quickly come to the conclusion that she could read as many books, holocrons, tomes and diaries as she liked, but they made little difference in the real world. Out there, it did not really matter that she had read about the force. She had read about being able to freeze water, but that did not make it any easier when it came to applying it tangibly. Someone teaching her, demonstrating and explaining through actions, was always going to be an easier way for her to learn.

Andromeda watched as the shadowy form of Ilwynog moved to an appropriate position. They demonstrated their meaning in three sharp, quick punches. Andromeda could have sworn she heard the air snapping across their curled fists as they did. There was no doubt in her mind that she would not be as strong as they were. They had been trained for what seemed like years in hand to hand combat. She did not imagine sly, sneaky work went hand in hand with blaster fights. Once again, she nodded at their comments on the importance of keeping her balance. Though she found a platinum blonde brow raising when they suggested using their hand as a punching bag.

Hesitation was clearly her wheelhouse. The awkward silence where her mind battled between knowing she would not even come close to hurting them, and not wanting them to know how truly weak her muscles were. She was certain it would be more embarrassing than her attempts at the water glass. Ilwynog might not be so understanding about her complete lack of strength in this particular department. It may even cement their original thought that she was indeed a spoiled rich girl with no real-world experience. Still, there was no use dithering. Ilwynog would make her do it regardless, so she may as well get it over with.

The first throw came from her left hand, the dominant one. Unsurprisingly, there was little weight behind it. Ilwynog’s hand barely moved an inch. Undeterred, and knowing that Ilwynog expected more than just one measly punch, Andromeda threw her right fist quickly after the left.

The result was much the same, if not worse. She did not have much to work with to start. She was skinner than most of the padawans in Silver Rest, despite their clear height difference. She had not done a hard day’s work in her life. So, on top of having little to develop, she had little opportunity to even attempt. Andromeda let her fists fall to her sides again, though she did not sigh. Or look disappointed in herself. Her masked face simply turned up to Ilwynog, to wait for their comments.


 
While Ilwynog was a practical person when it came to training, preferring to get person in a room and training them that way, or even pushing the boundaries and putting some risk/reward situation going on. Reading and listening to holocrons was also important, at least in their mind, since it gave a base to work off and it meant that you could gain more knowledge of different uses that a teacher might not have thought of or know, knowledge was key and it was important to read when you could. Then train harder when not reading so that you could be capable in the power that you have learned about. Ilwynog knew most of the Force powers they had wanted to learn from studying texts and holocrons on the Shadows and what Shadows use, they also learned some extra powers that weren't necessary for a Shadow but some Shadows in holocrons had mentioned were helpful for them to know when they were out and about.

It was also why they got a translator for languages since there were so many people that did not speak basic and Ilwynog would not be fluent in every language out there. While they had their hands up, they could not help but smirk since it was clear that Andromeda was not a fighter nor had she ever been one, but that didn't put her down in their eyes. They could tell that she was not a fighter straight when she entered the room so that assessment had been made. However, they did not think her spoilt since she was willing to put in the effort and Ilwynog could only commend that. The strikes were weak and did not have much power behind them, Ilwynog smiled and was pleased that this did not seem to discourage her, however when Andromeda lowered her guard, moved their arm and quickly tapped her jaw gently with their fingers. "Never drop your guard when we are doing combat training, next time I will hit you properly."

Their tone was light but there was a serious to it, "it is clear that you haven't had the chance to develop muscles and fight for yourself. Most Padawans, even those focused in the Force, come to the Jedi younger than you so we have a chance to train them in basic combat and build muscle. I would recommend that while I wouldn't expect you to be super muscular and strong, building some muscles and improving your strength a little will go a long way for you. Now, when someone goes to punch you, I said that it is better for you to use their strength against them. I want you to work on being quick and agile, use your limbs to get you out of situations and use locks on opponents so that when you get in a fight, you won't be throwing punches but dodging, controlling them and ensuring that you are avoiding as much pain as possible."

They then had Andromeda throw another punch and in a quick, short few movements then put Andromeda on the ground firmly but not hard. "This is called a sweep, normally I would have taken the opponent down harder to knock the wind out of them." Ilwynog offered a hand to help Andromeda to her feet.

Andromeda Malvern Andromeda Malvern
 

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