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Aug 24, 2012 16:37:29 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Aug 24, 2012 16:37:29 GMT -5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_vrHhonb6M ambiance music, likely for the next couple of posts.
Blue and white, pulled into thin and pale strands of light, swept past the view port of the small transport ship. Aboard this ship were only two beings…both a different sort of light added to the Galaxy in their own right. They had left Metellos some time ago, the older of the two beings at the helm and allowing the strong call of the force from the world she sought guiding her in the correct direction. Their destination was not labeled on any starchart, there was no instruction on how to get there, or what exact route to take…the jedi didn’t need such a thing for this journey. The call of the crystals was enough to help guide them correctly, and if it wasn’t, then perhaps they weren’t ready. Of course, she would have her padawan take the helm at another point in time…later, when she knew he was ready to learn how to make the trek alone, when she would no longer be around and he would no longer need her. In fact, now that she thought of it, Ilum reminded Talau a bit of Rilia. Of course, the only factor the two had in common was the fact that both remained off the starcharts and one needed to know how to get there either from first hand knowledge or by the force guiding you. Other than that, she supposed the two planets were nearly polar opposites, one being a frozen world controlled by the Order and the other quite arid and controlled by the Morequai…people who, to her knowledge, were about as opposite the jedi as night to day. Still, the journey to this frozen sanctuary was nearly at an end, the vibrations of energy through the force acting very much like a radar ping to her senses…each moment they drew nearer the vibrations grew closer together. By now they were nearly a solid ‘thrum’ against her extended senses. Vaguely she wondered what the sensation was like to Vance. Turning to the young man, she gave him a little smile. ”We’re nearly there, so make sure you’re strapped in.”Not but three minutes later the craft dropped out of hyperspace, the blueish-white globe of Ilum hanging before them like a glass ball filled with swirling mist set, glittering, into space. As their ship drew nearer, one could see the shifting pattern of clouds and snowstorms, but the woman cared little about these things. This ship had made the journey here before, it was solid and well maintained, and she trusted the force and her own reflexes enough to know they would be alright. What mattered now was the welcoming call of the crystal caves below them, and the sensation of utter importance that emanated from the world itself. ”Do you feel them, Vance? The crystals are what calls us to this world…and they are how we find it. You will not find Ilum on any starchart you study. Also, I want you to be alert to the force right now. Feel all you can from it, take it in and learn from it. This place is powerful and will not lead you astray if you trust in both yourself and the sensations you get from the Force.” She glanced over at him then, a corner of her mouth lifting just slightly. ”You will understand why this is so important in a few moments.”Angling the ship downward, deep violet and gold eyes swept the information readouts to make certain that everything was in order, from the entry shields to the engine to the inertial dampeners. Soon enough the white that was below them swiftly engulfed them, blocking out all visibility as they swept through the clouds. It didn’t seem to matter, though, as Talau seemed not to see anything anyway…her eyes focused on some point in the distance and slightly glazed over. It was obvious that she was quite aware, her hands and arms making slight adjustments to their heading every so often, but she was not using her physical sight…at least not to any ‘normal’ degree. Inwardly, the woman allowed the force to take as much control of her reactions as it could…her body reacting to the impulses in her mind without over-thinking or trying to rationalize. The shuttle banked to the left, a break in the clouds allowing just a sliver of sight through the swirling snowstorm to the peak of a mountain as they passed it. The buffeting winds were countered endlessly to keep them on track as they banked back toward their original line of entry. As the clouds themselves began to sweep away from them as they descended, the near-constant blizzard continued to obscure physical sight, but soon enough the shuttle was bleeding off speed. It wasn’t until they were nearly upon it that the towering spires of the temple here on Ilum made their presence known, looming up before them…carved into the face of the mountains behind it. Slowly, and back to using her physical sight more readily, Talau guided the small craft into one of the open chasms in the wall of the mountain. The black stone that created the landing bay (with only one or two other craft nestled inside) seemed to absorb nearly all the light that touched it, giving the space an eerie sort of darkness that hardly seemed befitting for the Order. With a little sigh as the ship touched down, Talau smiled. She cared little about the dark and mysterious façade of the temple here on Ilum, it was the feeling of being surrounded by the force and the ancient presence of the place that made her feel welcome and at home here. As she went about shutting the ship down, she looked over at Vance. ”Welcome to Ilum’s temple, Vance. Go and gather your things, then meet me at the ramp.”It was a few minutes before the woman herself got up and went to gather her pack and pull on her thick robes before meeting her padawan at the landing ramp in the back of the ship. This was, in fact, one of the few times she looked completely like a jedi. Gone were the leather armor and clothing fit for walking around the streets unnoticed, replaced with the pristine tunic, pants and robe that helped distinguish the Jedi Order as a monastic order since time immemorial. Gone, also, was the constant shielding and dimming of her presence. Even on Coruscant she kept some of it reigned in, just in case, but here…with no one around besides other jedi and dwarfed by the sensation of the crystals in the caves, she didn’t need to hide. This was, truly, one of the few safe places for any jedi. ”Are you ready, then?”
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
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...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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Aug 24, 2012 22:08:24 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Aug 24, 2012 22:08:24 GMT -5
Vance wriggled in his seat next to Tal, shifting to uncross his legs and stretch them a bit. It had been a while since they had left Metellos, and since then he had only gotten up a few times to adjust his robes or to try and wake up his sleeping limbs.
Vance had been a little skeptical when Tal had told him that this planet they were headed to, this Illum, was uncharted. He presumed, therefore, that she somehow knew where it was; did Knights memorize its location? But no, the reason as to its invisibility was simple; you didn't need a map to find Illum.
Not when you were a Jedi.
From Metellos, Vance had seen Tal constantly reaching out with the Force, almost like a hand in the dark grasping for direction. She had found it, it seemed, and they had been off. For a few minutes in hyperspace, Vance failed to detect whatever it was that gave Illum away. As the distance closed, however, the feeling came into range. It was almost as if the icy planet had a heartbeat, sending a constant stream of steady pulses into space like a beacon. From outside of Metellos Vance could only have felt it slightly, but now it was strong, almost matching the strength of the padawan's own heartbeat. The Force was strong in this place.
It was when Tal dropped the spacecraft out of hyperspace that the sensation truly expressed itself. Without having to contend with the rushing, slippery feeling of hyperspace, Illum's presence was so great that Vance almost gasped aloud. The pulse was strong and giant, almost as though someone struck a gong of silence every second in the padawan's ear, the resonance flowing through his body before subsiding, only to be repeated in what could only be described as an unstoppable cycle.
It was truly awe inspiring.
Vance kept his sense outward, eyes closed, barely listening to the cockpit. Tal drew him back in momentarily, describing the crystals the made the planet so mystical. She told him to continue tuning himself to the body, and to learn as much as it would tell him.
He offered little argument. As he slipped back out of his body, he shuddered slightly at the might of the presence.
The slowing shuttle broke his focus again, and opened his eyes to what was amiss. Before the shuttle, carved into a mountain of stone, was what could only be described as a ancient place of solitude. The stone looked smooth and carved as if by precision tools, and yet the place radiated the feeling of something older than the memory of most races, almost like it had been built before people were around to build it. The elegant-yet-simple design made it obvious that it was of Jedi nature, and yet more obvious was that it was not the main attraction.
The stone it was bore into was.
The shuttle glided into a carved-out cave that served as a dock. No atmospheric field on the cave's mouth. No service equipment on the floors. Not even any man-made landing surface. Everything there was simply what could be carved from the smooth, radiant stone.
The shuttle settled with a soft thud, and Tal directed Vance to grab his things after welcoming him to the Illum Temple. He could only nod silently; he was still trying to get over, or rather keep from being overwhelmed by, the planet he now sat on. He had to take a minute to dial himself back into his body. The planet seemed to welcome him with open arms, and it was difficult not simply to be swallowed up by them.
Retaining his silence, Vance stepped out of his co-pilot seat and opened the pack he had brought with him. In it were mainly a change of cold-weather robes, his cloak, a few training implements of his, a few holopads, a training saber (just in case) and a special bundle he kept between it all for safe-keeping. Careful as could be, the padawan pulled out his warm-robes. Sliding and tying them on, Vance eyed the bundle with a small dose of contained excitement. Weeks of burns, deformed pieces, and over-loaded circuits had finally paid off in the form of one very intricate and personal piece of equipment. For a minute, the padawan considered unwrapping the tied-up cloth and looking at its contents once again. He decided against it though, instead pushing it deeper into the bag along with his normal robes. He finally brought out and put on his cloak before re-sealing the bag. With a small smile, he slung the entire package over his shoulder and walked slowly down the landing ramp, meeting Tal with a mystified grin.
”Are you ready, then?”
"Yes Tal." Vance grinned a little more. He once again had to deal with that oddity of calling someone new "master", but with Tal, he did it less than he normally would've. She didn't seem like the stock-and-wise master-stereo-type Younglings and Padawans were supposed to uphold mentally. She was wise, of course, but it seemed that if he was supposed to call her what she seemed like to him, he would have been better off with "big sis" or "auntie". Of course, he didn't dare try his luck with those two.
The padawan smiled, laughing silently a little. She'd knock me one for those two. Even still, he was growing very fond of his new master.
The two Jedi began traversing the cave and heading toward an inner part of the Temple. Vance let his presence wander, again reaching out into the strong, pulsing arms of Illum. It was amazing how they were so infallible, so un-daunting, and yet so terrifying in their peace and serenity. He was enough to make a man cry, laugh, cower, and stand tall all in the same moment.
As he walked, however, Vance's mind worked away, tapping his presence with a question like it usually did. Vance considered its importance, and finally asked it.
"What are caves like master?" He wiped his tongue with his teeth, trying to wipe off the dual-oddity of using that word with Tal.
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Aug 24, 2012 23:19:45 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Aug 24, 2012 23:19:45 GMT -5
The quiet halls were dotted with pillars of the light absorbing stone, many of them dotted with glimmering crystals that helped catch and reflect the pale light that shown in through vast windows looking out on the swirling snow. This temple had the feel of being ancient and having seen many souls pass through, along the very halls they now walked. It was, however, mostly abandoned now, kept up only by an honor guard and a few others who chose to stay and help while they trained before moving on. The sensation was...odd. She remembered it as almost disquieting when she was younger, coming here for the first time. It was almost as if on cue that Vance spoke up.
"What are the caves like master?"
She couldn't help but smile a little, unsure if she liked the honorific or felt awkward in the use of it while referring to her. Perhaps it just took time to get used to it? Maybe she would simply have Vance call her by first name? She would have to think on it some more, but for now there was an answer that needed to be given.
Turning down another one of the vast, empty, halls the woman 'hmmed' thoughtfully. "Well...they are made of the same stone as you see the rest of the temple carved from. There are no windows, however, so there is precious little light except for what the crystals can put forth, which isn't much." Pausing as they came to what had once been the main entrance hall, she gazed around at the thick pillars of stone and the long, spiraling, ramps that stretched away into the relative gloom of the temple. Everywhere little glints and shimmers of color could be seen in nearly all the colors of the lightsabers the Jedi wielded.
Somewhere down the way, she could see the colored aura (more than the physical body) of another being moving silently in the darkness. No doubt one of the honor guard, someone who could help them find a room they could make use of during their time here. "Come, one of the Honor Guard is there and we should ask where the rooms here are since my memory's a little vague on that." She would return to his question, of course, but making sure that they had some lodgings was more important at the moment. Stepping forward swiftly, she reached through the force to gain the other's attention.
The man, an older, bundled-looking, Twi'lek, met them half way through the hall, greeting them with a polite bow and a smile, his voice quiet and reverent...fitting for the place they were in. "Welcome, friends. You require some help?"
"Yes, thank you, and well met. I plan so spend some time here with my padawan, to construct his first saber and do some training...I know my way fairly well, but where the rooms are is escaping me."
The man smiled, chuckling softly. "It's been a while since someone has decided to train here. It will be nice to see the grounds getting some use again. The rooms you look for are up this path. Simply follow it and you will find your way."
Bowing to the man, she smiled. "Thank you very much."
"Of course...and may the force be with both of you, especially you young one."
Smiling once more, Tal put her hand on Vance's back, allowing him to reply before starting to lead him off once more. Their path wound upward through the pillars of stone and crystals to another floor. The air in the temple was still crisp and cold, making their breath rise up as steam. Even having been here twice before, Talau could never get over the mystique of the place...the simple, dark, beauty and elegance of the structure itself, combined with the brilliance of the crystals and the immensity and history she could feel in every corner of the place.
"The Caves...they are much like the temple itself, though parts of them can be quite dangerous. There are gorgodons that nest in some places of them, so we must be mindful of them, as well as ice and dangerous footing. There is also, as you can feel, the force to contend with. While it is welcoming, you need to be aware that many jedi who come here to create their sabers experience hallucinations because of it...especially when they are near carvings created by other jedi throughout the years. You will see these on the walls in the caves at points...histories recorded by jedi who came before us."
Smiling a little she paused at the end of the ramp, the hallway with rooms ready for jedi to stay in on their pilgrimage stretching out before them. Looking up at Vance, she held that smile easily. "Though, I'll help you through those should it happen. I will help guard you from them how I can. For now, let's take a room and prepare ourselves. Finding the crystal for you to use is the most important part of this journey, and I want you to be ready for it."
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
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...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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Aug 25, 2012 16:50:08 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Aug 25, 2012 16:50:08 GMT -5
Tal described the caves as similar to the Temple, which Vance found mildly surprising. He didn't imagine that the Temple differed much in appearance from the rest of this strange planet, but he hadn't expected it to be quite so right on the money. Even the glow of these crystals she mentioned seemed to leak into the Temple halls, giving the stone their life and radiance.
Is it any wonder they keep this place off the charts?
Tal shifted gears for a moment, bee-lining for one of the honor guards of the Temple. The Jedi they found looked very peaceful, almost like he was a part of the Temple, and therefore Illum. Vance couldn't tell if his sensing needed work, but it was difficult at certain times to tell the honor guard's presence apart from the Temple.
Tal asked about the location of the lodgings, the honor guard kindly pointed them up a certain path.
"Of course…and may the force be with both of you, especially you young one."
For a minute, Vance couldn't tell who he was talking to. The planet was still, even as he was contained in his own body, firmly braced on him, trying to swallow him up. He had to check himself constantly, making sure he wasn't allowing himself to wander. Once he had done so, however, his mind registered the kind words, and the padawan felt a warm hand on his back. Bowing deeply, Vance could simply manage, "As with you." Tal smiled warmly at him as the honor guard did the same and left, and for a minute, nothing mattered beyond the confines of this peaceful, kind, and mystical Temple and its inhabitants.
Vance felt warm despite the frigid air.
Allowing himself a small smile as he noticed his breath visible in front of him, Vance followed Tal's lead as the proceeded up the directed path. The two Jedi came to a new level of the Temple, another hallway with numerous rooms on the sides, and Tal continued her explanation. Vance listened with open ears, allowing his other senses to fade away in favor of seeing the world in its abundant Force.
Normally the threat of gorgodons (whatever those were; he made it a point to ask later) and hallucinations would have alerted the padawan, but in his mild haze the words were less warnings and more notifications. Even Tal's tone as she said them seemed oddly peaceful. The entire planet just seemed so relaxed...
Wait a second. Vance checked himself again, and sure enough he found his own presence numbly stretching outward, leaping by small bounds into Illum's opening arms. He stopped himself, and slowly roped himself back in time to see Tal smiling at him again at the top of the path. He himself had stopped just before the end. Jogging a little, he met up with her.
"This place is amazing... and so tempting. I'm glad to have the help." With any luck, the feeling of an entire planet tempting you would become less powerful as it also became less new, but Vance didn't hold his hopes on the theory very high. Even Tal seemed to lose herself a little.
Noting that all of the rooms sounded vacant, Vance shuffled slowly over to the closest one: inside were the bare necessities. A set of cots, which appeared to be made of some sort of animal skin, a window on the wall to let in the sunlight, and a thin, small rug on the stone floor for what Vance could only imagine was mediation. Beyond that?
Stone.
Vance dropped his bag next to one of the cots and opened it, once again checking the contents. He turned his head to Tal inquiringly.
"How soon are we headed out?"
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Aug 26, 2012 0:22:31 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Aug 26, 2012 0:22:31 GMT -5
Vance, it seemed, was not only awestruck by the place they were in, but was almost to the point of absorption. While she was glad that he was taking in the feel and sight of the world they were on, Talau was mindful of her new padawan. It wouldn’t do to lose him on the winding paths of the temple or in the sometimes treacherous, and very disorienting, caverns. As he jogged to catch up with her, she shook her head a little.
“This place is amazing…and so tempting. I’m glad to have the help.”
To this, she nodded. ”Yes, it can be…but still, you need to remain aware of yourself and your surroundings. It’s easy to get distracted, and then disoriented and lost, in the caverns especially.” It wasn’t an admonishment, but it had more than a hint of cautionary tone to it, indicating that if he didn’t stay mindful it could turn into one…hopefully before anything like getting lost happened. Still, without another word to that effect, she started off toward the rooms.
Primarily they seemed unoccupied, a few (perhaps) down the way also having the feel of life to them, but it was always difficult to differentiate one or two other presences apart from the vastness of sensation that were the caves deeper in. Following Vance into one of the nearest rooms, she moved to one of the cots, settling her pack down atop it. While there were furs on top to act as blankets, helping keep the cold away at night, the beds themselves were fairly standard…if a bit old and very Spartan. In fact, the whole room was much like an empty shell, only the bare essentials necessary for a jedi. A mat for private meditation, the beds, a small bathroom…but that was about it.
Well, she’d slept on less, so this was fine with her…at least they were out of the snow and ice.
“How soon are we headed out?”
”As soon as we cover some ground rules and I give you some information,” came the simple reply as she turned to face him, pulling her robes around herself a bit further. While she preferred cool climates to warm, this had always been a bit too much cold for her liking. After waiting a moment for his reply, she’d continue on.
”I’ve already told you that you need to remain aware of yourself and your surroundings. This is going to be the most important rule, and I can’t stress it enough. The caverns are very large, and quite disorienting, especially when combined with the strong presence of the Force in this place…so I want you to remain near by me at all times.
Also, if you begin to feel overwhelmed at all, I want you to let me know immediately. It seems to be different for everyone, I felt dizzy myself the first time I came. I would prefer to know if you feel uncomfortable or abnormal or ‘strange’ at any point in time, rather than overdoing things and having something happen. Even if you think it’s nothing important, I would rather be aware than unsuspecting.” It would also be a test of his ability to follow instruction and be open with her. It wasn’t that he’d been anything but honest with her, or that she doubted him, but it was better for her to test his ability to be such with more than just questions. After all, how was she supposed to be his mentor if she had to worry about if he was going to tell her the little (but often important) things…like how he was feeling physically and mentally.
”If at any point you get lost or fall behind, wait where you are and reach out for me in the force. I’ll come back for you, or come to find you that way…I’m an excellent tracker and will be able to see you much more clearly in the dark than you would me, so it would be best for you not to wander further and make it more difficult to reunite. Lastly, I want you to remember this time…there won’t be another like it again. Every journey here will be different, of course, with different life experiences, but there will never be another time like this for you. So, while there are these rules, and I expect you to be aware…I also want you to take this in fully.”
With a bit of a smile, she folded her arms comfortably over her chest. ”Now…for some information about looking for your crystal: feel for it. You might not understand their call yet, but you’ll know it when you feel it. Many don’t seem to feel the call of their crystal, just choosing whichever they desire…but they do call to us, so be aware of that as well and it may help you find the best one for you.”
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
1,616 posts
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...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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Aug 26, 2012 16:47:27 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Aug 26, 2012 16:47:27 GMT -5
Vance eyed his pack a little more as Tal began answering his question. He couldn't help it. The hunk of precious junk wrapped up like a baby was one of his finest achievements (not that he had many to compare it to yet), and part of him wanted nothing more than to look at it again.
Fortunately, his logical side managed to pierce his planet-induced daze again. Focus!
Tal was laying down a few instructions that the padawan needed to know before they ventured forth. First and foremost was the most important and the most obvious; keep his head out of the clouds. It was a simple instruction, and yet Vance foresaw himself having more difficulty with it than whatever other advice was to follow. The planet had already swept him off his feet a few times, and he had barely been here a half-hour. If the caves were any worse, he would have to focus intently on just keeping himself grounded.
Next was another instruction: be vocal. Again, it was a simple enough idea; if he was in trouble, say something. Again, however, that was easier said than done. After all, it was difficult to speak when you were barely within the confines of your own body. With any luck, however, he could at least communicate that he was in trouble.
The third piece of "Cavern-Survival According to Tal" was that if they were separated, it would be a better idea for her to Vance than for him to find her. Vance could understand; from what he had gathered from the time he had spent with Tal thus far, she was a rather alert person. She was always feeling, always seeking, it seemed. Vance could imagine her being a Sentinel had something to do with it, but even then Tal seemed a bit more adept than the average Jedi. In any event, he nodded simply after this third point.
A quick fourth point was to remember and learn everything he could here. Vance didn't imagine having many problems there; this place was full of mystery.
The last bit was actually about finding the crystal (which Vance, in his dealings with his new sensations, had nearly forgotten about). Tal told him to let the crystal call to him.
For a minute, the haze lifted, and the padawan's mental cogs cranked and sped as they mass-produced questions. How do the crystals call you? How can you tell? Has anyone ever been mistaken in their call? Are we simply destined to find certain crystals?
Luckily for herself, Tal continued in saying that when the crystals called, Vance would "know it when he felt it". For any other scenario, he would have pressed for more such an in-explanatory statement, but considering how little he himself could describe anything else on Illum at the moment, he simply nodded again.
It's gonna be a looooooooooong day.
The padawan checked his pack again, grabbing the training saber and hooking it to his belt. He paused, trying to think of anything else he might need. The bundle beckoned to him again, and he once more denied his blind desire, instead resealing the pack and tossing it lightly onto the cot.
For a minute, he simply breathed, checking on himself again and making sure both feet were still on the ground. The planet's massive presence was still pressing him, but at least now it was less of a surprise.
"So... stay in my own skin, talk if there's something wrong, stay in one place if we're separated, learn and memorize, and let the crystals call me." Vance counted each instruction on his fingers, holding up his opened hand as soon as every finger was extended, carrying their individual instructions. This was going to be a big step for him, that much was clear, and he certainly wasn't going to go and blow it just because he was too dazed and confused to anchor down and listen for 2 minutes.
This was going to be a defining moment in his life, and Vance would be damned if he charged it blindly.
"Anything else I should know?" His tone had reclaimed its curiosity. Then, just like that, a synapse he had set earlier fired, and he added "Oh! And what the heck is a Gorgodon?"
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Sept 1, 2012 17:54:00 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Sept 1, 2012 17:54:00 GMT -5
If her new padawan thought that it was going to be a long day, he likely had no idea how long Tal herself thought it was going to be. While she could see that Vance was doing a fine job at attempting to keep himself present while she spoke, she could feel his attention wander ever so slightly at times…not so slightly at others. When he parroted the instructions back to her, albeit in a condensed and simplified way, she nodded. At least he’d been focused enough to be able to sum what she’d said up and repeat it back. Still, she was aware that this would not be an easy task…finding his crystal as well as keeping him focused.
Had she really been like this when she’d first come here? Well, most likely, yes.
“Anything else I should know? Oh! And what the heck is a Gorgodon?”
She’d been about to answer ‘no’ to his question when he posed a good question. How had she not thought to explain something so important to him? That made her sigh a little, disappointed in herself for her lack of forethought. She should have had him do some research on the planet before they came. Even if it wasn’t on the star charts there was still information about it in the archives. Well, she supposed she was learning as he was…she would simply have to remember this lesson for their next journey.
”A Gorgodon is a large mammal that lives here on Ilum. Normally they live in the lowlands, but some wander up here and into the caves looking for food or make nests here. Typically they walk on all fours, and have a large and strong tail that they can use to intimidate and bludgeon their prey or an enemy. They’re covered in black fur, their claws are quite dangerous and they have three rows of teeth. Luckily their eyesight tends to be poor, but unluckily their hearing and sense of smell are…impressive.” Shifting her weight a little, she settled one hand on her hip and shook her head slightly, not liking the idea of running into any of these beasts. Hopefully they wouldn’t.
”On top of all of that they can spit a thick, brownish, saliva which helps bind things like their nests…or their prey. When they finally get hold of their prey or enemy they’ll squeeze it to death, basically…suffocating it. Considering they’re thickly muscled and have a strong skeletal structure they aren’t easy to kill. Likely the best place to do real damage is to sever the spine at the neck and paralyze them.” Pushing some of her hair back, she recalled Shoal teaching her this same lesson, as well as how to best get on one of the creatures if necessary. Of course, it was easier with him since he’d been a shistavanen…it had simply been a matter of using himself as a practice dummy, even if he wasn’t as large as one of the gorgodons themselves. It wasn’t as easy for her to do the same thing for her padawan. How did she proceed?
”I wish that there was an easy way for me to instruct you on how to help accomplish that sort of strike, but there isn’t…I could try to describe it, but I honestly doubt it would be of much use without some practice, and I’m no shistavanen…my build just won’t do to practice on, especially given your height compared to mine. Still…” A slight sigh escaped her as she pondered the situation a little further. ”The most I can tell you from my own training was that it was easiest to leap and grab hold of one of the shoulders so I could get to the back and sever the spine that way. Other than that, just know that you must always be cautious of them, because they do not just find their way into the caves, but into the temple itself, so I would recommend that you not go anywhere without me. Alright?”
Taking a moment to gaze at him steadily, she gave him a slight smile and folded her arms inside her robe to help keep them warmer. ”Now, unless you have any other questions, we should be going.”
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
1,616 posts
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...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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Sept 5, 2012 21:38:48 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Sept 5, 2012 21:38:48 GMT -5
Inside the young padawan, a struggle broke out. On the one side was his curiosity; he truly wanted to know what a Gorgodon was and what it was like. He was interested. On the other hand, however, was the presence of Illum, unwavering and imposing. The presence continued its assault restlessly, pushing and pushing...
Vance did his best to listen while still keeping conscious of his senses. He caught the gist of the explanation, noting that they were indeed mammals, quite large, constrictors, and that the best way to kill them was to aim for the spin. As Tal neared the conclusion of her lecture, however, the padawan slipped up, and was for a moment focused on simply not falling helplessly into the void. His struggle was like hanging onto the side of a mountain; if his grip failed, he would plummet to his doom, or rather the vastness of the planet they stood on. He wasn't necessarily tiring, but the mountain of consciousness was a steep and dangerous slope.
Hey! Vance managed to snap back to reality, noting that Tal had stopped speaking and was viewing him with the utmost curiosity. From what it seemed, he had just missed something. Had Tal kept talking? If she had, what had she said? Was it about Gorgodons?
The questions prompted another slip up, however, and Vance again focused on hanging onto his rocky slope. After a moment, his mind found a new hold, and he was allowed to return to the physical world. Anything he had been thinking about before, unfortunately, was lost to the vast presence.
”Now, unless you have any other questions, we should be going.”
"Oh. Right." The reply was uncertain, dazed, and a tad lost, but it was at least comprehending.
The two Jedi quickly headed out of the scarce room and back into the hallway. From there, they did their best to backtrack to the main hall of the Temple. From there, two grand portals were in view; the vast entrance into the Illum landscape, and great staircase. The Illum landscape looked the same as when they had arrived; elegant, majestic, undisturbed, and frigidly cold.
The staircase, however, was main attraction of the hall. Boldy stringent in its decoration, the staircase was huge, appearing as though it had been built for giants. And yet, it was just like the rest of the Temple; smooth and natural, almost as if the mountain had formed perfectly that way. Vance could sense the presence intensify as one's altitude dropped, almost like every step had been built to add intensity each time. Each and every square meter of the minerals of practically glowed, as if it was alive.
Vance was beginning to wonder if it really was.
For a moment, the padawan couldn't help but hesitate at the top of the staircase, trying to figure out of the soft glows faint at the foreseeable bottom were crystals or the Force itself. Either way, they were powerful.
Vance turned to Tal, doing his best to be brave. He couldn't help but be a little afraid, both of the planet and its riches below. At the same time, however, he was determined to understand this place and get his crystal.
Even if he had to make a few mistakes to get to that point.
"Shall we?"
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Sept 7, 2012 18:16:34 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Sept 7, 2012 18:16:34 GMT -5
This was, truly, going to be a long day…especially if Vance didn’t get his head on straight. His dazed reply earned a sigh as she attempted to keep herself from putting a hand on her hip. ’Note to self: Work on mental shielding with him.’ As they headed out of their room and down the pathway from before, she was sure to keep an eagle-eye on her padawan. She didn’t bother trying to shield him from anything yet, there was no point in straining herself at this point…not when her own vigilance was obviously so necessary…but her own mind had been hardened and sharpened as she focused on her own set of personal tasks.
As welcoming as the force was, the tempting feeling was counterbalanced by the knowledge that she would feel a thousand times worse if something happened to her new padawan on her watch just because she’d allowed herself to become complacent.
Reaching the main stairway that led downward toward the entrance to the caves, she started down the spiraling steps quietly. Noticing that Vance had hesitated, she turned back toward him, arching an eyebrow slightly at the emotions she felt from him. It had been a while since she’d been afraid of this place, but she could remember that she had been at one point in time. Fear of the unknown was logical enough, just as long as he didn’t allow it to get the better of him…still, she doubted that he would. That was her hope, anyway. It seemed that she didn’t need to worry, considering he started toward her a moment later, earning a small smile from the woman.
“Shall we?”
Chuckling softly, she nodded and created a small orb of light that hovered above her palm with the force. As they descended into the light absorbing depths of the entry way, the small light was a boon…even if it seemed to do less and less good against the black stone that surrounded them. Reaching the bottom, she moved toward the double doors that would open into the caverns and pause there a moment. Waiting for Vance to join her, she’d turn toward the doors and hold out a hand, tethering the doors with the force and slowly pulling the heavy barriers open with the sound of stone moving over stone.
A blast of cold air swept out from the caves beyond, filled with the smell of crisp dampness. Their breath puffed up in clouds of steam even as she turned to face Vance again, ignoring the shimmering of tiny crystals. ”Lead the way, Vance…this is your time.” With a smile, she motioned forward with one open hand, waiting for him to take the lead. She’d stick by his side, of course, but she couldn’t find his crystal for him, she couldn’t lead him to it…only he could do that.
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
1,616 posts
628 likes
...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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Sept 7, 2012 22:32:02 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Sept 7, 2012 22:32:02 GMT -5
Vance appreciated the small smile he received from Tal. It was nice to know that, though it may be his fight, he had her at his side to help whenever things became too much. She wasn't a presence of security so much as she was a presence of...
... certainty. That there would be something other than himself down there. Odd though it sounded, it coaxed the padawan's boldness out a little more, allowing himself a small grin as he stepped into the unknown.
... right... here we go. A small gulp escaped Vance, barely audible, and he took his first step down.
One.
Another step down.
Two.
And another.
Three.
Slowly, surely, and as steadily as he could, Vance descended the vast staircase, his and Tal's footsteps echoing lightly throughout the structure as they settled one by one on the smooth stone. Tal created a small light and walked next to her cautious padawan, herself seeming very steady. Vance, meanwhile, was taking life, quite literally, step-by-step. He moved one foot, and then breathed. Step, breathe. Step, breathe.
Thirty seven.
Step, breathe.
Thirty eight.
To keep his focus off of the ever-strengthening presence of Illum, the padawan took to actually counting each and every step. A few times he wondered if he had perhaps miscounted, and he would add or subtract a step or two accordingly. As the last of the light from the Temple left them in only the soft glow of Tal's creation, he was up to about 357.
Step, breathe.
390.
More stepping, more breathing.
578.
Step, breathe.
... wait. Vance was interrupted by the movement of something heavy. Looking up, he saw Tal softly swinging open a gargantuan pair of stones doors, blank and massive, with a flick of her hand. He made a mental note to ask her later to help him improve his telekinesis.
His mental note was quickly scrapped, however, when a new wave of Illum's influence washed over him along with a chilling gust of wind. Shivering at both, the padawan took a minute to check on his mental grip on the rocky slope of consciousness. For another minute, he simply breathed and hung on. Then for another minute. And another.
After about the seventh minute, Vance felt stable enough to take note of his surroundings. Opening his eyes, he slowly, cautiously, gingerly felt outwards, licking over the immediate area with his own presence with as much control and mental strength as he could muster.
The doors had swung open to a large cavern, far less smooth and controlled than the staircase and Temple had been. These rocks, unlike their counter-parts, seemed entirely original and natural, mimicking what one might think a frozen, subterranean cave might look like.
Well, except for the crystals.
Even here, at the entrance to the caves, small, colorful crystals glowed softly from the stone in which they were entrenched. Between the natural light they produced and Tal's own force-orb, the Jedi could see general outlines and silhouettes, as well as the crystals themselves.
The crystals acted like tiny nerves, each ebbing out in a steady stream Illum. Individually, they were fine and manageable, but the sheer volume did wonders to explain why this place was so strong in the Force. Likewise, Vance, through his haze, could easily piece together why it was these particular crystals Jedi used for their weapons. What better tool to serve the Force than a tool made with the Force?
”Lead the way, Vance…this is your time.” Tal smiled again, and the world became just a little clearer.
Vance looked around, doing his best to pay attention to his reasoning rather than his mental defenses. If he could maintain a calm mind, the defenses would hold. The planet was still imposing, but it was worse when it was dwelled upon.
The main cave here, the one that the doors opened into, was fairly large, and from it, snaking in every which way and possible direction were caverns, some small and some large. The entire thing sprawled out as a giant cave system, winding and turning with the ancient forces of the planet's past geology.
Vance stepped forward with his cautious courage again, coming to stand in the middle of the central cavern. His eyes danced across his options as his ears listened to the wind howl. He smelled the crisp air, felt the wind brush and wave the cloth he wore. He could even taste the mystery.
For another moment, Vance was slightly afraid. This place was like no other; a bastion for the Force so pure and unchallenged that the Jedi's presence there almost felt like a crime against nature. At the same time, however, it was the most extreme sense of tranquility, almost as if the world had truly whisked away its physicality, leaving only its essence behind.
But which way? That was the true question. It was so easy to be distracted down here...
Vance decided to be bold. Closing his eyes, the padawan began again to shut off each and every sense, until the outside world was nothing but the planet's pressure. Taking a breath, Vance slowly reached outward, centimeter by centimeter, checking at every moment his mental defenses as their maintenance became more and more crucial. Finally, the padawan's presence was thinly foreseeable throughout the entirety of the main cavern.
For a moment, Vance simply felt the caves. What was he looking for?
Anything.
At first, there was nothing...
but then...
... what was that?
Something. Vance allowed himself a small sigh. This... whatever-it-was seemed faint, like a single ping on a radar screen. But in a place so pure, even the tiniest change was noticeable. This thing, this... presence... it felt different. Different enough.
"This way." Vance withdrew to himself slightly, opening his eyes and turning to Tal. He pointed to one of the caverns; it was one of the smaller ones, barely visible in the dank darkness of the cave. This time his speech was more certain, however. It retained a little of its haze, but this time it's tone was less of confusion and more of thought.
Vance began walking slowly, keeping himself outward and sensitive. The world shrank a little more as the two Jedi deterred into the smaller cavern. The light level dropped instantly, and only a few crystals lit the way. The majority of the light that lit their way came from Tal, and even then most of it was hungrily absorbed by the stone through which they traveled.
The cavern arced up, then down, then turned left, then right, then left again, and then it was impossible to keep track of it all. Vance eventually dropped his sense of direction in favor of keeping his senses in general. The small... whatever was slowly growing closer and closer, stronger and stronger, like an ember growing into a fire. Vance tried once or twice to reach out further and get a better idea of what it was, but he quickly found his defenses stretched too thin each time, the planet threatening to overwhelm him. He had to stop for a few moments each time to reorganize and re-solidify his barriers.
Overall, time passed. Caverns were passed, turns were taken, and Vance led his master through it all. The presence grew stronger and stronger, slowly getting bigger and bigger until...
"... Is it... moving?"
A sharp roar erupted from deeper in the cavern, echoing off the rock to their front. Vance stopped dead in his tracks and retracted immediately, becoming fully aware of himself again. His hand instantly gravitated to his belt, hovering over his training saber.
"Tal... what did you say Gorgodons sounded like again?" The faint echoes of heaving a mighty diaphragm followed, slowly getting louder and louder...
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Sept 9, 2012 20:31:07 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Sept 9, 2012 20:31:07 GMT -5
Vance still seemed unsure, even after her comment and reassurance. The young knight supposed that it was only natural, but even still…she didn’t fully understand why he might be so timid still. For as awestruck as she’d been, and as cautious as she’d been, when she and Shoal had first come here, Talau doubted that she had ever been quite this bad. In fact, after a little while, she remembered Shoal commenting (amused) about how zealous she’d become in her search for her first crystal. It was with this memory that she wondered if Vance would reach that point, or if he would simply continue his search partially dazed and timid.
The thought was mildly concerning.
A jedi simply couldn’t afford to be dazed and timid during a search for something important, no matter the circumstances surrounding them at the time. Such things could lead to poor and unwanted, if not outright disastrous, outcomes on missions. Still, deciding to see if he was still simply adjusting or if she would need to say something later, Talau stood quietly…waiting.
After several moments the boy seemed to decide it was time to begin his search, closing his eyes and letting his awareness seep out away from him. She felt it brush around her mildly, but it didn’t stop there, which was good enough for her. For several more long minutes they stood in silence, only the natural sounds of the caves reaching them before Vance’s voice broke the silence once more.
“That way.”
Glancing in the direction he was pointing, she allowed her own senses to extend forward to help keep them from running into anything they didn’t want to encounter. Nodding slightly to him, she would follow up closely at an angle just beside and behind him. The path they took was winding, punctuated with frequent pauses as Vance decided which path they should take next. It wasn’t exactly a difficult journey, but the surface of the stone floor of the caves was slick with ice in places, making it difficult to keep a good footing at points. Even so, they didn’t particularly have any problems.
For a long while there wasn’t even a hint of another living being around, save the occasional bat-like creature she saw hanging from the ceiling, the nimbus of life-aura around them the only way her eyes were able to see them in the pitch black that attempted to encroach upon them from outside the radius of her light’s reach. After a while, however, she began to feel the presence of other beings somewhere in the distance ahead of them. Considering what she could sense felt both ‘civilized’ and feral, she couldn’t quite pinpoint just what was going on…and because of this she narrowed her focus on the sensations.
The closer they got, the less and less ‘life’ she could feel began to dwindle up until the point that Vance paused yet again. Pausing with him, she only half listened to what he said. A loud roar from deep in the caverns had garnered both of their attention, though Tal felt something unmistakable from this close a proximity to the presences she’d felt before. Death. It was an unmistakable disappearance of life, leaving only one other presence behind…and this one was also unmistakably ‘civilized’…or at the very least sentient. The very nature of it told her so.
Glancing to her uncertain padawan as he stopped and stepped backward, his hand inching toward his belt, she bit back a chuckle at his question.
”Well…”
The heaving and huffing breaths drew nearer as she stalled for time, doing her absolute best to keep her amusement out of her voice and presence.
”…You see, I’ve not heard one in quite a long time so…”
In the darkness just beyond the reach of her light she could see color…an aura of life that wasn’t of the physical realm. No, physically all that could be seen was a great being looming up out of the darkness from the path that sloped downward. Those huffing breaths were finally punctuated by a great grunt as one limb lifted to about head height as the being stepped forward into the light…slicking back a great mane of dark brown hair.
“Phew…lucky you two didn’t come sooner. Those Gorgodons were some tough customers.”
Tal couldn’t hide her smirk any longer as she bowed politely to the large, and very burly, Cathar who had appeared before them, beaming a frighteningly toothy grin as he gabbed a thumb over his shoulder to indicate further down the path he’d just come from. ”Indeed, master Guardian. For a moment my poor padawan seemed to think you were a Gorgodon yourself, it seems.”
The man huffed and panted another laugh, shaking out his fur a bit in the process. “Heh, I don’t blame him. Big, intimidating, place like this is bound to make mice seem like monsters in the shadows. Ah, don’t let it get to ya, kid…Gorgodons make these snuffling, gurgling, snorfing sound since they sniff their way around most of the time.”
”And, I think, that maybe paying more attention to how a presence feels would benefit him as well,” Tal added simply, giving Vance a sideways glance and a little quirk of her brow. ”It all comes with being aware of your surroundings. Still, at least he bothered to ask rather than just moving to attack or running off…so I suppose I can give him a break this time.” Smirking a bit, she shrugged mildly as the Cathar nodded.
”Best you do that…tough enough being a padawan, right kiddo?”
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
1,616 posts
628 likes
...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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last online Jun 22, 2023 19:35:57 GMT -5
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Sept 10, 2012 15:46:11 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Sept 10, 2012 15:46:11 GMT -5
Vance had to keep from tensing as the breathing slowly got closer and closer. His hand hovered mere centimeters from his training saber, ready to activate it and defend himself.
A figure appeared, and as the growling finally stopped he heard...
speech.
Vance smacked his forehead with his palm.
Frak, I'm an idiot. Before him and Tal, who seemed like she was trying her best not to laugh, was a huge Cathar Jedi heaving and panting, obviously just out a fight with the beast Vance thought he was. At least, in that case, the padawan was half-right; something had here.
It just wasn't a crystal. Far from it.
Tal and the Cathar spoke for a moment, both seemingly amused at the young Jedi's mistake. Vance did his best not to curse aloud; of all the stupid moves I've made... Tal covertly mentioned that maybe he ought to pay a little more attention to what it was he was actually sensing, and to be honest, she was right.
Still, Vance was glad that it was so dark, because his face was as red as a cherry.
”Best you do that…tough enough being a padawan, right kiddo?”
"You can say that again," Vance responded, trying to laugh off his mistake a little. He added quickly, "Master," and bowed.
That seemed to amuse the Cathar a little more. He chuckled softly before saying his goodbyes to them both and heading down the way they came, back towards the Temple. Vance watched him go, half-ashamed, and admittedly half-amused now that he thought about it more. It really was pretty funny.
And hey, he hadn't done a half bad job, considering. Sure, it wasn't exactly a crystal, and he hadn't actually examined what he had been chasing in the heat of his excitement, but he had still proven to himself that he wasn't quite as blind down here as he thought.
Vance sighed in acceptance, looking over at Tal, who still smiled in amusement. "I think I might need to do this a little differently." This time he was focused, determined even. Illum's presence or not, he felt as though he had been offered both a lesson and a challenge. A lesson in the sense that he needed to not just to perceive, but understand what he perceived, and a challenge from the planet itself, almost like it dared Vance to try again. He knew subconsciously it was doing no such thing, but it was a new goal to set for himself; beat the planet at its own game.
Suddenly, the haze seemed just a little less hazy.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Sept 26, 2012 17:52:51 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Sept 26, 2012 17:52:51 GMT -5
Yeah, I wasn't sure what to do with this, soooo....kinda meh post
“I think I might need to do this a little differently.”
Nodding a little, Talau hoped that Vance understood that he needed to be aware of more than just ‘I feel something’…that those ‘somethings’ he felt were different in their own right and that he needed to learn to differentiate between what was a living being and what wasn’t. While that wasn’t always simple in a place like this, at his age it was going to be a vital concept or he would end up running right into a dangerous situation.
While Talau herself hadn’t been able to discern what exactly the presence they’d felt was thanks to the very presence of the planet, she had been able to distinguish the fact that it was alive, and further more sentient. Though she didn’t expect Vance to be able to distinguish such things as the latter immediately, she was going to push him to make the distinction between a living and inanimate/force-imbued object.
”Yes, I think so too. You must learn to distinguish life from an object that is simply imbued with the force. There are some things you can feel for to help you differentiate, though, such as emotion or thoughts, movement, an ebb and flow of the force through living creatures and plants is also something you can try to feel. Items that are imbued with the force have a steady, constant, feel because the force, while part of the object, does not constantly circulate through them…living things have a constant circulation of the force in them, this is the basis of a presence. The stronger the ebb and flow of the force through any living thing the greater its affinity with the force. This is why you can sense unconcealed force users much more strongly than a normal person or creature.
So, with this in mind…you should focus on what sort of ‘presences’? Those with a circulation of the force, or those with a constant and unmoving feeling?”
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
1,616 posts
628 likes
...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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last online Jun 22, 2023 19:35:57 GMT -5
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Sept 29, 2012 13:58:44 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Sept 29, 2012 13:58:44 GMT -5
((OOC: Yeaaaaaaaaaah, I didn't give you a lot to work with there. Let's fix that, shall we?)) --------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Constant and unmoving." Vance rubbed the back of his head, understanding. It made sense; the more fluid and moving something was, the more randomly the Force would flow through it. The more sedentary and solid something was, the more constant its Force-flow.
Vance smiled for a minute, glad to have a sensor like Tal around to help him. His strength in the Force had always been in the more scientific things like telekinetics. You could measure how hard you pushed something, and you could predict its trajectory, after all. With Force-flow and sensing? Everything was understood by experience and feeling. Far more different, and something Vance had yet to truly tackle.
If ever there was a time to learn... Vance looked around the caves again, taking in the little light that glowed from the walls. Tal was right; he needed to focus, and not only that, but keep from rushing off to see the first thing he sensed. The planet's essence was mighty, but if it thought it could distract him enough to keep him from his crystal, it had another thing coming.
Vance closed his eyes and began searching outward once more. The planet pressed against him, and he met it with his own fortitude, but this time he didn't focus on it. Sure, it was big and scary and mystical, but if he kept it at bay as he had been doing, he'd be fine.
He had a crystal to find.
For a minute, he simply stood, feeling outwards with a little more confidence this time. His presence licked over rocks, water, soil, and even a few small creatures, but he only stopped to observe them all when he was sure he couldn't stretch himself any further, lest the planet win out again.
With a good section of numerous caves in his field of sense, Vance observed all of the little dots he could see. Some were moving chaotically and naturally, like small wisps floating and bolting about. They were fluid and changing. They made the padawan smile, and he began to ignore them, looking at the other dots.
The other presences were tiny, unwavering, and seemingly (and quite literally) set in stone. Vance slowly drifted his focus over each one, feeling it and observing it. Though they were indeed crystals, each seemed to be configured a little differently. One reached far and was spread thin, while another was compacted and strong. One emitted a very soft feeling, while another seemed just as solid as the rocks it was buried in.
Vance scanned over each and every steady dot he could sense and frowned, realizing that he had no idea what he was looking for. What made one crystal better than another? What made the crystal his? How did it call to him? Was it supposed to feel like himself? How-
Vance paused as he felt one of the last dots. It seemed like just all of the others at first, but it was... different. It felt calm and free, reaching out a ways, and yet still retaining a strong presence. The Force flowed through it rigidly, as it did with all of the crystals, and yet the flow of this one in particular seemed smoother and more... welcoming, almost like it was inviting him in...
For a moment, Vance simply felt this one particular dot of light in his range of sense, trying to find out why it had given him pause. He stood with his eyebrows knit, unmoving...
"... Follow me." He didn't bother to ask Tal about the crystal; for once, he needed to find out by himself. He began walking, eyes closed, his focus only broad enough for him to sense how to reach his object of interest. The two Jedi began navigating the caverns again, going up and down sloping floors and through openings big and small. The cave's diameter would explode and reduce at random, and at one point Vance had to duck his head slightly as the roof of the cave they were in dropped suddenly, almost like a bottleneck.
He walked on, coming ever closer to his crystal. He would occasionally focus less, widening his view to check on the rest of the world. Tal was right behind him, and nary a soul aside from their own was in sight.
After a good hour or so, they came into a particularly long cave, the likes of which seemed to stretch on for ages. Crystals were few and far between, and if it weren't for the little light Tal had conjured in her hand, long stretches of the cavern would have been totally dark. Those crystals that could be scarcely found within the walls and ceiling glowed softly, stretching their color across the cavern as far as it could reach unperturbed.
And finally, they arrived at a section of the cave illuminated with a dark green.
The crystal stuck out about half way from a small flourishing of rocks mid-way up on the side of the cave. It was smooth and polished, almost like someone had carved it out themselves and even shaped it, like a jeweler preparing a stone. The crystal emanated a dark, sage green, the likes of which was light enough to make things visible, but dark enough to retain a rich, deep hue. The crystal felt calm and statuesque in the Force, like a guardian standing in the night, waiting for his task to begin. It emanated firmly, yet softly, like a strong hand reaching outwards to caress.
Vance opened his eyes and stared at it. His presence could enter the crystal like it could his own body; the crystal felt just like himself, in a way none of the others had. It almost felt as though a tiny piece of his own mind was lodged before him between a collection of smooth rocks.
He was silent, taking in the gravity of his revelation.
He spoke adamantly and softly, placing one of his own strong hands on the glowing mineral, caressing it. "... I think... I know... that this one is mine."
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 14, 2012 16:53:13 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 14, 2012 16:53:13 GMT -5
It seemed to take him forever to settle on a path and, she thought, perhaps he was spreading himself too thin in his search. In a place such as this it was far easier to focus on smaller areas and be methodical rather than attempt to search large stretches of the caves, a daunting task even without the constant press of the force from the planet. Still, she couldn’t tell exactly how he was searching, nor how far, and so she simply waited silently, pulling her cloak around herself more tightly to help keep out the biting cold.
Finally it seemed that he was settled on a direction and started off. Following him she noticed that his eyes were still closed as he walked. Not the most intelligent move in a cave network such as this, but for now she would be his eyes if he needed them and she would address the problem later. Over all, however, he was good at maneuvering without physical sight, only needing her to keep him from putting his foot on the edge of a drop or patch of ice a few times as they made their way through.
When he finally stopped, she looked around the cave, moving off from him and letting her ‘empty’ hand hover over the tops of the crystals she could reach, and near the ones she couldn’t quite reach. At this range she could almost guess which one had drawn him here, and it made a ghost of a smile appear on in her features. Pausing just to the side of the crystal in question, she turned to face him, folding her arms across her chest. ”Well, Vance, is it here?”
As if she didn’t know the answer to that already…
Making his way over after a long moment, he reached up to the crystal in question, placing a hand around the base of it. Nodding, she smiled. It was a good choice…the crystal was strong and calm, steady. It wasn’t simply a revelation to the padawan, but to her as well…if perhaps a bit different of one. Hers was not a revelation of how finding a crystal worked, how it felt, but rather one about Vance himself.
This crystal spoke volumes.
”Very good, Vance. I agree.” She smiled fully this time and nodded slightly. ”Come, let’s unearth the rest of it and get back to the temple before we turn to popsicles.” Chuckling softly, she’d pull a small laser cutter from her belt and hold the handle out to him. ”Be careful with that once you have it turned on. You don’t want to harm the crystal or either of us.”
Guiding him as needed to get the crystal cut out of the stone, she would take the cutter back and pocket it again once he was done. With the crystal safely stowed, Talau lead the way back up to the temple above, ignoring the shadows that hovered around the crystals they passed, and the silent whispers of ancient voices that echoed in her ears but not in the caves around.
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
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...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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Dec 19, 2012 16:40:38 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Dec 19, 2012 16:40:38 GMT -5
He almost didn't hear her, so amazed with the tiny piece of rock before him. Vance would never have guessed in an eon that anything in the galaxy, living or otherwise, could possibly mirror him so perfectly. Sure, he might have entertained and played with the idea had it been suggested to him, but never, ever would have believed it.
Well, that was until now, of course.
Vance blinked as he remembered that he was indeed in a body other than the crystal, and that furthermore he and Tal were still standing in a freezing-cold cave beneath the surface of a planet that still pressed up against his conscious and threatened to overwhelm his very mind. That remembrance did little to diminish his amazement, but it did manage to rope him back into reality well enough to be able to hold enough confidence in his sobriety to receive the laser cutter. At first the procedure of parting the rock was slow-going, but with a good amount of help from Tal and a sharp eye the green crystal was soon being bundled up in a cloth and properly patted away for safe keeping. The cut was relatively clean; only a few small pieces of crude stone clung to the crystal, which had escaped the procedure entirely intact.
That didn't help Vance concentrate on it less.
It had been hard enough keeping himself in check as they had navigated the planet before, as Illum's presence still wasn't any less imposing, and Vance doubted that it would ever truly tone itself down. Now the problem was that Vance wanted to spread his presence outward and feel the crystal more, to see again how well it mimicked his own flow of the Force, to rediscover how well it emanated that it was his!
But the first time he tried, Illum almost swallowed him whole, and he was forced to retreat back into his own walls of fortitude, in-training though they might be, in a simple bid to keep from losing himself.
It will have to be later. As he and Tal began to seek the way out (or rather he followed Tal somewhat blindly, as he stupidly realized that he hadn't payed any attention to his wanderings about the caves), he sighed, simply holding a hand over the bundled stone, trying to feel it physically. He would have to explore it more when he wasn't so excited, or at least when he could devote the entirety of his attention to the status of his mind.
As they finally came upon the stairs again, Vance didn't feel quite so afraid of the presence of the planet though. Perhaps it was simply that he had become accustomed to the constant pressure, or perhaps it was because his focus had simply shifted to something else. Beyond those two, it could have simply been that he now had too much food for thought to waste on fears that he was doing an decent job of proving insensible (as long as he held himself in check, he discovered, then the planet couldn't quite gobble him up the way his instincts had screamed at him that it could). Whatever the case, as they ascended back into the main hall of the Temple, the giant stone doors closing behind them as they left the caverns, Vance didn't find it necessary to count every step the way he had before.
Maybe it's just less scary coming up than going down. After all, the anxiety, tension, and nebulous predictions he'd held as they had entered were gone thanks to the experience. The caves were still incredibly mysterious and vague to him, but in actually having been there now, they seemed a bit less... superstitious.
"Hey Tal?" Of course, with his mentality a bit less overwhelmed, questions were popping up. As usual. "It isn't just by random luck that one can find such a..." He paused, trying to think of a word to use other than "perfect". He was hard-pressed to find a suitable substitute. "... fitting crystal, is it? It's just so... so perfect that it's hard to imagine it not being a little... pre-ordered."
He smiled, shaking his head a little. "Or is the amazement simply making me grasp at straws?"
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Jun 15, 2013 15:27:21 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Jun 15, 2013 15:27:21 GMT -5
As they made their way back up to the temple, retracing their path from before, Talau's mind wandered slightly. Even though it had been several months since she'd returned from Haruun Kal sometimes....sometimes she just couldn't help but mull over everything that had happened, right down to the day. Sometimes it felt like a lifetime ago, and sometimes....well sometimes it felt like yesterday. Those were the more difficult times for her. Luckily for both her, and Vance, she wasn't quite so far gone in her memories, and they weren't quite to the point of being painful. Still, it was enough to distract her up until the point that he spoke again.
Glancing over at him she'd smirk just slightly. "Well, what is it that you think is the answer? Now that you're a padawan, Vance, you have to start thinking on your own and begin forming your own opinions on things. I am here for guidance and further instruction, but I can't give you all of the answers...some of them you just have to find on your own." Tucking some of her hair back behind her ear, she'd turn the corner back toward their room. "If you want the answer to your question, I suggest you meditate on it, and that crystal of yours, for a while over the next few days. It may not give you a clear answer, but I think it will get you closer to the one you're looking for."
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
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...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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last online Jun 22, 2023 19:35:57 GMT -5
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Jun 17, 2013 14:49:47 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Jun 17, 2013 14:49:47 GMT -5
Doing his best to ignore the planet, the crystal, and his aching desire to feel both once more, Vance listened to Tal speak, stating that he had to find out on his own. That made him blink, a little surprised. Few people had ever told him to, in the sum of so many words, figure it out for himself before. Usually his questions had their answers buried in some ancient wisdom or in the Archives. Now though...
It's easier to ask questions than to answer them, I guess. Rubbing his crystal through the cloth again, he hummed, setting his mind from looking for answers from beyond to looking for them within. Did he truly believe some destiny had brought him and this marvelous little piece of him together? A figurative destiny to become whole? He wasn't sure; he'd never considered it before, like so many other things...
Being a Knight was going to pose a whole lot of questions, and for a second, Vance wasn't sure if he'd be able to answer any of them. But that was the challenge, wasn't it?
Following Tal back to the corridor of their room, the padawan stopped in his tracks and focused on the crystal again. Slowly stretching his presence out precisely this time, minding the impressing planet beyond, he slowly managed to envelope the incredible jewel in his hands, feeling the Force coursing through it for a minute before returning to his own mind.
"... Hm..." Looking up, he smiled at Tal, his grin just as bewildered as it was before, but now with a bit of a driven spark. "... so next we meditate?"
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Sept 10, 2013 14:25:45 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Sept 10, 2013 14:25:45 GMT -5
Tucking the folds of her robe around her body to keep it tightly wrapped to keep out the cold, she keyed open the door to their room, stepping inside. "No...now you begin your training. We meditate later, when night comes. Now is when your training truly starts." Moving toward her pack, she would filter through her memories of the temple, trying to decide on a suitable (and not too freezing) of a place to get some work done.
Pulling out a long strip of cloth, a small pouch (with several small metal orbs within), and (after digging a moment) a small (and tightly wrapped) leather pouch of tools, Talau turned back toward Vance with a bit of a smile. "Bring your training saber if you don't have it on you already, as well as any beginnings of a hilt you may have, and if you have some, you may want a set of gloves."
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Fromikeable
Keeper Of The Techxts
1,616 posts
628 likes
...and I'm comin'! *guitar riff*
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last online Jun 22, 2023 19:35:57 GMT -5
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Oct 8, 2013 16:02:58 GMT -5
Post by Fromikeable on Oct 8, 2013 16:02:58 GMT -5
Vance nodded as they entered the room, strolling over to his cot a little absent-mindedly, still rubbing the crystal through the cloth. Checking his belt for his training saber, he couldn't help but notice that the cloth had slid off the rock a bit. Indulging himself once again, he uncovered the crystal one last time, letting it glow ever so little. The green was evoking in the way it danced across his eyes, the steely blue mixing easily with it, creating an odd, noble hue that aristocrats the galaxy over would die to be found clad in. And the feeling of it...
Vance shook his head. If he wasn't careful, he'd never stop looking at it. Covering it back up, he tucked it into bag very, very carefully, wrapping some of his loose clothing around it for extra protection. He then realized with a frown that his gloves were safe and sound... on Coruscant. Frak. He hoped he wouldn't need them too badly; hopefully there was somewhere warm to train on this planet.
Speaking of Illum, it occurred to him that it's pressing was a bit less forboding. Truly, the staggering weight of the planet seemed to be wearing off, or more likely he was simply becoming more and more accustomed. Brushing his hands through his hair and rubbing them together a bit, he hoped that it would be minimal enough by the time they started training not to be a hindrance.
Wait... "What do you mean 'truly' starts?"
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