Private Ever feel alive

[Narissa Jondi]

Ever close your eyes
Ever stop and listen
Ever feel alive
And you've nothing missing

You don't need a reason
Let the day go on and on
Let the rain fall down
Everywhere around you

​

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Obsidian Park, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald. Join KO.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]



A soft rain fell, soothing through the small forest park, dampening the sounds of the city that surrounded this oasis of nature. Evening followed the rain, deepening shadows and luring the small birds into their evening song. The large walls which shielded the exquisite place from the city’s noise blurred into a dark mist with the advent of nightfall. A silvery blue flame danced in the evening air, arcing in ancient patterns as Narissa sought to master her blade work. Safe in her solitude, confident that no normal citizen could Force Leap over the wall, and equally sure the demi-powers of the Knights Obsidian disdained this tiny park, the Echani noble focused wholly upon the impossible task before her.

Echani Light Armor lay carefully arranged behind her, leaving her in a lean, spare outfit. Too much for her Echani sensibilities and the proper use of Tier 3; and yet too little for the delicate nerves of her hosts. She danced through her moves, reveling in the evening rain, reaching out with the Force for enough speed, strength and power to both coat her Echani Icy Vibroblade in ice, and force the weaponless form she’d trained in since birth to adapt to the large, unwieldy weapon. Alone in the night, blue-white ice appeared and vanished where she stepped, and frost dripped from her blade.

The power whispered and sang to her, becoming an end in itself. She moved faster and faster, falling into trance, heedless of bruising to her feet or the chill in her hands. Ice-white hair broke free of her tight bun, and flowed with her, diamonds of frozen water dusting it. Heedless of risk, of the circle of ice rippling from her feet, she was lost in the perfect flow of body-power-sword. She danced on, entranced by the puzzle of working out an Art form on her her own, oblivious to the power devouring her from within.

​

​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

The time of day did not matter when the wolf inside of the man was itching for a run. Gerwald did not often shift for his runs while he was in Theed, and it was enough to keep the beast sated. Early mornings tended to be quiet, but the rainfall beating against his window promised a fresh scent which only came with the cool, damp, weather. It was spontaneous, which was more frequent on late nights.

The lupine grabbed a pair of sweats and a hoodie which he put on his way out the door. His door swooshed closed, the sound of it echoing through the large empty quarters which the Lord Commander occupied. He didn’t know where the run would take him, but the wolf often did not care. There was little of the capital city which Gerwald had not seen or explored. All that mattered was that he ran, so he picked a direction and took off.

Time blurred as Gerwald ran through the city. His lungs took in labored breaths when the man finally stopped. For a brief moment the lupine placed his hands on his knees as his eyes closed. Each breath was precious, as though taking them in for the first time. There was always an awareness to the world after each run, as though Gerwald seemed more open to his surroundings than what was normal or natural. His eyes snapped open as his head shot up.

There was something different on the air. A sensation, wild, powerful, chaotic and unfocused.

The Force.

He could feel the familiar tug leading him further ahead. Gerwald was near and could sense the presence he felt getting stronger the closer he moved toward it. A wall stood between him and what he could feel, though it was not an obstacle to worry about at all. Crouching low, Gerwald pressed the force to his legs before springing to the top of the wall, where he perched to watch the Echani for some time.

It always intrigued the wolf how they all looked like each other. It was rare that they were discernible in looks. There were other patterns and differences to look for, and while this one appeared to be close to the winter haired Exarch, Gerwald knew instantly she was not. Their force signature was not the same.

After a time, the wolf leaped down to greet the Echani. He did not seem concerned that she held a weapon, rather the look on his face was one of curiosity. Gerwald imagined he would startle the woman, so as to keep her from thinking he was some random mugger, the Lord Commander lowered his hood. Most on Naboo knew him by sight, and since this one seemed as though they were trying to focus a certain force skill, he assumed she would as well.

“You need to focus,” he said, looking at the ice around him. “You are raw, and unbalanced in your execution. While the blade flows as though it was simply a part of your body… the power… it will drain you.”
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: xxx

Give into it now
Let the day surround you
You don't need a reason
Let the rain go on and on

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Obsidian Park, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald. Join KO.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

Faster, sweeter, harder; the blade was a blur in the air, as if carving time. If she could just move swiftly enough, just try hard enough, she might slice this world open, and step through to her old life. There was nothing but ice and air and the scent of soft grasses crushed under her feet, until the wilderness awakened around her. Wild things stirred, a rustle of sound and movement; she was watched, and she gloried in it, moving faster still. Frost danced in the air, yet shied away from slaying young flower or tiny bird. Frozen, trapped, held in balance not by will or skill, but simply because she felt it should be so.

Pure instinct.

You need to focus. the forest glade spoke, voice deep and rumbling. Or maybe that was only how she felt it ought to sound, if she was hearing for it real and not half-hallucinating the wilderness coming alive to tutor her.

The sheen of frost in the air turned into a whirlwind, as if to say, like this?

The forest spoke again, voice echoing from all around her.

You are raw and unbalanced …

Anger flickered; shame, at being found wanting. The ice and wind grew in strength, what little control she had slipping farther. Narissa’s heartbeat increased, as the final truth of what was spoken became clear.

The power …it will drain you.

And for now, it constrained her, demanding the framework of movement to control it. The power did not dismiss when she willed it to; the cold did not ease, but increased.

Silvery eyes flickered open, gaze drawn inevitably to the wild thing which had found her here. The revenant seemed disturbingly, sensually real for a Force Ghost. Not much like a tree, save for his height. Yet he also was other, more than human. Broad expanse of muscled chest, gleaming with dampness from the rain. That faint exertion of breath, the perfect stance which told her he was a formidable warrior. Wild hair, neatly trimmed beard; a deep well of power.

She laughed, cool and sweet, dancing on, blade gleaming. “Your aid would be appreciated, Lord Commander. If I stop moving …”

Well, she wasn’t certain what would happen.​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

The lupine took his time to study the woman. He imagined that she was cold as the rain fell on her skin. Little had been left to the imagination, but that was not a factor for the wolf. Like an Enchani, Gerwald did not view nudity in the same way as other humans did. He simply conformed to societal norms so as not to be a distraction. The shifter armor he wore into battle was one such decision. It was more for those that served with him than it had been for him. In reality he found it complicated and cumbersome, even if it did make him look intimidating on the battlefield.

Her laugh was a ruse. It had been clear from her body language that his words had not brought pleasure. His critique had not been complimentary at all, but rather it had been intended to caution her. The wolf wanted to roll his eyes and come up with some clever retort as she continued dancing about, and casually asking for his aid. At least it was confirmed that she knew who he was. That was one half of the equation.

Gerwald still did not know her.

He smiled softly as she carried on. The smirk was almost devious as a thought crossed his mind. She did not know what would happen if she stopped because she did not have as much control as she thought, it was evident enough. The Echani needed to be taught a lesson. With the amount of skill it took for her to perform at the level she was, Gerwald was curious if it matched the perception that we required to know her surroundings.

Perhaps a visual demonstration was required.

The wolf watched. A small tune played through his head as began to memorize the pattern and cadence of her dance. It was rare that he allowed anyone to know that he could dance well himself. What secrets the lupine did keep were for his own benefit and tactical advantage in whatever situation he found himself in. There had only been two people that he found it impossible to lie to. This Echani was neither of them.

He waited, watching as her foot began to move. The other would soon slide forward as she began to pivot. There would be a split second before she would lift the foot to step forward, and it was in that moment that a chunk of rock would protrude from the ground. If his timing was correct, the woman would hit her foot and trip, that is if Gerwald was right about the fact that she was not using the force to be intimately connected to the world around her.
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: xxx

What a day, what a day to take to
What a way, what a way to make it through
What a day, what a day to take to a wild child

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Obsidian Park, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald. Join KO.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

Warm from the exercise, the cooling rain soothing; the ice did not harm her until her control slipped … then the chill crept in. Every rotation her gaze settled upon the enigmatic man who stood just outside of the shadows. Pattens swirled around her, frantic and more complex with his presence. Sweat beaded upon her brow, slowly chilling as it slid down her face. Whenever she dared, her gaze settled upon him.

A soft smile softened the Lord Commander’s profile; a moment of gentleness hidden beneath the predator. A breath of hope.

Until his demeanor changed - he had something clever in mind. And difficult; fear flicked again, but was banished. The whirlwind grew, the cold painful on her feet now, whilst he watched.

She would not ask again, though her arms ached with effort and the storm about her thickened. Eyes burned when they met his, but she was stubbornly silent, fury and fear equally unspoken.

A swell of power, and the pattern shifted. She cried out, a moment before the stone rushed up to meet her foot. Power flared wildly as she miss-stepped, the constrained storm exploding out from her with shards of ice and bitter cold. It sliced bared skin and slew the grass at her feet. She made no attempt to break her fall, hitting hard enough to bruise bones. One hand retained a death grip upon her blade, which remained unerringly pointed at the wolf even as she tumbled to the ground. Her other hand shot up, her cry lifting in intensity, as she sought to summon the wild power back upon herself before it killed the smaller creatures sheltering in the forested glade.​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

He had only sought to prove a point, one he was certain the Echani knew the instant her body collide with the ground. It would be a painful thing to learn, but Gerwald knew she could handle the lesson. After all, he had trained in combat with Srina Talon. No other combatant was more unforgiving than her. This Echani would learn in the same manner Gerwald had, as though he were Echani himself.

A wave of his hand turned the ice to water. Perhaps she would be shocked to see how well he mastered the elements. The wolf had always been comfortable with skills that were connected to nature as he was beast more than he was man. Gerwald once thought he was a man that became a wolf, but the longer he lived the more convinced he was that the wolf inside him was his true self. That connection gave him a more intimate relationship with the natural world around him than any mere human could experience.

Even with the force.

He stepped further out of the shadows, moving closer as he closed the distance between himself and the woman. The Lord Commander stood a mere few feet away now as ocean blue orbs looked down upon the Echani.

He offered his hand.

“To your feet. This will hurt.”

The force would rush through her body as its healing energy washed over her. Had Gerwald been a student of the light side it would have been painless, but the wolf was not. He was creature of the night when it came to this skill, the power as wild as the beast within. She would heal, but she would feel pain.

“You are not ready for so much at once. How can you expect to master this when you cannot even sense a shift in the ground beneath your feet? The force touches everything around you, and in the same way it moves through you, it moves through the ground, the trees, even the rain. It binds all things together, connecting them, making them one. Master your senses… then you can master the rest.”

Was it his place to teach her? That was yet to be determined. It was what he knew to do. The Knights needed to rebuild. This one needed instruction. It seemed the force had pulled him this way to find another hopeful, one that remained hidden in the cover of moonlight. The thought brought a smirk to his face.

Much like another Echani I know.

“You have a lot of potential, but your aura is wild.”

His eyes wandered her form, studying her. It was striking how much she looked like all the rest. It was something Gerwald would always find fascinating.

“What is your name, and why such seclusion?”
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: xxx

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Obsidian Park, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald. Join KO.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

The earth cried out in delight as untamed, feral power touched hers; her body arched as chilled water coated her. Hair dripped, skin prickling with a chill, and still her sword remained steady. Though it pointed at nothing. The forest wrapped him in shadow, and did not choose to reveal him to her until he stood before her, untouched and unmoved.

He spoke and moved like an Echani; the Echani of her home-world, now lost to the New Imperial Order. It unnerved her, this echo of the past come to haunt her. Fiercely proud, she forced herself to her feet even as she slid her ice-white, chilled hand into his much larger one.

It hurt; he did not lie. She gripped his hand hard, unafraid of sharing the pain, eyes the precise shade of tears in moonlight glaring into his ocean-blue ones, daring him to comment upon it. Moon-lit drops of water pearled and slid down her hair, tickling her throat and chilling her further. The lecture tightened her grip further, though she craved each word of instruction - however hard she fought to hide it.

Chin lifted, as his gaze swept over her, but she did not fear to displease him: she was a perfect Echani. The pride was less for herself, than in her people.

Or so she willed it to be.

“I am Lady Narissa Jondi of Thyrsus.” Dripping wet, nearly naked, she held herself with regal grace, gazing up at his towering height.

“I require solitude, and the solace of natural things to properly train.” a faint tremble in her hand, if he held it yet, might suggest the need to be in nature was deeper than that. Fearing such contact would given him insight she did not choose to reveal, he would attempt to tug her hand free.

“I do not regret the wildness.”​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

The Echani was proud. It was like her species to be so. If the pain bothered her, she did not let on save for the way she squeezed his hand. The wolf did not wince, nor did he let her grip was stronger than what he expected. He should have known. Gerwald knew Srina well, and the woman was stronger than her stature would ever indicate. This one was the same. Her physical prowess was as powerful as the untamed and rabid strength she echoed through the force.

Their eyes met and did not move away from one another even as Gerwald let her hand free. Nothing else around them mattered for the moment. The rain fell, but the wolf did not feel it. A breeze stirred the leaves of the trees around them, and yet for a time the wolf did not hear it. There was him, and there was her.

Gerwald had only experienced this a few times, and in each instance the other would become a student or mentor. The Lord had learned to no longer question the way the force worked, but rather to allow its ebbs and flows to lead him to the exact place he needed to be at the precise moment he needed to be there. This had been one of those times. They were more alike than either would likely care to admit, and her need for solitude was one Gerwald understood far too well.

He nodded, though he would not answer right away.

Nature called to him often. She would be surprised to know the truth as to why. If they were to work together she would know soon enough, but the lupine was not one to readily volunteer the nature of his species on the first meeting. The arrogance in her answer almost made him frown. She did not require solitude. The Echani wanted it. She hid, and was hiding, though she was likely to blind to the truth to see it yet.

“If you require it, then why do you shun its voice?”

The question was simple, spoken only as one who understood the ways of the forest itself. Gerwald kicked off his boots allowing his bare feet to sink into the soft, damp soil under them. His body sighed, even if his breath did not. There was a relief that visibly washed over the wolf as he could feel the embrace of nature envelop him with just a simple gesture.

“You were not listening to it, so with a simple lift of my finger I caused you to stumble. You cannot pretend to require what you ignore.”

He stepped closer, his sensitive nose taking in her scent. Gerwald could smell the dirt on her, the mud that coated her pale skin, caked on the cloth which barely covered her intimate details.

Inhale.

Exhale.​

His breathing was clam, rhythmic, as though he had found the cadence of the wind itself.

“Close your eyes.”

He waited.

“Reach out to what is around you. Allow the force to flow through you, connect you. Breathe with the wind. You do not control it, and it does not control you. Together… breathe.”
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: xxx

You don't need a reason
Let the day go on and on
Every summer sun
Every winter evening
Every spring to come
Every autumn leaving
You don't need a reason
Let it all go on and on

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Obsidian Park, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald. Join KO.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

Eyes-meet-eyes.

The wolf released her hand, but it didn’t free her. Gazes locked, power surged feral and wild between them. The wind lashed, rain silvered pale skin, but Narissa felt none of it. Only the heat and threat of the man who stepped close, shedding even the guise of civility when he stepped out of his shoes. She felt the earth embrace him, felt the power and strength surge through him.

Ooh, Narissa craved it; craved what he knew, what he had, the touch of the earth deep inside. Living things called to her; pattens of movement. But not rocks; and never had she dared open to the profound, wild power of the earth itself.

“Show me,” she breathed, half-plea, half-command.

Another step closer, and he breathed her in. Spiced rum, a hint of blood from the wounds he’d healed danced along the surface. Cypress and the scent of a winter storm embedded in her flesh.

Inhale. Clean male, feral power, damp cloth filled her senses as his scent washed over. Butterflies danced in her stomach, and her head angled infinitesimally.

Exhale. They breathed in sync … with each other, with the wind.

The rain tasted sweet on her lips, as the moment of profound trust he asked for drew taut between them. A shiver slid over her, breathing with him, with the wind; as if her heart beat to the power that roiled around them.

A moment of surrender. A single nod; then her eyes drifted closed.

It did not release the hold he had on her.

His voice murmured instruction to her, still breathing with the wind.

You do not control it, and it does not control you. Together… breathe

The wind came, fierce and powerful. The rain stormed now, and she did not care. A laugh, cool and sweet, spilled along his chest as the wind danced free while still singing to her, playing with her hair. Toes dived deep into the earth and she welcomed the rush of wild power. Angling her head to feel each furious rain drop, he near blinded her with the knot of dark, wild power at his core.

A vision she’d never forget.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

His request had been simple. Breathe. It was a task that anyone could be capable of, but he wanted the Echani to learn something, something Gerwald could guide her through. For a moment he would breathe with her, allowing her cadence to find his own. The wolf was already in tune with the wind, but this was new for her. Gerwald did not expect her to find the rhythm so quickly.

When she found it, the wolf began to back away. As the wind swirled about them, Gerwald removed himself from its center. It would not be long before the Echani would be controlling the wind herself, or more accurately, she would be dancing with it.

“Now explore beyond it.”

His voice would echo as it had once before. The predator returned to the shadows where he would not be readily found. For now he would simply be a voice to guide, until she mastered this one simple task well enough to find him through the force. Perhaps it was cruel to take advantage of her in this way, to get close, cause her to lower her guard enough to let him in, but this was how the wolf was. He was a shifty creature, deceitful at times.

It was for his own protection as well as hers. Not one person that Gerwald had grown close to was safe. Tragedy always struck whether they were a friend, lover, or just a student. Perhaps he could guide and teach from a distance, but the wolf also knew how much of a lie that thought was. There was always a connection, the force always saw to it.

“In the same way you do not control the wind, you do not control the world around you. It is a delicate dance, a partnership where you work together. You can certainly exert your will, but not until you have mastered your own self. For now… contain the chaos. Focus on your surroundings.”

He was quiet for a moment.

“Now… tell me what you see… feel?”
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: XXX

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Obsidian Park, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald. Fight with Gerwald.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

Breathe

Deep, centered breaths, filling her body with all of the pain, glory and power of life. In through the nose, down the throat, filing the diaphragm. A long, slow exhale through her lips, letting all the heavy burdens, the grief and guilt fill the world, rather than her.

And the world answered.

Thunder crashed as the night took her pain; strobing lightening shatter the darkness for mere seconds at a time. A smile curled her lips, body swaying to the silent song, balanced between surrender and control. Wind rose, glorious and unfettered, competing something within her, as she followed the tracery of primal power that showed her how alive the wind was. Moved with it, part of the pattern without dictating the pattern.

A wistful hope, a slip in her splendid isolation. Narissa trusted, for that moment; had leaned into the feral power and mystic guidance … to find it vanished, lost in the night. Emotions surged, lightening crashed around her, as she fought the storm alone, knowing that all the help that would be given, had been.

It was the Echani way; hard, cold, ruthless.

Lonely.

The rain stole any tears, hid any momentary weakness, any self-doubt. She was alone with the storm, and would master it or die.

Breathe

And when she reached, all on her own, the wind reached back for her. Ferocious joy rose, and she danced, power twined with the Wind, her soul emptying out and being filled in a constant interplay, as the world breathed through her. The primal spirit of the forest grew jealous of her love affair with the sky, and the predator who had found and left her spoke from hidden shadows.

Now explore beyond it.

He lured; he tempted her from the glory of the storm. Tempted her to search for him, to trust again. Set a wounded pattern in motion. Would she answer? Control-surrender-partnership-pain. As with the elements of nature, so with the feral man: A delicate dance, a partnership.

Breathe

A tango, danced in the storm.

The stones, the sky, the earth at her feet, she reached for them. The trees gleamed and glittered to her Othersight, but the wolf was naught but an echo, lost in the Dark. The thrumming heart-beat of the earth had revealed itself through him; aching longing for that welcome embrace blocked the solace she sought. Dancing feet splashed mud along her rain-silvered legs, the rivulets more alive to her than solid stone. Breath followed the rain drops into the slurry of mud, to creep below, unfolding an entire world to her.

Control-surrender-partnership-pain.

Now… tell me what you see… feel?

Breathe

Rebellion stirred, at the almost-kind request. Her chin lifted, gaze searching the shadows even as her heart searched the Dark, seeking that knot of wild, feral power. What she feels? He dare ask? That she would not surrender.

“Primal Power; not just the constrained Power dwelling in each living thing. Not the patterns I feel in the water and wind. The forest has awakened, come alive around me. Emotion and movement and death, all twined into a single awareness beyond the individual vessels. Light and Dark both glow to my eyes, brush across my skin, sing to me. Even in the stones.”

Her own power reached out, sliding through the forest glade, drifting along the earth, seeking his hiding place.​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

Gerwald simply waited. This was the part of instruction which was the most cumbersome. While he enjoyed training new warriors, he did not like the tedious repetitive behaviors of early lessons. She would need this lesson more than once, and the wolf knew he would grow frustrated the more times he had to teach the same thing. On Stewjon, patience was not something Gerwald had to worry about. Either a warrior learned or they were injured. This would lead to the same, but the force sometimes required that Gerwald be more delicate.

Each student learned in different ways.

Narissa understood the dance. She demonstrated her prowess on the subject with near perfect execution. Once she figured out the tempo of the movement it seemed easy for her. What proved challenging was opening herself up to the larger number which she was part of. A small smile tugged at his lips when he felt her aura wash over his.

Found me.

It was a lone thought, but enough to make him proud of the progress she demonstrated with a small amount of guidance.

Seems you will listen.

That was the most important thing Gerwald demanded in a pupil. They had to be teachable. If a squire could not be teachable, if they deemed they already knew it all, they would never learn to master the things the force always kept out of reach. Even as a master, as the Lord Commander, Gerwald knew there were things of the force he had not discovered, and skill he had yet to master. He was not an all powerful being simply because his connection to the force was focused, strong, and powerful.

He took in a deep breath as she approached. Her eyes almost glowed as the moonlight hit them. In the shadow they came alive, a constant reminder of the mercury all Echani had running in their veins.

“Yes, now focus on that connection. Dig deeper. It is not just the forest you can sense. What is in the trees, under them? What about the insects in the ground below, or the worms which have surfaced because of the rain? You are connected to everything around you.”

His words continued to instruct, initially ignoring the fact she did not divulge what she felt.

Eyes bore into hers. They were not kind, but rather filled with a ferocity that only a wolf could convey. His gaze was dangerous, as though it dared her to defy him one more time. His words would not need to reveal what his eyes betrayed.

“And what do you feel?
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: XXX

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Obsidian Park, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

Moonlight and shadow ghosted towards him, the movement silent save for the way the wind wrapped about her, and her breathing. Her pulse pounded in her throat, hallmark of the near-exultation from holding so much in her mind. Ocean blue eyes fastened upon hers, snaring her in the wolf’s predatory gaze once more. Threat, command, challenge; a ferocious tension which drew her into a carefully poised stance. Holding that dominating gaze was both instinctive and brutally hard; yet she was an Echani noble and would neither retreat nor look away.

Dig deeper. The instruction echoed in the night, danced through her mind. Breathing slowed, once more seeking that primal, feral place where the pulse of he world beat in her mind. The world blurred, save for his burning eyes; awareness snapped into place … then was lost, her Othersight overwhelmed. Again she reached out, a faint tremor sweeping through her as she sought to hold everything. Her movement slowed, another shimmering moment where she balanced between the beats, the Force a sudden burning presence within and around her, flowing free.

Stopping a hair’s breadth inside his personal space, Narissa extended a slender hand with the intent to lightly brush his chest with a single, flawless fingernail. Counting coup; she’d found him. This close, she had to lean back to keep eye-contact, for the feral man who towered more than a foot above her.

The ferociously predatory gaze fastened upon her promised retaliation, pain, if she did not once more render herself vulnerable to him, to answer his final command: And what do you feel?

Silvery rain coursed over them, irrelevant save that every sense was heightened in this battle-ready place. The cooling mud beneath her feet, the rain sluicing over her, the wind tugging upon his hair. Liquid mercury burned in her silvery gaze, burdened with taunt, tangled emotions. What did she feel? Anger? Hope? Pain? Desire? Fear? Pride? All of them and more. But she was Echani; she could admit to nothing, without giving him power.

A staccato beat pounded in her vulnerable throat, as the moment stretched.

She needed him. She feared him.

“Everything,” she breathed out.​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

She was close. Dangerously slow. Gerwald had long denied himself the closeness which often came from physical touch or proximity. His feelings, and his promise to Naedira had been sure and certain. Only once had he wavered. A bond he still shared with a squire searching for herself, trying to touch the force once more. The woman had cut herself off from the force after saving him. Why? Because she had strong feelings, ones that Gerwald struggled to deny.

He would not have anyone putting themselves in harm’s way for him again. What raged on his mind and inner being was closed to those who did not already know it. The wolf had learned to hide his feelings and thoughts behind a well guarded fortress within his mind. It was impenetrable to most.

Her touch was cold. The rain and ice she had flirted with before still lingered on her skin. Had it not been for the tenacity with which Gerwald demanded an answer the chill might have startled him. He was determined to have satisfaction. Noble or not, it did not matter to the lupine. He had been offered a throne by two different women what seemed like ages ago. Gerwald had not wanted them then, and he certainly had no regard for royalty now. Titles made the ones who held them arrogant, greedy, and power hungry. His own homeworld had suffered from such tyrants.

Gerwald removed her hand. She had not earned this, nor could his conscience allow it. He had made too many promises, and his honor would not allow him to make ones he was not certain he could keep. Gerwald was no longer the wolf that gave his word imprudently. Every commitment made was intentional. They had purpose and a design.

“That is the Force.”

His words were decisive, to the point, yet instructive. The Echani had only known a portion of what she danced with, but now she knew it fully. Gerwald stepped out of the shadow once more, returning to the center where the woman had left her armor. He smirked thinking about how the Echani were very much like a lupine. They preferred the freedom of their natural skin rather than the restrictive burden of cloth and metal plating.

“Now you have sensed it. You’ve touched it, and it has touched you. Everything there is to learn about the Force, what you can do because of it, begins with this one thing. Always be open to it. You do not control it, nor does it control you."

"You are one with the Force, and the Force is in you.”​

Gerwald waited for her to indicate that she understood before picking up his boots. They would be soaking wet, though he did not need them to find his way back to the compound. The rain did not seem as though it would be letting up anytime soon, and while the Force could keep them from catching hypothermia with the right skill, Gerwald was certain the Echani did not have enough time to learn it before the cold would catch her.

“Come with me… you need a fire.”

It was a command. One Gerwald did not wait to see if she would follow before he turned on his heels and proceeded to leave the park.
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: XXX

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Obsidian Park, Theed; then Arx Obsidia
Objective: Talk to Gerwald.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

This close, he radiated heat and power. The smooth skin beneath her chilled finger burned. They stood in silent tableau, frozen by the slow, silent touch she claimed. His pupils dilated, suggesting desire or interest; tension along his brow spoke of old pain, long carried. The flex of his jaw whispered to her of his inner struggle. Closer or farther; which did he need? It was the in-between of it, that felt nearly unbearable. The conflict, the silent war raging within whispered along her senses. Something shifted within him, pushing him towards anger.

Despite the harshness of his gaze, the powerful hand which wrapped around hers used only a carefully metered strength to gently, slowly remove her hand from him. He did not attack. But he did retreat in to shadow, only to reappear walking towards her gear.

Satisfaction surged, though it was twined with disgust that she’d given at all, especially when he attributed the whole prism of things she felt entirely to the Force. An eyebrow rose, in silent question, though she moved after him, instinctively wary as he studied her gear.

“I have been told the Force has no emotions.” but it surely had touched her, opening things within that she struggled to understand. A faint shake of the head, as she sought to accept emotionally the strange concept of neither controlling nor being controlled. A delicate dance, indeed.

The ritual of arming ought never to be rushed; nor did she allow the cold, damp misery of placing soaked cloth and clammy metal against her skin appeal. Few people would be out to be offended by her state of undress, in any event. She slid her sword into her baldric, then fastened it in place. The slimy feel of damp leather against her bare skin a sensation she hoped never to repeat. Clasping the final few pieces in place, she murmured, “I am one with the Force, and the Force is in me.”

Picking up the bundle of her possessions, Narissa turned to bid farewell to the feral man.

Seeking solitude to think, Narissa retrieved the rest of her possessions and was already moving to exit the park when his voice stopped her. Anger seethed at the flat command. She ought not to have answered his question; now he expected full obedience. Despite the bitter cold sending periodic shudders through her, she resisted. He turned and walked away, not looking back.

The scent of him did not fade.

The echo of his voice lingered.

Narissa she was suddenly, horrifically certain she would know where he was, even if he was out of sight. That had to have been a mistake; something she’d done wrong. Shame writhed with her anger, but honor dragged her forward, until they were walking in step.

She did not ask where they were going; all that truly mattered, as feet and hands grew numb, was that it would have a fire.​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

The Force had no emotions. Gerwald paused at the comment, a look mixed with stupor and amazement washed over the features of his face.

“Certainly you were told wrong,” he said almost as dumbfounded as looked.

“Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Please tell me you have heard those words before?”

It was the first line of the code Gerwald had learned on the first day Naedira had taught him how to do things with his mind that he had only dreamed possible. It was not just the fact he could shield his mind form enemy attacks, but that he could inflict damage upon someone else with just a thought. As a warrior the lupine wanted every skill he could possibly have in his arsenal, and certain things he held secret. After all, those who looked at his size would assume he was gifted for a certain set of skills.

She could feel the passion which surrounded them.

THAT was the Force.

Gerwald had once mistaken that passion for feelings which were nothing more than something the force stirred between two people that had shared only a moment. A moment that should have never been allowed to happen. It was one regret the wolf still carried to this day. A lot of grief could have been spared had the warrior been wiser in his younger years.

He did not say anymore. Gerwald simply walked through the forest until they were on the streets of Naboo. It was too late at night for anyone to see them, but that would not matter. The citizens of Theed were more than accustomed to seeing the antics of the Knights Obsidian training regimen. No doubt anyone that would see them would only think this was some cruel thing that Gerwald forced the Echani to do as part of her training.

In a way it was.

The rain did not let up, not even in the slightest, as they made their way to the Arx Obsidia. The structure was massive, towering over most of the buildings which surrounded it. In many ways it looked like a fortress of old times or childhood stories, and it certainly invited one to believe in the fantastical. Inside was different. The halls were more ornate than the outer facade would have let on. Each step left a small pool of water, contaminating the beauty of the floor around them.

The trail would show Gerwald had led the Echani to a small alcove with cushioned benches, and fire pit in the center. It was always lit, but tonight it seemed dull. Before finding a seat on the bench, Gerwald made his way to a stack of wood which was on the far side of the antechamber. Two large chunks of wood were selected, and tossed into the fire. They would be warm soon.

“You’ve never had any formal training have you?”

He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it.
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: XXX

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Arx Obsidia, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald. argue with Gerwald.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

Stupor and shock escaped the mask which habitually concealed the deeper truth of the Lord Commander. As with that one soft smile he’d revealed, the genuine emotion transformed his face into something haunting. Echoes of an old, long held pain, anguish hidden in the curve of his lip. Some vast, cavernous loss which surrounded this formal phrase he shared. The shear depth of his amazement drew her wary attention; nothing would be more deadly than to fail to understand the passions and power that defined her so. Fear stirred and the wind responded, for she was still ruinously open to the world around her.

Yet the fear was her own; the anger and the drive and the passion. It came from within, magnified and made profound by the power they both wielded. Passion crafted into a weapon he wielded at will, when drawn taut between them.

Peace is a lie. Yet he believed in partnership; in dance. “If we neither control, nor are controlled, is that not peace?” Or as close to it as the Echani could imagine. A rigid hierarchy, she had known precisely her relative power and station to each Echani she met. Control, or be controlled. He had taught her the first step to co-existence.

There is only passion. A lick of her cool lips, and a faint shake of her head. “The passion comes from us. The Force a mirror and magnifier.” a ferocious, old anger burned. So she had found it - for any emotion. And so those who had sought to teach her had been unable to spirit her away in secret. A lift of her chin, a flare of the nostrils spoke eloquently of her refusal to surrender her own emotions. Blind, empty; they had desired her to be same, void of all sensation and all ties to family. So she’d stolen knowledge, when they dared to be careless with it, and forged her own path.

And it was working. Aware she’d been silent too long, she sidestepped his question about having ever heard the dictum he shared.

“I did not even think you mortal, when I felt your primal power. Such passion and ferocity indwells you; they would have fled from you.” There merest inflection in her voice suggested she was still disappointed in the wolf for being mere flesh and blood. It would have solved ever so many issues, if only he’d been a revenant or Force Ghost. But he remained determinedly solid, as she walked beside the aloof, alien creature.

Another side-long look. Did he hide himself from his own emotions? He wrapped himself in silence, and she let it go. Shivering with cold now, Narissa amused herself by doing as he’d said, sensing and feeling all she could of the world around her from the passionate, surging, violently beautiful power that indwelled them both. Her awareness spiraled, until it encompassed him. With great attention to detail, she studied the shadowed man until a massive, towering castle loomed over head. Maybe he was a spirit, after all, to belong in such a place. Something stirred, a dangerous breath of hope as she gazed upon the mystical building. It seemed so enduring - and so passionate. Not sterile or without heart. Was this where the great Lady she’d come to Naboo to seek dwelt?

Ornate hallways soothed, not with their promise of wealth or power, but of endurance. Pools of water trailed behind him, mirror bright and gleaming, as he strode ahead of her. Anger stirred, that he insisted upon that distance between them, leading her. As if she were a petitioner! Yet the water droplets whispered to her of where he was, and what they’d seen since he left them here. Was it purposeful? Or mere accident? Another test? But if so, was it to summon the water she had such affinity for, or to have the wisdom to resist, when so very cold and fatigued?

Warmth reached out to her, dancing on the air, before she even found the alcove. Scented wood, the glory of fiery heat drew her into the small room. So cold, even the faint heat of the banked fire soothed over her skin, freeing a sigh of content. Cushioned benches dotted the edge of the small room, and she swiftly set to work laying out her gear to dry.

The fire burned brighter, its warmth welcomely painful as he fed the flames. A cool look slid over to him, at his intrusive question. Silhouetted by the fire, he seemed a creature of mist and shadow. Moving closer to the burning heat, fingers reached out to dance along the edge of the flames.

“I do well enough with the family records.” Cool, certain, her gaze settled upon him. A slow, regal nod followed. “Your lesson today will not be wasted; I am in your debt.”​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

Gerwald could feel her studying him. She would not see his smirk. The Echani could try all she wanted, but she would not discern the things he buried beneath the surface of what everyone was allowed to see. Since Naedira’s death there were only three who knew of what troubled him, and only one with whom he had shared the traumatic events which had followed. The lupine was closed to most, and if she expected to succeed only after one meeting, then the woman was sorely mistaken.

Her retort was… an attempt at understanding what he meant. It was clear she had not heard the mantra of the Sith, nor did she understand it. Gerwald did not live by it, though he often used it to teach emotion as something one would always have with them. Peace and Chaos were simply bedfellows in a much grander reality.

She did not answer.

Again.

The wolf should not have been surprised, but it still infuriated him. How could she learn if she was not willing to answer the simplest of questions. What was it she was trying to hide? It was not as though he had asked her to reveal every detail of her past.

“Do not mistake what you sense within me for the traits of divinity. The Force does not grant us strength so that we may lord it over the weak. Rather we are made strong to bring those who would abuse the power they have to their knees. You would also do well to remember the ferocity you sense. While I am no god, neither am I a mere man.”

If she was truly studying him through the force that would have been enough of a clue for her to distinguish the parts of him which were different. While he was both man and beast, one in the same, his nature was distinguishable through the force. Narissa should be able to sense the beast as plainly as could sense the man. He wondered when it would finally dawn on her what he was, and what her reaction to it would be.

For now, he would simply continue to the alcove. His silence was intentional. Partly because he was not in the mood to continue instruction. It was getting late in the night, and there was much to be done the next day. The Lord Commander rarely had time to himself since Rhand.

“Tomes and records can never replace proper instruction. Well enough is just enough to get you killed.I have come across those who have trained themselves, and many of them are arrogant, thinking they are invincible. I think it is because they never had to learn from someone who could flatten them with a snap of their finger if the desire was there.”

Gerwald reached out for the fire, causing the tips of the flame to dance about in time with the motion of his fingers. He was certainly showing off, once again proving that the force was everything.

“You are fortunate I came along when I did. While you demonstrated much skill, it was also reckless. There is much power in you, but like every weapon you must be sharpened, honed…”

His eyes looked up from the fire and toward her.

“...focused.”

The wolf returned his attention to the fire. A sigh escaped his lips as he could feel the warmth radiating off the flames. It warmed his body as the steam rose from his wet clothes.

“Today was one lesson, but how do you manage to make progress? I have only made you more dangerous by teaching you what I did tonight. You are not in my debt, but rather it is I who owe you. You must be trained.”
​

 

[Narissa Jondi]

Wearing: XXX

POLITICAL REGION: CIS SPACE, Naboo
LOCATION: Arx Obsidia, Theed
Objective: Meet Gerwald.
Equipment: Echani Light Armor | Echani Icy Vibroblade |
Tag: [ Gerwald Lechner ]

Guarded; he was as guarded any Echani. Tiny physical clues, now and then, and his ferocious gaze were genuine. All else, hidden. Out here, she had become accustomed to reading the tiniest clues in order to fully understand someone, nearly at a glance. But the walking myth who played so fearlessly with fire warded himself away from her comprehension. Yet he expected her to reveal private matters to him; weaknesses, when all weaknesses were weapons in another's hands. She would not hand him a third way to wound her.

A sweet, cool smile appeared; He radiated such power and ferocity as he bade the fire dance to his will, she wondered who had thought him divine, rather than demonic. The smile softened to wonder as she let the dancing flames slide over her hand. Reaching within and without, she stepped closer, flames dancing over her in painful, not yet wounding glory; felt she could hear the spectral music, feel the pulsing beat of the absent drums. He was a master of every element, and she understood that he showed her so. Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Spirit. None of the Five Rings were barred to him. Wonder filled her, though she revealed her awe with no more than that soft, private smile and a lightening of her aura.

“I do not seek mindless conquest, but mindful rescue of my home,” the words were carefully chosen, addressing the diplomat and warrior which simply had to be concealed beneath the primal force of nature she had so far dealt with. She needed him to know that, or all was truly lost. “Would you define the NIO as those who abuse their power to bring others to their knees?” despite her effort at emotionless calm, a trace of pain whispered through her words.

“I thought you a ghost, a handsome devil, or a deadly Fae; the forest come to life.” she enlightened him gently. “Wild, primal, feral,” Alluring. “The power you hold,” her eyes closed as she let his aura wash over her.

Breathe

Stepped fully into the flames, trusting the beast, as she never would the man.

Free, her heart whispered. Something in that strange, complex aura suggested to her he knew what it was to be unfettered and unchained by human scruples and fears. To run wild and free through the worst storms. The earth embraced and accepted him, welcoming him like a lover. The beast was the heart of him; his very soul.

Her heart pounded, as he … threatened. Was it a threat? A promise to smash her to the ground again? She could not read him. But he abruptly met her gaze, pulling her into that strange communion for a single heat-beat.

What he said ... Wounded him. Did she distort his focus? Or did he decry her own? Flames danced around her, searing away water, shrouding her in misty shadow, though she stood in the heart of the fire.

Playing with the flames, steam rising from him in a devilish aura, he seemed formed of pure, primal menace. He took no joy in her presence, making his insistence upon training her a burdensome matter of honor.

“Show me,” she murmured softly.

The fire gilded her family crest.

A Wolf.

She would not run from the passionate, wild besat.

It was the cold, cruel man she feared.​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

R U N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Narissa Jondi

Gerwald found her logic… interesting. It was clear she had a goal, one which would likely lead to her undoing. One did not simply free their homeworld from what they perceived to be oppressors on their own. Stewjon had needed the Confederacy to free them of the Dark Ones, and other forces still to eradicate those who thought it was acceptable to place force users in cages for what they deemed to be witchcraft.

A small chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head. Her query was the wrong kind.

“There are those who would say the Confederacy abuses its power to bring others to its knees. Perspective is determined by the individual, yes?”

It was an avoidance more than it was an answer. Gerwald did not have thoughts regarding the New Imperial Order in the way that others may think he should. The wolf maintained a sense of balance wherever he could. What he knew was they were not evil, not by the same standard the Maw were. Had they subjugated worlds to their form of Imperialism, certainly, but did that mean they abused their power? It was the wrong question to ask.

There could have been more to say on the matter, but the lupine watched as the girl did something incredibly… well reckless… there was no better word when someone simply walked into a raging fire.

A wave of his hand quickly put the fire out. It would get her attention and guide her to blue eyes which were filled with both stupor and anger. If she had been trying to elicit some kind of emotion from him which departed from the gentle manner in which he had handled her thus far, she had succeeded.

“Of all the foolish things you could do,” he exclaimed as he stood to his feet. Gerwald loomed over her at the full tower of his height. “You are not ready for something as wild as fire. I showed you what you need, and that is how it will be until I deem you ready to take the next step.”

Gerwald reached to grab the woman’s arm. If she did not struggle the wolf would pull the Echani back to her seat, out of the center of where the fire had been.

“You must master your connection to the force itself, to everything around you. It is the building block for everything I will teach you. Before you can master the elements, you must master yourself. Discipline. You’re and Echani. You know this is the way forward.”

He sighed as a wave of his hand would ignite the fire once more.

It was silent for a time as Gerwald pondered what to say next. She had called him handsome, but the words rolled off his back like water to a duck. He could not deny her own beauty, but Gerwald did not have to acknowledge it either. His world had been destroyed by giving into such remarks and thoughts too easily. Stoicism and the chill which filled the summer wolf’s eyes would have to serve him for now. Even though the wolf was a passionate being, Gerwald had learned control so that no one could manipulate his feelings again.

“You are going to have to trust me.”
​