Private INSURMOUNTABLE - A Lesson of Limits

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

The blood evaporated before it reached him, but the scent of burned blood, of burned flesh, had him immediately jump back.

"That will be enough!" Aadihr finally called the fight to a halt.

Aris's aura still was muted, the turbulence within subtle enough that Aadihr was unsurprised he had missed it before.

"Well done Brander, resourceful. The healing of your hands - I see the force at work, though I take it this is not a conscious process of yours?"

Aadihr asked to keep the student engaged but his attention was more focused on his Padawan as he withdrew a kerchief to help clean the blood from Aris's face, feeling the heat from the distance and the lingering smell of burning and blackening blood.

Aadihr stood before Aris, observing his reactions closely - not to do so at a time like this would be a disservice to his Padawan.

The aversion to cauterization at the healing tents had hinted at something. Now from the automatic muting of himself alongside the defensive reaction of heating Aadihr drew two conclusions.

First, that this was a maneuver that he had performed before.

Second, that it had deeply affected him - at least enough that the secondary sensory input - burning of cauterization, boiling blood - triggered something in the boy.

"Brander, you've done nothing wrong." Aadihr assured as he motioned for Aris to sit in the grass as Aadihr did the same.

"And neither have you, Aris. Just take a moment to breathe and take in the gardens around you. You may be steady, centered even, but I would like for you to relax and, while it may be uncomfortable, to allow your emotions to be vulnerable. I understand that is not an easy thing to ask, but like a scar can heal over a foreign object causing infection, the psyche can be similar."

Aadihr adopted the meditative posture he had taught Brander earlier, hoping the student would secondarily glean insight from this interruption.

"When you are ready, we can talk about what I saw - and the source of it."

If Aris was unable to let down his emotional shields, Aadihr knew a second method - one he had already used on Brander. Aris seemed patient, but frustrating, challenging, and irritating Aris to the point of near outburst would also wear down his guard enough to discuss and process what ailed the Padawan.

Aris Noble | Brander​

 

[Aris Noble]

The source of it.

The source of what? Aris's mind had reverted again to the cold calculations he'd grown up with. It was easier, safer. He'd jumped away from Brander because of how hot Aris's skin had gotten. Another punch would've melted flesh and bone on contact. He didn't want Brander to get hurt. That's all it was. Right? It wasn't, of course. Aris wasn't okay in the slightest.

"When I fought my grandfather, he threw things at me to fight. Metal, mostly. That melted pretty easily, given how hot I can run. Then he threw corpses. They melted easier."

Aadihr Lidos | Brander

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos Aris Noble


Brander's frown deepened for a fleeting moment before he blinked, absorbing Aadhir's words. His gaze dropped to his hands, watching as his fingers curled and uncurled in slow motions. Silence stretched between them as he turned his focus toward their teacher and the other student, but his mind lingered elsewhere.

Restlessness gnawed at him, an uneasy energy settling in his bones. He rubbed his hands together absently, as though trying to rid himself of the tension creeping beneath his skin. His frown tightened as Aris spoke, his nose wrinkling at the thought he put forth.

Still, he didn't sit.

He remained standing, rooted in place, while the weight of uncertainty pressed against his chest. Aadhir had said everything was fine—assured him of it—but the words felt hollow, like an ill-fitting mask over something deeper. If things were fine, why did it feel like they weren't?

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"When I fought my grandfather, he threw things at me to fight. Metal, mostly. That melted pretty easily, given how hot I can run. Then he threw corpses. They melted easier."

Threw corpses? By Ashla how had this boy been keeping it together?

Aadihr noted Brander's concern as well. There was no way for him to have known.

"Your grandfather - Kahlil's... father? You've fought Him and lived. You may have left physically intact, but there are wounds beyond physical. Wounds of the psyche also shouldn't be left to fester."

Aadihr turned slightly to Brander, "This goes for you too - you may not have done anything wrong, but circumstances out of your control can lead to unseen consequences, unseen wounds being reopened. To turn away from the consequences of your actions - is that not a form of quitting? Stay and observe. How we treat others and ourselves is a large differentiator between the Jedi and the Sith, regardless of the Force

Aadihr turned his attention back to Aris. The more Aadihr spoke, drawing the focus on Aris's memory, the more tumultuous his aura seemed.

"To be unfazed by horrific violence like such you have experienced would be abnormal. Subduing the emotions and repressing the memories is not an admirable thing nor is it sustainable."

Aadihr searched his mind for an allegory that could help Aris. "There is no shame in expressing the emotion, nor is there shame in difficulty learning to identify these emotions, it too requires practice."

Aadihr settled into the grass. This could be a painful process, but he had to be stubborn to corner Aris into emotional vulnerability.

As for Brander... If the boy could at least see see the value in helping someone relieve a tormented spirit with speech and reflection.

All this, of course, hinged on Aadihr's capability to do so with tact. This was one thing he could not let himself fail.

"Before we continue - remember that you are here, safe in the gardens, not back there. Ground yourself. Observe each of your senses here in this moment. Tell me what you see, what you hear. Feel the grass, tell me what it feels like. Breathe in the open air, be present. Take all the time you need. Be here, in the present, and take note of what is different now from them."

He recited the words from memory - guiding another instead of guiding himself.

After a moment of observing Aris and Brander, he continued.

"When you are ready, tell me of how you are currently feeling. Not just the words for emotions, if you have them, but the physical sensations you associate with them. Brander, you should do so as well"

Aadihr hoped that by Brander performing the same excersize it may help Aris from feeling put on the spot.

Aris Noble | Brander​

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris sort of just listened, but didn't seem to really understand. His mind didn't want to, since it meant having to process these emotions. He didn't know these emotions well enough to properly navigate through them. He glanced around, looking over the garden they were in. Then listed off everything. Everything he could hear and see. The heartbeats of the two around him, the rustling of wings of an insect too small to see normally. The sway of the leaves of each plant. He'd go right through the list of everything.

Nothing was missed. It was how e could and would cope.

"Focused. That's all I feel right now, why?"

Aadihr Lidos | Brander

 

[Brander]

Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos

Brander looked at Aadihr, startled. Was he being reprimanded? The words hadn't carried the sharp edge of scolding, yet something in them sat uneasily in his chest. You've done nothing wrong. Then why did it feel like he had? The reassurance rang hollow, like a well-worn phrase meant to soothe rather than clarify.

His fingers twitched, absently rubbing together before curling into loose fists at his sides. He didn't entirely understand what was happening, but he would obey. That much, at least, he knew how to do.

As Aris spoke, listing everything he could sense in precise, mechanical detail, Brander felt his frown deepen. His nose wrinkled slightly, something instinctive and uneasy creeping into his expression. Aris's words—melted corpses—lingered in his mind, leaving a sensation that was hard to shake. Yet when asked how he felt, Aris simply answered:

"Focused.

Brander's gaze flicked up sharply. He hesitated, jaw tightening as he studied the other Padawan. That was it? His fingers curled a little tighter.

Focused? That's all?

He cast a glance at Aadihr, almost searching for confirmation. Maybe permission to push. Or maybe just to see if their teacher really believed that answer.

Brander exhaled sharply through his nose, dragging a hand down his face before finally lowering himself to sit. The ground felt too soft beneath him, and the stillness in the air only made the restless energy beneath his skin feel more pronounced.

"You just talked about melted corpses," he muttered, voice quieter now, but no less pointed. "And all you feel is focused?"


A part of him knew it wasn't really his place to press. But another part—the part that itched under his skin, the part that had started to care whether he wanted to or not—refused to let the words pass unchecked.

He leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees. "You sure that's all?" His eyes searched Aris's face. Maybe even hopeful that there was more beneath the surface. "You don't feel anything else?"

Because that... sounded like the kind of thing that stuck with you. Whether you wanted it to or not.

Brander exhaled, rolling his shoulders back as though trying to shake off the weight pressing against them.

"Fine. Whatever." His tone was clipped, but he made himself comply with Aadihr's request, even if it felt foreign, even if his words felt inadequate. His fingers dug absently into the grass, grounding himself.

"I feel..." He hesitated. He wasn't good at this. "Like I've got a buzz under my skin. Like there's too much energy and nowhere to put it." His jaw tensed slightly. "Like I'm sitting still, but my bones don't believe it."

A pause.

Brander exhaled sharply again, rubbing his arms before muttering, almost reluctantly,

"I feel... uneasy." The words came slow, as if he was pulling them up from someplace reluctant to give them. "Like something's off, but I can't put my finger on it. Like I stepped into the wrong room and everyone else knows it but me."

His fingers dug absently into the grass, curling around the blades. "I feel... anxious." His jaw shifted as he exhaled through his nose. "Like there's something I should be doing, but I don't know what. Like I'm waiting for something to happen, and I don't know whether to brace for it or run from it."

He flexed his hands again, the movement restless. "I feel... unnerved." The word had weight to it, settling in his chest as he admitted it. "Like I don't understand what's happening, but everyone else does. Like I'm playing a game with rules no one bothered to explain." His fingers curled into a loose fist. "And I hate that."

He let out a sharp breath, rubbing his palm over his face before dropping it back to his knee. "And I feel annoyed. Like I shouldn't have to be here, sitting in the grass, talking about feelings when there are a hundred better things I could be doing." His knee bounced once before he forced it still. "Like I don't belong here. Like—" His mouth pressed into a thin line, frustration flaring before he cut himself off.

Brander shook his head, eyes flicking away. "Doesn't matter." But even as he said it, the tension in his shoulders didn't ease.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"Focused. That's all I feel right now, why?"

Contrary to his words, Aris's aura seemed more strained from repression, turbulent swirling locked within layers of cold grey, locking itself away. How could Aadihr begin to confront this?

"You just talked about melted corpses," he muttered, voice quieter now, but no less pointed. "And all you feel is focused?" "You sure that's all?" His eyes searched Aris's face. Maybe even hopeful that there was more beneath the surface. "You don't feel anything else?"

Despite Brander's unsurety, he had done precisely what Aadihr was trying to find the words to - confront Aris directly about the emotion.

Aadihr gave a slight nod of appreciation, reassuring as if Brander had picked up on some hidden goal, even if it was perhaps just more confident in confrontation.

"Search your feelings, Aris. you know that to be untrue." Aadihr continued after giving a moment of silence for Aris to speak or simply process without overwhelmingly speaking at him.

"If you only allow yourself to focus on repressing your emotion, it will never heal. You can release that focus for a moment - unpack the memory, how did you feel when your grandfather attacked you, when you realized what was being thrown?
Remember that you are safe here - if it becomes too overwhelming, return to the moment here and the things you sensed"

Aadihr wanted to help Aris, even if doing so was painful. Vicariously it was painful, but this wasn't about Aadihr.

Brander, frustrated, followed suit and did so honestly - honesty that was appreciated.

"I feel... uneasy." "I feel... anxious." "I feel... unnerved." "Like I don't understand what's happening, but everyone else does. Like I'm playing a game with rules no one bothered to explain." "And I hate that. And I feel annoyed. Like I shouldn't have to be here, sitting in the grass, talking about feelings when there are a hundred better things I could be doing." His knee bounced once before he forced it still. "Like I don't belong here. Like—" "Doesn't matter."

"I would offer you answers but, to be candid, no one truly knows the rules of the game. Even those who with premonitions are frequently incorrect or misled by their visions. If there's a big secret, it's that no one has the answers, and everyone on some level is winging it and putting on a brace face."

The final words of Brander brought a pang of guilt from Aadihr.

Nice job, giving both traumatic flashbacks and existential crisis to two pupils in the same lesson.

"Thank you for sharing, Brander. It must be difficult feeling adrift, or like an outsider." Aadihr could relate, but as before this wasn't about Aadihr.

"Both of you, the last thing I want is to make either of you feel unwelcome or excluded, unsafe or insecure." Aadihr wasnt a wise old man, he felt scarcely an adult himself.
"I'd like to apologize. I am inexperienced as a mentor and a poor example of a Jedi - I have made missteps and will make more mistakes in the future, but I vow that I will continue to teach to the best of my ability as long as you wish for me to be your mentor."
There it was. The truth of the oath he swore to Brander, and the core of his fears teaching Aris. Aadihr only knew what kind of teacher he didn't want to be, but did not have a positive framework to emulate.

There was a bit of relief in admitting that, but Aadihr returned his attention to Aris. He feared he may be pushing the boy away by trying to intrude in his emotions, but if Aadihr could make a difference, at least provide some sort of support for Aris, he will have at least done something right.

Aris Noble | Brander​

 

[Aris Noble]

The issue was Aris didn't have words for these emotions. His expression stilled further, especially as Brander spoke up. He was supposed to feel something over it? What was he supposed to feel? He was still trying to figure out so many other emotions, but now he was supposed to know these ones, if he was feeling anything at all? He stayed quiet.

They were talking. His gaze shifted between them as they spoke, but he had nothing to add. How could he have something to add, when he didn't even understand the conversation? He didn't understand what made a person a person. The more they spoke, the less Aris even knew on what to say next. Eventually, he just fully shut down, giving only a faint nod to Aadihr to at least confirm he'd been listening.

Maybe he'd learn eventually, but he wasn't going to right now.

Brander | Aadihr Lidos

 

[Brander]

Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos


Brander's hands curled into fists so tight his nails bit into his palms. His breath came too fast, too shallow. He told himself to calm down, to keep steady, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave with bare hands—pointless, impossible.

"Focused."

That word stuck in his head like a thorn, digging in deeper with every breath.

He'd seen it before. That disconnect. That cold, clinical acceptance of horror. The way people looked away when something awful happened. The way they forced themselves to keep moving, because if they didn't, they'd have to acknowledge it—and acknowledging it meant feeling it.

Aris didn't want to feel it. But Brander did.

Because he had.

He remembered.

The flash of pale skin pressed against glass. The limp, twisted forms inside the tanks. Some still moved—reaching, twitching, their warped limbs shaking. Others had already gone still. Their faces, his face, frozen in expressions of pain or confusion or nothing at all.

Failures. That was what they called them. Defective batches.

Brander had stood there, heart slamming against his ribs, unable to breathe. The Force screamed with grief, a ripple of horror that should have been deafening. The others had felt it too—the clones who had survived, their presences in the Force sharp with agony, with a sorrow so raw it felt like it had been carved into their bones.

But the scientists, the techs—they hadn't cared.

"Get the trash cleared out."

Brander's stomach twisted. His fingers dug into his arms. Because they made him help. They made him clean it up.

A part of him had shattered that day. Maybe a part of him never stopped screaming.

And now Aris—Aris was sitting here, acting like it didn't matter? Acting like he could just file it away, push it down, pretend like it hadn't left a hole in his chest?

No. No, Brander wasn't doing this again.

He shot to his feet. His heart slammed against his ribs, and the restless energy inside him snapped.

"You—!" His voice cracked, his breath uneven. His hands trembled as he took a sharp step forward before catching himself—before he did something stupid. He ran a hand through his hair instead, fingers tangling there, his whole body tense as if fighting the urge to shake someone—anyone—until they felt something.

"You're telling me corpses were thrown at you—corpses, Aris!—and you just... focus? You just list facts like a damn checklist and move on?" His voice wavered between anger and something dangerously close to desperation. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

The second the words were out of his mouth, regret coiled in his stomach like a sickness. His pulse pounded in his ears. He hadn't meant that. Not like that.

But his vision wasn't here. It was back there. Back in the lab.

"Some of them are still breathing—"
"Doesn't matter. They won't last."
"But we could—"
"We're not wasting resources on a mistake, Brander. You should know that better than any one."

His breath hitched. He clenched his fists so tight his knuckles turned white. The Force had mourned that day. And so had he. But it hadn't mattered.

He swallowed hard, shaking his head. He pressed the heel of his palm against his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut. What was wrong with him? Why did it feel like his ribs were closing in on his lungs? Why did this whole damn thing feel wrong, wrong, wrong—

"Forget it," he muttered, voice raw now. "Forget I said anything."
He had moved to stand and walk back and forth.

He turned on his heel, breathing hard, gripping his own wrist like he was holding himself back. His throat felt too tight, his chest a mess of tangled, frantic knots. Why was this hitting him so hard? Why did it feel like something was splintering inside him?

He could feel Aadihr's 'eyes' on him. He didn't look up.

He just dug his fingers into his arm, forcing his breath to slow down.

Because this wasn't about him.

But stars, did it feel like it was.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

Aadihr felt as if he had pushed them both too far, testing their limits only to find the opposite nature of their expression fed into one another.

Aris had as least been willing to share his memory and not shut down completely. Aadihr had pushed him enough for today.
He remained silent, but gave Aris a small nod, a reassurance that he would finally grant Aris the space to calm himself that he desired. If Aris interpreted it as such - talking too much seemed to overwhelm him.

As for Brander, Aadihr had to intervene with an opposite approach.

"Forget it," he muttered, voice raw now. "Forget I said anything."

"Your honesty is welcome Brander, there's no shame in it. If Aris doesn't mind me speaking for him - He's not ready to confront emotions as you are. He likely holds back a torrent of emotion, but doesn't know how to express it. I've had similar issues - though I expect not identical, so I apologize if I presume too much."

This may be a mistake, or a breach in trust, but perhaps it was time to put all the cards on the table, to help both Aris and Brander empathize with one another.

"As you both are aware, my connection to the force is stunted in certain areas. Brander, Aris cannot use the force external to himself, as far as anyone at the temple or his previous masters could tell. Aris, Brander is the only one of his siblings without force sensitivity."

Aadihr let that sit for a moment.

"I don't believe it was coincidence that brought the two of you to me, the Force must have something planned for both of you."

Aadihr intended to help them both find whatever that path was, but in this moment he felt truly blind.

Then, something struck him. His own aversions - the one thing both pupils had in common that Aadihr did not share.

Ashla help me, this may be the most foolish thing I'll ever suggest

Aadihr steeled himself.

"Now that the truth is out, let us return to sparring."

This was only fair, after how he had forced them both to confront inner turmoil.

"I would like the two of you to face me - no outside limitations on your abilities, just what you can use - and can bring yourself to use."

Why was he doing this? Did he crave punishment for failing at his lesson?

No

If he was to help others with their limits, he needed to be reminded of his own.

Aadihr took a breath. Remembered facing off against Padawan older than he.

Face the fear, find peace within.

Ashla guide me

Aris Noble | Brander​

 

[Aris Noble]

What was wrong with him?

Aris stared blankly at Brander now. He didn't have a proper answer. This was how he was raised, how he was made, but those felt like excuses now. He understood more emotion than he thought he could. Why didn't he understand this? He just looked away from Brander, back to Aadihr. Listened again as he had nothing he could add. He had no idea what to say, what to do.

Fight Aadihr, though? His brow furrowed.

They were going to fight Aadihr together? He could really hurt Aadihr, and Brander didn't have the ability to use the Force?

"Why? This serves no purpose."

Brander | Aadihr Lidos

 

[Brander]

Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos

Brander let out a sharp, breathy laugh—one of those bitter, disbelieving things that weren't really meant to be funny. He ran a hand through his hair, eyes flicking between Aadihr and Aris before settling on the ground.

"Oh, great. So that's what this is? Some kind of cosmic joke?" His voice was tight, fraying at the edges. "The only one of my siblings without the Force. The odd one out. The defective one."

His jaw clenched as he exhaled through his nose, fighting the burn in his throat.

"And Aris can't even use it outside himself? Fantastic. So that's what, some kind of twisted balance?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "He's got all this power locked away inside, and I've got basically nothing. Maybe that's why the Force put us together, huh? So I could stare at what I'll never have and he could be reminded of how broken he is, too."

Brander's frown deepened as Aris, ever calm, ever detached, merely stated,

"Why? This serves no purpose."

Brander's hands twitched at his sides. That was it? That was Aris's whole takeaway? Just—logic?


"Are you serious?" The words slipped out before he could stop them, raw with disbelief. He turned fully toward Aris, studying him like he was trying to find some crack, some sign that this wasn't just another cold, distant conclusion. But there was nothing. No anger. No frustration. Just that eerie calm.

Brander exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. "You don't—" He bit down on the words, shaking his head. "Whatever. Of course you think that."

His gaze snapped back to Aadihr. "And you?" His voice was tighter now, edged with something like concern. "You really think this is a good idea? After all that?"

His shoulders were still tense, not from the idea of sparring, but from the sheer weight of the moment. Of Aadihr's words. Of the way none of this sat right in his chest.

"I don't—" He exhaled through his nose, shifting his weight. "I don't want to fight you. I don't even get why you're doing this. What are you trying to prove?"

Because if Aadihr thought this was the best way forward, then maybe Brander and Aris weren't the only ones struggling with things they didn't know how to say.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"Why? This serves no purpose."

Aadihr found himself finally growing frustrated.

"And you?" His voice was tighter now, edged with something like concern. "You really think this is a good idea? After all that?"

Of course Aadihr didn't. He didn't think putting two teenagers to fight in the first place was a good idea. Aadihr was out of good ideas.

"I don't—" He exhaled through his nose, shifting his weight. "I don't want to fight you. I don't even get why you're doing this. What are you trying to prove?"

"I'm..." Aadihr didn't know. He wasn't sure what he was hoping to achieve. "I'm trying to prove that I am capable of teaching something, I suppose. Trying to keep my end of the bargain to you." Did Luka face these same struggles? Did she struggle to find common ground with Aadihr when he was a Padawan?

"Trying to prove that I haven't simply made things worse."

Addressing Aris, he continued, trying to give Aris the most straightforward, logical reply he could.
"I'm trying to connect with you through a cultural medium that doesn't require putting your emotions to words. Because every time I look at your aura I can see through your barrier, even if you can't identify what emotions lie behind it yourself, and I'm not so eloquent as to coax the words for it out of you."

Aadihr felt defeated, sitting back in the grass.

"I suppose I wanted to fall back upon the way I was trained. Doing the wrong thing because it was comfortably familiar."

Aadihr had no idea what he was doing, and he couldn't hide it from the students any longer.

Aris Noble | Brander​

 

[Aris Noble]

"You're not a fighter."

Every single time he'd done. Anything with Aadihr, the Knight was left beaten, exhausted, and/or near death. Brander could heal, but there was likely a limit, and the fact he couldn't use the Force only made it that much more dangerous. These weren't people Aris could actually fight with, spar safely. Fully. He stood awkwardly as Aadihr sat down, as Brander continued to be over emotional about this all.

He didn't know what else to say or do at this point.

Aadihr Lidos | Brander

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

Aris Noble

There were too many emotions swirling, and the tension was practically tangible. Brander couldn't shake the thought that this might've been a mistake. He knew well enough that adults weren't infallible—they made mistakes just like anyone else. But what did he really know about Aadihr's past? What had shaped him into the person standing before them now?

Had Brander acted like this in front of the Overseers—or worse, Ace—he would've been in deep trouble. But here Aadihr was, asking him to fight. Brander understood the weight of that request—being thrust into a position he wasn't prepared for. It felt like a twisted role reversal. A bad one. It made his stomach churn.

He took a long, steadying breath, trying to settle the unease that gnawed at him. This wasn't who he was. Or rather, it wasn't what he was supposed to show.

Brander was supposed to be an elite soldier. Calm, cool, collected. Unshakeable. Not this emotional wreck standing on the edge of something he couldn't control. What would the progenitor think?

He had felt like this before—lost, uncertain, caught in a moment where everything seemed too heavy to carry. Like Aadihr, in this moment of vulnerability. He understood that feeling of being stretched too thin, of not knowing where to turn next. Brander had been there once. Hell, maybe he still was, in some ways.

What did he want before when he felt this way?

A memory stirred, sharp and vivid. It wasn't something he expected to revisit, but there it was, pulling at him, urging him forward. Without thinking, he moved to Aadihr's side, his eyes locking onto his with an intensity that could've easily been mistaken for anger. But it wasn't anger—it was something else entirely. Something raw, vulnerable.

A few long moments passed before he exhaled a heavy sigh, his resolve cracking. Without words, Brander reached out, pulling Aadihr into a tight hug. The gesture was clumsy, almost awkward...

After what felt like an eternity, Brander's voice broke the silence, quieter than he intended. "It's okay…"

His arms tightened briefly around Aadihr before he let go, as if offering reassurance through the simplest of words, hoping they would be enough.

He sniffled and rubbed the tears from his eyes casting a wary glance at Aris before looking at Aadihr

"Can I go home... Please?"

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"You're not a fighter."

"Can I go home... Please?"

Aadihr nodded. They all needed a chance to step away from this.

At least there were no severed arms in this lesson. Was that an improvement? It didn't feel like it.

"Class is dismissed" Aadihr said, bidding the student and Padawan fairwell. He himself would linger amongst the gardens longer yet and reflect up on what he had learned and how he can improve.

​