Private Of Birds And Men

[Kyyrk]

The girl didn't know the half of it. Yes, Kyyrk was indeed alienated from his flock, in a sense, just not the flock she thought he was alienated from. But it ran deeper than that. Kyyrk's flock had been destroyed. More than just followers of the same creed. His people. His species. For all he knew, he was the only one left. She was right. It was a difficult existence. But she hardly knew the half of it. Kyyrk did not fault her for it. She didn't know. Couldn't know. And Kyyrk prayed it would stay that way.

His focus was soon split twofold between the children and the beast. Seemingly from nowhere, the girl had produced an old blade that practically sang in the night. She was indeed as Force Sensitive as he'd suspected her to be. While not his first choice of weapon, he'd won many a fight with just such a blade. Crafted them too. But for now they had a more pressing concern. As a rather large Nexu burst from the undergrowth, Kyyrk's lightsaber roared to life. A brilliant blade of purest white, with traces of lightning discharge playing across the blade.

Kyyrk took a step back, his blade held low and ready, his left hand raised in preparation. He and the beast regarded each other for a split second before leaping into action. Eyes. It was all the warning the man wordlessly offered. A small orb of...something was coalescing within the palm of his left hand. And as he dove to the side, it exploded into a blinding flash of light, meant to disorient and confuse the beast. Kyyrk stood from his crouched position and hurled the lightsaber towards the cat, charging towards it now bare-handed. But he did not seem to be bracing himself for an attack. No, his goal was...something else...​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

And so the beast was upon them.

At first it only regarded Kyyrk, the pair holding something of a standoff beside the fire. As such the children were given time to assess the situation, and they were able to shield their eyes upon command without risking being clawed up by the Nexu. A blinding flash of light left the creature disoriented, but she and Ideon were saved from the worst of it.

Then they lowered their arms, and braced themselves. Not wanting to intercept Kyyrk, they were drawn by the appearance of two more creatures. One slightly smaller than the one currently stalking the man and the other a mere babe in comparison.

Ideon seemed genuinely torn up over the prospect of harming the latter. Use another method she reminded him, as one of them leapt at her. She brought her blade up just in time to stave off its claws, and then shifted her weight onto her back foot in order to pivot around. It slunk past her in response, not a speck of damage upon its coat but neither any harm done to her.

By her side, the boy was lost within the throws of the Force. His blades were drawn and raised in a defensive state, and each time the cub lashed out at him he made sure to keep the steel between him and them. His mouth was muttering something inaudible as he tried to act upon something he'd practiced countless times over.

Just with smaller, far more malleable creatures.

Ideon had always been something of a friend to animals, and in moments like these it showed.

Still the Nexu cub kept coming, backing him up.

Rhia was too focused on her own mauler to be of much help. She drew upon the Force to try and keep tabs on him, though in doing so she lost the ability to utilize it in conjunction with her blade to counteract her own beast. Nope, she'd be solely relying upon the Force Imbued blade tonight.

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

The beast Kyyrk was up against recovered quickly, rounding on him and swiping its massive claw to meet the man as he leapt into the air...

...and vanished. The claw missed, and the creature began to look around, confused. The man landed behind the creature, driving his lightsaber down into its flank. His thrown blade had gone wide, but it had gotten him behind the creature. A hind leg lashed out in a panicked strike, but Kyyrk was already stepping back. Calm, confident, and collected, he turned, looking to Rhia as his hand stretched out once more. Were she what he suspected, then she certainly would be able to feel, as well as see, the Force cocooning around her, wrapping her in a warm embrace.

The soft blanket of Force energy bubbled out from her, encapsulating the girl in a defensive sphere. Her opponent certainly posed a thread. The one attacking the boy? Less so. Provided he was able to keep the beast at arm's length, which he seemed to be quite proficient in. Without looking behind him, he sidestepped an overhead swipe from the beast he'd been sparring. He spun, lifting his blade to neatly nick a single talon from the cat's paw, and his grip on the blade was released to throw the beast away from him via forceful push.

His eyes closed as the beast charged him again, and a hand reached out, summoning forth something that felt...entirely different. The beast began to slow, as if ice were slowly spreading through its veins. And eventually it stopped, a single claw outstretched towards Kyyrk, frozen solid. There certainly wasn't anything holding the creature still, but it was frozen all the same. Kyyrk watched the beast for a mere second to ensure that it wasn't going to spring back to life, then turned towards the boy. He certainly knew how to dominate the minds of lesser creatures, but he wasn't sure his methods would be accepted by the children... For now the best he could do was prepare himself to strike if the creature got out of hand...​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

The nexu came charging back at her, after rounding and thumping its paws into the ground for grip to avoid skidding into a nearby tree. Rhia inhaled, preparing for the moment that it would pounce, only to find herself distracted by a sudden warm embrace through the Force. Her eyes immediately darted to where Kyyrk stood, and in that brief second the cat was upon her.

Thankfully whatever trickery he'd pulled kept it slashing at thin air, unable to make a dent on the girl herself. Still she cursed herself for losing focus, and stepped to the side once more in order to watch the create fumble down once its paws weren't held up by the Force barrier.

Ideon was seemingly having better luck than she was, for the little Nexu had stopped being quite so aggressive and now when it batted at the air it seemed almost pitiful. As such she withdrew her attention from him, and focused instead upon the creature ahead of her. One hand rose, the other still clinging to the hilt of the fairly heavy imbued sword, and pulsed it backwards into the underbrush in order to give herself a little bit more time to strengthen her stance and acclimatize to the bubble.

To one side Ideon's cub was settled. To the other Kyyrk's predator was suspended. Before her the third nexu charged, and she brought her blade up in an arc to catch it as it leapt up and over her, aiming to clear one of its limbs from its body.

She could have directed it more central, could have aimed to rend the blade through its chest, but she hadn't.

Such was not the way.

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk released a quick exhale, venting the rest of his pent up adrenaline, calming his nerves. The underbrush began crashing again, as another, much larger creature approached. But it almost sounded as if...the creature was growing smaller? Till suddenly, Horace burst from the trees, slowing to land on Kyyrk's shoulder. Kyyrk deactivated his lightsaber, and walked over to the frozen creature. Kyyrk reached out, and cradled the beast's head in his hands. He leaned his head in close, and whispered something to the beast. There was another surge of energy through the Force, but this one was...different from the other times Kyyrk had called upon his gift. For a brief moment, there was a sharp spike in the air. A sheer, animalistic terror. The beast was freed, and it immediately turned to scramble back into the underbrush, as though it KNEW that it would die if it didn't get to safety NOW.

Kyyrk, for his claim of being a Jedi, held all too familiar a control over the Dark Side.

He watched the creature scurry off into the darkness. His blade was returned to his hip, and he turned to walk towards the creature that Effis had quite effectively maimed. "I am sorry, young one. I forget that not everyone is as familiar with the idea of shielding one's self in the Force. Not nearly as common as it was in the old days..." He'd seen the confusion written on her face as the shield enveloped her. Secretly, he was thankful that such things remained a mystery to most. "And I feel I owe you an apology. For making assumptions that led me to being...less than truthful."

Kyyrk knelt beside the creature that was writhing on the ground in pain. "I'm not exactly a Jedi. Nor have I been for quite some time. Nor am I a Sith. But...something between. Most who are unversed in the complexities of the Force just call us Jedi and move on, but..." Kyyrk shrugged as he trailed off. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, calling on the Force one more time to still the animal's thrashing, permanently. "Rest now, great one. To greener fields you go. An eternal hunt you start." The words were spoken as a sort of prayer over the creature. When Kyyrk opened his eyes, he remained motionless for a moment, then sighed softly. "Always a shame, to see a life lost like that. But, such is the way of conflict..."​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

One beast soothed and temporarily tamed. Another fled off into the wilds. For a moment Ideon seemed relieved.

But then blade made contact with leg, tearing it from the rest of the body, and as soon as the blood fell Rhia knew what was soon to come. It might have been kinder of her to hit a vital organ, to put it out of its misery right away, but truth be told she hadn't even been hoping to strike it at all. Blades were no laughing matter, whether plasma or otherwise. This was a good reminder of that.

She felt her brother's grief work its way through her core, and in that moment the hypnotic haze which had fallen over the cub broke. It turned and bolted back through the trees, chasing the tail of the much larger Nexu. Ideon was on his knees, and Rhia could only watch and listen as the man spoke and soon enough put the beast out of its misery. She felt it fade through the Force, and bowed her head.

"Immortal in the Force" the girl whispered, right as the last dregs of life escaped the beast. Then she turned toward the youngest of the group, though she did not approach him. "Ideon, I'm sorry," she remarked, all at once forgetting the aliases she'd conjured up in the heat of the moment, "I never meant to...--" He wouldn't look at her, head turned away from both her and the Nexu corpse; through the Force she could sense he was grieving in his own way. She took one small step back, and gave him the space to do precisely that.

Then she returned her attention to Kyyrk. All that he had said was beginning to bleed through the shock. Neither Jedi nor Sith, but most often referred to as the former; now where had she heard that before?

"Then we walk a similar path, you and I" she stated, exhaling slowly . She could not ignore what she had caused here, the loss of life marked by her own hand, but now was not the time to meditate on such. Compartmentalizing it, shelving it for later, she leaned down to clean the blood from her blade in the grass by their feet, and shifted her gaze up at Kyyrk. "Thank you, for your shared strength; I am unfamiliar with the technique you used..."

She was left wondering what exactly he was, if not Jedi, if not Sith. A fellow Je'daii? Was it worth speaking the word into existence, just to find out? Or would that simply paint a target upon their backs? She glanced to Ideon, hoping for some extra insight, but he was still moving through the stages of grief. Quicker than most would, it would not take him weeks to process it, but still... A process all the same.

Just her then.

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk watched the exchange between the two children with a heavy heart. The boy clearly objected to killing the beast, but Rhia had left them no choice. His gaze fell towards the Nexu. It had just been defending its territory. Kyyrk did not regret killing the animal. His feeling was a mere reaction to Ideon. When Rhia turned back to him, she spoke of them walking similar paths. This seemed to roust the man from whatever thoughts he was growing lost in. "For your sake, I would hope that's not entirely true." He offered her a thin smile. Acknowledgement that while she was right to an extent, the path he had walked was not a pleasant one.

The girl spoke of the technique he used. How it was unfamiliar to her. Kyyrk shrugged. "A simple application, really. Barrier, I believe is the common tongue for it. A bastion for yourself and your allies against harm." His gaze turned towards Ideon. "It pleases me that such powers have fallen into obscurity. Such tools are the weapons of war." His gaze hardened. "I was born into the Jedi Order. My father, the grandmaster of our enclave. My grandfather, the founder of the colony we called home. But then the Sith came. My life was spared, but at a cost. They did not approve of non-humans, but they needed bodies for the war machine." He glanced back to Rhia, moving to kneel beside her as she cleaned her blade.

"Ten years later, and I had earned it all. Wealth...Power...Glory... A Darth that answered only to the Emperor." He spoke with a tone of...disgust? Sadness? He did not remember those years fondly, that much was for sure. "But I also learned that the Jedi were no better than the Sith. Engulfing an entire galaxy in a war to prove that their side of the same coin was the superior, yet identical side. So I left them. Left it all behind to seek....something." Kyyrk sighed quietly. "Truth, I suppose. A sense of duty. Purpose. I served with the Knights Obsidian of the Southern Systems for a time. Not unlike the Je'daii order of old... But they fell some time ago. I'm one of but a mere handful that survived."

Kyyrk fell silent for a moment, looking back to Ideon. "Will he be alright?"​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

It was clear to her that he'd lived a harrowing life, one filled with experiences a girl of her youth could not even comprehend; she'd been getting the sense of such in their previous discussions, before the arrival of the Nexu, but the way in which he spoke now solidified it within her mind. A path he would not wish on them, no doubt for good reason. She nodded just once in response, without further context what more could she do than that? Grandstand? Claim to understand?

Such was not in Rhia's nature.

Thankfully he was quick to follow the statement with further insight to the protective bubble he'd cast around her. She listened intently, aware that it was not likely something he'd be willing to impart upon her but still eager to learn all that he had to share regardless. "Barrier" she reiterated, setting the term to memory. It was nothing that relied upon Sense, that much the girl knew, and thus Vero could not demonstrate it for her when they reunited. But perhaps he'd know more about it, perhaps he'd be able to guide her even if he was incapable of doing so for himself.

He was, after all, limited to just that one aspect of the Force. Such was his affliction.

"Tools of war, perhaps," the girl said, her voice softened, "But doubtless a boon to those who wield it. Regardless, you saved me from a mauling; thank you."

If only she could have saved the beast from the bite of her own claw.

It was then that Kyyrk began to explain his past, and the history which had led him to this point, to this duplicitous path within the Force which he trod, and which similarly the children did also in their own way. Spoke of a beginning within the Jedi - something else they shared, then - and of his unwilling descent into darkness. Cotan had seen fit to spare her such a fate when he sent her away, and as much as she hated him for it she could not deny the part he'd played in keeping her from the clutches of the darkside.

A child hidden away was not a child so easily found and broken, after all. She had stepped away from that life, fled of her own accord in search of him all the same, but he'd tried. And in doing so, he'd unknowingly set her upon a path she'd found far more agreeable than that carved the upbringing she'd known.

He was by her side then, knelt in the grass as she was, and though her gaze was lowered as she cleaned off her blade - so as not to swipe too close to either of their bodies - she listened intently. Once clean, she peered up at him and took note of his eyes; they were far more noticeable at such a distance.

When Kyyrk spoke of the Sith, Rhia expressed her agreement with a nodding of her head as opposed to words which might force her to talk over him or interrupt his train of thought. For a moment her gaze shifted, once more landing upon the sorrowful boy as the man before her spoke of stepping away, of finding his own path. Mentioned a sect she did not recognize - the Knights Obsidian - and then...

Her eyes snapped back to him at the mention of the Je'daii, however fleeting a statement it might have been, and they widened in surprise at hearing the word uttered. Akin to Je'daii, but not Je'daii, and disbanded. That he'd even thought to mentioned the Order which was overlooked by so many throughout history, an Order overshadowed by their far more aggressive successors, had clearly caught the girl off guard.

Before she could speak on it, though, he showed concern for her companion. Rhia nodded, solemnly.

"He is grieving, in his own way," she responded, quietly enough that she would not disturb the process. "It will not take him too long to process what happened, it never does," In some ways, she envied him that. "He's stronger than he seems." Pride, that was the one undeniable tone in her voice as she too glanced over to Ideon. In a great many ways he'd proven stronger than she was, at least, more gifted with a blade, faster to understand certain aspects of the Force, and surprisingly she had never begrudged him this. He had enough struggles in life without finding rivalry among their tiny clan.

She glanced back to Kyyrk, having processed all that he'd said.

"We both share a similar origin," she stated, "Though I was fortunate enough to avoid the notice of the Sith. Either way, it seems we both came to a parallel conclusion all the same; I belong to the Je'daii Order." Well, they both did - but no doubt that went without saying. She bowed her head ever so slightly as she uttered the words, having found something of a kinship with the man despite her initial misgivings. He had proven himself in his own way, for whatever it was worth, in the way that he handled the Nexu. With mercy, and grace. Even Jedi had oftentimes forgotten that the innate nature of a creature was no cause for their death.

And yet Kyyrk had spared those he could all the same.

"Forgive the deception," she requested, her voice a little quieter as she did so, "I have not been entirely truthful with you. I am Rhia, and this is Ideon; we are Je'daii Padawans. If I may be so bold as to ask... If not the Knights Obsidian, then who? Or are you beholden only to yourself?"

She could not blame him if that was the case. Had she found herself without the Je'daii, with the only clear choices being those who ravaged the Galaxy with their religious wars, she'd likely have chosen a quiet life somewhere on the fringes of space for herself. No Force, no doctrines, just... Normalcy. Insofar as life could be normal in so much turmoil.

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk did not react as Rhia spoke to him. Aside from the occasional flashes of emotion, the man was quite the stoic. Though he did offer a nod of understanding when the girl mentioned that she was one of the Je'daii. She apologized for her deception, but Kyyrk did not react. Not physically, anyways. "Nothing to apologize for. Strange men on strange worlds should never be trusted. Especially if they're selling something." His tone was dry, and his wit was evident. "I suspected as much. The Force moves around you the same as it does me. A tapestry that speaks of more than a narrow ideology." He smiled softly, almost fondly, turning to look at Rhia. His eyes seemed to pulsate with each breath, the light behind them flickering, dancing. "The Force reveals many things, when you know how to see what it has to show you. My skill almost rivals that of a Miraluka."

A technical untruth. Given that the man himself, until recently, WAS a Miraluka. But that was a conversation he did not feel like having with the children at that moment. They likely would not believe him. Nor should they. Kyyrk himself still struggled to wrap his mind around what had happened, and he'd had seven years to think on it. "It's....complicated. The survivors of the Knights have banded together as a sort of sect devoted to hunting down harmful entities. While I do still work with them, my duties have taken me elsewhere." The man fell silent for a moment. "I swore when I left the Empire that I would not be beholden to another nation ever again. But that does not mean that I have forsaken my duty."

Kyyrk pushed himself to his feet, stepping back towards the fire, tending to the dying flame to ensure it did not die just yet. "I swore a vow when I was your age. That I would use my ability to defend those that could not defend themselves. And that is a vow I have upheld, even during my time with the Sith." Kyyrk was not entirely truthful here. But such was to be expected in the Sith Empire. Kyyrk was silent as he restored the fire, then he returned to his seat near Rhia. He sighed heavily as he sat down. "Of late, that has meant seeking out my people. Returning them to a haven they can call their own." The implication that his species was not gathered in one place was a dire omen. Very few events caused such a dispersion of species. None of them good.

Kyyrk fell silent for a moment, then said, "The night grows late, however. If you and the boy are willing and able to sleep, I would suggest you do so. I will keep watch throughout the night, along with Horace." Kyyrk paused, glancing at Rhia. "Though if you've more questions, you are free to ask them at your leisure. I suspect you have many of them."​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

He did not see any need for her apology, which was a welcome relief, in fact the man uttered similar sentiments to those she had mentally grappled with in the first place. Still he had offered up his position freely and fairly, and had proven that he meant them no ill in the way in which he handled them alongside the Nexu. He spoke of the Force then, and how it moved and flowed around them, and she smiled softly.

"You sound like my Master," she stated, with a light shake of her head, "He prides himself on instinct and sense, I doubt he's ever truly entirely in the moment." Well, in the present more like. Always listening, or watching, or feeling, trusting in the Force to reveal to him its mysteries. Even now she knew he was watching them from whatever lofty position he held within the stars. Not too far, of course, he would not leave them entirely alone on such a world.

All the same.

Rhia hadn't grasped the more sensory based of his teachings quite so well as the empathic boy at her side, which had admittedly led to a rather difficult time teaching her, but they'd made do. Certainly Vero had understood the Force enough to teach her other aspects of it, even if he could not demonstrate for himself, and it had been more than enough.

"This... Barrier you spoke of," she mused, after a short while, "Is it something you'd maybe be willing to impart knowledge of, or do you really believe it's knowledge best lost?" Did she believe that knowledge should be lost in general? Not really... But it wasn't her place to demand it of another, either. Such was far from respectful.

He began to explain then, his position in the Galaxy, alongside those Knights, and beyond them. A people forced to reunite, and travel the stars in search of some place new. She bowed her head some at the thought. Rhia had never had any sort of kinship with her people, in fact until she'd come to Cotan Sar'andor she'd never even realized she wasn't even really human. There was no heritage there for her, no traditions. As such it was difficult for her to empathize.

A small frown played at her lips. She knew what it was to wander, though, to be without any real roots or ties to a land or people. In that way she understood.

"I hope that they are able to find a place in this Galaxy" the girl stated, tone filled with thought. "And I'm sorry for all that must have occurred to displace them."

Rhia was not often one for such hollow words, things said in the moment to ease any sort of awkwardness which might arise from such difficult topics, but she meant them all the same. With the fire now blazing once more, she shifted where she sat and returned the blade to its scabbard hidden beneath the folds of her clothes, and glanced across to Ideon.

"Come on," she told him, reaching out a hand, "It's time to rest, little one." Despite never really leaving his state of grief, the boy shifted across to her and lay his head down against her knee. It was done so effortlessly that it was clear such was commonplace. She shrugged out of her coat, and lay it over him once more, before returning her gaze to Kyyrk.

"There are plenty of questions which could be asked" she replied, with a thoughtful expression, "Though I know better than to truly pry." Reaching down she ran her fingers through the boys hair, and glanced at the fire. "I am glad that something drew you from the darkness, and toward Bendu," she stated, after a short while. "If you'd like, you can rest some Kyyrk. I can take first watch; I promise I'll rouse you if my mind quietens enough that I might sleep."

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk pondered his words for a minute. Did he think the knowledge best lost? Of course not. "I did not say that I was pleased the knowledge was lost. Just that it was not as prevalent as it once was." Kyyrk watched the fire, thinking back upon a time far away. "When I was a boy, they would not even let us be selected as an apprentice until we could produce a satisfactory barrier. The Sith were on the rise again, and the galaxy was gripped by fear. We all knew we were going to lose...it was just a question of time."

As he said this, it would be easy for one to draw a conclusion. His accent was familiar, if...odd. A crisp, Imperial accent like the kinds spoken in Sith high society. Not unusual, after his revelation that he was once a Sith. But his words that the Jedi he was raised with knew they were doomed? Was he ever willingly a Sith, or was he just a prisoner of war, forced to feed a growing war machine? "But yes." Kyyrk nodded slowly, his words soft. "I wish that such knowledge was better off forgotten. That the tools of war would find themselves useless."

He mused for a moment longer, then stood. He and his clothes were dry enough. His armor awaited. More than Nexu lurked in the jungles at night. He pulled the armor plates on, quickly dressing himself into something that resembled both robe and armor. As he pulled his armored gauntlets on, Kyyrk spoke in a tone that suggested this was but the first lesson he would impart. "The Barrier can only be as strong as your will. At the start, you may only conjure a single panel of defense. At greater mastery, you can create a dome of safety around you, and those near you." Kyyrk glanced at the girl. "The same as you would call upon the force to blast away that which means you harm..." Kyyrk extended a hand, palm out. A Force push. Though he did not summon an actual wave of energy. "...But instead, let the energy stand resolute. Strong, and unyielding." Kyyrk clasped his hand into a fist, his muscles tensing in a visual demonstration. His movements were slow. Measured. That of a teacher.

Kyyrk lifted his lightsaber to his back, where it snapped to an electromagnetic holster. He knelt by the fire again, taking a meditative position. "Once the boy is settled, we may practice, if you like. And while your offer is kind, you will not spend the waking hours alone. Sleep has long since forsaken me. Meditation grants all I need. I will not sleep this night."​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

The Sith had been on the rise while he was young, and yet for as long as Rhia had known life it felt as though their oppressive grip had never once waned. There were times, of course, that they retreated back into the shadows, but they were still there, lingering, waiting. The girl frowned as that thought, and nodded her head as he further explained the mere desire that such was not inherently needed to be taught. Oh to live within a realm where this ceaseless war had an end. Wouldn't that be ideal?

"I understand" she stated, "There are a great many things I wish weren't necessary; giving fake names, for instance." Not on the same level as the Force Wars, of course, but not knowing whether you'd be safe being honest while traveling? Yeah. Thinking up pseudonyms was exhausting, as was watching their backs every step they took. Theirs was a fitful galaxy, which knew no peace, no freedom from strife, just constant bloodshed. Nothing remained stable for long.

Kyyrk stood then, and Rhia followed his motions with her gaze. The man donned his armour, yet while doing so began to relay the lesson he'd seemed reluctant about sharing to begin with. The moment she realized what was happening the girl shifted some, and focused all the more. The girl didn't interrupt, but she showed signs of affirmation and understanding in the form of eager nods.

Back by the fire, he made the offer of a lesson. Rhia peered down at Ideon, not quite asleep, and pondered that for a moment. Then she smiled. "I would like to learn," she agreed, "Thank you." There was also the offer for company during her restless hours, for the man himself could not readily sleep either. Two eyes were better than one, and if she happened to fall asleep? Then at least they'd not be undefended.

Rhia bundled up her jacket, and formed a pillow out of it to rest beneath Ideon's head. The last thing she needed to do was wake him when she inevitably moved. Then she reached for one of the remaining pieces of fruits, remarkably untrampled by the nexu, and began to peel it. She offered over a slice to Kyyrk before noticing the more meditative state he had taken.

Rather than further disturb him she fell into a quiet state of her own, savouring the sweet tang of the fruit while turning her gaze skyward to get a view of the stars.

It took a little while longer for Ideon to truly slip into a restful sleep state, and therein Rhia took the opportunity to rise up and stretch her legs. Dawn would not come for quite some time yet, there was no rush, but all the same she could not deny the excitement and anticipation she felt at potentially learning something new.

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

Though Kyyrk sat motionless, he was aware of everything going on around him. He was merely waiting until the child fell asleep. Though it was true that the man did not sleep, that did not mean he did not rest. In lieu of sleep, he called upon the Force to rejuvenate himself. But a meditation that did not deafen him to the world around him. Kyyrk watched the girl collect a fruit slice, then attempt to hand it to him, before realizing what he was doing, and retract it. Kyyrk, of course, had not turned his head, so the girl could have no way of knowing she was being observed. He felt bad that she went ignored, but was thankful for the gesture anyways.

When the boy had finally fallen asleep, Rhia stood and stretched, causing Kyyrk to roust from his rest. His head lifted, and turned towards Rhia. "The stars are plentiful on Belsavis, are they not?" Kyyrk stood, offering the girl a soft smile. Reassurance that he'd been aware of what was going on around him, and that she had taken an interest in the sky above them. Kyyrk glanced up, looking at the sky himself for a moment, then gestured to a particular formation. "When I was young, I swore I would always memorize my mother's favorite constellation. The Sign of the Dragon, we called it." The group certainly didn't look like a dragon. Even in the stellar sense of constellations never looking how they were supposed to. "No matter where I am in the galaxy, I can always pick it out... Well, except when I'm in it." A reasonable explanation. Perhaps from his home planet, it would look different.

He turned his gaze back down towards Rhia. "If you are ready..." Kyyrk gestured to the open ground a few meters away. "My methods are...archaic by modern standards, but I shall explain as best I can. I will warn you that such a power is only truly tested by...practical means." No sense in claiming one had learned how to form a barrier if it couldn't block anything. "We will start small, to avoid injury." Kyyrk came to a stop beside the girl, coming to rest in a well practiced stance, with one foot forward from the other, both about shoulder width apart. A standard combat stance. His left arm raised, as his instruction began. "The barrier is typically summoned from the lesser hand, owing to the presence of a sword or other weapon in the dominant." He paused. "Feel the force around you. Its presence in the very air. And see yourself at the edge of a wall. Your hand is the mold. The Force, your clay. Reach out, and command the Force to harden in front of you."

Kyyrk's fingers curled slightly as he said this, and a small shield appeared around his fingers, spreading outwards to form a small disc. The light was soft. Warm. "Do not feel discouraged if you cannot see the fruits of your labor through mortal means. You likely know as well as I that the effects of the Force are not always visible, unless we make them so." Mystic speak that meant he was creating a barrier specifically to be visible, but an invisible barrier was just as worthy of praise. He watched, waiting to offer further guidance as the girl attempted it herself...​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Kyyrk's words drew her gaze toward him, and she smiled in response to them. "Most of the places we visit are without light pollution" she explained, momentarily glancing back up toward the heavens after the fact, "It's always nice to see how different the night sky is depending on which world we're on."

He spoke of his mother and the constellation she had been drawn towards, it was not one Rhia was familiar with. "Is it up there?" she inquired. She'd never really been a student of astronomy, and so she was unfamiliar with all but the most basic of star formations common to the Outer Rim. Even so she wasn't above learning something new about the sky, not least when it seemed to be of importance to another.

Maybe she could sketch it out some time. Constellations were just images people found among the stars, after all, maybe she could unearth some of her own.

Regardless, they had a task at hand so she turned toward Kyyrk and stepped away from the warm glow of the fire in order to have a little more space to practice. As he explained the need for practical means to be used the girl nodded her head in understanding. "I'm no stranger to the dangers of sparring" she assured him, wondering for a moment just how many cuts and welts she'd received over the years in the sparring ring. Either way, the idea here was that she'd evade the hits, right?

He took a standard stance, and Rhia mimicked it in her own way. It seemed familiar enough to her, she rested there with a light bend to her knees and a suppleness to her form that afforded her ease of motion. All the while she listened intently to what he said. The visual, it would seem, was a purposeful addition but not one she'd necessarily be able to conjure up for herself.

That was good to know, lest she worry over the lack of its existence.

With her left as her dominant hand, Rhia motioned with her right and for now merely copied what Kyyrk had done without use of the Force itself. "I like that impression" she stated softly, head tilting to one side. "Clay..." A slight nod of her head. Yeah, that actually made it easy to visualize.

The girl inhaled a slow breath, quietened her mind, and then raised her right hand once more. The Force flourished around her, and though the air seemed to shimmer momentarily nothing of any real note came to fruition. Rhia exhaled, not even realizing that she'd held her breath, and dropped her hand back to her side.

"Like a push that's held in place" she mumbled to herself. Well, the Force was all intent based anyway, right? She raised her hand and tried again...

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk released his own hold upon the Force, and began to circle Rhia as she tried to summon the defensive shield. His hands folded at the small of his back, and he walked with the ease of a well-practiced mentor. His eyes roved about her figure, seeking out any imperfection that required correction. "Do not hold your breath. Breathe. Relax. Still your mind. Do not attempt to choke the power out of yourself. Let it flow." Kyyrk paused, as the girl's hand dropped. She muttered something to herself that caused Kyyrk's head to tilt to the side ever so slightly. "Before you try again, do not think. Do."

Kyyrk lifted his hand in sync with Rhia, his voice softly guiding her. "Feel the Force around you. Feel how it flows in the wind, how it crashes with the water. So too must it flow from you. You are a conduit. You do not control the Force. You shape it." Kyyrk's brow furrowed slightly. "Do not concern yourself with the fears and anxieties of failure. Feel only the weight of your resolve, and embrace its rigidity. If you be guided by emotion, let yourself be fueled by compassion and righteous anger."

Righteous Anger. Not a base, animalistic rage like the Sith. But a pure, divine anger. A will to execute justice. Kyyrk stepped back, folding his hands at the small of his back again. As he resumed circling around the girl, he watched keenly, yet his demeanor and stance were calm. Collected. He did not watch in order to mock. But in order to teach. To praise the good, and correct the bad. "Try again. When you're ready."​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Before she even considered trying again, Rhia took a moment to quieten her mind and steady her breathing. A slow intake through her nose, and an exhale through her mouth; a couple more, and she felt at peace within herself once more. No need to rush, or overthink it. Not even Kyyrk's circling could unnerve her, for it was similar to the manner in which Vero observed her during practice. Calm and measured, there to assist not to ridicule.

Do not think, he said. Simply do... An act with intent. Easy for her to overthink if she allowed herself to, and so often she allowed herself to do precisely that. It was easy when you had a little one on hand to care for.

The man explained further of the Force, and how to interact with it. Not to force it but to shape it. She nodded her head. "Okay," she breathed, to further cement her understanding. Another set of breaths, before she raised her hand once more. Drew upon the Force, and guided it with the motion of her outstretched hand. Remembered to breathe, and cleared her mind as she pushed forth and sought to strengthen her hold just beyond her hand.

Rhia's fingers were slightly splayed out, palm facing forward, and the air beyond shimmered again with intent. A little stronger this time - by no means perfect, of course, but more present than before. She stared at her fingertips for a moment, then shifted her gaze over to Kyyrk. "How long did it take you to do it?" she asked, a slight blush of embarrassment overcoming her despite her best efforts not to let it.

He'd told her not to worry about failure. In a way she wasn't, but there would always be that small little voice that squeaked about being slow to pick up on things. Or perhaps it was more a concern about being seen as annoying and time consuming to those who sought to teach her.

Another soft inhale.

"I'll try again" she stated, a little more confidence in her tone this time, drawing back her hand just a small touch before pushing it forward again. Was the motion even necessary? Heck, Rhia didn't know. But she'd do it regardless, if only to provide a tangible guide toward her goal. The Force itself was flowing readily through her, clearly the act of utilizing it wasn't difficult for her. It was simply a new concept she was putting into action.

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk laughed as the girl posed her question. How long had it taken him to learn such a power. He turned his gaze away from her, looking towards the fire. "A month." Kyyrk was still for a moment, then nodded his head in silent affirmation of his words. "Much like my mother, I was a child of the blade. The Force held no interest to me. I was a brash young man with delusions that sheer might alone could turn the tides of war." Kyyrk turned his attention back to Rhia, his arms folded over his chest. "My father had hoped to craft me into a sage, a scion of a great family of seers. But even with my....predisposition, I had little skill in such matters."

Kyyrk looked down at his feet for a moment. "But the Force was never kind enough to allow me to learn at my own pace." Kyyrk sighed quietly, lifting his gaze to look back at Rhia. "I was among the Sith when it happened. When the Golden Tide fell upon us. A force so mighty it brought the galaxy to its knees within half a cycle. They were rounding up Force Sensitives. Carting them away to who knew where. The Jedi and Sith were both forced into hiding." Kyyrk glanced at Ideon asleep by the fire. "It wasn't until my son's life was in danger that I realized I would never be able to shield myself. But to defend him, I could stop the galaxy..."

Kyyrk was quiet for a moment. There was a hint of sorrow in his voice, but it made sense in context. Any war that could defeat both the Jedi and Sith in less than six months couldn't have been a kind one. "Relish the fact that you may learn this at your own pace, Rhia. Skills learned of necessity always come at a cost."​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Though she knew deep down that he wasn't hoping for a miracle from her that night, hearing that it had taken him a month of study to learn how to properly compile a barrier for himself eased the rest of that gnawing doubt which had arisen within her. There was no urgency or haste, and provided she grasped the fundamentals of it before they parted ways she could continue to grow into it at her own pace.

Rhia smiled at that thought.

"Phew," she said, shaking out her hands and wrists while bobbing on her feet as though she'd somehow stiffened up and needed to become limber once more, "I was worried you were going to say you did it first time, or something." She'd followed his gaze toward Ideon when he spoke of his son, and a curious frown fell over her expression. "Where is he?" she inquired softly, "Your, uh, son I mean..." It took her a little while longer to put the pieces together, and therein she allowed her mouth to drop open in realization.

He spoke of a time long ago, didn't he? Long before now... Did that mean..? Was he alone out here, in this new Galaxy he'd awoken into? Was it just Kyyrk, without his family? The girl immediately dropped her gaze down to her feet, hand dropping to her side along with it. "I'm sorry, I didn't think..."

Force, the last thing she meant was to be insensitive like that.

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk didn't answer the question at first. His gaze did not waiver from the sleeping boy near by, until he finally drew a deep breath, and turned back to Rhia. "I don't know." He made no mention of her apology, instead choosing to answer the question she had posed. "From what records I could find, he was buried on Alpheridies." His son was dead, and he didn't even know where he was buried. "I was...killed when he was young." He grimaced at this choice of words. "Well, that's the easy way to describe it. I'm still not sure...what happened. He was no older than you are now when last I saw him."

Kyyrk hung his head for a moment, his mouth stretched thin as he tried to think about what to say. "As a great strategist once said, The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." Kyyrk knew this better than most. Far better. "From what records I could find, he lived a long and prosperous life. I'm proud to have called him my son...I just wish I had more time with him." He offered Rhia a simple smile. Though the topic was ripe with pain, Kyyrk was rather...at ease with it. He'd clearly come to terms, and made his peace, with his lot in life.

"But yes, I am much older than I appear. Just past a century if I recall correctly." Kyyrk cocked his head to the side while he thought for a moment. "Always remembered the day, just never bothered to stop and count how many... One Hundred and Ten cycles, I believe?" Kyyrk shrugged. "Time tends to become meaningless when you've seen as much of it as I have." Kyyrk glanced back at Rhia. "Never let your spirit of reason dictate your spirit of curiosity, young Rhia." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He forgave her for the question she had asked, even though she had not sought it. "Every day is a chance to learn. Every person, a wealth of knowledge. And you and I have been given a gift entirely unknowable. And immediately commanded to know its every secret."​

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

She had not expected him to respond, so when he did a certain somberness fell over their little glade. A stolen insight to his life was provided, one Rhia truly felt she had no right to learn of, and though there was an obvious sadness inherent in his words he seemed oddly at peace with them all the same. The girl did not know if that made it better or worse...

Maybe neither. There wasn't always need for superlatives, sometimes things simply were.

A son lost so long ago, and his father before him. It was always difficult for Rhia to truly empathize with such, given that she'd never had a family of her own, but her eyes shifted to Ideon much in the same way Kyyrk's did and the thought of losing him or Vero, she quickly realized, was beyond painful. They had in many ways become her family, maybe not one borne of blood but of everything else.

How would she feel if she perished that night, and returned to the Galaxy some years later only to find him already dead and gone?

No. It was unbearable. Which made Kyyrk's experiences all the more harrowing to imagine.

"I'm so sorry" she said, as he settled a hand upon her shoulder and spoke more of his wisdom. "I wish you had more time." Another hollow statement, what was it about talks of loss and death that brought about such? Discomfort, perhaps? An uncertainty of what else to say? Rhia didn't like it. She'd never liked it. It felt so fake and unthoughtful.

"What was he like?" she found herself asking instead, brows knitting together. It would depend on the person as to the sort of response she'd receive for such, but he'd already been so open. She could only hope that thinking about him, talking about him, would bring some small measure of joy in remembrance and not just further pain. Either way, asking about him felt more sincere than lamenting that which she could not comprehend.

Kyyrk