Pyramid of Light

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

She was working analyze the stone while moving up the stairs towards the capstone. With Sorel they had a whole lot of exploring that could be done here as the jedi master took a few moments. "The view should be very nice." She was looking over the data but also that the higher they got up the structure the more the readings showed until the last balcony. Matsu could see out across the desert and there were other structures in the distance dotting the mountains before she looked at Sorel turning around to the force crystal. "That looks like a a kyber crystal." o it was one of the largest she knew of thinking it over. "There are legends of the largest crystals being used to power rituals and superweapons. The potential for slivers in a lightsaber are strong... something that large as a capstone with the right thing to focus on could be powerful."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was unsure why she had suddenly taken such an interest in the landscape — or views in general. So she refocused her efforts on exploring, which came naturally to her.

Yet, oddly, the view from the balcony was actually worth the climb. She surveyed the mountains and, she was sure, felt the crystals out there. “I have heard of kyber crystals Master,” she said, “but never seen or felt one up close. And I have read about the uses of the very large ones — rarely for positive purposes — but using one as a second crystal in a saber sounds worth pursuing. Do they have any special properties?”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"They will generally make your connection to the force better, while adegan will calm your mind and allow you to feel the force more strongly, you will with the kyber crystals be better able to use it. Easier to an extent but not in the way that some would use the darkside or their emotions. It just enhances what it already there and eases the effort." She said it while moving the rest of the way climbing on the balcony to go up tot he very top. "Though if they have large ones like these it would be an aurodium mine of potential danger and power. We've rarely really seen the largest one to really study them for those reasons. They have been misused plenty in the past but maybe one day it will be used with respect."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel listened to her Master’s explanation. Both of her sabers had only one crystal and the thought of adding a second focusing crystal seemed logical and based upon her Master’s description, would definitely improve her abilities as a Jedi. Anything that improved her connection to the Force was a good idea.

“Don’t worry Master, I’m not about to fall to the dark-side, so that’s OK. So if we get a chance to pick up a couple of crystals, I’d appreciate it — as long as it doesn’t get in the way of our main objective.”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Matsu gave her a look and a nod with that, Sorel was in many ways one of the best padawans and it showed. She had talent as well as some experience but she was learning wisdom now from anything she could. Assuming she didn't become so prideful she risked a mistake making her fall she could be one of the strongest and wisest jedi's in the future possibly... but that would have to wait as she sat at the top just under the capstone crystal and looked down the shaft leading inside to the center. "Oh I do worry but with you it is a different one. You are skilled and far more impressive then I was at your age and that could give you something of an advantage and some dangers." She motioned to the place next to herself on the top while taking out one of the cans of ration jerky they can along with the canteen.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel had been guilty of pride in the past. Yet that led, in her mind, to a late calling as a Padawan and she learned from the mistake. But she had not shaken off the fact she was at times conceited and overconfident to the point of arrogance at times. Even the death of her first Master had not shaken her from this facet of her behaviour, even though he’d warned her of it.

But time alone — and especially that spent with her new Master had changed her. She was reigning in the arrogance to supreme confidence and even being cautious at times. She was aware it was a fine line and was learning to ensure she stayed on the right side — even if she sometimes balanced upon it.

So praise was welcomed but didn’t turn her head the way it used to. So she sat alongside her Master and nodded. “A wise man once said, the greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. I will push myself and accept my shortcomings — I can do no more.”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

She listened to her and yes that was a good way to think about it and work on it. She could look at some of the things there while speaking with some of her attention on the world around them. Looking out into the deserts at the other mountains where she could see the shine from the capstones the large crystals. More and if they were scattered across the desert like this it could be in something. She knew several of the older rituals and ceremonies from the guardians who were older and had seen more then most species. There might be a pattern to the crystals here as she finally spoke pointing into the distance. "It might be a trick of the light but I think there is a small river and where there are rivers in the desert there can sometimes be people. We can explore it while heading over and looking at the other structures." She offered some of the food to Sorel while looking for a way down... well okay she had a way down and in truth possibly the most fun since the stone was very smooth and polished ever with the sand.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel looked where her Master was pointing. “Yes, I think I see the river too. A good next place to search.” As she talked, she took some of the food and chewed on it.

She looked at her Master from the corner of her eye. She knew her quite well and was sure she was up to something. Finally she could contain her curiosity no longer. “OK, Maser, tell me — what are you planning?”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

There was a look on her face while she looked over some of the things, all of the thoughts on the exploring were there but they had a fun thing to work with. "Oh just something fun." Most of her work and attention went to it until the jedi master produced her fans. The golden edges of it in the way as she opened it and the metal wasn't going to scratch was sliding very nicely. Offering one to Sorel with raised eyebrows she hopped up for a moment and slid it quickly under her while pulling her legs in to her chest as she started sliding down the side of the pyramid with a small cheer. "Woo." She was laughing and it was one of the more fun things they could do instead of just running down the stairs.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Something fun? Sorel wondered what her Master had in mind. The fans didn’t exactly help her understand what might be on offer. She gave her Master a quizzical look, especially when she was offered one of them.

But confusion turned to realisation once her Master showed her what to do and the look of puzzlement morphed into one of utter excitement. “Oh, fun is precisely what were about to have.” And with that she copied her Master, slid the fan under her and jumped onto the side of the pyramid and began a descent a fraction of the time the climb had taken. “Woo hoo,” she called as she felt the wind in her hair.

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

The descent was the most fun part of it as she could feel the wind in her hair and across her face. They weren't going to go at dangerous speeds and impact a wall but getting to the bottom she stayed on the fans as it slid across the sands a little from the speed leaving a trail. Slowly the jedi master stood up holding the fan as she closed it up and wiped it off a little before securing it in her robes. Seeing that Sorel had taken to it and was having that moment of fun as you slide down a large building safely into the side she was glad to feel the breeze in the desert had picked up. The feeling of it was welcomed while she was plotting the course for them to walk a cross the desert while producing the canteen so they would be fine. The technology for it to produce its own clean water was well something you wanted to have before she started to walk with Sorel finishing up. "Now there was that and we can practice a skill not many jedi know. How to shift and control the sands."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel trailed her Master down the building and even along the sand as their momentum kept them travelling for a short while.

Finally she ground to a halt and climbed off the fan before ensuring the sand was removed before closing it up and returning it to her Master. She took a drink from her Master’s canteen and was pleased she was wearing the bracelet to ensure the heat of the desert wouldn’t affect her adversely.

At the talk of training, Sorel’s ears pricked up again. “Moving sand? I’m guessing the ability is based upon Telekinesis yet I’m also surmising it’s not as simple as that. Am I right?”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"Correct." She walked and stopped for a moment crouching down while she touched the sand. "It is telekinesis mixed with your abilities to alter the environment. You focus and through the sand form it together into shapes or the things you want to make." She waited there for a moment and closing her eyes let the energy shift as the sand swirled forming a small figure in the snads while she was focusing. "You need to think about the sand but also inbetween it, what will keep it together long enough in the shifting sands." It wasn't very effective for fighting with it but if you wanted to make a distraction in the distance you can with the force." She offered a look at Sorel. "And you need to maintain contact with the sand for your concentration so it is not the easiest to use."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel stopped and paid close attention. She did not enjoy getting things wrong. Success was invariably a combination of hard work and practice yet she had no desire to struggle if she could help it.

Telekinesis she had a level of competency at but altering the environment was something she was not at all familiar with. And the description her Master offered was both complete and at the same time insufficient. Sorel knew they all performed abilities slightly differently — so precise instruction was virtually impossible. So she listened and observed and finally took the opportunity to try for herself.

She focussed on the Force and allowed it to flow through her. She relaxed and raising her right hand, she looked to lift the sand in front of her. She had success — in as much as she was able to lift a handful — but it was just a fistful of sand and when she tried to shape it, grain by grain fell from her control until no sand was left to work with.

She nodded. “At least I understand how not to do it,” she said, no real humour in her voice. Trial and error was part and parcel for a Jedi. Not giving up was the key most of the time.

So she refocused and tried again. Once more she was able to lift sand but not shape it. “I know my efforts so far have been to use what I know — Telekinesis. I need to go further.”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Matsu watched her with a small nod of her head, Sorel was doing well and for a first time she at least didn't just try and force it. You needed to pay attention to the small grains to hold them but it wasn't exactly something you could count and divide with some of your attention trying to count it. "A good attitude, anytime you mess up is just another way not to do it." Matsu offered a small smile though while she remained there and held up her hand with the sand slipping through it. "You tried it the way most do the first time, working to control and focus on each grain but there are hundreds of them. Your focus will be to broad. Instead what you want to focus on it what they are. Ground up earth that you can hold with the force." She reached out though to show Sorel more. "And put your hand down into it, not above but right into the earth itself. Then you are feeling it, feeling the grains against your skin, feeling the small gaps between them that you can feel with the force. Then you reach out with your senses to it while shaping it, not into the air but the surface of the sands. Pull it together so it stays connected."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel frowned, then reached out with her senses. She could feel the Force inside herself, a bright shining thing bubbling and roiling. She reached for the sand, not with her hand but with her feelings. There it was - many points of light in the Force, tiny but brilliant. The sand’s presence seemed to overlap with her own body, her own presence in the Force.

Sorel tried to track all the grains of sand in the Force, but the volume of individual specks of sand were simply too confusing. There seemed to be millions of currents around her. All live things were vessels of the Force, containers for its energy.

Trying to focus on a single and tiny thing was confusing and exhausting. But the Force wasn't limited to those individual bodies, she realised. They created the Force and made it grow, but it escaped those boundaries, overflowing them. Like water from a fountain.

Sorel closed her eyes and let himself sink further into the Force, allowing it to wash over her like she’d never done before. She let her awareness drift, carried this way and that by the living presences around her and the way they made the energy field ripple and dance. She could feel the Force radiating out from her own body.

She opened her eyes and reached out with her hand. The sand lifted in front of her and formed a small waterfall, that mirrored the image in her head, each grain part of a whole and under her control.

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Matsu watched her as she was feeling the force and maintained her own connection to the sand keeping some of te concentration. With all of the work and skill you could do using the skill she had learned to use it with a friend rianna. Together between her sand constructs and the healers techniques they were able to trap and rescue some people. "Very good." Sorel was doing well in this work with Matsu adding to it making the waterfall have a frame that looking like a mountain with wind moving across it where the sand was shifting from being pulled up as other pieces were shed off of it. Slowly though she was adding to it and focusing while she watched Sorel to see her skills and understanding of the force in some ways improving. "You are getting better at picking skills up Sorel."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel gave a quick smile — she didn’t want to lose focus but she wanted to let her Master know she was listening to her and appreciated her supportive comments.

She wasn’t competent enough yet to risk doing and speaking — this was normal for Sorel. She would initially need all her focus until the ability became familiar to her, then she could multi-task. For now, the half-smile was all she could offer without allowing the sand to fall.

As she held it, she focused on how it felt — how success felt — and committed it to her memory. This was similar to Telekinesis but different enough to warrant a different approach. She could not lift each individual grain of sand, instead she focused on the outcome and effectively allowed the Force to help her execute the move. In her mind’s eye was a fountain and somehow the Force was able to allow her to sculpt the sand into the shape.

Next Sorel imagined flowers, growing from the ground before petals fell and the stems withered and died — before new flowers grew from the ground and replaced them. As she had hoped, the sand moved and shifted to replicate what was in her head.

Then the sand dropped and Sorel felt oddly tired. There was a great deal of effort involved and for a Padawan, this was testing — especially for a first attempt. Now Sorel beamed at her Master. “Is it the same with other elements, like water. And what about fire or air, is it possible to shape them too?”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"Yes it is but each requires a different approach. The shapers understand this and have developed ways to use the force to shape the elements to their needs." And she by extension learning from some of them while she went over a few of the things they had taught her about it. Holding one hand up while she movewd it shaping the air into a tiny ball before changing it and having fire appear. "You can learn to shape the elements, twist spells, conceal with and see through illusions, make your body strong enough to bend steel and so many more things with the force." She was just watching Sorel with some rapt attention though to the bigger things they had. "We have no pressing need to rush while searching so we'll be able to practice as we go. You can learn different ways to use the force and if it feels comfortable I encourage you to stick with it."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel continued to work the sand, creating different shapes and finally able to use the Force and hold a conversation at the same time. “Is it a case of trial and error, or are there particular techniques for say…controlling air.”

At the appearance of fire, she dropped the sand and gave her Master her full attention. "Did you conjour the fire? I mean, how did you create it?” The look on her face showed how she was truly awestruck.

[member="Matsu Ike"]