Sand, Fire, and Glass

[Garza]

The Desert was not my favorite place to be. I always got sand in my boots whenever I went anywhere. Tatooine, Geonosis, doesn't matter. I hated it. Currently the Confederacy was here and retook the planet. I had once been with the CIS. Long time ago. But it was still a time in which I do not forget. One where I hated the idea of working for a government now. Hell, any government that was on Kro Var knew who I was, and let me do just about as much as I pleased with how much I had defended them from the GA. Or at least, attempted to.

Trying to live a peaceful life out on some house in the woods with my wife and son wasn't good enough for the galaxy. It wasn't good enough for them to just let me live alone, and in peace. No. They just had to mess with me. Hence my leaving, faking my death so that my wife and son wouldn't come after me, and Nemesis left to "live in the wild."

Quite the opposite. I was going from planet from planet searching for Sith Lords. Why? I had a plan. One that required me to find the spirits of dead people, and well... the rest I still have to do. Either way, this was a break for me and Nemesis. A place where we could rest and just stretch before our next battle to whatever planet it was.

Currently, I was in town buying simple provisions, and necessities. Food, water, that kind of thing. However, I had this weird feeling that someone was eyeing me. I let it fall by the wayside as many people looked at my weird garb. Wearing literally just a torn cloak over a shirtless frame, slacks that came to my boots, and nasty looking gauntlets. Armor for my shoulders, and shins, but otherwise, I was only carrying a blade on my hip, and a bag over my shoulder. Strange sight indeed.

Getting onto my speeder, I locked my bag onto the secondary seat of the speeder, and turned it on. Deciding that tomorrow we were leaving this damned planet and headed elsewhere.

[member="Aevan Kitaki"],

 

[Riamah]

Far outside of the town or compound, Aevan could practice her fire shaping without any concern. To have this opportunity, she considered herself lucky. However, something was different. She wasn't alone. Not really trained in using the Force, she couldn't reach out to feel what or who exactly was there.

As she approached her favorite what she called, dancing ground, she saw what was there. A creature that was completely unknown to the woman. Whatever it was, was varying hues of red, had a spiked tail and ridges on its back. There were wings folded up along its sides, what looked like a spiked collar and a saddle on its back. Whatever this beast was, it had an owner.

There wasn't another person around though. At least she didn't think so. Looking around, Aevan did not see anybody. Carefully and slowly, she approached the dragon. Not knowing what it was, she almost jumped when an eye opened to look at her. It let out a snort and low growl. The woman stopped her approach and watched as it stretched and almost appeared to yawn.

It stood up onto short legs, but still towered over the woman. The dragon took in a breath and shot a wave of fire in her direction. It appeared to be more of a warning than one to hurt her. Aevan was a shaper though and was able to weave that oncoming fire away from her and sent in several different directions. None of the back at the creature.

After that quick display, it crouched down and took off with several beats of its wings and almost sending Aevan to the ground with the wind they produced. Even at this distance, the effect was amazing. She watched as it took off and flew in a circle around the clearing they were standing in.

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

Sending the speeder flying down road after road, I eventually came to a little part of a desert that I had left nemesis at. My little girl was too big to take anywhere with me, and being a dragon meant that many people would be scared upon seeing her. Considering I never liked crowds, nemesis and her rage would engulf everyone in flames. Slowing the speeder down, I could feel something weird. One where it was not normal for me to feel two signatures within the force. One I could clearly tell was the darkened heart of my dragon. The other was more... younger. Fresh even.

Looking to the horizon, I started to see the shape of my little friend. However, her frame let loose a small puff of flame. Yet I had not set up a camp fire or anything like that. There was no need to for either of us. Flames ran in our veins. It was a moment later that I saw a woman who was now standing where my dragon had lept from the ground with such force, she almost fell over.

I smirked as I got closer. Seeing the woman as she looked up. Slowing the speeder down, I knew that she would likely hear the vehicle. Put into park, I stepped out of the vehicle and uttered words in a language that she would never understand.

"Eile va kia nun."

Once I had spoke, Nemesis dropped from the sky. From her height, she plummeted to the ground and stopped. Opening her wings the last moment like a parachute to hover just above the ground. The amount of area her body could cover in shade from the sun was quite the site. Looking over the woman's frame now, I tilted my head to side. Getting an idea on who she was.

"I guess you met my friend here. Now, why are you out here?"

At that moment, I could see flashes of Nemesis. This woman walking up and pestering my "daughter." It was when she spout a little flame upon the woman, that she seemed to not be harmed by it. Moving it out of the way, Force barrier? I doubted it was shaping because rarely does anyone leave the Kro Var native. Most of the time its people who learn from them, then leave. So who was this woman, and why was she here?"

Turning away from her, I moved to set my bag on the ground and reached in to grab a piece of fruit. Taking a bite from it before I continued.

"Also, how are you not blackened from being spat flames at?"

[member="Aevan Kitaki"],

 

[Riamah]

Aevan was just climbing to her feet when a man pulled up on a speeder. Between him and the dragon, she would rather take her chances with the man. His words to the dragon indicated they knew one another and when his attention was on her, she had her answer.

While she didn't know it was called a dragon, she hoped it wasn't going to breathe more fire at her from above. Looking between the man and dragon, she tried to divide her attention between the two of them.

"I hope you friend doesn't decide to blow more fire at me."

She had taken care of the first attack, but it wasn't a strong one. Not like what her people could do. He asked what she was doing out here and how she hadn't been killed by the beast's blast. Figuring if the dragon was going to attack, it would have done it by now, she turned her full attention to the man.

"I come and practice my dance here, sir."

Admitting she was an outcast from Kro Var probably wouldn't mean anything to him, so she kept that out of her answer.

"Well, I have been trained to shape fire. That's all I did to keep from getting blackened as you put it a moment ago."

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

It seemed this girl wanted to... dance. Of all things you could be doing out here. She wanted to dance. White hair, dancing? Maybe Echani Fire Dancing? But she just didn't look the part. Nor did she carry the Echani fire brand. It was just strange from the get go. Let alone the fact that Nemesis didn't eat this girl or burn her more severely. Taking another bite from the juicy fruit as she spoke, she did say at the very end that she was trained to shape fire. Smiling lightly, I moved to sit down.

Nemesis had now moved her body and laid back down. She curled up under the sun and allowed me to sit down on her forearm. I could feel the rough scales through my pants. Still eating and paying attention to the fruit as my left hand came up. Flame burst forth in my palm. Bright with the various hues of red, orange and yellow. Even some white mixed in for the base of the flame it seemed. However, the hues of the flame shifted from reds, into a light purple and then into a vibrant blue. The blue flames then changes shape. Moving along my hand to make the shape of the dragon I sat upon. While they were flames, you could still tell the shape of the wings and arms and main frame of the body was there.

"Shaping huh?"

Funny that she happened to run into me. One of the few master shapers in the galaxy who wasn't tied up with some faction or held by some restraints. I was a free man. Only held back by my bodies ability to function.

"So from whom, and where did you learn shaping of flames?"

[member="Aevan Kitaki"],

 

[Riamah]

For whatever reason the man smiled when she said was trained in shaping fire. Soon enough the woman knew why. While she didn't pull away from him, she turned her head to look at him almost like she trust him. How could he know how to shape as well? Taking a few breaths before being able to speak in answer, she looked at the dragon now curled up almost around him. They both sat on the ground now.

She watched as he went through an exercise and the shape he made was that of the beast he sat with. Her own skills were not as refined as his, but she was working on them. Holding out her own hand, she attempted to do what he had just done.

While the general shape of the beast could be seen, the fine details were missing. The colors weren't quite as vibrant and the different shades not as obvious. Letting go of the image, she sat down on the ground near, but not close enough to touch.

He asked who had taught her and where. Aevan had the feeling he already knew the answer to the second question.

"Master Sate Pax and a woman just known as Xera. I'm from Kro Var."

Now it was her turn. Raising an eyebrow at him in question as she spoke, "what about you?"

While they weren't close enough to touch in any form of formal greeting, they had yet to share names.

"I am Aevan of the tribe Kitaki."

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

After I did my little performance, I showed her all too well of what, and who I was. I was a shaper. Much more refined and well taught. As she answered my question with what I already had an idea on. I just wanted to know who actually trained her. Even stating that she was a Kro Varian. Bowing my head a little, I moved my hand toward the bag, however the bag was a few feet away. Out from the sack came another fruit around the same size, and was brought before the young woman.

"I am Nickolas Imura, Head of the Imura Clan. I was trained by my father before he died, and my elder brother before he perished as well. Since then I have been self taught."

Standing up, I decided to test this girl. See how good Aevan was at shaping. I reached down and unbuckled my belt. The sheath and the sword both came off with the belt, and I gently placed it down next to the pack. Nemesis rose her head as she saw me doing this. A little purr came from her lips as she moved her head to watch me with her eye.

Snapping my fingers, flames ignited onto my finger tips. I moved the finger in front of me, and with a very simple blowing of air from my mouth sent a torrent of flame at her.

This is a trial by fire. Literally.

[member="Aevan Kitaki"],

 

[Riamah]

Aevan accepted the fruit that was floated over to her and in a way wondered how he had done that. She had only been taught how to shape fire and none of the other elements. He introduced himself and she nodded. He said he was head of his clan which impressed her and that he was trained by his father and brother, but they were both dead now. If she was the type of person that could feel sympathy, she would have extended it to him, but it wasn't in her nature.

Taking a bite from the fruit, she watched as Nickolas stood up, took his belt off and laid it on the ground. The dragon noticed this as well and watched him as he moved. It lifted its head and watched with one eye. Its attention was on him and not her which she was thankful for. What he did next almost caught her off guard.

The brief moment the flames were on his finger tips was a clue he was about to do something. With his exhale, a torrent of flame came her way. He knew she was a shaper and this was a test to see what she could or couldn't do.

Hiding the surprise, the fruit dropped to the ground and rolled away as she jumped to her feet. The tip of the flame parted before it reached her and she ripped the rest of into smaller trails and bits. Some she allowed to get close and danced with until the flame was extinguished.

She didn't try to show off any real skill since there wasn't too much there. Just the fact she could do what she wanted to the flames he sent her way.

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

The girl was quick. I had to give her that. The flames I blew at her were waved and pushed out of the way. Yet, unlike how I would have done it. I have seen many pushing them aside like swatting at a fly, or used the forward momentum to have the flames wrap around them and rocket back at me. Instead, this woman really was dancing. Graceful as she moved the flames around herself and yet I could see what she meant by practicing her dancing.

Not quite the fire dancers from the Echani culture, but better than they were on many levels with real flames than just hot sticks. I suppressed my smile. Once the flames had dissipated from being around her, I already knew well enough that she could handle herself. The question was could she only manipulate the flames, or make them herself?

With a wave of my hand, Various rocks from the landscape hovered and came to form a ring around one another. Digging themselves into the ground. All the while, materials of wooden structures came from the speeder and sat next to the little circle of stones.

"You have skill. Master Pax and Xera taught you well. However, the dancing I feel you do of your own volition and style."

Walking over to this makeshift pit, I knelt down and began to actually put the wooden limbs into place.

"So, anything else you learned from them? Can you generate flames from your own energy, or can you only shape the flames?"

[member="Aevan Kitaki"],

 

[Riamah]

No further flames were sent her way after the initial wave. Her clothes settled about her slight frame once again and Aevan watched as he created a ring. He commented she had skill, but that the dancing she incorperated was by her own choice. That was sort of true.

"Music and dance are important to me. So when I come out, I always bring along at least my flute."

Pulling that out of her belt, Aevan started to play a tune and dance around a bit as he finished setting up what looked like a camping area.

"I can also play other instruments, but this is the one I like the best."

He set the wood into the makeshift pit and asked if she could also create the flame or only shape it.

"I can create only something small on my own and shape it. Nothing as grand as what you did, Nickolas."

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

Nodding my head as the young girl spoke about creating something very small. Very little generation of flames. But in truth be told, you only needed a little. Smiling, I decided a more... interesting way to teach.

"Rhetorical question, How does a flame start? And how does one make a flame larger?"

Even as I manually built the formation of wood, I continued to speak to the young woman.

"A flame is a spark that catches onto fuel. Anything can start a spark. For the flame to grow, it must have fuel. So, how do you think I can make flaming dragons, and walls of flame being thrown at you?"

A very simple question, but if she was smart, and took a moment to think, she would understand how flames in the real sense, could aid her in her own manipulation of flames.

[member="Aevan Kitaki"]

 

[Riamah]

He nodded as she answered his question and then posed a rhetorical one. Nick provided the answer to the first one as he put the wood into formation. She considered an answer to the second. Taking a seat on the ground, Aevan put her flute away, he then answered that question as well.

As he moved, he moved his third question confused her for a moment, but only that. Looking at him before speaking, she considered her words. A gust of wind came through and blew her hair around. Pushing it back into place paused another moment before speaking. Her words were confident, but hesitant at the same time.

"I think you used more energy from within yourself to make it more than the simple flame I can do. Where that came from, though I don't have an answer for."

Holding one of her hands up, a small orb of fire rested in her hand. Focusing on that, she tried to make it larger. It did work, but not nearly to the extent that his had. Closing her hand, the fire went away and looked at him again.

"Am I on the correct path there?"

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

Watching as the young woman continued to study me as though I were a new specimen for a scientist, she answered the question with some brevity, and was fairly close. Even attempting to perform said action. The flame grew a little larger within the palm of her hand. After I had completed the fire, I reached out, taking control of the flame she held in her hand, and almost yanking it from her and into the fire. it slowly began to burn. Shaking my head, I answered her question.

"Not close enough. The force flows through and around every being, and thing in the galaxy. You do not control the force. The force is an infinite power source. You are a small opening for which this force can flow through. Instead of fueling the force with your own energy, fuel it with the force that flows through you."

Pulling up a portion of the cloth around my upper torso, it revealed a nasty red scar that seemed to be festering an infection. The veins around this wound were black. Not blue or red. Almost as though my blood was filled with pure darkness.

"Feeding your powers and skills with your own energy will literally consume you. Some powers require your own body to be used as a conduit, and the source of power. Shaping is the altering of the force. Not the pure creation of the force. If you have to consume part of yourself to keep alive, then do so. Otherwise, pull from the force. Not from yourself."

Letting the clothing fall back into place, I then brought up my own hand. A small flame resided within my palm. Slowly it began to grow and grow. Soon it engulfed the entirety of my hand.

"You must learn the extent of the power you control. Open the flood gates too much when you are not ready, and you will die. I have seen many who attempt to do this, and literally consume themselves in the flames. They become the flames. If they survive, they will not be without pain. Take it slow and steady. When you feel it starts to get out of control, push just a little more, then close it off. Learn the extent of your abilities, push it learn from it, but don't let it consume you."

[member="Aevan Kitaki"]

 

[Riamah]

The flame Aevan held in her hand was taken from her and she let out a small gasp of surprise. It had been her flame and yet he took it from her. Tipping her head, she gave Nick a little bit of a dirty look, but that was it.

He lit the wood with it and the heat was comfortable to her. While this was a desert planet and the heat was always present, there was nothing like sitting next to a fire. Holding her hands out to feel the flame, she listened as he spoke. He revealed a festering wound that wasn't like anything she had seen before. The cause was using his own energy to fuel his skill.

She gathered that the power or ability to use and call up the flame was due to her being able to touch the Force. Thinking on what he was saying, Aevan felt within herself to see if she could find this connecting Force between everything. In her mind, she found the source from where she called up the flame and reached in deeper to find the connectedness of everything. From below the ground up to the stars in the sky, she did find the interweaving connections. It as totally new to her and she smiled.

Watching him again now as he held up a hand again, she saw the small flame and as it grew to surround his hand. That was a feat she was able to do.

Holding her own hand up this time with new clarity and understanding, a small flame rested there and she allowed it to grow like he had his. Instead of using her own energy to fuel it though, she called on what she saw as the connecting pieces of the Force. This being much grander than what she could do previously, the flame went up her arm almost reaching her sleeves of her dress.

With a slight yelp of surprise, she let go of the flame and it died in her hand.

"I think I'm going to need to practice a bit on that."

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

I watched with antisipation as the young lass began to open her hand. Slowly letting the flames creep up her arm almost to her sleeves. She shrieked with the surprise of how fast she could lose control of the flames. The flames went out faster than she could blink with the sudden cut from the force. I chuckled slightly as she now understood how fast, and how easily you could consume yourself with your own powers and abilities.

"Yes. Practice will take time, patience, and dedication to reach the level I am. You can reach it. It is possible, but will take a life time to do so. Considering I am over fifty years old, it may take the same amount of time, or even longer for you to reach it."

Letting the flames in my hand die out, I flicked my hand away and looked behind me. Nemesis staring at us with a corner of her lip raised slightly as though she were smirking.

"Anything to add, oh beast mine?"

Raising her head, She looked directly at me. The connection the two of us had allowed our minds to be connected. Seeing images flash before me, I smiled at her. Nodding my head.

"She states that you need to make sure that if you use flames, you are away from what you consider close to you. As well, you should train on generating flame, and manipulating it first, so that all other acts of manipulation are much easier to perform over time."

Realizing that the two hadn't been introduced, I gasped.

"Ah, my apologies. This is Nemesis. My companion. She is an Arkanian Dragon that I have taken care of since birth. She is still considered a child to her kind, but is well into the thirties of our years. She can speak and understand some words, but she can't directly talk to anyone other than myself. Hence, I am her voice."

[member="Aevan Kitaki"],

 

[Riamah]

She had known Nick was older than her, but the amount of years he had spent practicing surprised her. It gave her an idea though and she wondered if maybe she was behind what she should have been. Each person learned at their own pace, but the thought was still there.

"You're far stronger than I am, while I could hope to reach that some day, I have the feeling this will always be the case."

Pulling her knees up, Aevan rested her chin on top of them as she look at Nick. He released his own flame and apparently spoke to his dragon. She eyed the creature that had settled down and the dragon was looking was looking back at them. When he spoke to the dragon, it seemed they were able to communicate and Aevan thought that very interesting.

Her eyes glancing between Nick and the dragon, she waited to see if anything was shared between them. Nodding at what was relayed to her by Nick, Aevan nodded. Raising a hand as if she had a question of a teacher, she waited until he had finished speaking.

"Does she mean people or items?"

Giving the now named dragon a hesitant smile, she wasn't sure if it would be proper for her to speak to her or not. Deciding to take the risk.

"It is nice to meet you, Nemesis."

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

I let the comment slide of her feeling as though she would never reach my level within the force. While that could entirely be true, there are many, MANY ways to become stronger in the force. I however, have just gone about it a different way to gain raw power that I can focus upon my enemies. Aevan will need to learn to do that at some point, but not at this moment.

I looked over to my companion as the lass spoke to her. Introducing herself to it. The Dragon huffed a bit and did a slight tilt of her snout as though she were to bow. Looking back to Aevan, I answered the question without even consulting Nemesis.

"Anything and everything my dear. If you don't want it to become ash, keep it away from you until you can control your powers."

What I left out, was that I did have many people I cared for. Many things I held dear. Yet I stayed away from them because of my name. Imura was not a name that you threw around lightly. Those who knew me, knew about my past and my brother. Or about my own relations with my wife and son. Yet, I now bore no relations with them for their safety. Maybe some day Ignis will become a shaper as well, I just hope that he doesn't go down the same path I have.

"Now that you know a little more of shaping, and about myself. Tell me about you."

[member="Aevan Kitaki"],

 

[Riamah]

"I guess it is a good thing I don't have anything or anybody I hold dear or close."

The words of advice given to her by Nick made sense. Until she could control the power better, she would keep them in mind. Now that introductions were done between the three of them, Aevan relaxed a little more. She no longer kept most of her attention on Nemesis and focused it on Nick.

He asked to know about her, but it was such a broad question, she didn't know where to begin without some sort of idea of what he wanted to know. With a small tilt of her head, she thought about what he might want to know. Instead she just asked.

"What do you want to know? I come from Kro Var and have been exiled. I can't go back now."

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

The stress fled from the young woman after we introduced ourselves. I turned my attention to the bag in the speeder. Grabbing it as she was mulling over my question of knowing more of her. As am starting to prepare food to be cooked, I looked at her for a moment as she returned my query with her own. She must have not much of a story to tell if this is what she gives me. Smiling, I decide to ask more.

"There is always more. Why were you exiled? Why didn't you fight your exile? Why did you come here? Why dance when you practice? Personal family?"

I threw my hand up, through the air a locket was tossed at her. Should she open it, it would show a holo of Lexa and Ignis. My wife and child. Indicating it, I spoke.

"My other half, and my heir. I leave Kro Var so they can live in relative peace. I have an self-imposed exile."

[member="Aevan Kitaki"],

 

[Riamah]

These were the more direct questions that were easier for Aevan to answer. Not the broad one he had asked before. He was right in thought though, the young woman didn't have much of a story. Taking the time to give each question its due answer, she caught the locket he tossed and spoke before looking at it.

"Fighting the exile would have been pointless, but I severely harmed one of the servants for a small error. She dropped packages of new clothes and in my irritation at being knocked over when she fell, I beat her almost to death."

His next question was a little hard to answer and the young woman really have a good reason, shrugging slightly before giving him the answer she could provide.

"No specific reason other than it is quite like home here. It really is as simple as that."

Then he asked about the dancing and music while she practiced and a smile crossed her face.

"Dancing and music were taught to me and it brings me a feeling of being whole while I practice. Besides, who would expect a dancer of fire to be able shape it and throw it around as we can? Yes it is a weapon, but it can be used in art as well."

It also kept her on toes as the flames could burn her as easily as anybody else if she wasn't careful.

"I was adopted by the royal family when it was learned I could be a shaper, but I was never fully accepted by them. Always held at a slight distance and not welcomed everywhere. So I taught myself much of the time to do what I can. When they banished me, I had to leave that behind. No family to speak of now."

Nick then told her of his family as she looked in the locket. His self imposed exile to keep them safe. Nodding, Aevan closed the locket and gave it back to him.

[member="Nick Imura"]