So, you want to swing a blade?

[Ryn'Dhal]

Voss​

Deep in the woods, the Knight waited. Clad in his Sasori combat robes, sans cloak, the helmeted warrior meditated, awaiting the arrival of the day's pupil. It was not his Padawan this day. Instead, a young Twilek was being sent for a lesson.

Concentrating, he felt her approach, long before his unnaturally keen hearing could pick up her footfalls. Like much of her race, the young woman was graceful, agile, and this was evident in her light stride as she approached. But, by his own standards, she was clumsy. This was due to inexperience, youth. She seemed to almost crash through the forest, compared to the way the Knight tended to drift, almost as if a spirit in the trees. He made note of the stark contrasts, a soft smile upon his face, remembering his own days of making excessive noise when traveling in nature. When traveling in general.

Smiling softly, he opened his eyes, rising to his feet as the young woman entered the clearing. At a quick glance, his physical appearance would almost make one think 'Sith'. Concealing helmet, black garb, long cloak hanging over a tree branch. But, his calm, inviting demeanor, the slight bow, but more importantly the rich, soothing timbre of his voice, is what made one second guess the initial reaction.

"Padawan Vills, I believe?" He called to her as he bowed in greeting. "I am Knight Ryn'Dhal. Your instructor for today." One could almost swear they could hear a smile in his voice as he spoke. A soft, subtle gesture with one gloved hand would call a pair of training sabers to his hands. "I do believe the lesson at hand called for introductions into Soresu, the Resilience Form, a specialty of mine, and Ataru, the Aggression Form, another trademark."

With a soft pushing gesture, palm towards the young woman, one of the two training-lightsabers would drift over to her. "These sabers are Training blades. Just like the ones they use in most training exercises. Minimal power, by and large only causing painful stings, and angry irritation marks upon flesh if left in contact for very long. A safe training tool."

He would ignite his blade, the iconic snap-hiss as the cool blue blade came to life in his hands. A graceful flourish, and he began rotating the blade in smooth, almost lazy circles about his body, creating a steady pattern. "The keys to Soresu are two-fold. First, is the near constant movement. It enables you to have your blade nearly constantly at the ready to deflect, block, or parry at but a moments notice. That is the physical component." He continued to explain, stepping lightly as he moved about, allowing the young woman to observe his movements from different angles.

"Being a purely defensive Form, one cannot hope to simply block a blow or a projectile by chance." He snapped the blade to the side, before deactivating it. "The second part of the equation that is Soresu is the Force. The ability to feel, to see, to sense the world around you with it. If you can do that, to see the unseen, to predict by flowing with the will of the Force, you can wield your saber with Soresu as your impenetrable bastion of defense."

Inclining his head to one side, he chuckled. "So, I do believe the most important part of this first lesson will be, 'how keen is your ability to sense with the Force'."

[member=Millay Vills]​

 

[Millary Vills]

It wasnt as if she wanted to running throught the forest, as loud as a rancor who hadnt had dinner in a week. Lunch had taken longer than usual to eat, and it wasnt until one of her friends had mentioned the time that she realized she was already late to the lesson.

So it was much to her dlight that the master was seemingly not angry at her for being late. His greeting made the twi'lek smile lightly at him before hanging up her outer robe next to his long cloak.

The blue skinned teen turned around just in time to catch the practice saber floating towards her, cheeks turning a slightly darker shade of blue in embarrassment. Her eyes followed his slow, engaging movements, nodding to each of his words.

When he was finished speaking, it was easy to say she was thoroughly confused.

​'sense with the force?' ​Millay thought, confused, before speaking in a slightly timid tone.

​"How am I supposed to achieve this..sensing, with the force? What am I trying to sense?"

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Nodding slightly, that ever present unseen smile was still audible in his voice. "A very good question, but not one that is particularly easily answered. As I've been capable of using the Force for so long it seems almost as though it is a completely natural sense to me, light sight, or taste, or touch."

He reached towards his cloak, calling to his hand a blindfold. "Often, with the loss of one sense, others become more capable. I would like for you to deprive yourself temporarily of sight. After doing so, we shall sit, and I will have you attempt to quiet your mind, and focus on the Force."

After the teenager was sufficiently blindfolded and seated, Ryn'Dhal sat before her, approximately two or three paces away. "Now, concentrate on the Force. Feel it within yourself, on your skin. In the air, the ground. It is all around, ever present. It can feel akin to rushing wind, or floating in a gentle river. However it presents itself to you will be unique to you, but one of the most important lessons in accessing the Force, will be learning to acknowledge its presence. Take your time. There is little rush. This is a safe place for such an endeavor. When you break through that first proverbial 'weak' I want you to attempt to 'see' without your eyes, but with the Force, to determine the number of fingers I am holding up."

As he silently observed her, over the span of time, he could feel a faint stirring within her. She has the potential within her. She could do this. He knew she could. He waited, quietly eager for her success. When, and if, she started reaching with the Force, he would hold up two fingers, on each gloved hand, for a total of four.

[member="Millay Vills"]​

 

[Millary Vills]

She couldn't help but smile lightly at the man telling her how he felt very at ease sensing with the force. It was obvious this master was very knowledgeable in his teachings, and Millay was obviously very excited to learn from him.

Her body tensed up as the blindfold was wrapped around her eyes, turning her vision to complete darkness. Her breathing quickened, slightly uncomfortable with the loss of her sight. It wasn't until the master spoke to her again that her breathing slowed, nodding lightly in acceptance of the lesson.

With her breathing slowed, she was able to begin to concentrate on the master and his hands. This was, admittedly, her weakest area. Her connection to the force wasn't the best, so she found in hard to fully concentrate on the master's hands.

As time passed, however, with her breathing slowed and controlled, she was able to slowly paint a picture in her mind of how many fingers he was holding up.

Taking a deep breath, she let out a small sigh before speaking. ​"Two. One finger on each hand. I think.."

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

"Very close Millay. It was actually four total, two on each hand." There was a genuine smile in his voice as he spoke. "You may remove the blindfold. Keep it though. In private, in your quarters, you should exercise your ability to sense in this manner. Deprive a sense. Sight, or sound, and rely on non-visual, and non-audio influences. Rely on the Force." he explained, rising to his feet.

"As you practice, train, and grow more competent at feeling with the Force, you will in turn grow more potent with many defensive Saber-forms, along with many gifts of the Force. Healing, for example.... Being able to sense where exactly an injury is, to sense how best to apply the Force upon the patients body to cause the desired regenerative effects. All of these are hand in hand. The most complex powers, gaining benefit from some of the simplest."

He strolled a few paces away, before turning once again to face the Padawan. "But, that is enough of my explaining what your homework will be for tonight, and the benefits there-of.... You should get to witness the fruits that such labor will yield you. Ignite your blade, and come against me as though you meant it. I assure you, no harm will come to me, these sabers are non-lethal." He'd challenge her, igniting his training saber, it's blue blade thrumming after that iconic snap-hiss. The gentle, idle rotations beginning, as he took a relaxed, stationary posture, one foot slightly ahead of the other, giving her a narrower target for head-long striking, but also giving himself greater ease to have the blade dancing close to his body, creating that iconic 'circle of protection' that the Soresu form was known for.

"At your ready, Padawan."

[member="Millay Vills"]​