The Will of the Force

[Lief]

The Silver Academy​

Voss​

​

How long had it been since she stepped foot on this world, for anything other than medical assistance? It was hard to recall. For years now she had resided and trained on Midvinter, traveled the Galaxy at large, done her duties as a Jedi while tending to the threats which plagued her home. Even during the time that her aunt and uncle led the Silvers she had barely made herself known here.

But things had changed. Responsibility had been placed upon her shoulders the day she was Knighted. While her brother, Théodred, had carried it out, it was something that the Silvers had been trying to do for quite some time now. Yet she hadn't felt ready.

Only recently did she realize that nobody felt ready, and that by experiencing their new found duties they grew into the role. The memories of the last time she stood within an Academy came to mind, the horror and the bloodshed, as the grand structure grew before her. The fiend is not here. There is nothing but unity within these walls, the Light reigns over the halls of the Jedi... Breathe, Mysa.

She was here to make her Knighthood official, and to pick up a few extra duties. What would they have in mind for her? It was hard to tell, it varied from person to person... And rightfully so. Everybody had their strengths and weaknesses, even Jedi.

Walking through the entrance, she was greeted by an aging Jedi Master who smiled her way. "Ah... You must be Miss Snowstrider... You look just like your mother." That gave her pause. Her Mother had never been a Jedi... And she hadn't really been around the Silvers much. "She came to us on Coruscant, before the schism. A friend of the last Grandmaster... I'd remember her any day, quite the pair. Thankfully they weren't as mischievous as some. Ah, but don't let me bore you with stories of the past, come my dear..."

With a smile she followed after the man, deciding then and there that she quite liked him. "I never knew that my mother met Master Heavenshield here." The old man merely chuckled, and continued on down the hall.

"Now, I hear that Master Théodred Knighted you personally... And we agree with his judgement. Frankly you should have been Knighted a while ago, but we don't push those who do not feel themselves ready. If you would keep following me, Miss Snowstrider, I have somebody I'd like you to meet..."

He turned into a room, as ordinary as all the rest, and turned to her. To one side she sensed a presence, only small yet full of hope and potential. A youngling, perhaps?

"Now, we do not usually do this so soon after a Knighting, but in light of recent events, we feel as though it may help the both of you settle into your new roles. Master Snowstrider, meet Natesh Ignafine... It is our hope that you will help guide him in the ways of the Force."

For a moment she did not know what to do or to say. She stared ahead at the old Master almost dumbfounded. A student? They were giving her a student, just like that? Swallowing back her doubt and uncertainty she looked across to the Amaran and smiled gently, lowering her body into a respectful bow of greeting.

"Initiate Ignafine, I would like to hear what you have to say on the matter."

The old man patted her shoulder and made his exit without another word, leaving the two of them alone in the room, with the silence between them.

 

[Natesh Ignafine]

Natesh started his day as all others. He got up, stretched, dressed, got something to eat, then went to the library to study. And after studying for a while, he went outside to meditate, with the hope of connecting to the force a little more. Part way through his meditation he was gently interrupted. When he came to, he saw an elderly Jedi. The boy stood up and bowed. "Good day, master. What can I do for you?"

The jedi master answered with a smile, "Actually, I bring great news. You have been made a true padawan. We have summoned a Jedi Knight to be your master. Continue to learn the ways of the force and take heed of you master's teachings. May the force be with you young padawan!"

As the master bid fare well, Natesh was exploding inside. He was a padawan now and he'd meet his master soon!! I don't think it's possible to be more excited! The thrill raced through Natesh's every cell and fiber. He even started to jump. A few moments later, he remembered to regain control. After calming down, the Amaran went back in the temple to await his new master.

Though the boy's eyes had different colors, they both gleamed bright as the sun with joy, excitement, and a bit of pride. When he heard two people approaching, his fox ears perked straight up. Then, there she was, his master. He could help himself, he smiled ear to ear, his little tail wagging. Then, he saw her bow and he collected himself. He bowed as well, "I'm Natash Ignafine. Pleased to meet you, master," after saying this, another happy grin grew to replace the previous two. I can't believe it!

 

[Lief]

The student seemed absolutely elated at the prospect of having a Master, and while Mysa had her own reservations and self doubts she found his excitement somewhat infectious. He did not dispute what the old Jedi had suggested, and who was she to go against the will of the Jedi and the Force they served? Gods give me strength. But the Six did not see her here, she was a long way from home.

Her only question now was where to begin.

"Come, walk with me" she said, with a gentle smile, directing him back through the door and out into the hallway beyond, where large pillars lined the walls, and Jedi walked here and there on their way to study. "How old are you, Padawan?" It was hard to gauge with certain species, and Amaran were one such species she struggled with.

She led him through the Academy until the sun beat down on them and a courtyard opened up before them. Water trickled from a natural rock fountain, trees jutted through the earth, one of which she had once climbed in her youth, and very few people so much as peeked their head into the space. It was beautiful and serene, the perfect place to begin.

"Please, sit and make yourself comfortable."

Mysa lowered herself to the ground beside the water, legs crossed as she looked across to her student. My student... I never thought I'd have a student... There was a first time for everything.

[member="Natesh Ignafine"]

 

[Natesh Ignafine]

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]
When he was directed to follow he did so happily. Natesh let himself feel happy on the inside and had an almost calm exterior. While they walked the halls of the temple, she asked him his age. He understood why, he had almost finished growing and it was kind of hard even for other Amaran's to tell each other's ages. So, he answered respectfully, "Just turn 14 not long ago, master." He followed her outside next. Same as the first day here, he loved it outside. Some gently wind blew and it felt great to Natesh, it did blow his over-robe a bit. Then she found a good spot to sit and so he lowered his tail to the ground and balanced on it. If you couldn't see his tail or tell of it was there, it would seem as though he was floating. He crossed his legs and found the perfect position. After that, he looked at his master awaiting whatever words she said.

 

[Lief]

Fourteen? She did not feel much older than that herself, though she kept such to herself. Any doubt she had toward her own capabilities would only hinder his progression, she had to remain calm, a beacon of hope to guide him through the hardest of his trials.

Once he was sat across from her, she inclined her head slightly once again.

"I would like to know where you see your strengths lie, Padawan, and where you think work needs to be done. Respect is at the center of our relationship, and in order for respect to truly work there must be trust and honesty between us. I'm not looking for you to be modest, I'm asking for the truth so that I may gauge where it is you are currently at in your training."

Another smile, gentle and encouraging, made itself known upon her face.

[member="Natesh Ignafine"]

 

[Natesh Ignafine]

He listened to her and she was right. Trust and honesty were both important. The Amaran thought about how to answer the inquiry while enjoying the sun's warmth. "Yes, master. In my classes as a youngling, I quickly picked up almost everything about the lightsaber. But, my connection to force could be a lot better. I have a lot to learn when it comes to lightsabers and the force, but I know I'll pick up things lightsaber related easier. And currently, the form that I've found that fits me the best is Ataru. Ataru allows me to use my size and speed with greater results. I need to focus on the force more, but it's hard..." He looked down slightly embarrassed at the fact he wasn't as strongly connected to the force even though it was everywhere. It was quite annoying and kind of disheartening even with all the masters' encouragements over the years.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

The lack of hesitation was a good thing, and he seemed to have a clear idea of where he needed work. Even the so-called strengths he named were acknowledged as needing work. Just the right balance of humility and honesty.

"I appreciate your telling me so. I struggled with the Force at first, honestly I believe that most do. It's not as easy as many make it seem, it can take years to properly delve into. And if you want the truth, I don't believe that anyone truly understands it. There are theories floating around of course, Living Force, Unifying Force, Potentium, heck even one which claims that the Force is some great Rainbow spectrum. Personally I think everyone views it differently, and that's how it should be. Your connection to the Force is very personal. You cannot rush or force it, it will come in time. But... There are ways to help."

She smiled for a moment, before nodding her head.

"Close your eyes, there's no time like the present."

Following suit she likewise closed her own eyes and breathed in, taking in the serenity around them while waiting for confirmation that he had done as asked.

[member="Natesh Ignafine"]

 

[Natesh Ignafine]

Natesh listened intensely to his master. He let out a small chuckle at the mention of a rainbow spectrum. He knew the force wasn't the easiest thing, but he finally had someone who would guide him through it personally. Then, she instructed him to close his eyes, and he did. He started breathing deep and slow. He focused inward, then outside trying to feel the force inside and out. He sat there still balancing on his tail. He started this exercise recently as a new way to enhance his balance and strengthen the muscles in his tail. He tries to do this whenever he can. And meditation, though not complete, helps with this exercise and vise-versa.
[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

She could feel his presence in the Force begin to intensify as his focus shifted inward, and could not help but smile. While she knew that meditation was common practice amongst younglings, it was still good to see that it was instinctive for him to do so without instruction. She had to applaud his teachers up until this point, as well as his own determination.

"Very good, Padawan. The Force flows freely around us, it touches every living thing within the Universe, binds them, allows them to flourish. The grass beneath your tail, the trees overhead, the water at our side, even the rocks that lay scattered around this courtyard, nothing is exempt."

Well... Most things. There were of course the Vong, and creatures such as the Ysalamir, but there was no need to go confusing the boy. It was important that he learned to strengthen his connection to the Force, not be put off by it.

"Can you feel it, flowing within you as readily as the blood in your veins? You have the capacity to consciously touch upon it, Natesh, the Force can be used in infinite ways, it can guide you, heal you, assist you... We are very fortunate in that regard, though our sensitivity does not put us above any other being, do you understand? The Force made a gift of itself, and it is our duty to use it to aid those who would benefit the most from its assistance."

[member="Natesh Ignafine"]

 

[Natesh Ignafine]

Natesh took in his master's words and tried to follow the directions. It took another couple minutes for Natesh to begin feeling the presence of the force. First, he noticed it within himself. Then, he felt the force in the living organisms around them. Finally, he found his master. The Amaran felt each thing separately for a while. But, slowly the ways all of the living things were connected became more noticeable. This is one of the few times Natesh had successfully gotten this far in meditation ever since becoming a Jedi. It made him happy. With a bit of time, the padawan felt more and more connections and more of the force. It definitely helped to have someone else within the force to focus his senses.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Her student didn't break his own silence but she could sense what he was doing all the same. How he reached for the Force and found it within. How he reached outward, toward even her... She could feel his presence brush against her own, and could not help but smile. He was quick to learn, though no doubt this was something he had been taught to do before as most were.

"Now that you can feel it, and use it to sense your immediate vicinity, I want you to hold on to it. The Force wants to create a bond with you, Padawan, it wants you to feel the grass without your hands, to see the tree without your eyes, this is its gift to you... But it will take time for you to reach your true potential. I want you to bring your focus inward again, to yourself. Feel the Force flowing through you, and try to redirect it. Anything relating to yourself falls into the category of Control, and these are in many ways the easiest to learn and understand. With it you can accelerate your movements, your body's natural healing capabilities, enhance your sight, your hearing, your voice..."

For a moment she opened her eyes, shuffling backward until she was a little further from him. Then her voice turned to a whisper, enough that he would have to strain to hear her.

"Focus on what little you can hear, direct the Force to your hearing... You're capable of doing so, of listening in on conversations you might otherwise be too far away to understand. It won't be easy, you won't get it first time, but you can try. It will feel as though you're simply straining your ears to hear at first, but push on, Padawan... You will not learn if I simply tell you how, you must try for yourself. Your connection to the Force is personal... Let it guide you."

[member="Natesh Ignafine"]