The Training of: Azhure Darkstone

[Warren Azalin]

The night sky had become a cruel mistress as Lightning and Thunder raged above the skies of Yavin IV. Warren had stayed up through the night keeping a keen eye on all those in his chambers. It almost seemed mind boggling that what had started as a room for a single Jedi Knight now ended up housing Warren, his wife Amalia and their Twin children, Alexander and Alexia. It had been some time since Warren had trained another to Knight, let alone a new Padawan. Times had changed though and Warren decided it was time to start to train again. His first subject after his return? Azhure. Warren had remembered when he had greeted the newcomer and now the time had come to train, well maybe after some sleep...


<font size=2>The Next Morning</font>

"Warren, Warren, wake up you fool."

"....huh?"

"WAKE UP!!!

"Awww come on mommy, let me sleep five more minutes."

"I'm not your mother you, fool, I'm your wife, and your late for your Morning Training Class."

"....Training.... OH CRAP."

Before Amalia could even poke Warren again he was already up and running for the door Robes and Saber in hand. He had made it half way to his training field when he sent a message to Azhure.

"Meet me at the clearing behind the Training Academy. Training begins now."

[Azhure Darkstone]

::::Azhure opened her eyes at the sound of her masters voice and nearly stumbles::

Youch! close.

::Her morning exercise was having two chairs, balancing for three hours without moving and avoiding the candles on the floor. Good for focus and muscle control.
She got up carefully, blew the candles out, put on more suitable clothing and smiled a little. it was beginning.

A few hours later she stood waiting in anticipation, waiting to begin the journey of the new chapter in her book of life. A new start.::

[Warren Azalin]

"What do you know?"

The Jedi stood in the open air, finally accomidated in his Jedi Robes. It had taken him a bit to gain his senses and now he was ready to train. It seemed that his first question had caught the new Padawan off guard as she stumbled to find the right words.

"Let me be more precise. What do you think of the Force Azhure. What do you think it can do?, What it can be used for."

The Jedi kept his back turned to the Padawan, hoping to keep her on her toes with his question.

[Azhure Darkstone]

OOC: Yes yes YES!!!!<img src=http://www.thegjo.com/forum/smileys/biglaugh.gif ALT=":D">
oh yeah, time to begin.

OOC:
::Azhure thought about it and looked at his back, directly::

The force exists in living cells inside of us that allow us to touch it. It is a power that is not phsyically able to touch and can be used through the mind and the heart, and rendered with movement, manipulation and working with it, not against it. That is technical, I read it somewhere.

::She could contuinue with technical, always liked it better. it was much clearer to understand, but thats not what he wanted to hear::

But to me It is a power I can use to help, to heal and to strengthen myself and others through the light side. it is an ally I suppose, once I learn to use it properly. It is a strength but at the same time a weakness.
It is a way of life that can perhaps heal the scarres that life brings on you, and a way of life that forfills something that has been missing for a long time.

::She bowed the head out of respect and stayed silent, only say what needs to be said.
Enough said, she looked at him, waiting for his reaction.::

[Warren Azalin]

"A decent answer Azhure, but there is much more to the Force then you yet know. Actually that rases yet another fine question Padawan. Do you know how to tap into he Force? I don't mean the slight tapping on the Force that those who join us out of curiosity though. I mean have you ever fully tapped into your full potential? Felt the Force for what it really is?"

Warren closed his eyes and began drawing the Force into himself. For Warren the task was childs play, somehing he had learned when he was but a Padawan. Now it was his turn to teach it to someone else.

"I want you to try and feel the Force. To to embrace the Force and use it for your cause and yours alone. If you don't get it the first time, I shall help you."

[Azhure Darkstone]

:;She had felt the force yes, but not fully. Not yet. Maybe once, but that had been a mistake, a grave mistake and not for the light of the force. She did not mention it thouroughly though, not sure of how he would react::

I have but once in darkness, and that I never want to do again. I will try with some stones to tap into it.

::She looked at the ground for a group of stones and concentrated on one in paticular. Rather large, round and almost smooth if not for a cut to one of its sides.
She concentrated on the shape, imagining some kind of energy around it to make it lift. It went up rather high that she seemed in shock for a minute, then slammed down to the ground and she frowned a little, keeping concentration. the next time it went not very far off the ground, almost still touching it. Azhrue tried it again with the same result and looked at the stone in confusion. what had happened the first time? the next few goes seemed a lot more normal. with another three goes, not even getting it off the ground she shook her head and looked at her master::

It is difficult.

[Warren Azalin]

Turning on his heel Warren turned to look at Azure Eye to Eye.

"How does it feel?"

"Excuse me Master Azalin?"

The Padawan sounded confused, no doubt this would not be the first time he got that reaction.

"The Force, how does it feel when you touch it, much less even tap into it. Can you feel the power running through your body? The knowledge that within you lies a never ending balance between Light and Dark? You said you touched it once Azhure but in Anger. Try tapping it this time in peace. Think about better memories, about what the force does to help people. Reach out and feel the Force in every living thing around you, and always be mindful of it. My only real advice is for you not to try and bend the force to your will, do not just hope to lift something and pray that the Force listens. you must become one with the Force, you must use the Force to become one both in body and soul. Only after you have achieved this oneness with the Force (no matter how weak). Only then can you actually understand the true nature of the Force. I know it is hard Azhure but as Jedi we can never give up, that is a lesson you must learn or resign right now. Because I will not train those willing to give up."

The Jedi looked on sternly at Azhure, knowing his words held meaning for her.

[Warren Azalin]

Delete This. Ezboard posted Twice.

[Azhure Darkstone]

IC:
::She looked at him quickly, those words did have meaning aand they touched the very spot he was hoping.She had merely said it was difficult, in other words saying she needed guidance. She did not appreciate being called someone who gave up either, her eyes flashed, but she did not let the annoyance out, only a soft tone. It was not honourable to seem arguable to superiors and she respected this person. Funny, she never really seemed to respect anyone much before, had been too dangerous for attatchments of possible friendship. If this master and padawan relationship would be turned to a friendship. She felt something distrusting towards her, though that might have been the imagination, but spoke her thoughts anyhow::

I merely ask for help, not a way out. I do not give up or else I wouldnt have bothered to join.
be assured I will find my way to use the force with full capacity, but for this I will need the guidance and belief of my master as I believe in his teachings.
It is a hard life as you said and I have no doubt. Please do not think me dishonourable for speaking these words for respect is a thing a padawan gives to its master.
I am aware that I am not very good at being subtle so I may come out sounding rude though I mean not to. I apologise if so, for I have never been good with words.

::She then continued to speak::

As for your question, it is there, like a soft song but I can barely touch it. It comes to me loudly and strongly, but then dissapears like a whisper in the wind. I cannot get a proper connection with it.

::She closed her eyes and followed his advice, trying to listen to the force song and heard it again, asking it to allow her to hold on. This time she took a spiritual approach of partnership. Memories of her brother lingered in her head and filled her heart with love, trying to keep away the dark thoughts. She saw the aura of the stone in her head and felt the force wrap around it. Azhure held on for longer and the stone rose again, lingering in the air. But then the force slipped away as if laughing, not allowing her a partnership for longer. It seemed to hold a lot of power and she felt a fraction of what she might do with it. Opening her eyes she looked at the stone and picked it up, rubbing her hands around it, feeling amazed at the sensation, at the tranquility of the light side of the force. It was a comforting sensation.
Master Azalin's suggestion had been right. but something was wrong, why did it keep slipping away?
She looked at her master, afraid of being accused again. She had never given a damn about what people said about her, but he seemed to generate a lot of respect from her::

It lets me hold it for a few seconds but not for very long.

[Matthias Darkstone]

OOC: Hate to interrupt, but Azhure is going to be absent for a few days (9) due to school commitments. She'll be back though!

[Warren Azalin]

(OOC: WOOHOO Now I don't feel so bad for being busy for maybe the next week and the prior few days. I am not ignoring this or GJO for the Record, just been busy.)

[Warren Azalin]

"You can hold it though correct? That is an improvement above all else. The Force is not a play thing and not something someone can just turn on with the flip of a switch, you will need to learn how to use it but I do not expect you to learn on your own."

The Jedi Master sat down on the floor as he motioned for Azhure to do the same.

"Before we go on a Jedi must know how to tap into the Force, a thing easily done by meditation. I want you to sit in silence and block the world out, block it until you can feel nothing, see nothing and hear nothing. It is when you reach this plateau that the Force shall come to you easier. Once you feel the Force, whether it is just a strand or tapping fully into it you must set your mind on everything around you. You must sit down thinking about nothing but what you feel around you. Only when you sense the Force all around you can we continue."

[Azhure Darkstone]

OOC: back, thank ya mat, your da best <hugz>

IC:
::Azhure nodded, she had done similar thigns before but it had not been of the mind. It had been of tghe body to cotrol your very breath. To control the very weapon to be fast and mothionless when it entered the unsuspecting persons..she shook her head for a second and decided to gloat on memories later, time for the task set for her.

Closing her eyes she shbut down noise, that was easy enough, every assasin trained person knew how to do that, but the surroundings was hard. She pushed further into her mental strength, looking for some help on finding silence there.
She sought a place in her mind and told herself to let her body relax, she didnt need to control every part of her muscles. Her body visably relaxed and the surroundinggs vanished. Her mind seemed to stretch like it had never before and freaked her out, she did not like to be out fo control of where she reached and it was an unsettling feeling. A part of her screamed for her to come back, to come back to control and the other part willed her on. Her mind was in a battle for control and to keep going until she lost herself in a meditation and she seemed stuck. panic was rising but she kept going, kept. Feeling the slight force near her the feeling of pushing her back faded a bit, allow9ing more room to become more relaxed inot the mind and she found the force stronger, but was pulled back as the feeling to come back to control rushed back. Opeing her eyes she let the tension out fo her body with a breath, calming herself down and trying to get her midn into a state of readiness again. She would try again, and the panic that was faded relinquished until she felt again calm::
I'm sorry master, I will try again.

[Warren Azalin]

Warren nodded slowly to the padawan, knowing how hard it was to get the Force the first time. He would let her try as many times until she got it though, even if they had to stay here till dark...

"Do or Do Not. There is no Try Azhure."

[Azhure Darkstone]

::She closed her eyes and repeated the same process, fighting the panic of not being in control of every twinch of her body and trying to guide along the mental path. Azhure breathed hard outwards with her hands clenched, though not aware of it when they unclenched. her mind touched the force for a moment. A sweet feeling inside she had never felt.
She almost smiled when the panic returned and she was pushed back to reality again, getting into control,she made her body and mind calm down. It was working, slowly, it was.
Do or do not Warren had said and the words rang into her mind... azhuire closed her eyes to do. She could do this!

She held her eyes shut, getting back into the nothingness, feeling the struggle, but it had lessened for a second. Enough time to push further. She felt nothing, saw nothing save for what was inside her mind. Somethign wanted her to go back, pulling her back, but she ignored it as best she could, pushing but she felt the need not to push. It was strange, weird. You were in control again but you werent. A partnership?
She did not grab at the force this time, it came, it laughed, this time inviting her. It looked passed what she had been, it looked passed those deaths her hand had caused, it looked at her. It made her feel..like she could be someone good? like this was not all in vain.
She was here and did not want to go, did not want to leave.
Azhure had done it, and did not want to leave though something from the outside was telling her to, telling her to come back::

[Warren Azalin]

"Let Go Azhure, Let it go now!"

The Jedi Master rose to his feet quickly, knowing his Padawan had reached out to the Force and grasped it. He also knew that if she did not let go of it soon it would consume her and she would be no more.

"Azhure you must guide the Force through your body and come to peace with it. Unless you accept the Force and come to terms with it you shall be consumed by it. Put aside your past and accept the future..."

Warren knew Azhure had only one chance to come to terms with the Force or it would kill her...

[Azhure Darkstone]

:;Azhure heard the voice, no more like felt the voice. Let go of the past? How? Why? this place was so peaceful. A struggle began as the stubborn and sensible part of her started to argue the saem point. Somehow she would die if she stayed there, consume her mind, her soul until she became part of the force far too early. She could see a face in the distance. A face with ice blue eyes and a creased frown, a frown that was trying to figure out how she had gotten past the living force::

Now is not your time..now is not your time. Go back. Why are you here?

::She walked backwards involuntarily, back to invisable paths she had crossed too early. The past called strongly but she ignored the cries of anger, the voices that haunted her nightmares every night. The voices were calling her back, many, but not all voices who seemed to forgive. Some forgave as a future of help came..future...future.....

The voice of many voices turned into one voice and the void of protectiveness and peace broke as she opened her eyes and let out a long awaited gasp of air as the lungs restarted back to normal pace.

She closed her eyes again, and breathed in a bit, feeling stupid all of a sudden. She had allowed herself to lose control. succeeded in her task, but was far too practised at being in control of the physical self and not the spiritual self. As usual when she succeeded at something she excelled at it with a very strong level. This time far too strong, succeeding in a way that made her feel like she failed.

Azhure looked around, getting in touch with her surroundings again and did not look her master in the eye as she awaited for whatever he had to say. her own failing ate at her for the moment and she would not fail the next task, if there was one. back where she used to be, if you failed, you failed for the last time::

Im sorry master, The force was very strong and I became weak. I admit my fault and will learn from it