Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898 
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Luxeria on Apr 1, 2019 10:35:58 GMT -8
It was a shame, knowing that currently none presented any particular skills or interests, at least none that Gavin as confident enough to share. Still, she would keep her eyes and ears to the ground regarding the upcoming students, including any others being trained by others. She couldn't simply focus on one small group when there were others to see as well. There was still time to make her judgments. As Gavin had stated, it would possibly be another two years before these students were ready to become apprentices. It gave her time to finish her own tasks. Force willing, all she attempted to achieve would come to pass. "I see. As you come to understand them and their interests, please do keep me in the loop. I look forward to seeing what they seek to gain from their powers."
With that, Luxeria gave a bow. She had initially come to visit with Gavin, but upon seeing and speaking with his students, her desire for being here had changed. Now she wished to see what other students were being brought up within the Blackguard and if any would prove themselves a fit for her. Departing the training area, she began to explore to rest of the academy.
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 5, 2019 12:13:21 GMT -8
With the second year of training finally at a close, the time had come to begin splitting his students' focus into more specialized roles and training based upon who they were and what they sought to achieve. As they entered the training area to begin their early exercises, Gavin stopped them before they could begin. "You have all come a long way since we started two years ago. You've all done well with the basics and even some more advanced skills due to your dedicated training. But now it is time to begin setting each of you on the path you see for yourselves when becoming apprentices and beyond. So, starting now, I will take each of you, one by one and talk with you, see if you've been thinking about who you are and what you hope to achieve so as to help set you on the right path. Once I have gone through each of you, I will begin breaking down the classes to put you all in proper groups for this next level of training. When you are not with me, I expect you to continue your daily training. As you progress with what you come to learn, I expect you to start applying it to your daily training, understood? Now, Duvrax. Come with me."
As the others began their training for the day, Gavin led the Zabrak into a smaller training area. "As far as everyone has come since the beginning, for as strong as all of you are becoming, I must say, when it comes to character, you have done the most growing. You are no longer that arrogant, impatient youngling thinking he was better than everyone around him. As such, I'd say it has carried you well into the power you've obtained."
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 5, 2019 13:43:16 GMT -8
Duvrax followed Gavin as the others began their training for the day. He was curious as to what Gavin had to think about him and his possible path, though he had a solid idea on what he wanted for himself. he just hoped that Gavin could see that and help him achieve his goals.
As they entered the smaller room, he listened as the instructor spoke of the difference of who he was when the training started and now. The Zabrak had seen the change, even in those first few days and had watched himself grow every moment afterward. It wasn't something hard to miss. And as Gavin did, he felt that it had only furthered his training and gave him new understanding that he would have otherwise missed.
"Thank you, master. I have to admit, it was a strange experience when I challenged you in the beginning. But I see how patience, understanding, and humility can actually further my strength."
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 5, 2019 13:45:34 GMT -8
As Duvrax spoke, Gavin didn't try to hide the smile that came to his face as the words came to life. "That is the sign of true growth when you open your mind and see such things. Keep at it, and you will become truly powerful. And with that, have you given thought to the question? Have you figured out who you are and what you wish to achieve?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 6, 2019 9:21:05 GMT -8
When the question was aked, Duvrax nodded with a smile.
"I have. I was born with greater potential against many fronts: the Force and my larger size. While I've gained new insight on how to best utilize other aspects to make me even more capable, I know my advantages lie with his sheer strength and displays of power."
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 6, 2019 9:24:38 GMT -8
Gavin nodded. "Good. You've put real thought in knowing who you are and your advantages. They are tied to your desire for power. Quite easy enough to see what works best for you. Before that, spar with me a little. Let me see your mind in combat. Show me what you got." Removing the training saber he carried from its resting place, he ignited the crimson blade and waited for Duvrax to attack him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 6, 2019 9:29:12 GMT -8
When Gavin said to attack him, Duvrax wasted no time. His master wanted to see his current strength, to gauge it, to see where it fell. It was far different than the first time as now there was a level of respect. This would be a test, not a display of humiliation. Jumping forward, he began his assault, focusing on his strength while keeping himself aware of any counter Gavin might have in store. He came from every direction he could, seeking to find the opening as if this was a true fight, knowing that was what Gavin sought out of this. There were moments when he felt he saw an opening and pushed his attack harder than the rest, moving in with ferocity and risking and opening on himself. No matter what this fight was for, he wanted Gavin to see just how far he had come.
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 6, 2019 9:47:58 GMT -8
There was no hesitation in the Zabrak as he began his assault, yet it wasn't without a level of caution and awareness to it. This time around, Duvrax was facing him as if facing a true enemy, taking everything he learned over the past two years and applying it. In just a few strikes, Gavin could already see just how far he had come in his mindset alone. And that made him much stronger and much more capable than anyone could realize. Though his own experiences still put him in leagues above any of the students, it didn't go unnoticed that Gavin had to put an effort into his defenses and even some of his attacks. The power in each swing was unmistakable. Had he played it so cool as the first spar they had, he would have actually gotten himself hurt. A definite testament to their growing skills. He hoped and expected the same level of skill from the others in whatever form they unleashed.
Several minutes went by as Gavin watched and analyzed every move, especially the moments of ferocity. Duvrax was easy to read, which was good in this case. It wasn't figuring out his patterns but his style, which could be figured out by anyone who paid enough attention. Stepping back, he brought the fight to an end. "That is enough, Duvrax. You have certainly come a long way since the beginning. You are growing stronger by the moment. Keep that focus and drive and, one day, even I may not be able to stand against your strength. Believe me when I say that your potential will carry you to places even you couldn't imagine. Now for a quick assessment. You definitely need to learn Form V as it is a form of combat based around strength. Also, I would recommend looking into Form VII as well. It comes with drawbacks, but keep up the mindset you have, and it will be a valuable form in your arsenal as it'll allow you to tap into your ferocity. As for Force powers, I believe you to be the more direct in your abilities and the strength displayed from them. As such, I'd learn Force Choke and its strong variation, Force Crush, the stronger and more devastating form of Force Wave known as Force Repulse, and finally, take a look at Force Destruction. I do believe these skills will suit you well. That is all for now. Rejoin your peers and continue training. Remember to look into these abilities and get a firm grasp of them until we begin that training."
Leading Duvrax back to the group, it was time to bring in the next student. "Prakira, you're next." Disappearing back into the room, he waited for the female Zabrak to arrive. When she did, he gave her a small smile before starting. "I see you spend quite a bit of time in the library. Finding anything of particular interest?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 6, 2019 11:51:12 GMT -8
Taking pride in the words from Gavin as well as his own strength, he took Gavin's suggestion to heart. Once they finished the day's training, he'd spend time researching the combat forms and abilities in the library and try to implement them the best he could on his own until his individual training could begin. With their time at a close, he headed back to the others.
Prakira was working with the others in group combat as she was called. Letting Duvrax take her place, she moved to the other area. When the question came to her, she perked up a bit, clearly excited about what she was learning. It was how she was when talking with Lizbeth as they held similar interests.
"I've taken a liking to learning about the mind, its defenses, and the power it holds over the body. I've particularly enjoyed going through all the mental mazes I can find."
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 6, 2019 13:41:51 GMT -8
Gavin crossed his arms as she spoke. "Interesting. That's quite the interest you've taken. Indeed, the mind holds great power over the body. The more confined and narrow the mind thinks about itself and the hold around it, the more it binds and limits you. When you let it expand and take in new things, shaping these experiences and bits of knowledge can grant you growth. Within it lies the true depth of how far you can push yourself and when you give up. Emotions can break it and those who are weak of mind and can't properly defend it become a slave to those who wield abilities that affect the mind. But to those who can strengthen their mind and defend it become unbreakable. I would most definitely suggest learning Mind Barrier and other techniques to defend your mind along with strengthening your resolve. Learn to slip into the mind of others and break their defenses, learn of the skills that can destroy the mind such as Force Fear and Torture by Chagrin. Then there are different levels of mental persuasion to full-on control of the mind. For someone such as you, there is a large expanse of skills you can learn. It's only a matter of figuring out the type of person you wish to be in regards to the mind as they each follow a different path. You can even learn Battle Meditation to better help erode the resolve of enemies in battle or strengthen your allies. But now, face in my combat. Let me see what style you choose. Follow what your mind wishes to do and see who you are."
He then ignited his blade, waiting only for a few moments before unleashing his attacks.
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 6, 2019 15:08:20 GMT -8
Prakira thought hard on the techniques Gavin brought to her attention as well as what he believed the mind's power truly had over the body. It verified much of what she read and believed and some of the powers he mentioned had fallen before her eyes in her studies. While she knew she wanted power over the mind, she still wasn't sure about what path she wished to take in that venture. If she wanted, she could follow all of them, be versatile when it came to ruling the mind, but it was something she wasn't fully sure of yet.
When he brought up fighting her and ignited his saber, she ignited her saberstaff, the weapon she had come to prefer in the two years of training thus far. It felt more defensible than a single saber and didn't seem to bear the same weakness of strength as Jar'Kai did. With the proper spins, she could easily create a defensive barrier around her ability to defend from any direction.
She brought her saber up to defend his first attack, then kept herself more defended as he attacked, forcing him to make his moves, moving out of the way to let him fall with his momentum as she kept her weapon close, leaving little room to make a strike against her. It was about patience and timing to her, letting him wear himself down as she observed him, figuring out his mind and how he attacked. As her opening came, she made her attacks against him but didn't seek to overextend herself either by range or making more than one or two strikes against him. She needed to be ready to raise her defense at a moment's notice.
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 6, 2019 15:55:34 GMT -8
Gavin pressed his attacks against Prakira and though she was particularly strong or even aggressive in her attacks, her defense was solid as was her ability to use his momentum against him from time to time. Even her patience and timing was good. Her approach was yet another easy one to pinpoint and when she became strong enough, she saw very few being able to break through her defense. She could even bring down Duvrax if she strengthened herself enough as his strength would wear out before she would, making him an easy target.
As with Duvrax, he spent only a few minutes before ending the spar. "With your focus on the mind and its defense, you have established a similar defensive style in regards to combat. Coupled with your preference of a saber staff, you would most certainly do well learning Form III. And with a solid skill in both Jar'Kai and Shii-Cho you are better well off. If you wish to learn another form, I would suggest the possibility of Form VI, but that is entirely up to you. Learn and study up before training begins." He placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile. "That is all. Please send Krokaa in."
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 7, 2019 7:17:14 GMT -8
Prakira deactivated her saberstaff as Gavin spoke. While she hadn't spent much time concerning herself with the different lightsaber forms, she remembered Form III enough to suddenly think upon it and how she was currently fighting. She hadn't realized just how her mindset and fascination with the mind had affected her combat style. But it was true. And now, she had something more for her to look to, to get her moving along her individual path. When he dismissed her, she gave him a bow before departing the room, moving over to Krokaa and taking his place.
As the final Zabrak made his way to the room Gavin was in, he couldn't help but feel nervous. He had been asked the question a year ago and even now, he had no clue about what path he wanted to take. As such, it felt like failure to the task given to him and expected Gavin to be mad when he found out. But the time had come to face the music. Entering to the room, he gave a small bow, though tried to keep from looking at him.
"Master."
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 7, 2019 7:41:42 GMT -8
Gavin watched as Krokaa entered, his steps and voice bit sullen. He didn't even try to look him in the eyes, a nature that seemed uncharacteristic of him. Tilting his head, he couldn't help but ask. "You seem a little down, Krokaa. Anything wrong?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 7, 2019 7:44:51 GMT -8
As the question came, the Zabrak didn't want to answer. A few moments of silence passed by before he gave off a sigh and finally looked up at Gavin.
"I've failed the task you've given us. A year ago, you asked the question of who we were and what we wished to achieve with our power. In that year of thinking, I couldn't find an answer. And now we are stepping down that path and I have no answer to give."
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 7, 2019 7:56:42 GMT -8
Gavin listened and ended up laughing a little as he shook his head. "While I appreciate the honesty and feelings behind it, that doesn't mean you've failed. Figuring out who you are and what path you wish to take isn't always such an easy task. It just means that you're putting deep thought into it and hasn't clearly figured out what stands out to you. Some people don't have the particular traits that define them or focused interests. But worry not. You might not have come to figure things out for yourself, but that's the advantage of being around others who watch you. They can help illuminate that darkness. For example, out of everyone, you show an aptitude for leadership. You proved it that first time I left you all alone and you took charge with others following behind you without issue. That's why I gave you charge the second time. So that's a start. But still, this is just the beginning. A means to help you start on the path. As time goes on, things will fall into place."
He then walked up to Krokaa and placed his hand on his shoulder in order to reassure him. "For now though, face me in combat. Perhaps we can figure out a style of combat for you to get started on." Stepping back a few feet, he ignited his lightsaber and prepared himself for Krokaa to attack.
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 7, 2019 11:48:48 GMT -8
Inwardly, Krokaa sighed with relief at Gavin's words. As much as he wanted to have an answer for him, at least it didn't matter that he didn't. In fact, it seemed that others, Gavin included, had been keeping eyes on him and figuring him out. As such, Gavin felt that he could be a leader more than the rest. Thinking back on it, he guessed that he did have such a nature about him. A lot of times, his peers did look to him. It was certainly a start. If that was what others saw from him, then he'd work to continue being the leader they thought him to be. But he'd have to take care to not become a leader they despised.
When Gavin ignited his saber, Krokaa did so as well with a nod. They stood watching each other for a few moments before the Zabrak made his attack. He chose to mix and match his approach, holding a few bits of defense and timing in some cases, bearing down with strength other times, and even occasionally seeking more graceful, precision strikes with lunges and parries. His style flipped back and forth among these few different approaches, hoping to bring Gavin down, though the chances of that, he knew, was low.
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 7, 2019 12:08:26 GMT -8
More time was spent in combat with Krokaa than with the others. Each time Gavin thought he had a grasp on the Zabrak's style, he changed it. It caused him to draw out the battle more than normal to better understand the best form for his student. In some ways, he could recommend multiple forms, but to best cover all he expressed in combat, doing so would take a lot of work to manage. As he worked to sort out the style, he, himself, had to work a bit more at facing down Krokaa. The constant changes in style prompted different responses. Which was a good thing in the scheme of things. It meant that he'd always keep an advantage longer in combat than his enemy.
After twenty minutes of combat, Gavin brought the match to an end. "Very well done, Krokaa. Your use of different styles in combat is a credit, to be sure. It did take me a bit longer to sort out what style I think would work best for you as a result, though that is as much a good thing. You can implement different forms of combat, switching between them well. As a fighter, it makes you quite balanced. So as the primary form I'd recommend, I suggest looking into Form VI. It is a blend of all the forms before it. While it holds no actual specific advantage like the forms before it, it also lacks the weaknesses as well. As a leader, it also would help you find and maintain said balance in all aspects of life. That being said, you don't have to if you don't wish, but perhaps you should, at least sample all the other forms as well. Further knowledge in those arts could allow you to find moments to lean into a different aspect of combat should you find it more to your advantage. I would also look at learning abilities that span a larger array as well to keep you more balanced in the field. But that is all for now."
Leading Krokaa back into the main area, the time had passed by as he had worked with the three for the day. The day's training was coming to a close. "Alright, everyone. Tomorrow, we'll be continuing this same approach. Cayne, we'll start with you first, then Elysta, and Kosrezic. Begin thinking about your answers when I ask you what you desire. I will be quite curious as to your responses. Dismissed."
|
|
|
|
Post by Spectres of Midnight on Apr 7, 2019 18:44:19 GMT -8
Krokaa took the words to heart as Gavin broke down where he saw his combat skills laid. It was certainly a start, even if he still had no true idea of who he wished to be. Maybe the concept of a balanced warrior was something to think on, especially if he was to truly become a leader. Perhaps when things got settled, he'd speak with the others and maybe learn something they were so that he covered many bases and could aid each of them. As the training came to an end, Krokaa left for the library, as did Prakira and Duvrax, lost in thought.
|
|
Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 8, 2019 2:01:10 GMT -8
The next day came swiftly as Gavin made his into the training area ahead of his students. Taking his place in the opening that separated the smaller room from the larger, he waited for them to arrive. They’d get started immediately once Cayne arrived. He was curious as to what the rest of the students learned about themselves, if anything. Once he sorted it out, he could let Luxeria know so she could begin figuring out who’d she’d take as an apprentice.
As Cayne arrived, Gavin motioned for the boy to follow. When they were clear of the others, he asked his question. "So, have you figured out the kind of person you are, or does that reality will elude you?"
|
|
