Ask End of the Heretic

[Kalique Baize]

Clutching the gauntlets, Kalique pressed on, her senses still on full alert as she watched Rhia climb back into the other chamber they had used to enter. The gauntlets were bathed in malicious energy, but the trained Knight-Captain had her coping mechanisms in keeping them at bay.

Not much longer, she told herself, and they could get rid of them. Perhaps the artifact was even more tempting to her as pyrokinesis was one of her fortes. The ebony flames had surely been mesmerizing, but she knew their source derived from the most deepest abysses.

"Time flew...I can feel it too. I believe a few hours, even if it hadn't felt like this", she replied, not wanting to worry her, but also giving her an honest reply. She had to learn that the dark side could be so twisted it could alter your perception, but even if it had gotten later, Kalique was glad it was over.

Once in the main chamber, after carefully having squeezed through the gap with the gauntlets then fastened at her belt, they walked back out. It seemed like time hadn't been the only thing that was weird in this place, as something about the appearance of the room had shifted as well, and as they made their way back up the stairs, they'd find themselves far away from where they had entered.

"Judging from the reports, both this monster and the artifact had been buried. This presence had been stronger than expected at somehow, it seems capable of messing with us more than we thought. But do you feel that? It's over now. This place seems much more...balanced".

Kalique wasn't assuming thos Guardian had been powerful enough to alter reality, but it seemed like everything they had seen after the landing had been a mirage. It would take them a moment to regain their sense of orientation, but they could finally walk back. "What have you learned today?". Even before meditation, she wanted her to reflect on this.

@Xorism

 

[Rhiannon]

The fact that Lady Demici felt it too was its own kind of weird relief, the thought of concern could be safely boxed up and allow the squire to better focus. With something of an expressively tired but still excited smile, Rhia nodded. "Uh huh, I do feel that...and a warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach. Perhaps the force is happy that we restored the balance?" Her eyes gleamed with delight at the thought before giggling. "Or maybe I'm just hungry."

Now the question of what she had learned was a more difficult one to answer. There wasn't so much of a concern about getting a wrong answer, Lady Demici didn't seem like the sort of teacher to scold a student for it. But the eager student did wish to both do well and show that she was paying attention.

"Hmm well.." Reflecting on the day's activities, she recalled how scary it had been to enter the catacomb with no idea about what they were going to encounter. "I learned that fear is a powerful emotion, but with focus and clarity, I can control it." The appearance of the guardian had taken her by surprise, and its scary gauntlets had come close to turning her to cinder. But overcoming such adversity wasn't hers alone to do. "I also learned that we are stronger together, the monster relied on brute strength, alone, and combined our efforts defeated it."

It wasn't the only battle of the day, however, as the ebony gauntlets lingered just out of sight. A weaker or more dangerous person may have indulged in the call of the void that emanated from the shiny objects. Its promise of strength and power had been tough to resist, and although she had managed it that time, that didn't mean she always would be able to. "Another thing I learned was that those gauntlets are definitely not in my colour." She tried to joke, but Kalique would notice that it was a forced laugh and a hint of concern lingered under the humour.

There was a question that she wanted to ask her mentor, but framing it in the right way was difficult. In the end, she gave up and just decided to try her best to get the intent across. "Uhm Lady Demici.." She was glad that they were still walking, although they had covered a bit of distance by now. "I know we're allowed to use the dark side of the force and all, and I trust that you'll keep me safe..." Little tears formed under her eyelids as she spoke, trying to hold herself together.

"But it's scary. It's like it knows me better than I know myself, and I'm afraid that I'll fail if you're not here to help me." Biting her lip as it started to quiver, she finished. "How can I make sure I never cross the line?" It was one thing to know the rules about what they could or could not do, but to put it into practice and be strong enough to stick to it? That was the million credit question.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

As they walked back to the ship together, the night air immediately encompassed them like a fresh veil of clarity. The oppressive narrowness was gone and back in the open, they could finally take in a deep breath after having been so successful.

Kalique was curious about her Squire's reply, but her features remained soft despite how focused she still was, not wanting to pressure her into blurring out the first response that came to her mind but to actually reflect on everything she had gone through. She let the joke about the hungriness slide and instead intently listened to when she began sharing her thoughts.

She did a great job not only summarizing, but offering indeed a reflected point of view. Kalique nodded approvingly not just about what she stated when it came to the necessity of staying in control but also about their strategies in the battle. "Well analyzed. We cannot simply fight fire with fire, but unlike them, and with that I mean those who have dedicated themselves to the darkness, we are fighting for a higher purpose". They could work together to serve and protect the Empire. They even had to, and it was a great source of strength.

As she joked about the gauntlet, she did raise a brow, but not in actual concern but rather about how she nervously tried to lighten the mood. A smirk still crossed her lips, knowing she still meant it well, so she refrained from a further comment. They walked in silence for a moment until she broke it again, her emotional state, however, changed.

Her own features shifted into slight concern as she did feel with her. It was good that she voiced the worries instead of letting them fester and grow on the inside, so she stopped for a moment and faced her, her gaze however quickly flicking down to the gauntlets.

"Like you said, fear is a powerful emotion. We can't be afraid, we need to be convinced that we can. It takes years to learn this kind of control, but you're on a good way". Her voice was soft, yet serious.

"You are still learning, but you did outstandingly well today. We'll meditate together later and I'll guide you through it. We constantly have to reflect on what we're doing, but the Empire is worth it all". She gave her an encouraging smile before she motioned for her to follow.

"The line will always be thin, but I'm really confident you can learn how to keep in balance". Rhia hadn't been a Sith, so her preconditions were good and Kalique meant what she said, so she was just hoping it would soothe her too. "Never forget that the dark side is deceptive. It will whisper anything to pull you down deeper, but that's why we have to strengthen our minds".

@Xorism

 

[Rhiannon]

Rhia felt her mood shift positively at the recognition of her analyzation. Self reflection was both a vital tool of the Imperial Knights but, more importantly, of a sane person. To dwell on one's flaws or hide them was to leave them to linger and poison, how could one grow in such conditions?

Although growing in a literal sense was another story, given that her height hadn't increased all year and perhaps never would again.

The squire looked up intently, absorbing everything Kalique said like a sponge, following her when the time came. "Thank you, Lady Demici." The difficulty in maintaining a level head while clouding yourself with the Dark Side seemed like the ultimate challenge that neither Sith nor Jedi could ever really understand. Didn't it seem easier to outright reject something as intimately powerful, or worse, fully embrace it and let it control you?

But the Imperial Knights, they stood alone on the precipitous edge of falling but never wavering. To walk in the darkness but to remain in control, that was their way. No matter how tough, or close they came to losing control, there was no choice but to continue. They were the shield in a galaxy of weapons, and the drums of war beat louder and louder each day.

Rhia could only hope that she'd be ready.

With a warmer smile re-appearing, the little blonde was ready to go again. "Is that why we're meditating? To strengthen our minds?" It was possible that she wanted to do it as a kind way to stop the squire asking so many questions, not that she'd ever say so. "I wanna learn more about how to control my fears, I want to be like you, not afraid of anything!"

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique was truly convinced that Rhia was doing fine, not just with what she had experienced here, but also in terms of her general mentality, which was good to see. They kept on walking, the night air fresh and the horizon darkening. "You're welcome".

Rhia's mind was seemingly full of questions, but Kalique didn't mind as it was much better to see her ask than to deal with it all by herself. "It is definitely a good reason for it, yes. There are other too though". Meditation came with countless perks, and it kept them on the right path.

Rhia kept on, saying something that made Kalique slightly grimace. The young squire was seemingly idolizing her mentor while being as eager as ever to learn. "That is not true...everyone is afraid of something. But what we can do is to constantly reflect and try to grow. There will always be times when you'll find yourself confronted with your inner most fears - the dark side has a way of trying to amplify everything you're keeping bottled up in the back of your mind - but it's upon you to learn how to overcome it" she let her words linger for a moment, knowing the weight of them.

As much as she wanted to protect the young, innocent mind from such thoughts, she knew she couldn't, as the dark side didn't wait for Knights to fully graduate before hitting them. "But that's exactly why we'll keep working on it together". Again, she gave her an encouraging smile before her emerald gaze flicked back ahead, finally spotting their ship.

It was okay - at least from a distance it didn't look like anything had tried to wreck havoc on it - so they directly headed towards it. Once inside, Kalique would immediately drop off the artifacts and lock them away safely for transport before she'd reactivate the pilot droid who'd get them back into Imperial Space.

"You can rest soon enough, but once we're in hyperspace we'll start with meditation first". She didn't need her mind to wander off while sleeping and spiral into a series of nightmares, so it was best to tackle the issue right away before anything could fester within the subconscious.

@Xorism

 

[Rhiannon]

Reflecting on the day's events with Lady Demici left the young squire feeling pretty good about her own conduct. Of course there was always room for improvement, but all things considered they had completed the mission without injury or incident. And even better, she had learned some valuable lessons about the Dark Side.

After boarding the ship together and whilst her mentor tended to the spooky gauntlets, Rhia made her way to the area where they would likely meditate and sat down. Here she pulled out a small notebook and pink gel pen and began to scribble down her thoughts into the small diary. Today was a very long, exhausting day!! But I wouldn't trade it for anything ♡

Soon after, Kalique would find her as she was finishing up, the squire excitedly slipping the journal under herself. "Ready when you are, Lady Demici." Although, she would probably need a little more guidance than just freeballin' this stuff.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

After their newly acquired load had been secured and stored away, Kalique let the pilot droid set course for Raxus. They'd have to prepare for the jump to hyperspace, however once they were finally on their direct way, Kalique went for the common area first.

She grabbed herself a chilled bottle of water and took a refreshing sip before she unstrapped her armor plates. She didn't need the bulky protection now and was fine with the stretchy body suit underneath that allowed enough flexibility for the meditation. She took of her lightsabers too and put her hair up in a ponytail before she waited for Rhia to rejoin her.

The squire was still in her cabin, so with a subtle knock she let her know she was ready, and as Rhia stepped out, the two Knights moved into the spacious area up ahead on the left that offered enough space to start winding down. "Sit down with me". Kalique then took a seat, legs crossed and waiting for her to do the same before she met her gaze.

"Feel the Force flowing right through you and then close your eyes. Find my presence, and hold onto it. I'll guide you" she instructed her calmly, already feeling her own heartbeat slowing down. "Describe what you feel..." whatever she was feeling, Kalique would purposely amplify. She needed her to grasp its power and the chaos their encounter in the catacombs had triggered, before she'd be able to help her redirect and correctly channel it.

@Xorism

 

[Rhiannon]

Down dressed as well, Rhia followed her mentor along the corridor until she was offered a seat. With her usual casual smile, the squire did as she was asked and looked up expectedly, awaiting further instruction that soon arrived. Meditation was not something that she had much if any experience in and so the process was a little strange at first, but the girl was eager to learn how to protect herself.

Drawing upon the force and closing her eyes, Rhia drew herself back to the catacombs and the eerie feeling that was present earlier, found her once more and engulfed the squire. The image she locked upon wasn't even entirely accurate to what had happened, clutching a book that was never there, and minus her mentor at that. From the corner of her mind, she felt a touch of warmth, which she quickly recognised as Lady Demici.

Rhia imagined and described herself walking slowly, aiming to follow this feeling through the terror and worry that was awash over the poor squire. "I feel ... the Dark Side lacing itself to my mind, concocting and polluting my emotions." Her mind was largely unfocused, swaying between various feelings and pain. Her face contorted slightly as the mental strain picked up with the Knight-Captain's amplifcation.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Through the Force, Kalique sensed the whirlwind of mostly dark emotions as Rhia was mentally going back to the catacombs. She didn't interfere just then, only stayed with her until the Squire made progress and pushed passed the abyss that threatened to pull her in by whispering false promises to the susceptible mind.

"Don't let it" she calmly remarked, knowing it was easier to say than to do, however she was doing fine and remained reflective. Still, sometimes it was good to focus on what mattered just like that. "The Dark Side runs through you. We draw our powers from it, but we can't let it control us" she reminded her, now aiding her in bringing order to the inner chaos.

"It will keep trying to tempt you and the allure is there" she admitted, giving her nothing but the truth and also not veiling facts. "But in order to fight for our Empire, we need to stay in control". She started to silence it, pushing it back. "Use your willpower". She had to push through herself, but she'd keep sensing the Knight-Captains presence as solid and unwavering as she needed it.

@Xorism

 

[Rhiannon]

The young squire felt the pulsing energy of the Dark Side amplify her emotions, attempting to draw out a lash of anger, a lapse of judgement or some other response. The visually bleak cave before her was flush with emotional triggers. Even sensing her mentors' presence, the fear of abandonment plucked at her psyche, seeking leverage against the vulnerable but finding little salvation in Rhia's mind.

Each step she took further into this cave was filled with fright and terror, the sounds of horrors unknown echoed through from one end to the other to discourage her from proceeding. Determined as ever, little Rhia pressed onward through the narrow corridors, refusing to give authority to the raw power that lingered between them.

Finally, the cavern opened up and low and behold the mighty beast from earlier stood frighteningly tall with its menacing glare and sharp talons. "You are afraid, little one, open your heart to the Darkness, and we will show you the way." Staring up at the monstrosity above her, the young squire felt her throat dry and tremble. "No.." came a light whisper from her mouth.

With unnatural speed, it screamed across the floor with an almighty thundering boom, stopping just short of the girl before it. Its wicked hands slid around her tiny torso, clenching shut and squeezing, attempting to overwhelm her in a blitz attack. Each passing second begot worse and worse pain, but she was stronger than she realised. "No." She said defiantly, at last finding her focus and control within that image.

A small image of a smiling blonde, a little older than Rhia came into view. The renewed self-determination pushed back against the corruption and malicious tendrils masquerading as a monster. The booming voice, once dominant and in control, now cracked under the pressure and realised what was happening. "Waiiiit..stop." Without remorse, the little Rhia pushed back against the image with her mind, toppling it and watching it suddenly fall into oblivion.

The blank canvas suddenly filled with bright colours and a valley bloomed all around her, as life returned, bringing a broad smile to her face in both excitement for the success and amazement of the change. The familiar presence of Lady Demici had brought the squire to the ledge and lent her all the support one could ask for, but it was through her own determination and will power, that she slew the beast that was holding her back.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Connected though the Force and with Kalique offering additional support, the young Squires went through quite a lot. Kalique kept watching, not interfering but carefully monitoring her experiences, emotions and decisions, always ready to jump in of necessary but not acting before it was actually needed.

It was essential that Squires learned how to find their own methods and ways to deal with such situations and Kalique sensed that Rhia was strong enough. The fear that grasped her in one moment was overcome in the next, and without relying on feeling superior, Rhia combated the monster she re-encoutered.

She did very well, and as the darkness suddenly faded, a wide, warm smile was planted on the mentor's lips. "Very good. You've done just the right thing. You didn't let it get to you, you kept your mental walls up and you focused on what mattered" Kalique reiterated, offering some genuine words of praise.

"See? You can do it. You've just faced something horrible and managed to deal with it. That's exactly what we're doing. We're not letting our dark emotions consume us, even if they lent us some strength". She leaned back on her hands and stretched her legs. Kalique felt a slight soreness in her muscles and her mind was exhausted, too, but it had been important to process what happened in the catacombs first.

"If those thoughts ever surface, I want you to do exactly what you have just done. Confront those fears and overcome them just like you have", Kalique then pushed herself of to her feet, slightly rubbing her left temple. "Are you feeling alright? It might be best if we get some rest before we reach Raxus" the Knight-Captain then suggested, meeting the Squires gaze. The missions had been a full success and she was feeling calm, so Kalique would allow the both of them to refuel first.

@Xorism

 

[Rhiannon]

A little smile eclipsed just how happy her feedback made the young squire. The uplifting words of praise were a definite boost in confidence, perhaps passing one of the many tests she would need to in order to become a good knight.

With a small nod of the head, "Thank you, Lady Demici, I will meditate each day like you showed me." The talk of sleep caused an involuntary yawn to take hold of her body. "Uhm, actually yes, that does sound like a good idea." she remarked with a giggle.

Pulling herself up off the ground and stretching, she would likely reflect on this first mission for some time. Her teachers, influences and experiences would all go on to shape the kind of woman that she would grow up to be. As a Knight-Captain, Kalique was more than just a mentor to these squires, she would become their role model, their support.

Glancing back towards the other as they said their goodbyes for the night, Rhia's heart was full.

@LadyRen