Tales of Tenric's Training: Part II

Here we have the next installment of the story.....
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(Part II)

It was a small forest clearing deep in the heart of the Darkwood. Low brush grew in and around the roots of the trees that ringed the open space. Lush grass grew interspersed with moss and lichen, filling the clearing except for the exact center, which held a large boulder. It was made of a dark veined, grayish, rock that was easily fifteen feet around and nearly five high. Clearings such as this were rare in Darkwood, and this one was Tenric’s. Tucked up against the foothills of the A’Roupar Mountains the trees here grew so thick that only the hardiest of ground foliage could survive and the trails were little more than wide spaces between the trunks.

The ground was a combination of spongy moss and detritus that had fallen from the trees above. Many creatures lived in the wood. Most were small, some were predatory, and all could be dangerous. Tenric was not concerned, however, because he had grown up in the area and knew their ways. As long as he merely passed through and made no disturbance they remained unconcerned. Aroused, however, they could be noisy, and harassing, even threatening.

He had found the clearing yesterday while searching for a spot to make his own for meditation. Remembering his Master’s last lesson Tenric had tried to feel the ebb and flow between the Unifying and Living Force. He had walked for what seemed like hours without purpose, following his feet and the faint whisperings he sensed in the Force. He had ended up in this clearing and known immediately it was to be his place. He did not know why, just that it was the right place.

Placing the stout stave that functioned as both his walking stick and practice saber against the boulder he clambered lightly up onto the rock and sat with his back to the mountains. Closing his eyes he cleared his mind by imagining the waters of the pond and then smoothing out the ripples on the surface. It took him a few minutes to succeed and then, thus calmed, he reached out with the Force toward his distant homestead…

“Master.” He called silently, “I have found my place. Can you now find me?”

He was not sure if he had enough control to manage such a message, but an answering wave of amusement told him both message and challenge had, at least, been understood and accepted. Now he had only to wait. His Master’s teaching yesterday had changed his view on meditation and he was quite eager to begin learning more about it. It would, however, be some time before his Master could locate him so Tenric thought it would be interesting to explore his clearing a bit.

Crossing his legs he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, emptying himself as he did so. Then he reached out a hand and touched the rock upon which he sat. He could feel the warmth that the rock had absorbed from the sun along with a sense of both size and age. Apparently the rock was much larger than it appeared, with only the tip exposed. There was the faintest hint of vibration in the rock and Tenric wondered once more about the ripples his Master has spoken of. He tried to go deeper, to the bottom of the rock, but kept getting distracted by faint sensations from all around him. Focusing himself he drew his Force-sense inward until he once more felt the sun’s warmth.

With another deep breath and exhale he pushed himself farther down, or was it out, and became aware of what could only be the root system of the grass in the clearing. The Force, he assumed it was the Living Force, was present in the grass as faint echoes not unlike a chorus of Burble Toads heard from afar. He could feel a connectedness something like he did with the pond yesterday. Here and there he could sense open spots with echoes so faint he was unsure if they were real. Those must be the moss and lichen he realized.

So fascinated was he with this new adventure that he was quite unaware of both the passing of time and the arrival of his Master. An uncomfortable sensation rose in his awareness and Tenric realized his right leg was badly cramped. This had the effect of yanking him out of his trance-like state and back to himself. Just as his self-awareness returned his Force-sense went wild alerting him to an unexpected presence right on top of him!

Tenric’s body jerked convulsively as he tried to do to many things at once. It seemed that opening his eyes, extending the pained leg, calling his stave to him, and hopping off the boulder, away from the presence, into a fighting stance was asking a bit too much from his inexperienced muscles. All he succeeded in actually doing was shooting his leg out and losing his balance on the rock, falling over sideways and hitting the ground somewhat painfully, landing next to his stave.

A heavy sigh told Tenric the intruder was his Master. Turning he saw that resigned but slightly amused expression his Master seemed to direct his way at least once a day. Favoring his cramped leg, he rose and smiled a hello.

“Master! How did you find me so quickly?” he asked.

“Have you been sitting there since you called to me?” His Master asked looking concerned now.

“Yes, but I still don’t….” Tenric cut his reply short as he realized that the boulder’s shadow, which fell between he and his Master, was in the wrong position. His Master just stood and waited for it. He knew his Padawan would figure it out on his own, he always did. It took a few moments for Tenric to do the math based on the shadow. When he did get it he whistled loudly and leaned against the rock.

“You mean I was sitting there for almost three hours!” He exclaimed while rubbing his cramped leg.

“I have been here nearly an hour myself.” His Master replied, “I was beginning to worry that you might not be able to find your way back. It has happened a few times. Thankfully, though you seemed not to have strayed too far.”

“Not find my way back?” The thought sent a chill through him.

“Tenric. It was unwise of you to make such an attempt without my guidance. Curiosity is a key element in all learning, but so is discipline.” Then seeing the stricken look on his Padawan’s face he continued more softly, “Besides, it is important for us old folk to at least feel needed.”

The quiet jest in his Master’s voice calmed Tenric. He had been horrified at the thought of being lost in the Currents and not able to get back, not be himself anymore.

“Couldn’t you have helped me get back?” he asked in a slightly hurt tone.

“I was about to do just that, when you pulled that odd little maneuver and fell off the rock.” His Master replied in an amused tone. Tenric acknowledged the jab by screwing his mouth sideways and giving a ‘humph”.

“All living things are connected in the Force.” His Master intoned using his formal ‘teaching voice’. “All things have a place, a purpose, a balance.” He gestured to indicate they should sit upon the rock.

They sat. Tenric knew this was the beginning of today’s lesson so he stilled his mind and focused on burning what he was taught into his mind. He wanted to be able to go over it tonight as he did with all the lessons he felt were of special importance.

“You have chosen your place of meditation well Tenric. I wonder, though, if you understand the why behind it yet.”

“It felt right Master. I followed whisperings in the Force that led me here, and when I arrived I knew this was the place.”

His Master nodded at this. “You show remarkable promise my Padawan. Now close your eyes and let me show you the ‘why’.”

Tenric obeyed and shut his eyes, instinctually calming his mind, and centering himself as he had been taught to do. Then he felt the slightest pressure in his mind, had the merest glimmer of danger-sense from the Force. He let go of it and pictured himself as a leaf floating on the water.

“Heed my voice now Padawan.” Came the formal tone. “You must know your place, your purpose, and your balancing point in the Force before you can step safely into the vastness of it all.” His Master spoke now in a whisper, but Tenric heard him clearly in his mind.

“Many long Millennia ago there were those who knew and understood the currents in the Force. They were neither Sith nor Jedi, but held to the Light. It may even be that their influence began the Jedi on their monastic path. One of my old masters discovered their teachings and taught me. We devoted ourselves to learning their ways. They lived symbiotically with all life and understood how the ripples interacted. They also knew how to become one with the Force and yet retain their essence. Of all things I may teach you, these will be the most useful to you in the time to come.”

Here he paused for a moment to allow Tenric to re-center himself for he had sensed his padawan’s rising excitement.

“You have felt the connections these last few days and sensed the currents as you found your way here. Now you must remain at the center of calm I have shown you how to find, this time however you must open your eyes while doing so.”

Tenric waited a few moments to be sure his whole being was calm and centered. He could feel the rock beneath him as an anchor. The rock was his balancing point he realized, the clearing his place, and as he opened his eyes he began to understand his purpose. There before his eyes was more than just the clearing, the trees, and the grass. Ripples and waves moved all around him like heat on a summer afternoon. The waves seemed to flow and respond much, as would those of water. As he watched he could see currents moving through them, each one setting up new ripples or changing ones already there. So amazed was he that after a few moments he lost his anchor and the current, ripples, and waves vanished from view.

“Master, I am sorry.” He began, “I - -I was overwhelmed.”

“As was I the first time.” His Master smiled back. “Now let us practice a bit more shall we?”

So practice they did. As the afternoon wore on Tenric learned to maintain his Force-Vision for longer periods of time. He learned to stand and even walk while his eyes saw what he thought of as two worlds. He began to realize that there were differences between the currents that flowed from the Unifying Force and those of the Living Force. He also came to see why this clearing had seemed right to him. It was a point of resonance in the Force. The boulder acted like a jetty at the beach, calming and separating the waves.

The next day his Master showed him how to follow individual currents or ripples to see where they had originated or were headed. It was by no means easy and left Tenric so exhausted that he slept heavily and without dreams that night. By week’s end he had begun to “surf the Force”, as he called it, by establishing a cadence between his movements and breathing. In this way he was able to stay calm and centered much of the time while going about his daily activities. He was learning to see the Force active around him at all times.

In the second week his Master helped him focus on the smaller ripples caused by thoughts and intentions. Tenric learned to see another’s indecision or conviction and began to learn how Jedi could tell lie from truth. He also learned how he could use the Force to change those ripples in subtle ways. In the third week he began to see colors in the currents. His Master told him that each Jedi was unique and would find his own way to interpret the Force-Vision. Apparently for Tenric the addition of tints and hues to the waves, ripples, and currents were to be his way. The colors were subtle and did not obscure his normal sight, but they were there and he began to learn to interpret them.

It was at month’s end, though, that Tenric got his first taste of Saber dueling the ‘Jedi’ way…..