Summon the Wind

[Xander Blackmoore]

Xander had received an interesting request. There was an assassin, one he had met before, who was among the Sith and learning well. The woman showed promise, and requested to learn the elements. Xander could teach her the first she would need to know, and planned to do so. The king always had need of assassins at his disposal, and nothing of the Sith ever came free. This one would be called on to kill for him in exchange for this lesson at a time of his choosing.

A dispatch was sent to young woman to meet Xander deep within the forest surrounding the temple. A clearing laid deeper than most were willing to travel, but provided more than enough privacy to conduct the elemental lesson this one desired. The dark side was rich in this clearing, and Xander rest on his knees, meditating, and soaking it in.

[Adgertesse]

The summons had been heeded and though she knew only a bit about the monarch, she and Xander had little time to converse even during the return trip from Derilyn. Traversing through the rugged terrain and around thick, ancient trees, the assassin from Edan II found herself enjoying the exercise that was required to reach the point that he had chosen for the training. Dalethria had demanded that the assassin find her before sunrise and Tess had done so with only moments to spare, this quest had a bit less at stake.

Keying in on the dark side that flowed from the meditating master for today's lesson, the brunette found it a bit easier to locate Xander and almost hated that he was making it so easy. Though hunting him wasn't the goal of today's meeting either.

Soon, the lithe disciple leaped from a large boulder and into the clearing, easing her descent as her master had taught her, using the Force to keep from disturbing him as well as practicing her ability to be stealthy. Studying him as he knelt there, she remained quietly patient, blue eyes taking in their surroundings.

[Xander Blackmoore]

In her attempt to be stealthy, the disciple forgot the fact her aura could be sensed as she approached. Xander was connected to the dark side, and his senses very atune to the environment which surrounded him. Every disturbance her movements made to the environment could be felt, as well as her own signature.

He smiled at her attempt, knowing he would have done something similar in the past. The monarch thought to let her believe she had succeeded, but where would the lesson in that be. Eyes remaining still, Xander let his voice give away the knowlege he possessed.

"I felt your arrival before you managed to get to the top of the boulder," he said as his blue eyes opened.

Xander stood to his feet, and approached the lithe woman not much younger than himself. He looked her over and remarked inwardly how deceptive the beauty of a woman could be. So much could be hidden, and in this one's case, a deadly secret was contained beneath the surface.

"I did not hear you however, so for that I shall give you credit. You've changed since that first day we met. You're stronger."

[Adgertesse]

Blue eyes shot to Xander as he spoke, his revelation not a great surprise to the assassin as she had learned a lot about the Force in the past few months. Her desire to be quiet was more for those not using the Force knowing that she could be upon them before they knew it. The initial surprise usually giving the attacker the advantage when the need arose.

Nodding to him respectfully, Tess grinned. "Lady Dalethria has taught me a lot in the last few weeks, so I feel a lot stronger. Though, as she also stressed, I have a long way to go."

[Xander Blackmoore]

"Yes, well it will come with time. What matters is that you are getting stronger, and that you are still alive."

The words were some kind of praise, but also an exhortation to keep working hard. Though Xander could tell she didn't need him to remind her of the need to do so. The disciple was there to get stronger, to learn the element of wind. This was a skill Xander rarely used, and one he had never taught to another, but he found it useful at times. The assassin was sure to know when it would be to her advantage to use it.

"I want you to open yourself to the force, and get comfortable. We are going to venture into something that will be physically draining for you at first. It is the nature of this particular skill after all."

[Adgertesse]

Grinning, she knew that was the truth, Dalethria nearly killing her in the woods when Tess smiled and seemed rather pleased with herself as they reached the last skill to train in. Her throat hurt for two days after that incident. It took a bit longer to put her heart back in place.

As Xander began to instruct her, she nodded and sat upon the large boulder that she had leaped from earlier, relaxing as she closed her eyes and focused on the Force. Doing as her teacher had instructed, opening her mind and body to the universal energy, the disciple soon felt the rush of power filling her, prompting goosebumps to rise and race down her arms and back. Opening her lids, blue eyes sparkled as the student was ready.

"I'm ready," the assassin relayed.

[Xander Blackmoore]

"Good," he said as if he was not surprised at her ability to do so. "Now focus on the air, the wind, try to grasp it, command it."

This was of course not how he was taught, but there was a lesson here for this woman to learn. Some skills could be commanded, but the elements were tricky. It was as if they had a will of their own, and everything had to move together or the element itself would always remain elusive. Xander wanted Adgertesse to learn this.

"When you are done, I want you to inform me..."

[Adgertesse]

The initial command was something that she hadn't done yet and though well trained by one of the ruling council members, Tess knew that the Force could allow it's user to perform nearly anything they could imagine. How to make air move was something that seemed rather complicated at first as she imagined an invisible hand sweeping across her and though she thought she felt something, there was little to prove it. Focusing harder, brow furrowed with concentration, the disciple then imagined the Force creating a tube and then with the invisible, mental hand she shoved again, trying her best to force air through it and create something a bit more tangible this time.

A wash of a soft breeze could be felt, tossing her long hair gently, but it still wasn't what she had in mind. Sighing, she then tapped into her anger knowing that her source of power came from her emotions and opened her eyes, unsure if Xander had felt that or not. "I thought I had it there for a moment, though not sure."

[Xander Blackmoore]

"While we are Sith and while we command things, wind, water, fire, ice, they tend to have a will of their own, and they are all stronger than you. The wind most of all has a mind of its own and you must convince it to work."

Xander offered a hand to the woman.

"Have you ever danced the waltz before, Adgertesse?"

This method of teaching was different, but Xander felt it would communicate what she needed to know.

"Induldge me..."

[Adgertesse]

Knowing that martial arts and dancing were very similar, requiring grace and agility, the assassin grinned as she offered her left hand to the monarch, then rose and joined him. "Haven't heard that particular type of dance, but I have learned quite a few others," she divulged. Her parents had both stressed being good at a lot of different things, as the need to gain the trust of a mark sometimes required doing things that weren't normal. Dancing at a ball, could be one.

Grinning at Xander, "Lead on, sir."

[Xander Blackmoore]

"Milady," he said with a nod of his head before his right hand fell naturally to the small of the assassins back. The dance which followed was graceful, a tune hummed by the baritone voice of the King who led it. A few minutes passed as Xander led Adgertesse around the clearing. The haunting melody he hummed fitting for the environment. A smile stretched across his face as the man stopped. Two steps back and he offered a bow.

"A fine dancer, better than many of the ladies who consider themselves such. You would fit in well among the nobility," a rare compliment passed from his lips. "Now lead the wind as I led you. She is your partner, learn how she moves, the dance she dances, and when you know here cadence, lead."

A small gust of wind was directed at the disciple by way of demonstration.

"This time I want to feel it."

[Adgertesse]

Gliding around the clearing, taking mental notes of how today's teacher led her, Tess enjoyed the fluidity of the steps and knew that she had to learn this one better. Having only a few moments of a dance wasn't enough, especially once he bowed to her and lavished compliments. Had she not known better, the assassin would think that he was playing her, but had never been around him that much yet to determine either way. They were both Sith after all, she mused.

"Thank you, very much," she smiled. "Acting would only get me so far in that circle, I'm afraid." The assassin from Edan II still had some things to learn about the galaxy, but she was more than willing to learn. But, on to today's lesson and she took the example to heart as she backed another step and closed her eyes once again. Expanding her view of the area around her, Tess soaked in the Force and then focused her mental sight to the very molecules in the air. Knowing that her master would hear about today's lesson with Xander, she hated to fail.

Instead of trying to funnel an area of air, she instead thought of how air moved. A force now at her beck and call would be the large hand pushing the air and as she imagined such a thing, blowing across her, from right to left, she suddenly felt the breeze as it tossed her hair.

Opening her eyes, she hoped that the rush of air was her and not a natural act, glancing to Xander to get his opinion on that instead.

[Xander Blackmoore]

A nod was the only affirmation he would give that she had in fact moved air. He did not wish her ego to be too inflated. Compliments were a tool for flattery or to to produce a desired result. For now Adgertesse simply needed to know she could perform the skill. Rather, Xander would simply change the subject.

"You would blend better than you think. Do not forget my type of world the men often see women as nothing more than an object. Your slender figure, pretty features, and pristine eyes would be more of a focal point than anything else. No one would ever think you capable of what I have seen you demonstrate first hand."

Of course he referred to the event which their initial meeting had centered around. Xander was curious. Had she known he was following her until she took climbing arena? Naturally he expected the answer to be no. Though, the monarch could be wrong.

"Now that you know what you are trying to do, I want you to focus your efforts. You know how the air moves and dances about. I want you to knock me back with a stronger gust."

Xander nodded for her to proceed. His curiosity could wait a few moments longer.

[Adgertesse]

Being seen as an object didn't sit too well with her, being more independent, but she also knew that a society like that would help her remain unseen and thus, easier to accomplish her mission. There had been quite a few instances of assassins in the Nakijat who had experienced similar situations that allowed them to move with less trouble.

"I love being underestimated," she added with a grin. Though here at the temple, she had a long way to go yet before that would be an issue with the Sith. His confirmation that she was on the right track only bolstered her thoughts on the technique used. Now to make it a bit more pronounced, she mused and focused on the task again. This time, she concentrated more force into the push, using the Force itself as that immense hand. Drawing from farther back, she imagined a huge wave of air now being moved and wasn't totally disappointed when the rush moved passed her and on towards Xander.

Opening her eyes, she glanced to him once more and sighed from the exertion. "Think I have the idea down, just have to practice it a bit more to get something useful."

[Xander Blackmoore]

"I am sure you do," Xander commented with a smirk.

The Knight focused on the instruction at hand, and waited as the disciple perform the task she was given. Naturally she was tired from what he asked her to do, but she had succeeded to push him back. The struggle was what made a Sith strong. Doing things even the Jedi would not force upon their padawans was key in order to make a disciple strong. Xander pushed her to push herself to the point of exhaustion because she needed to know what she was capable of.

"Struggle past it. You have the skill down yes, but the next time we meet it shall be perfected. When used well this skill is invaluable."

The gauntlet had been laid. Xander demanded perfection. While she was not his apprentice, he still had ways of ensuring that Adgertesse gave him what he demanded, and to punish her if she did not.