Reaching the Calm Places

[Matalina]

Weapon Selection was in done and it was time for the next phase, the next lesson in becoming a good enough warrior to be a Warder. Aeronwy was not sure she wanted to protect an Aes Sedai, but she did want to be the best she wanted to be the best that she could be in all things.

 

She hadn't seen Jack in a while, he was enjoying his freedom, but she'd see him fly over head and squawk his love for her. She missed him, but she had to get things going here, before she could play with her friend. Anna was stabled in the yards stable and her room held her belongings. But Aeronwy still held weapons, these she'd chosen from the armory.

 

There was a lot more she needed to learn before she was taught to actually use her weapons of choice, and the next step was reaching something they called ko'di, or the oneness. The oneness was a technique of concentration and there were two methods of reaching them. Aeronwy had been taught to leave emotion at the door while hunting, it wouldn't help, so she choose to use the Philosphy of the Flame and the Void. Her teacher would be a veteran which fit her goals - to learn from the best.

[Arie]

Cairma Vishnu was a broken Warder.

 

One of the best in the Yard, Cairma also stood as one of the few who had been bonded to an Aes Sedai and has have that bond removed for no reason either of them were willing to give. It created an unusual tension between her and the Green Ajah, yet still she was approached by the young and inexperienced of the Tower for another bond. Promptly, Cairma said no. She had no desire for their Tower politics any more than she had the desire to separate herself from her son. No had been the polite answer.

 

Pushing her short blonde hair behind an ear, Cairma glanced over a different kind of request in her hand and could not help but smile. A small joy, to her, were the new recruits. The young at heart and their desire to learn more than life itself. Their path still yet filled with confusion, Cairma loved nothing more -save her son- then the ability to train the newest of Yard. So innocent, Cairma always had such hope for these men and women. Choosing to leave behind Beast, Cairma suited up with her side-arms and headed out in to the Yard to the appointed place. Her temporary charge should be waiting for her - few were ever late after what she had put Addison through. Cairma didn't tolerate tardiness.

 

"Aeronwy?" Cairma approached the area to see a very young woman waiting in silence. She had the eyes of stubborn conviction that Cairma saw more often in the women than the men. It will do her well, she thought.

 

"I am Cairma Vishnu, Grandmaster here at the Yard. Please, let us have a seat on the grass." Cairma sat in the grass, motioning for the girl to sit across from her. Closing her eyes, she sat there, without saying anything for a moment. Just when she felt Aeronwy stir, did she start to speak.

 

"Everything in this world has a essence of life in them. And what a Tower Guard, Master, Warder learns to understand is that each life is precious. It is more noble to walk away from a battle as a loser who stood up for what you believe in than to win for something that contradicts any part of this belief. As a member of the Tower, it is your duty to uphold life and protect the innocent.

 

"By coming and petitioning as a trainee, you have placed yourself and your loyalty in service to the Tower, the Guard and this Land. Everything you knew before you came here means nothing. Although it is apart of you, it is not you. Who you shape yourself to become is what will define who you are."

 

"Come, tell me what you feel safe in telling me about yourself. What to you hope to achieve here?"

 

 

 

 

Cairma Vishnu

Tower Grandmaster

[Matalina]

It was a simple question but Aeronwy wasn't sure this Master would appreciate the answer she had. So Aeronwy closed her eyes and thought about it much harder than she had before, but it all basically boiled down to the same thing. "You won't like the answer."

 

Aeronwy smiled, "But you asked so I won't lie. I want to be the best at whatever I try." It sounded cocky and smug, but it was the truth. "I'm not saying I will be or that I'll ever been as good as someone like you, but I want to be the best that I can personally be. Whether it's a bird of prey trainer, a mercenary, a guard, or anything else I choose to try." Aeronwy knew she was rambling. "But I'm not fickle either, I don't just try a lot of things and flop back and forth between them." Aeronwy kept talking and was probably digging a bigger hole than she already did. She stopped and clamped her mouth shut. I talk too much!

 

Aeronwy closed her eyes and hung her head. "I just want to learn to fight better and serve a purpose."

[Arie]

Cairma wanted to raise an eyebrow to the girls words. She wanted to inquire more into the girl, but it seems that she will open up on her own, and for now, that was enough to settle Cairma's nerves. Now came the training. She needed a disciplined mind to survive. She needed structure. Something that the Void will give.

 

"The flame and the void it is." Carima made a small, warm smile at the girl. "Not all achieve the Void on their first try. In fact, i have yet to hear of one that did. But patience and persistence will help you achieve it. Now, like before, close your eyes. And listen carefully to my voices. Take three deep breaths.." Together they breathed..

 

"Deep within the recess of your mind is a single flame. Brilliant, Vibrant. It flickers with emotion, life and the very air you breath. It consumes, conquers and destroys. It builds, warms and lights our very path. The Flame consumes everything to become nothing."

 

"Around this Flame dances images and emotions. Imagine your tears. Imagine your Pains. Imagine everything that was denied to you, Love, Friendship. Imagine every flicker of hatred, destruction, fear. Fear of those around you that could hurt you. Imagine being hurt for nothing, and allow the fire to consume everything.

 

"Everything that holds you to this world that ties you down, throw it away and let the fire burn away your doubts. Let is consume the rage with in you. Let it take away your lust for revenge, for hatred and pain for others. Let the Flame consume everything that would destroy life."

 

"All that is left is good. All the desire for love. Those that have brought you love, home, warmth. Feelings of comfort and desire of that which promises a better life. All that you might hope for, Peace, Family, Love, Friends. These are what we fight for, what we hope to protect. To Serve.

 

"Let the fire consume this need, sending it into the depths with a prayer. Let the fire consume the warmth and all that is left. Burning within you a passion to protect higher then a need for hatred. We are Ruled by love, and let that be your last thought as the flame rides through you, consuming everything in its path. It licks along your skin like a blanket, consuming every last emotion within you, until there is nothing.

 

"Nothing but the sweet darkness of the Void and time itself is still. Sharper are things, clearer like fresh springs and no longer do you feel part of it, but of it. Although apart, so attuned to the world around you that you forget your body, but ride with the winds that carry you farther than the world you once knew."

 

Once she achieved the Void, Cairma spoke once more, softly in the same in-toned voice. "Open your eyes, and tell me what you know."

Edited October 16, 2010 by Aubrey

[Matalina]

Aeronwy waited for the instructions. She wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen but she tried to do exactly as she was instructed to do. The fire in her mind blazed and she tried to picture emotions and things that would interrupt her focus - her family, friends, even Jack and Anna were put aside. Aeronwy wasn't sure how this would help, but she went with the flow, burned away all the emotions and feelings she had and pushed them into the fire.

 

Soon there was nothing. Nothing?

 

Carima told her to open her eyes. Aeronwy looked around, she wasn't sure what she was doing. But when her eyes opened she saw each blade of grass, more so she felt every blade of grass. Everything was clear, she could feel everything even Carima. Her realization and her excitement made her drop the void. Things went dull again. Life was very different when you weren't in tune with it.

 

Aeronwy answered the question. "I know it's not easy to keep." She smiled sheepishly. "I lost it when I got excited at feeling the grass below me." With out prompting Aeronwy started again. She wanted to feel that again, and to master it.

[Arie]

Cairma nodded to the girls admission. "You are correct, it isn't easy. It takes time to master the mind and none have done it in a day. Much like all aspects of your training here, everything requires discipline. From sword forms, reaching the void to other things in your life." She knew that somewhere there was someone laughing at her for her words. Of all the people she knew, none would consider Cairma 'disciplined' in any aspect of her life -let alone teach about it. Aran was probably laughing in his grave at her words. Pushing the image out of her head as easily as allowing the void to fill her; her eyes became Death. "Discipline isn't always about achieving a final goal, but of continuously working towards that goal without falter. You will fail many times in this and in many other things, I have as well. But in time you will hold the void longer, your sword arm will grow stronger, and eventually it will become as natural as breathing."

 

As Aeronwy closed her eyes, Cairma repeated her mantra. Words that fed to the flame that brought the Void. There were significance to the words, where for so long she had fed it only hatred and anger and in truth it left her with the feeling of rage before the void. Rage that would so easily slip to the surface. But love? She wanted to feel Love before the end, and so it was what she taught. For all the hatred and anger in the world, none were more important or precious than Love. She hoped that one day Aeronwy would see the significance without being told. It was simply learned.

 

"Tell me what you see, Aeronwy." Cairma spoke as she could see the brief moments of the void in the girls eyes.

[Matalina]

Aeronwy went through the motions again. She fed her emotions into the fire until there was nothing and everything. She smiled and lost the void again. It really wasn't very easy, but she managed to try again and hold it long enough to begin to see what more it held for her.

 

Aeronwy spoke calmly, the sound of her voice nearly making the void drop. "I see everything clearly. I feel everything I touch, each blade of grass individually. I can feel your heart beat, or maybe it's mine." Aermonwy wasn't sure what it was, but it felt comforting to be this close to everything. This was what it felt like to be in complete solitude in the middle of a dense forest only better.

 

Aeronwy dropped the void and felt the world return to normal. It was an odd feeling, almost sickening to the stomach. But Aeronwy tried again to reach the void. She wanted as much practice as she could until her next part of the lesson.