To Find Form in the Void [Attn: Leala]

[Roan]

Riahana Ferria, Mistress of Arms

The Warder Yards were known for teaching those who signed its roster how to use various weapons to defend the Tower and the Channelers they might someday bond. To those who ran the Yards, though, the bigger lesson was that of discipline and dedication. Riahana Ferria, Mistress of Arms and Warder to Gareth Tomosan Asha’man, thought it best to lead by example, and thus she could always be found in one corner of the Yards each morning going through sword forms.

There was a time when getting up before dawn to get started with her day seemed like such a chore, but now? Now, the Mistress of Arms looked to her time dedicated to her sword forms as a chance to meditate, and center herself for the day to come. Starting the day by letting the Void embrace her as an old friend went beyond routine. For her, the Void was, in a sense, a way of life.

Even as Fall threatened to give way to Winter, the Mistress of Arms endured the chilly, almost cold morning and stepped through form after form against an invisible foe. From time to time, she might have an audience, though it didn’t affect her flow. Some would watch for a moment or two and then be on their way, thinking the woman might not even have noticed. In the Void, though, Riahana’s senses were enhanced, and while she might not acknowledge onlookers, she almost always knew when someone was watching.

On this cold autumn morning, Riahana was aware of someone she’d not yet met. The light grey uniform indicated a Drin, and the young woman arrived just as Ria finished her routine. Without excess flourish, the Gaidin Folded the Fan, sheathing her Heron marked blade, and turned to face the Drin, “Good morning, Drin. Is there anything I can help you with?”

[Leala]

Meriana Rayere

Her hands had been itching, and it wasn't from lack of activity. Between training, doing chores, and keeping up with all the strapping you lads around her, Meri had been quite busy. It had taken her a while to figure out that she had really been missing using and training with the sword. Her lessons had mostly been about physical endurance and survival. Those things were important, but sometimes...things got interesting with her new wolf-like instincts. She was able to control them, but she needed something more structured. She needed something to settle into her mind.

The wolf dream had woken her this morning. Meri was...slowly getting used to it, but until she could find more help in that area, likely from an Aes Sedai, she would have to do her best at controlling herself in the waking world.

It was terribly early. Her father would have laughed to know that she was up before dawn. The Warders Yard had a few people milling about in training, or just in chat. Other than that, it was her and the chill. Saldaea's winters were much colder than this. She didn't bother to wear her cloak.

She found the Mistress of Arms rather easily. She stood out from the small amount of others in the Yards. Her movements were graceful and powerful. Her training in the sword had come from training from her father, and some practical experience. Meriana didn't have the skills to acquire a heron-marked blade yet, but she liked to think she had the potential. The Gaidin sheathed her sword and turned to Meri, asking if there was something she could help with. She blinked once at the question. She had never met with the Mistress of Arms before, but she knew who she was by sight. However, she wasn't sure how to address her. Well, staring at her like an idiot certainly isn't the correct way, she thought. Exasperated, she shoved the little voice that sounded increasingly like her mother to the side.

"Good morning, Mistress," she responded, her smile coming back. "I was thinking about taking extra classes for the sword. Can you recommend any teachers?" She waiting, her smile still in place. The Drin was hopeful, but she knew it was unlikely that Riahana would teach her herself.

[Roan]

Riahana

It was her title, yes, but part of Ria had never grown fully comfortable with being addressed as Mistress, even after all this time wearing the Mistress of Arms mantle. She learned not to cringe outwardly long ago, and simply inclined her head in a slight nod towards the young Drin, “We have several within the Yards who are adept with the Sword and can work with you to ensure you progress. The Master of Training, several Gaidin, a handful of Ji’val and Drin. . .and there are some of the channeling learning ranks who are capable, if I were honest.”

Ria paused for a second and gave a faint smile, “And of course myself, though if you wish to train with me, it will mean an earlier start to your day. Once the morning meal is done, my schedule seems to take on a mind of its own, and I’m engaged in one meeting after another until evening meal.” She paused once more and tilted her head, “Though, if I were to take you on as a student, I would want to know what you already know of the sword. I’d also want to know if you were familiar with the Ko’di.

“So tell me, Drin, what do you know of the sword, and the Flame and Void?”

[Leala]

Meriana Meri's smile brightened considerably when the Mistress of Arms offered herself as a teacher. She had caught the slight whiff of annoyance from her when she called her "Mistress," but it was very faint before Riahana resumed her air of business. Smelling others' emotions was still new and slightly off-putting, but she was getting used to it.

Of course, there were conditions to being trained by Riahana, but the Saldaean Drin was happy to adjust her schedule and anything else to make it happen. After all, her mind had been quite active, even in sleep here lately. Her dreams among the wolves had nothing to do with her training, but her goal was to use her training to wrap her mind around the dreams. So, she would dream as a wolf, and wake as a Warder in training. It seemed simple enough.

In order to answer the other woman's question on what she knew of the sword already, Meriana had to remind herself of her training. "Well, I certainly was not trained in the traditional way. My father began training me a few years ago, just basic things. I think he thought I would grow tired of it, but I never did." She chuckled, remembering how he had thrown his hands in the air once when she surprised him by showing up for a training session before he did. "After that, a few of the men that patrolled the parts of our village too close to the Blight took up my training." Her father had had to work to convince them that she was interested in learning more. Her father was just a farmer after all. His knowledge was limited. "They all had different ways of training, and all called the same stances different things." As her mind unconsciously went through the stances, she bounced slightly on the balls of her feet. "And, I do remember one saying something about the ko'di. I certainly remember the Flame and the Void. They spoke of that nearly every time they trained me."

She went through the steps in her mind now, having to remind herself of the blankness and depth of the Void. As she fed her emotions into the only thing in the Void, the Flame, she felt her worries begin to decrease. Why didn't you think of this months ago? a voice asked. She fed it into the Void as well. Her bouncing feet settled. "I am a bit out of practice with it," she admitted, "But I know that it's essential to have a clear and flexible mind when engaged in swordfighting." It was certainly helping the Drin to focus, now that she had this opportunity in front of her.

[Roan]

Riahana Ferria

The Mistress of Arms listened intently as the Drin explained her previous experience with the sword and with the Void. Not all who wielded the sword felt as strongly about the Void as Riahana. She knew to be a good swordsman, one did not have to be an expert with the Void, but before she learned to do much beyond Unfold the Fan, being able to call the Void had been a must. Memories of sessions with the Freak of the Yards came back to Ria, but she pushed them to the back of her mind. She could reminisce at another time.

The Gaidin inclined her head, "One thing that is consistent with sword forms and stances. . .the names people use change depending on your region, or even who you train with. I will teach you the names I know, though I care less that you know the names of each move or form than I do that you know the forms themselves and, ultimately, how to transition from one move or guard to another.

"I ask about Ko'di or the Flame and Void because for me, keeping your emotions in check when in the heat of battle is key. Some find they can fight with their emotions ruling their moves, but I find your emotions can betray you at an unexpected moment. . .and that moment can be your undoing. We will start with the Void tomorrow, though unless you require further assistance to achieve the Void, it will be our only session to teach you to find the Void. You will have to practice on your own, and the more you practice, the easier it will become to pull the Void around you as if it were a fine cloak," Riahana explained.

"The following morning, we shall start with the sword. I will teach you how to draw your blade, along with three different guard positions. Once you've mastered those, we will move to defensive moves, and then offensive strikes. We shall do two sessions a week, and you'll need to practice in your own time. Does this sound acceptable?"

[Leala]

Meriana Rayere

Meri considered the itinerary laid out for the lessons. A lot of what she had learned was starting to make sense, like why the same stances had different names. After hearing that the Mistress of Arms considered that a key part of swordsmanship, she knew that she would need to practice more. The proposed training schedule sounded good. It would fit with her waking up at odd hours, and would serve as a way to steel her mind against...increasingly lupine thoughts. After a moment's consideration, the Drin nodded. "That sounds acceptable." It had been a while since she had summoned the Void, having been away from training in the woods, but it was not hard to find again.

With the schedule agreed to, and a promise to meet again the next morning, Meri dropped a small bow and thanked Riahana before going about her day.

[Roan]

Riahana Ferria

Given the morning’s lesson would be focused around the Flame and Void, Riahana had the Drin meet her in a classroom where the pair would not be disturbed. The Mistress of Arms thought back to when one of her predecessors, and her kin by marriage, taught her how to find the Void. Master Caden Ives used a combination of repetition and corporal punishment to get through to Riahana. He was known to be a harsh task master, and Ria had no intentions of following in his footsteps unless it was necessary.

The Gaidin spoke with her husband about her new student, and the prospect of teaching a young Drin how to achieve Ko’di. It was something Gareth understood, as did most Asha’man, as attaining the Void was so key to them being able to harnessSaidin. Their conversation gave her one potential approach in helping the young woman.

Ria took a table and placed it in front of a chair she’d already moved to the middle of the room. On top of the table, she placed a candle and laid a match beside it. With the little bit of prep work done, Ria went to the window that overlooked the Yards and watched Drin, Ji’Val and Gaidin going through various classes and workouts as they trained.

When she heard footsteps behind her, Ria turned and offered a warm smile, “Good morning, Drin Rayere.” She motioned to the chair she’d moved moments earlier, “Please have a seat.” She walked around to the front of the table, picking up the match as she did so, “Attaining the Void can be accomplished in many ways. We will first try a traditional approach with a flame from a candle.” Ria struck the match as she spoke and lit the candle.

“What I would like you to do is look at the flame. Focus on it,” Ria spoke in soft tones as she moved to stand behind Meri. “Watch the flame dance. Focus just on the flame and let everything else fall away until it is just a flame on a black background. Sit as still as you can and focus on the flickering flame.

“When I first started, I had to repeat a phrase over and over to help me achieve the Void. Mine was ‘Courage is fear when fear has said its prayers.’ I want you to try this phrase, ‘In the Void, there is just the Flame.’ Say it out loud, over and over.

“Think about each word and the phrase as a whole. I want you to say the phrase one hundred times. Any time your thoughts wander, your count will go back to zero. Any questions?”

Spoiler: show

Ria will stand behind Meri during the course of this exercise. It is up to you how many times she has to start over before she reaches 100, and up to you as to whether she is successful in achieving the Void. If she has not done this before, it should be a challenge to attain the Void initially, but if she has an affinity for it, it could come easier. Again, I leave that up to you.