Here we have an introduction to Ezra's Force training. I was debating whether or not to add Maul's reference to the Grand Inquisitor, but I decided to include it because he does mention where the Seventh Sister and the Fifth and Eight Brother lacked proper Force use, and the idea that due to them having a "numerical" rank that there must have been a superior/head Inquisitor at one point.
"Any intelligent force sensitive individual, whether they be Jedi or Sith, knows the importance of being able to use the force properly, and not to depend on their lightsaber alone." Maul explained. "Having the right balance of both is key. If you're not at properly trained with it, then you will run into trouble when facing someone with superior skills. That's were those Inquisitors truly lacked strength, especially when compared to someone like myself. They were trained enough in the way of the lightsaber, but not in the ways of the Force. And due to the fact that the three you've encountered were ranked, I can only assume that there was a superior Inquisitor who was actually trained properly in both."
It had been a few days since Ezra had contacted Kanan, and Maul had progressively transitioned Ezra into the Force oriented training like he had promised. Ezra was not expecting the light lecture that he was receiving, and the vague reminder of the Grand Inquisitor, but he took it without complaint, especially considering that there was a box full of daggers sitting beside the Zabrak.
"While I know your saber work could use some improvement, which is no surprise, I personally believe that your ability to use the Force demands more attention at the moment. So today I will be throwing these here daggers at you. I expect you to stop them and throw them back at me using the Force. Obviously I don't expect you to catch all of them just yet, so I am perfectly fine with you dodging these."
Finally done with his lecture, Maul lifted several daggers up with the Force and started throwing them at Ezra. Ezra automatically stared dodging the sharp objects. He tried stopping them, but he was having a difficult time trying to focus on catching some while dodging others, which resulted in one dagger clipping the side of Ezra's leg. That distracted him long enough for another to graze Ezra's almost healed arm.
"Focus." Maul ordered. "You need to focus on what's going on around you or you'll just keep on getting cut. Focus on the immediate threat."
Maul picked up more daggers and started throwing them. Ezra forced himself to take Maul's advice. Taking a deep breath, Ezra cleared his mind and focused at the daggers that were coming dangerously close to him. To Ezra's surprise, he found himself stopping the daggers and their threat with the Force. Ezra forced them in all different directions.
Maul was satisfied to see Ezra's improvement, hoping that the boy would eventually be able to direct them in the right direction. Maul decided to increase amount of weapons thrown at the boy, lifting all of the fallen daggers and forced them to fly at Ezra. Ezra was able to keep up with Maul's counter attack.
Everything was pulled to a halt when one of the daggers grazed the side of Maul's face. Maul trailed his fingers over the scar feeling the blood that started to drip from it. Ezra wasn't sure whether to be horrified or pleased. The former sounded the most reasonable, not knowing how Maul would react, and was plastered all over Ezra's face. He was terrified what Maul could do if he was .
To Ezra's uneasy surprise, Maul started laughing. It was a twisted and eerily pleased sounding laugh.
"Good job." Maul commented, with some laughter still lingering, as he approached Ezra. "You managed to catch me off guard and landed at hit on me. I told you that you were a fast learner."
Ezra was uneasy about Maul's complement, but silently accepted it. However, if Ezra was to try and please Maul and do as he says, getting complemented for whatever deeds Maul liked, would eventually become a normal thing. Surely it would be less unusual after enough time. Ezra knew one thing for sure, it was definitely better than being punished.
Dagger training is a pain XD Especially since Ezra got hit. I felt that using those for an intro to the training so that he'd be familiar with things flying at him. And I figured Maul wouldn't get pissed at Ezra for hitting him, because that shows that Ezra's catching on an was actual able to hit the Zabrak.