Private A New Beginning

[Qhorin Solas]

--Churba System, New Cov; Jedi Temple​

The temple on New Cov was well hidden. Without the help of the jedi Qhorin had met at the praxeum on Ossus, he might never have found it.

Nestled on the jagged cliffs of a vast mountain and surrounded by perilous jungles, the temple could scarcely be seen from the air, let alone approached on foot, yet approach on foot he did, hiking through the treacherous wilds for many days before scaling his way up the mountain. He had been hunted by vicious, six-legged creatures with stalked eyes and venomous fangs, hounded by flying pesks with claws like little vibroknives, and several of the native flora had attempted to make a meal of him, most often while he attempted to rest. Some strange rodent-like creature that walked upright had made off with his rations on his fourth day out, and on the sixth, he’d nearly been eaten by a giant reptilian monster with barbed fur, a roar like a rancor, and breath like a compost heap. The beast had stalked him for many days, chasing him almost tirelessly through the night.

It reminded him of home.

Now the temple loomed before him, a collection of interconnect structures wrought of tan stone; the main building thrust up from the rock just beyond the landing pad, and behind it, across the bridge, stood another pair of similarly constructed buildings, and between them was an open garden.

A jedi was already striding towards him across the landing pad. He looked down at himself; his clothes were nearly in tatters and thoroughly stained, and he was missing his left boot. He was certain there were leaves in his hair, and no doubt a few small living creatures as well. He pulled his tunic up to his nose and sniffed- and he stank worse than a gundark’s backside.

Great first impression, Qhorin. "I apologize for the smell." He smiled ruefully, brown eyes twinkling. "I am Jedi Master Qhorin Solas, and I've come to join your order." He felt the Force resonate with the truth of his words, as if he had plucked a chord on a Garan string drum, and his smiled deepened. This meeting had the taste of destiny.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

With her fiery eyes turned out into the valley around the Temple, Valery quickly found her inner peace. She had known this Temple for a long time, and even now that it was entirely rebuilt, it felt so similar to the days of old. Back then, she was the leader of a small Enclave located here, and much of her work at the time involved helping her fellow Jedi grow in various ways. Today, a Jedi Master was coming here to continue his path, and she was hopefully going to be able to assist him as well.

"Master Noble, the guest has arrived," one of the protocol droids who worked here told her.

Valery just nodded with a smile and turned around to head in the direction of the landing pad, where she believed he would have landed with his shuttle. She could already feel his presence out there as well, strong and calm like a true Jedi Master, but with a strange edge to it that she couldn't quite explain. It was only when she spotted him moving up to her, that she understood.

He had taken the long way around to get here, and the smile that formed on her lips showed that she could appreciate the effort.

"A pleasure to meet you, Master Solas. I'm Master Valery Noble," she said before she dipped her upper body into a respectful bow, "Don't worry about the smell, I grew up in these jungles so I'm quite used to it." She chuckled and gestured for him to follow her, "I do think you could use some new boots though, and I can get you a fresh pair of robes as well."

Valery paused briefly and looked him up and down, "But while we walk, could you tell me something about yourself? Where are you from and how did you end up here with the intent to join the NJO?"

 

[Qhorin Solas]

“Much obliged, Master Noble. I was rather ill prepared for the rigors of the jungle… perhaps a sonic shower wouldn't be remiss?"

Master Valery Noble was tall for a human female, clad in a sleeveless, form fitting purple suit that showed off her sculpted figure and powerful arms, with a wicked scar over her left eye. For all the calmness and serenity she exuded, she moved like a prowling tarpon, languid and sinuous, with all the wild grace of the jungle that surrounded them. She reminded him, fleetingly, of his mother, the combat master of his old sect.

Qhorae Solas was one with the Force now- he could feel her sometimes, watching him through the rolling tides of the Force, feel her warmth when he reached out into the aether of the universe. He carried her and all his fallen Jedi brethren with him like a cherished jewel, in his heart, mind, and soul. There is no death, only the Force.

"I grew up on Lwhekk," he began as they walked. "I was raised among a small sect of Jedi that split from the old order on Coruscant several centuries ago. Our code was… is different. We had little contact with the lesser universe, focusing our efforts on the colonies, territories, and empires of the Chaos- or the outer reaches, as you know them." He paused as old grief swelled in his chest. "The code I follow can be a difficult path to walk; it requires extreme discipline and intense knowledge of self."

Qhorin took a deep, lingering breath, exhaling his anxieties into the Force. He hadn't spoken of this to anyone, and he was finding that words alone were too inadequate to articulate the destruction of his order. How could he describe the heart-wrenching despair of a family that had been murdered by their own?

"My cousin, my uncle, and several others fell from the path. They fell far and they fell fast. There was a war; small, contained, and brutal… almost the entire order perished in the fighting. When it was all over, when the fighting was finally done, I and the few survivors left the Chaos behind for a new beginning. I wandered alone for a time, venturing where the Force led me, until I made the pilgrimage to Ossus to stand before the Eye. From Ossus, I came here, to New Cov. I feel…compelled, almost, to join your order. For whatever reason, this is where I am meant to be."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

"The New Cov jungles are treacherous, but I'm glad you made it through," she said while she flashed him a warm smile, "I'll bring you to one of the many rooms we have here for Jedi. There's a sonic shower there, and I'll bring in some fresh clothing too." The rooms were also quite close from the landing pad — they were already approaching the main entrance of the Temple, and on the second floor were the rows of small, simplistic quarters meant for Jedi who were staying here for a while.

The Temple wasn't meant to be a primary place of residence, and mostly just a location Jedi could use to train or meditate quietly, so it wasn't terribly big and it certainly didn't have the staff that the bigger Temples had.

"I was once part of an Enclave like that as well," Valery said after he talked about his past as a member of a Jedi sect that had split off from the Order on Coruscant. In the days prior to her stasis, she was the leader of a small Enclave here on New Cov, at the very Temple they were currently using for this meeting. They had mostly similar views to the Jedi Order but they were different in some ways as well. Through, they didn't have their own code, and it likely wasn't quite the same as his example.

But as he continued, Valery fell quiet and listened intently to his story. She could feel some of his underlying emotions pulsing through the Force the more he talked about his past, and she realized he had gone through very difficult times before coming here. This was further confirmed when he finally did mention the destruction of his old group.

"I understand, and I'm so sorry for what you've been through. I... once lost my Enclave as well, although under very different circumstances. To lose everybody and everything you know so quickly leaves a mark, but I'm glad you were able to get through it," she said before a brief and faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"The New Jedi Order are currently the most active in holding back the Brotherhood of the Maw, who have been responsible for the destruction of Csilla and the ravaging of many more worlds. You've come at a time when we really need the extra help." Valery looked at him for a moment, and focused on the man. In particular, how he felt through the Force — it gave her confidence that he could help make a different like so many others had.

The two had gotten up the long staircase in the back of the Temple at this point, so Valery stopped and gestured at one of the many doors with her head, "If you'd like a moment to clean up, feel free to use the sonic shower. I'll bring you some clothes."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

“I once lost my enclave as well,” Valery said, “although under very different circumstances. To lose everybody and everything you know so quickly leaves a mark, but I’m glad you were able to get through it.”

Qhorin smiled; it was not a happy smile, but an expression of acknowledgement for their shared grief. “Then you understand. Wallow in sadness long enough. and it becomes you. I will see my family again when I am one with the Force.” As will you, went unsaid.

The temple was more quaint than grand, even with its high ceilings and wide, open corridors. The feel of it, the quiet resonance that reverberated through the temple halls, thrumming like a beating heart, reminded him of his old temple on Lwhekk. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine himself there, idling in a sun-lit alcove with a holobook, nursing a steaming cup of Deychin tea with his master, sparring against his cousins in the vaulted dueling arena.

"The New Jedi Order are currently the most active in holding back the Brotherhood of the Maw, who were responsible for the destruction of Csilla and the ravaging of many more worlds. You've come at a time when we really need the extra help."

Qhorin might have shrugged, had he been younger and the habit not been trained out of him. Instead, he only said: “I go where the Force guides me.” He had many questions about the Brotherhood of the Maw; the things he heard in his travels of their actions and activities had been…troubling.

They climbed a tall stairway at the end of the main hall that opened to a smaller corridor that was lined with tightly packed doors. These must be the living quarters, Qhorin thought.

Valery gestured to one with a tilt of her head. "If you'd like a moment to clean up, feel free to use the sonic shower. I'll bring you some clothes."

“Much obliged, Master Noble.” Qhorin bowed, saluting with a fist over his heart. “I appreciate your kindness and hospitality.”

When he had showered and dressed, taking care to preserve the few small lifeforms that had managed to nest in his hair, he met again with Master Noble as she continued his tour of the temple.

“Can you tell me about this Brotherhood of the Maw? I’ve heard much and more on my travels, but discerning fact from rumor is beyond me. I simply don’t know enough; only that they are a blight on the galaxy and they must be stopped.”

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

"Then you understand. Wallow in sadness long enough. and it becomes you. I will see my family again when I am one with the Force."

Valery paused for a moment at those words, and quietly nodded with a faint smile tugging at her lips. There wasn't really anything more that needed to be said — they both understood what it was like, and they didn't need to talk about it much to be able to relate to each other. So without anything more said, they turned to the Temple and Valery showed him the way to his quarters.

When they stopped in front of the door, she offered him a smile at the gratitude he expressed and left him on his own for a while so he could clean up and get changed. Eventually, though, he stepped outside and with a gesture of her head, she asked him to follow her back through the Temple. He had gone through quite a journey by passing through the jungles, so she figured he was likely hungry and began guiding him to the mess hall.

"Can you tell me about this Brotherhood of the Maw? I've heard much and more on my travels, but the discerning fact from rumor is beyond me. I simply don't know enough; only that they are a blight on the galaxy and they must be stopped."

She paused briefly again, and nodded, "They essentially want to burn and destroy everything to the ground and build it up to their wishes. Especially the Jedi are a big target, which is why they attempted to destroy Tython completely. They failed, but between the dangerous clans and the New Sith Order, they can't ever be underestimated."

She let out a soft sigh, "Csilla was just their beginning and while they failed on Tython, the war is far from over. There is still a strong Maw Corridor into the Alliance core worlds, and only recently, I led an incursion to weaken it by targeting supply lines and weapon storage. Soon it will be time to liberate the planets we lost."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

Her words were troubling to say the least, painting a bleak picture of the galaxy in dark swaths of wanton violence. To Qhorin, his course forward was clear. He had wondered what his purpose might be, why the Force had led him to Ossus, to New Cov, guiding him time and time again back to the Jedi, and now he knew.

Such evil could not stand. There was chaos, the fundamental nature of a cosmos ever growing and changing, and then there was this.

All is as it should be, until it is not. He heard his master’s voice like a fluttering wind in his ear. There will always be darkness in the galaxy, dear grandson o’ mine, for it exists in all of us. It is not our job to eradicate all evil, for we would never sleep and never rest… but when the forces of evil outweigh the forces of good, then my boy, we must act.

We must.

His was the path of justice, and he walked it with confident, measured steps.

“If there is a fight to be had,” he began with steel in his voice, “then I am your man.”

Master Valery led him to the mess hall, a large room sectioned into benches and tables. The smells wafting from its doors made his stomach grumble. He excused himself with a boyish smile and made a beeline for the service droids that served the food, amassing a truly respectable plate in record time. Within moments he was seated and eating, displaying rather gracious table manners for a man who had spent several days hiking through dense, treacherous jungles.

“Please, tell me more,” he said when he was finished eating. “Are there any current offenses against the Brotherhood?”

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

"If there is a fight to be had," he began with steel in his voice, "then I am your man."

The moment he said that, Qhorin could likely see the fire ignite in Valery's amber eyes — she was much like him in that way, a Jedi able and very much willing to stand and fight against a force like the Brotherhood of the Maw. For a few years now, she had been involved in it, and more recently she had become one of the prominent leaders of the Jedi.

With another Jedi Master joining them, she felt even more confident that they could remove the Maw from the core and finally push into their territory to stop them once and for all.

"Good, we could really use it. I've been leading a few missions against the Maw and some of its more prominent Sith; to destabilize them before we launch the big campaign. It has been... difficult — the Jedi aren't as numerous anymore." It was a fact she still had to get used to a little, as she came from a time when it was very different.

The two then entered the mess hall, and after grabbing together their plates, Valery would guide him to a table to sit down so they could talk over some lunch. She had, as always, quite a lot of food on her plate — she needed it to maintain her physique, but it was still one of the few things she felt mildly embarrassed about.

"Recently, I led a strike team against their supplies and weapons storage on Batorine. It has helped cripple their recovery at the front of the corridor, so it's likely we'll be launching a campaign against it very soon. I... can't say too much about it yet, but we'll be going on the offense before you know it."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

"Good, we could really use it," Mastery Valery said. "I've been leading a few missions against the Maw and some of its more prominent Sith; to destabilize them before we launch the big campaign. It has been... difficult — the Jedi aren't as numerous anymore." Her fiery eyes turned solemn.

Too much to do, he thought, and not enough people to do it. He wasn’t so arrogant as to think that he alone would change the course of their conflict, but that wouldn’t stop him from trying.

Doing, he reminded himself. That wouldn’t stop him from doing. To try, he had been taught, was to fail.

Master Noble’s plate was almost as hulking as his own, though he had perhaps amassed much stranger tastes having grown up in the Chaos; pan-seared grublings and paddy frog pastries, fried Bloggin wings, bitter Lioaoin greens, and a massive helping of mashed Loakwal root drowned in blistering in Scofti spices.

"Please, tell me more," he said when he was finished eating. "Are there any current offenses against the Brotherhood?"

"Recently, I led a strike team against their supplies and weapons storage on Batorine," Master Valery began. "It has helped cripple their recovery at the front of the corridor, so it's likely we'll be launching a campaign against it very soon. I... can't say too much about it yet, but we'll be going on the offense before you know it."

“If I may," Qhorin began, I would very much like to know, so that I may be prepared. I do not plan to stand idly by while the galaxy falls to shambles.” He brimmed with quiet power, as if a mountain made into man, emboldened by his newly assumed purpose. “My talents are many, though I have never fought in an open war. Skirmishes, raids, and duels, yes, against criminals, insurgents and Dark Jedi, but never all out war.”

Only time would prove if he was the tool for the task.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

"If I may," Qhorin began, I would very much like to know, so that I may be prepared. I do not plan to stand idly by while the galaxy falls to shambles." He brimmed with quiet power, as if a mountain made into man, emboldened by his newly assumed purpose. "My talents are many, though I have never fought in an open war. Skirmishes, raids, and duels, yes, against criminals, insurgents and Dark Jedi, but never all out war."

When he asked his question, Valery stopped eating and put down her fork for a moment while a faint, but somewhat somber smile tugged at the corners of her lips, "A war like this is very different from the occasional skirmish or raid — the battles last much longer, and each one that comes to an end is followed by another, and another," Valery said, clearly from experience.

"So while you may go into it fresh, ready and strong both physically and mentally, it's easy to lose it all quickly. It's tiring, demanding and the constant loss of life around you gets difficult, regardless of how close you were to those killed in action. It's on such a big scale that you feel it through the Force, and it stays with you to some extent," Valery continued before she finally turned to her food, looked at it and sighed softly. She didn't really feel all that hungry anymore.

"When the Maw invaded Empress Teta, millions lost their lives, and I don't think I know a single Jedi or soldier who wasn't personally affected by it. I lost my home during the invasion, and had to watch as I put my 3 year old daughter on an evacuation shuttle..." she paused and brought a hand up through her long hair. "That's where we'll be going again soon — we're liberating Empress Teta and from there, the plan will be to neutralize their entire corridor into the core."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

Qhorin tried to imagine a battle without end, tried to imagine how it might feel to witness the death of millions, and found his thoughts lacking. He simply didn't have the frame of reference to conceptualize such a massive loss of life. Jedi had been few in the Chaos, the Sith even fewer, and the systems this people had protected had been too difficult to navigate for opposing entities o make war en masse. They'd relied instead on shadow wars, sabotaging interests and markets and funding terrorists and insurgents.

He'd had much to do with the rooting out of such plots, and in his capacity as an investigator and enforcer of justice, came to be known amongst his people as a skilled detective and formidable fighter. His trials in facing down the Fallen had only sharpened his skills, and yet he wondered:

Could he be a soldier?

He heard his master's voice answer his silent query. Worry not of what would be or could be, only what is and what must be. Our thoughts betray us. Trust in your feelings. Trust in the Force.

Even now, years after her death, his grandmother was still giving him lessons.

"I missed the first battle for Empress Teta, but by the Force I will not miss the second. Your daughter…is she safe now?"

He had sensed the shift in her mood; perhaps thoughts of her daughter might bring her some cheer?

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

"I missed the first battle for Empress Teta, but by the Force I will not miss the second."

Valery smiled and gently dipped her head, "We'll be bringing together the fleets soon, and all available Jedi will be called on as well. It's going to be different from what you've been used to, but I'm sure you can help make a difference. The NJO has been at the forefront of stopping the Sith of their New Sith Order, and we'll have this task again at Empress Teta," she said, already knowing to some extent what her part was going to be in the upcoming battle.

At Tython, she had fought the Maw's Wrath and thrown him down a fiery pit. He had escaped, albeit a completely different man. Then on Mustafar, she found herself in a clash with the Shadow Hand, the second-highest Sith in their ranks, leaving only one important Sith remaining for her to address — the new Dark Lord herself, and the Force already had been showing her flashes of this future battle. It wasn't something she looked forward to, but she knew it was her destiny to face off against her.

She wasn't going to trouble him with all of that now, though, and smiled when he asked about her daughter. It helped brighten up her mood significantly, the way one would expect from a mother talking about their child.

"Oh, she's doing wonderful now. Energetic and happy with our new home," she chuckled and reached for a small picture of the little girl with strange eyes that looked like a ying-yang swirl of orange and silver. She offered it so he could take a quick look if he wanted, "It's for her, and countless others who lost their homes that we'll be fighting there."

"Hopefully we can make the difference this time."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

He sensed a warrior's spirit in Master Noble, and a great determination for justice- a shining star for the Light, fiercely burning. She was a coruscating blade forged in the fires of a great and ruinous war, and in that moment, he sensed, for the briefest of moments, the enormity of her valor, sensed her strength and perseverance in the ebbs of the Force. It was humbling to a man for whom honor and bravery meant everything. He regarded her with a new perspective.

She pulled a photo of her daughter from a side pocket and handed it to him.

The young child captured in the photo was Master Valery made miniature, with fiery eyes of orange and silver. He felt Valery's love for her in the Force, a soothing warmth that seemed to suffuse the room. Qhorin hadn't had any children of his own; he'd coupled often enough during certain cosmic alignments, but his path had led him elsewhere.

"We will make a difference this time." He sat mulling his thoughts for a moment. There was still so much to know, much and more, but there would be time again for questions and inquiries. After so long a journey, and such a fine meal, he felt the stirrings of fatigue as a yawn escaped him.

"Forgive me, Master Noble, but I believe a bit of a nap might be in order." His eyes twinkled like warm brown stars. "Perhaps you might like a spar, afterwards?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

"We will make a difference this time."

She smiled and looked at the picture of her daughter again when he offered it back, "Yeah... we are," she said with great determination in her voice. No matter what would happen, no matter how much the Maw destroyed, there was always a reason to keep fighting. For Valery, it was the people in the Galaxy, but especially her family. A desire to keep her husband and daughter protected and offer them the best life possible was a driving force nothing could ever take away.

Empress Teta's liberation was only going to be the beginning.

"Forgive me, Master Noble, but I believe a bit of a nap might be in order." His eyes twinkled like warm brown stars. "Perhaps you might like a spar, afterwards?"

Valery offered a warm smile and nodded, "If you know the way back to the room I showed, you can get some sleep there. I'll be at the training area, which is at the far end of Temple Grounds. If you want to train there once you've gotten some rest, that's where you'll be able to find me," she smirked, got up to her feet and offered a final bow of her head before she left him to his rest.

Meanwhile, she'd go through a less demanding routine of meditation and personal training while she waited for his arrival.

 

[Qhorin Solas]

After a refreshing rest and another shower, Qhorin ventured to the training grounds. He found his way easily enough, following the echoes of Master Valery's passing to an open area at the far end of the temple where her presence burned as bright and fierce as the sun. Ringed by great trees and framed by sky, the grounds were beautiful and open and pleasantly green, in the center of which was an arena of stone. He found Master Valery already warming up when he arrived.

He shed his outer robes and loosed his saber from his belt, something like excitement unfurling in his veins. The art of combat had thrilled him as a child, watching the knights and masters test their skills in similar training halls, and it thrilled him no less as a man, though it was tempered by age and the trials he'd faced. He wiggled his arms and hopped around on the balls of his feet, warming himself up.

"Shall we?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

When she heard him make his approach, Valery drew the hilt of her lightsaber into her hand and watched him step into the training area. He removed his outer robes, reached for his own weapon, and quickly went for a quick warming up, "Of course," Valery said before she ran a hand up through her hair and positioned herself closer to the center. She then made sure her lightsaber was on a safe low power setting and shifted her feet a shoulder-width apart to solidify her stance.

"Let's start slow to warm up and we'll go from there,"

Angling her left side to him, Valery raised up her blade at eye level and pointed it in his direction while the left hand extended parallel to it. The classic Soresu stance that he'd undoubtedly recognize. It wasn't actually a Form she used too often, so this was a bit of practice for her, and gave them the chance to start things slowly.

"First move is yours."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

"Of course," Master Valery said as she moved closer,. "Let's start slow and go from there." She settled into a stance he was intimately familiar with, sword-arm cocked and aloft, the tip of the blade angled towards him, her off hand raised before her as if in warning. "First move is yours."

Qhorin replied with a smile. "So it is."

He set his lightsaber to its lowest power setting and activated the blade; a coruscating indigo beam of contained power sprung to life, humming gently, and performed a Makashi salute. If Master Valery intended to play defense, then it fell to him to play offense- such was the natural order of things. He settled into an even stance. his body angled with his dominant leg back, lightsaber gripped in both hands, its tip angled towards Master Valery's torso.

He opened with a quick jab-step and a probing thrust of his blade that turned into an overhand strike as he dropped one hand from the hilt and twirled his wrist, to bat her saber down and open her torso.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov | Jedi Temple
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsaber
Tag: Qhorin Solas

The Makashi salute he showed her got Valery to briefly smirk — she understood what he was trying to do. Soresu was a Form with a very difficult to penetrate defense, but Makashi's more patient and analytical approach could prove successful. What he didn't know yet, however, was that she wasn't planning to stay in this Form. So she was also looking forward to seeing how he'd adapt to her if she changed things up later, when they had fallen into the rhythm of the spar.

Qhorin then opened up with a lunge, and in response, Valery already lowered her blade through a fluent rotation of her wrist. She stepped slightly off to the side and back, hoping to control the distance and force him to overextend if he wanted to commit to his attack too much. Then, with a quick and mostly subtle parry, she guided his blade away from her body and stepped closer. A flick of her wrist followed, causing the tip of her blade to be directed to his hips.

Right now, it was still fairly slow and relaxed, hoping it would help warm up. But she was going to push him more and more and was curious to see how he'd hold up throughout.

 

[Qhorin Solas]

She stepped back and away, angling herself away from his thrust. As he twirled his wrist into an overhand swipe, she deftly flicked her blade to drive his own saber away, then flowed into a riposte, the tip of her lightsaber flashing towards his hip.

Qhorin was not a specialist- he had never focused on just one form, taking what he could from each to form his own patterns and movements that best suited him. He had studied and practiced some forms more than others, for their tenants had resonated with him, but he was no purist to adhere to one combat philosophy, for the flow of battle- even in practice- was ever chaotic, always changing and shifting.

He brought his leg back, sliding his hip just out of range of her lightsaber, and reversed his grip with a twist of his wrist to arc his blade down and around to bat her saber to the side, driving his shoulder from his core to lend more strength to the maneuver.

Resetting his feet, he corrected his grip and engaged again with a two-handed overhand slash, still methodical, still measuring.

Valery Noble ​