Saber Training

[Draconis Caesar]

Draconis had recovered a Holocron on saber combat from the depths of the Silver Order Library. He carried it and a practice dummy through an open field of green pasture until he came to the sacred tree he had found. Was it truly sacred? He did not know, but he did sense a strong connection to the light side of the force here and thus thought it would be a good place to train. He propped the dummy on a stick and placed the Holocron on a nearby rock. He pressed a few buttons and the Holocron came to life revealing a holographic image of an ancient Jedi master.

"Greetings master," Draconis said to the dead man and bowed.

"Greetings padawan, what can I do for you today. It is recorded within my memory banks that you yourself have accessed these files 1046 times, would you like to pick up where you left off?" The holographic man asked curiously.

"Yes master,"

"Very well, the Ataru form or form 4, Consist of a multitude of short attacks from a multitude of directions. To achieve this one must be quick on their feet. The grace of an acrobat must be used. A somersault over an opponent. Short strike, shiak to the back. Quick roll forward, finished with a crouching Mou kei strike at the legs. Finally end the combination with an upward stab as you pick yourself up from the roll. Please practice this now,"

Draconis did as he was instructed and began the various assaults upon his poor hapless dummy. He would practice this technique a thousand times today.

 

[Draconis Caesar]

Draconis practiced various saber techniques from form IV till mid day and he was now drenched in sweat. His arms felt like wet noodles and he had shed the upper half of his robe. He was getting tired, but he would not allow himself to quit. He poured all of his ills, pains and emotions into the flame and became one with the void which ensued. He felt nothing.

"Master please teach me of Form III" Draconis said bowing low to the holocron.

"You learn quickly Padawan. A hunger for knowledge like yours can lead to the path of the dark side,"

"I am aware of this master. I have studied the fall of Revan and Malak. I believe I have the patience and perseverance to succeed where they failed,"

"Very well Padawan. Form three is an ancient defensive technique as old as myself. The user relies on constant mobility of the blade to block enemy attack while saving his energy. It was introduced around the same time as energy based projectiles. For this exercise I will teach you personally," The hologram grew in size and withdrew it's blade. "Remember to use this form effectively the user must have a very good sense of awareness. He must let the enemies blade come within inches of his body so that the when the defender blocks the attack the parry only requires a slight flick of the wrist thus minimizing energy out put,"

"Begin,"

The hologram entered a flawless combination of attacks and Draconis blocked three out of five. He was Thyrsian and as a result could predict his opponents strikes, but a hologram was still much harder to read.

"Keep your defense tight. Your saber arcs are still to wide. Again,"

Draconis practiced well into the night and when he was finished, he fell asleep right in the field.

 

[Draconis Caesar]

Draconis had gotten hell for not reporting to his quarters the previous night. The master jedi's had made him do dishes, weed the garden, and sweep the floors. There are over a hundred students who eat here, the garden is quiet a few miles long (More of a crop) and their are five stories with hundreds of rooms. Needless to say Draco's chores took quiet some time to finish. When he was finally done nightfall had already come and Draco sat alone in his quarters. It was a small room. With a small bed tucked away in the cornor, at the foot of the bed sat a locker for his clothes and books, and against the wall opposite of the doorway sat a table. He placed the holocron on the small table and pressed play.

"Master," He bowed low "Will you please tell me of the duelist Mace Windu,"

"Of course padawan. Master Windu was a member of the Jedi High council before the great purge. He was a renowned duelist who was thought to be a master of the Saber arts. He was often seen using form seven even though it was a form favored by Sith. Mace Windu was a pillar of old jedi virtue in that he staunchly held to their beliefs despite influence from the Republic. Mace Windu's extreme dedication to the jedi code is believed to be how he was able to use such an aggressive form without succumbing to the dark side,"

"Do you have any videos of him training?"

"I do. There are a multitude of videos of him training padawans and of him training himself. Would you like to see?"

"Please,"

The holocron whirred a little and then began displaying a holographic video of Mace Windu sparring with another jedi. Draco watched the sparring video and others well into the night and eventually fell asleep on his floor.