To Fight The Devil, You Must Be Prepared.

[Darron Wraith]

Yavin IV

Long, blonde locks whipped across his face idly as the wind took them where it pleased. Standing atop the old Jedi Praxeum, the Jedi Master simply looked out over the moon before him. The local flora had flourished in the years since the Gulag Virus had pushed away all sentient life from the planet. The surrounding trees had grown above the old temples used by the Jedi hundreds of years ago after the destruction of the second death star. Cries and calls from the local fauna filled his ears as he took in all the sensations with every one of his senses. It was quite overwhelming to be on a world so flush with nature, even if the ruins of the past served as reminders of what to avoid in the future. A small smile crossed his face as he took in the last few moments of peace and quiet before he got to work on the job at hand.

There was a student to teach.

Not really a student though, Serorth Ur-Rahn was a Knight. Although a new one at that, he had even been trained by Darron's former pupil and now lover. Yes, Rosa did a wonderful job on his training from what I heard. It's why I invited him here, to further his education. Much work would be done today, although he doubted the new Knight had any idea as to what that meant. The invitation he had sent had been brief, and the shuttle had been devoid of any company save for possibly Rosa and the pilot. The world they where on wasn't used by anyone anymore, and that's precisely why it had been chosen for this skirmish. If that's even what it would be called, more like practicing the art of survival.

"Force guide me to do the right thing today, and I hope he is ready."

The GrandMaster fiddled with the two cortosis greaves that covered his forearms for a moment. A quick look over showed that his golden, durasteel breastplate was strapped tightly, and that his belt had all the necessary tools for today. His twin, electrum plated lightsaber hilts hung idly, bouncing against his legs with ever shit of his weight. The simple fabric of his black pants was a stark contrast to the combat boots he wore. Darron was an armored Jedi, although lightly at that. A thinker by nature, and a warrior by circumstance. His ascension through the Order had been rife with tragedy, and it had taken him off the road of diplomat he had wanted to go on when he was a young child. Now a tall, heavily muscled warrior, skilled in all disciplines of the Force. He was a changed man, but a better one for all the pain he had experienced. Most would have wilted under it all.

He stood a Jedi, through and through.

Not even thirty years old, though that was by fate, not choice or biological design. He had been frozen for two decades, the man looking out over the jungle had often been called the Right Jedi for the Wrong Time. It seemed through other's machinations he had been placed in the right time, even if it had been at the expense of him being frozen for twenty years. Darron had assimilated well within the Order again, and his rise to GrandMaster had brought him love and happiness. Though, he knew the enemies of the Republic were waiting and planning. So he wouldn't be caught unaware, a plan had been formed and this was the culmination of the idea. The final link in the chain he would use to wrap around the throat of the Sith.

A whisper in his ear hinted at the footsteps echoing up the steps to the top of the massive structure he was standing on. His guest, pupil, and future teammate had arrived.

"Greetings Seroth Ur-Rahn. Jedi Knight of the Order I lead, I am Darron Wraith. I'm sure you know my rank." The GrandMaster turned to face the man coming towards him. At 6'5 he stood nearly a head over the man, but physical size meant little in combat. That much the Jedi Master knew, and he had seen that maxim stand true through years of training and warfare. A gloved hand of durasteel went out to be shook. "I trust your travels went well, do you have any questions? I know you weren't told much."

 

[Seydon of Arda]

One morning, amidst the Tython meditation chambers, anchored to the bottom of an exercise pool and practicing a still-breath technique as his mind wandered through quiet avenues of introspective thought, a droid courier left a data-wafer atop his collapsed clothing for his eventual attentions. A small holosprite in the likeness of Grandmaster Wraith curtly reported his summons, showcased a line of code that the youth interpreted as Hyperspace coordinates, and promptly blinked off. Not even a half hour later, dressed, dried, and kitted for whatever wilds he'd inevitably travel, Seroth was shuttlebound and lancing through timespace.

Rippling through the translation into Realspace, Seroth found himself piloting high above the south polar axis. Crooked flood plains mixed with broken patches of ancient peat moss were misted in constant hail storms. Elsewhere, the atmospheric overcharge of humidity and bruised overcast cloaked overarching portions of every significant land-mass from east to west. The youth locked the vessel's instrumentation to a landing signal emanating from a stretch of hinterland. The shuttle broke the cloud cover, spat upon briefly with sheets of sweltering rain. Lightning nearly clipped the rear dorsal transmission spikes, giving the youth incentive to throttle on a bit more speed.

Yavin IV. Even from his whisking view, every square mile of condensed jungle seemed sagging under its weight of galactic history. Ahead, propped against a grey backdrop of menacing cloud cover, a network of Massassi temple-fortresses loomed. Constructed of dark granite slabs and angled pillars of basalt and flint, they loomed with almost overbearing presence. Perhaps it was a testiment to the strengths of those ancient students, survivng the day-by-day hardships of training under the legendary Luke Skywalker. Was there some pertinent allegory Master Wraith was trying to impart, Seroth wondered? His vessel slowed, flight-wings folding in against the low dorsal altitude adjuster as scram-jets flooded an empty patch of worn moss with hot downdrafts. The Knight took a fast double-check of his tunic, slacks, and waist harness. He was already fast ascending the first steps of one grand pyramidal structure before the belly-berth had finished squeezing the landing ramp closed.

And there... Armed and armoured, straw-blonde hair whisked by low winds, sporting an impossing, tanned frame bulked by a silvertine breastplate. Quite tall, yet approachable in demeanor. Seroth nodded his deference to the Grandmaster, smiling as he took the proferred prosthetic and pumped his forearm in return. "Master Wraith, well met. And for a querry, well... Why are we here?" He asked, to the point. "Is there something afoot?"

 

[Darron Wraith]

Releasing his grip, Darron motioned for Seroth to follow him to the edge of the temple roof. A few moments of silence passed between the pair as Darron just looked out at all the life before them. His field of responsibility extended as far as it would go only briefly before collapsing back in on the immediate area, more specifically Seroth. Poking and prodding at him with his senses, he was trying to get a general idea of who the man was in the Force. While Rosa's report had been rather thorough, and it had painted a picture of a good man, Darron wanted to get a feel for him. See how he reacted around someone else, listen to his words and how he said them. Documents where only descriptions which could be broken down into paragraphs, then sentences, then words, then letters. No, the man standing next to Seroth had never trusted such things, and instead took his time assessing him through the Force.

A small smile broke over his tan face before he turned slightly to look at him.

"Well to get started, you are here for training. I am going to teach you how to fight for your life Seroth, you will learn how a Sith fights. You were Knighted because of who you are as a person and your skills that you have exhibited in training." Darron motioned to the world around them, before continuing.

"Yavin IV has seen it's share of the darkside. You will learn to be around it, and how to remain a Jedi despite terrible odds. Though in reality you will not be facing Sith....you will face me."

A chuckle escaped his throat as he went and sat on the stone, they would train later. Now was the time for conversation and getting all the questions out of the way.

"The reason for this training is to get you ready for the tasks at hand, I am forming an elite Jedi team. Your character is just what I am looking for, and I would like to make sure your skills are up to par for the person I have heard about. Would you be okay going to hell and back with me, against the Sith and all manner of darksiders?" Darron crossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees as he regarded Seroth, blue eyes watching every movement.

"If you have any questions about me, the training, or the team. You need to ask them now, tomorrow may be too late."

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Tardiness was not something Rosa tolerated, even when it was herself running late. She wasn't even sure how it had happened, only that she had been totally engrossed in the intelligence gathered on Omni. She was scouring through all of it, looking for a weakness something they could use against it. It was long and tiring work and far from what she enjoyed but it was a necessity, as well as her duty. It was only when the comm buzzed at her for the second time since Darron's message that she realised this was not where she was supposed to be.

The pilots, were extremely accommodating, when Rosa arrived, flustered and yelling for them to leave despite the fact she hadn't even got halfway up the boarding ramp, they did exactly that. It wasn't that this was a mission, or even an extremely important meeting, it was a training session with her former padawan and the grandmaster. She smiled to herself as Darron came to her mind, her slight panic of being late washing away with thoughts of him.

"Knight Mazhar, would you like us to land?" came the pilot's call from the cockpit. Rosa smiled and hit the button to lower the boarding ramp in response. A chuckle came from ahead as the shuttle came low above Darron and Seroth's location. With a call of thanks, Rosa leapt from the boarding ramp, landing lightly a few feet from the pair with a small smile.

"I didn't miss too much, did I?" she asked as she approached them.

 

[Seydon of Arda]

At Darron's word, Seroth's eyes snapped to the sitting Master. Training against the horrid, severe Dark Powers and their practitioners was not a regiment taken up so lightly. It took several traces of adamant will to keep his demeanor relaxed and disarmed in Darron's presence, mind swiftly racing as he gauged his elder's words. He didn't lack for trust in the Grandmaster. But he promised him that he'd fight as the Archenemy and he had been well versed in ancient stories, of Dark Lords suddenly springing to explosive, ending violence. If the Grandmaster suddenly sprung from the chipped Massassi throne, he'd require a generous split-second to get his bearings were he caught flat-footed. No Sith Lord was so kind. The wind played at their hair as the odours of marl earth and silicate clay wafted up from the rainforest below. Acute, unintelligible snips of dislocated sound echoed down from the pyramid spire. Most would have been deafened to the whispers. But the pair bore heavy spiritual sensitivity. The Darkness loomed, peaking up from the throne's thin shadow.

"I..." Seroth stammered a moment, weighing the enormity of Darron's offer, humbled. "I shant lie and say I'm not overwhelmed by your confidence, Master, your generosity. It's akin to living out those lost august legends, when companies of our Order set out to meet their onrushing destinies. Every student dreams of them. Padawans go their entire tenures waiting for that one, whispered offer of something greater. ...And here you are, legend in of yourself, offering someone as untested as I this... this membership."

A cool breathe eased over his dry lips. "Humility says I should... tell you no. Maybe seek someone more eager for blood, for gore. But..." The youth licked over his teeth, a lightning glimmer flashing in his gray gaze. "But I am sick and I am weary of hearing every day members of our calling falling to shadowed fighters, these... these wretches. I'm more than a little tired of the maxim and habit of being caught flatfooted. We have strength, Master Darron, such strength! In our compassion, our understanding, our want for... For... For something greater than any Darksider can possibly commit himself to!"

Seroth's voice trembled as his composure slightly tumbled, revealing shades of a youth spending too many nights sitting up meditating over a bleak, uncertain future. His hands laid upon his hilt pommels. "So... I'll go with you, Master Darron. If only to teach that these immutable hellfires can indeed be quenched. ...I'll be whatever warrior you need me to be. Fighter. Ranger. Everything in between."

 

[Darron Wraith]

"What I need you to be...is just Seroth."

Blue eyes flicked over towards the approaching presence, and his heart lifted. Though he did not move, he had hoped she would show. Silence fell over him for a few brief seconds as he studied the beautiful form of Rosa Mazhar, Jedi Knight, and his love. It had been weeks since he had seen her, and in all honesty he wanted to drop decorum in front of Seroth and embrace her as his lover. His soul and heart cried out for her, but his body didn't move. Despite what Darron Wraith wanted, the GrandMaster of the Jedi Order had a job to do today, and being soft wouldn't benefit anyone on this day. A moment of struggle passed without a word, and all the emotions he felt simply stayed on the inside. Duty would always win over feelings, and he wouldn't suddenly change with the galaxy plunged in to turmoil. Instead, a compromise was met, and he addressed her.

"Greetings Rosa, glad to see you could join your former Padawan. While you won't be joining the team I have formed, you must practice as well. That last fight on Rhen Var has left me wanting to see more from you."

A hand of flesh extended, motioning for Rosa to sit next to Seroth. Darron turned his attention back to Seroth, as he knew this had to be quite overwhelming for him. I can remember when I was that excited for dangerous missions. A melancholy grin crossed his face as memories of missions past, and innocence lost flashed acros his minds eye. The moment was fleeting, and he instead spoke to change what his mind was thinking about.

"So, Rosa here tells me you are pure of spirit, and you follow the code diligently. I want you to always hold fast to that, never lose that about yourself. We have rules, and our primary job is to protect innocent life. Never forget that, even when those around you forget it. The first job of this team will be to cast light where it is most dark, and to save the lives of those we can. Should you have to kill in defense of an innocent, or to uphold the code, then do as you must. Just know I didn't pick you based off of martial ability alone, I want a team of those with a soul and men who know who they are."

Darron pushed his own pointer finger into the center of his chest as he continued.

"I can teach you how to be a better warrior, and experience can fill in the blanks of your training. The one thing you have that I need is a good heart, don't ever lose that despite what happens. That's what this training is about, how to face utter brutality and not lose yourself."

 

[Ben Watts]

Ben looked at himself in the mirror before he left the shuttle he had come to Yavin IV on. Oh how things had changed so dramatically in such a short time. Well, it seemed like a short time, it had been well over ten years since he had looked across at the boy he once was. Instead of a confident, young, and overly ambitious Jedi he saw a wise old man whom he barely recognized. It sometimes shocked him that he had progressed as far as he had, no longer a Jedi Knight who was constantly seeking to do things, he was now a leader who commanded others. How he had longed to be on the Jedi Council when he was a Padawan, he wanted to sit beside his father, maybe then he would have been proud. Sadly the same Council he answered to when he was growing was completely different today. With Teferi gone, there was no one left from the original Council, and now not only did he sit on a seat, he was second in command next to Darron Wraith.

Pulling his robe over his combat gear, Ben turned away from the mirror, and headed to the training fields. Ben was not much for amor, preferring to rely on his battle precognition and speed to dodge incoming attacks, but he did wear a tiny bit over his forearms. It wasn't much, but it had its uses, being saved a number of times from having his arm sliced off. Lightsaber hanging from his hip, Ben trotted down the entrance ramp of his ship, and made his way to where Darron was training two Jedi Knights. Ben was also going to be giving some combat lessons this day, a Zeltron Jedi Knight, Jaxton Ravos. He knew little about the man, but he hoped to change that today, considering they were all about to be working together in a special Jedi Task force. When Darron had first come to him with the idea, Ben loved it, they needed a team of people to actively strike the Sith. It did not seem very Jedi like, but times were changing, they could no longer sit around and expect the Sith to just one day decide to be good guys.

This was to technically be their first time all working together. They had better get used to it, being a team of Jedi who hunted Sith would have to know each other in and out, be completely in sync with one another unless they all wanted to die. Ben already trusted Darron, they were both Jedi Masters, and they both cared deeply for the Jedi Order and would stop at nothing to protect it. He did not know Seroth or Jaxton very well, but from what Darron had told him, they were just as committed to the cause as they were.

Passing by the training area where Darron, Seroth, and Rosa were, Ben nodded his head and continued to walk. They were doing their own thing, Jaxton and Ben were going to be training someplace else. This was not going to be a traditional spar and Ben did not want to take the chance that their battles would overlap. They would still be close to each other, but Ben picked an area that was less battle ready than normal, he wanted to simulate a battle happening anywhere at any time. Surrounded by forest, the voices of Darron and his team slowly began to fade out, and when he was satisfied with his spot Ben crossed his legs and sat down. Pulling his lightsaber from its clip, he grabbed it with the force, and held it out in front of him. Closing his eyes, he slowly let his mind be clear, and before long he felt one with the force. Reaching out, he touched Jaxton's mind, I am ready to begin our training, Jaxton."

 

[Seydon of Arda]

A stiff whorl of air caught them across the temple landing, bleeding cold through their dress and flitting eastward towards a slowly darkening horizon. Seroth traced his knuckles against the smoothed, cobbled roof, rubbing in against the overgrowths of weed and lichen. The sensation of timeless age added an edge of context to these moments, lending weight and power behind Darron's offer. This venture, Seroth reasoned, looking upwards but staring blankly in thought, would either see him and whatever companions Darron had likewise recruited through... Through Hell. There was no other word for it. There would be fire and heat, metaphorically and literally, searing their souls as their foes brought down every executable harshness they could conjure. Pain for the body, for the mind and soul. Darron promised he'd aid in steeling for the inevitable harrowing, but the youth still needed to respect the coming tribulations for what they were.

He looked to Rosa, her wistful expression deep of its own accord, wondering if she was likewise measuring what hardships he and her lover - for undoubtedly, they couldn't mask their unspoken affections even if they had so attempted - were about to square off with. Soft foot treads upon the loam below and up along the volcanic stone steps alerted to a further presence, though it's friendly note against the background life-noise told there was little to fear. Seroth nodded back to the Councilman, Ben Watts, out of courtesy and a mote of respect. Three souls now, and maybe a fourth. The twinkle in Darron Wraith's sky-blue eyes hinted of purposes yet to be disclosed.

"So an even-keel," Seroth said. "An indomnitable spirit over an indomnitable blade. That's the classic lesson we always have to take heed, isn't it? Take care not to become what you fight against. We'll be swallowed up like coal into a pressure furnace... But emerge better for it. As unbreakable as adamant, as diamond."

An unconsciously adventurous gleam broke Seroth's otherwise taciturn expression. "They'll be hardpressed, I think, to find a finer company than our own, Master."

 

[Jaxton Ravos]

Jaxton didn't remember what he was doing when he had gotten a call saying he was to be selected for 'special training' with the Grandmaster, another council member, and another Knight, but it was all he could think about since it happened. Part of him was happy, he'd been recognized as a good fighter, but part of him was scared, what if he wasn't a good enough fighter? He was one of at least four people, that was a small group, if he screwed up it could mean mission failure, or worse. No, Jaxton had to come and train, and he had to be the best. There wouldn't be another Junction. He would make sure of it.

I am ready to begin our training, Jaxton. The Zeltron heard echo in his mind. Jaxton entered the arena the master had chosen. It was no 'proper' arena as it more of a forest than a ring, but Jaxton could be fighting on a planet like that one day, so he understood the choice. He ignited his blue lightsaber, in a normal man's hands it would be considered two-handed, but in Jaxton's it was more of 'bastard' grip, and with it's dual-phase he should shift from a long one-handed blade, to a longer two-handed blade. He closed his eyes, and felt Ben through the Force, then charged at him, ready to guard the strike he would take as he closed the distance.

They were to learn to fight Sith. Sith would not wait for formalities or pleasantries to kill, so neither would Jaxton, or this Master Watts, if he was smart. The training had begun, and Jaxton was going to learn every lesson he could.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa smiled at Darron's formal greeting and shook her head slightly at him. Everyone knew now, yet despite this, he did everything in his power to make it seem like it wasn't really a big deal. She slipped onto the stone next to Seroth and gave the boys leg a squeeze, a small sign of affection. Seroths pure heart had grown on Rosa and she looked to him like a younger brother, though she would never openly admit such a thing. Bad enough that she was in love with the Grandmaster, but she also had attachments to her pupils.

Rosa rolled her eyes at the mention of Rhen Var and looked away, offering a small smile of greeting to Master Watts as he passed them. Her skill lied with intelligence, not all out battle, while she would like to think, despite past experience, that she could hold her won against a sith, it was not what she was designed for. She believed Darron's reasoning for asking her to join them was because he wanted to make sure that when he wasn't there, she would be able to walk away from a fight with a sith.

"You're not wrong there, Seroth." she mused, turning to him with a small smile, before her eyes met Darron's with a mischevious glint to them. "Would you like to go into more detail about what you would like to see more of, Grandmaster? The fight on Rhen Var was hardly an even one."

 

[Ben Watts]

When Jaxton approached, he kept his eyes shut, keeping his connection to the force in tact. Jaxton ignited his lightsaber and he charged at Ben who was still sitting on the ground in a meditative position. At first, it seemed as if Ben as not going to move, like he was going to be struck down without even putting up a fight. But Ben's connection to the force was strong, and he was an experienced user of Battle Precognition, he could see moves before they even happened especially when his mind was as focused as it was in that moment. Opening his eyes at the last moment, his lightsaber sprang to life via use of the force, it shot up and deflected the blow that would have taken Ben down had he not moved. All of this happened without Ben so much as lifting a finger. A small smile came across his face as he slowly pushed himself up.

"Now, now, Jaxton, you must never charge into battle without first knowing what your opponent is capable of." Getting to his feet, Ben grabbed his lightsaber from the air, and he stood looking up at Jaxton. Ben was not short, standing at a solid 6'2, but he looked dwarfed in comparison to the large Zeltron. He was an intimidating man, very large in size and strength, but he could not rely on that alone to win all of his battles. "The Echani say that fighting is the best way to get to know someone, and to some extent, I agree with them. You can learn a lot about a person from how they choose to fight you. You are strong, frightening, and surely a capable warrior. But your size and strength mean nothing to a lightsaber, especially in the hands of someone who knows how to wield one properly, so you mustn't rely solely on that." Ben admired his desire to get right down to business, but there was much to learn, and not enough time to soak it all in.

"I chose this location for a reason, it is random, it simulates the idea that not all fights are going to take place in an open space one on one. But, this is not a disadvantage, a seasoned fighter thrives in a place like this." Ready to begin his first lesson, Ben lifted his hand, and a tree behind Jaxton began to shake. It was not a large tree by any means, but enough to get his point across. Ripping it from the ground, Ben threw the tree in Jaxton's direction, and then with speed that could only be accomplished through his connection to the force, Ben spun his lightsaber around and tried to time his attack with the collision of the tree.

 

[Darron Wraith]

"Exactly Seroth, we will never cross the line to become them. They can, and will do more against us, but that's the point. We will learn to be greater than them, aspire for me, and best them while keeping our code."

A small smile broke over his face as he looked at Rosa, you know what I really want to see my love. The message was short, and sweet as he was busy talking to her at the same time.

"Rosa, there is no such thing as a fair fight. I've been attacked by four Sith Masters at once, been ambushed by countless bounty hunters. The point is that when you are a Jedi, there is no such thing as a fair fight. They know our moral code, how the Order operates. Our opponents and enemies want to overwhelm us and make us lose ourselves, and you must train to never allow that to happen."

He chuckled slightly to himself as he got up and walked about twenty steps away from the pair. He could feel Ben and Jaxton had already started. I thought I was the impatient one who was quick to action Ben? Darron just shook his head at the thought, the time for talking was long past. It was time to move into the actual training portion, and he truly was excited. If there was one demon that he had never been able to conquer, it had been his desire for combat. That had always been his greatest single weakness, ever since he had lost his forearm to his brother, all those years ago. His brow furrowed at the thought, but a quick exhale cleared his mind of all thought as the GrandMaster allowed himself to become an empty cup. The cool refreshing water that was the Force filled him, and completed him. Peace had been attained once more, and he enjoyed the feeling of oneness with Yavin IV briefly before turning back towards the seated pair.

There was work to do after all.

"Combat is about answering what your weaknesses are, and in doing so you reveal much about yourself. You must also play to your strengths as well, when I was first Knighted I made Ataru my chosen discipline of combat. I was tall, lanky, talented in the Force, athletic, but terribly weak. It answered my physical weakness, and I did well for myself until I faced off against much more powerful opponents." Darron paced a little as he continued. "I later took up Djem-So after I lost my forearm. My training intensified considerably and as I grew into a man's body my physical power and natural aggression were a good fit, yet it was a little off. Turns out my speed was being neglected, and my aggression was getting the better of me."

Darron stopped in mid step and faced the pair, with a subtle pull of the Force he pulled one of his lightsaber hilts to his hands. The electrum plating was cool to the touch, and the feel of the thirty centimeters of hilt in his hand comforted him. "I went on a dangerous path, made many mistakes, but I trained and Mastered Vaapad. It answered my true weakness, my own inner darkness. Here I stand today the only practitioner of it, and few...if any Sith can match my ferocity. That is why I will be a good litmus test for you two. I will shift forms in this contest, and you will have to fight for your lives."

Snap-hiss

The bar of blue energy ignited, and it's steady hum was the only sound save for a few birds flying from the nearby trees.

"Attack me."

 

[Jaxton Ravos]

@[member="Ben Watts"]

Jaxton heard, and saw the tree coming at him, and turned his body to slice it with his saber, then felt the presence of the Jedi Master close in on him with unnatural speed. It was a good move, one that would have cornered most men, but not one with Jaxton's combination of athleticism and the Force. In the blink of an eye he lowered his body and then kicked off of the ground, using the Force to augment his already solid vertical, hurdling the tree like a fence. He planted his foot and pivoted backwards, then used the force to push the tree just a little faster into the body of the Jedi Master His TK skills were not great, but Jaxton was going to make sure he used every asset he had.

"Nobodies going to wait for me to analyze their strengths and weakness before we fight." Jaxton said as he walked towards the Grandmaster and the tree coming at his side in a defensive position. "I'm going to have learn everything I can on the go."

 

[Seydon of Arda]

A fight for their lives; the sentiment echoed back through Seroth's faculties as the wind atop the temple suddenly ceased its constant touch. The air grew still. To his side, he could hear the subtle shifts of Rosa's hand sneaking back across her waist-belt to grasp her forged lightsaber. Master Darron simply waited for their opening move-set, readied in an unfamiliar cross-stance where his face picked up the hum-glow of his sky-blue blade. The young Knight knew it was already an impossible contest to unseat the blademaster from his perch as de-facto Order swordsman. But that was a contest of a different sort altogether. A fight for your lives, he said. Very well. Seroth looked up to Darron, conjured the sharp face of that insipid, syphilitic Mikhail Shorn from his memory, and then moved.

The Knight didn't spring. He gripped his nails into the stonework and vaulted forward in a somersault, coming to his feet as his green-swords flashed alive. Snap-hiss! Seroth made no boasts for his prowess. He left for that others to judge, simply placing as much exhausting diligence as were possible in keeping his physicality sharp and his sword-arms ever strong. He launched into a scalding whack against Darron's right flank, wrists twisting as Djem-So met Vapaad and shorn sparks into the air. Yet, for Form V's less than balletic strike vectors, Seroth moved with belying grace. He cracked his left blade tip against Darron's upheld sword and drove his right hand up to spear him through his groin and stomach.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa could not help but smile at his lecture and his telepathic message. No fight was fair, she knew that, she still held on to the fact that given a fair fight, she would have stood a better chance at winning the fight with Mikhail. But the odds were not on her side, and they were not likely to be on her side next time either. Ataru was tiring, meant for a fast win and most certainly not designed for defence.

As Darron stopped pacing she felt the shift in the force, a subtle change in their situation and her hand moved slowly to her lightsaber before the two words left Darron's mouth. Rosa move with Seroth, as he vaulted across the floor she planted a foot on the stone Darron had been sitting on previously and used it as a stepping stone to launch herself over him, landing lightly she spun, igniting her saber as she did to bring the purple blade across his back, one of the first Ataru moves she had learnt.

 

[Darron Wraith]

Well there goes that plan. He quietly mused to himself in the few seconds before the approaching lightsabers came at him, the world around him crystallizing.

The GrandMaster had initially though to go single blade Ataru for a while, then move to Djem-so. If the pair lunging at him presently had shown enough skill, he would have moved to Vaapad, then to double-bladed Vaapad. Yet it seemed both Seroth and Rosa where quite intent on striking him down, just as he had asked them to. I can't fault them for their spirit, Force knows they sure are trying. He had to commend their spirit as their shadows encroached on him as both attacked in tandem, and both choosing to go the acrobatic route against him. Seroth seemed to be using his natural abilities to get into position, while Rosa was simply using her preferred form of Ataru. Multiple openings presented themselves to him, and every possible combination of strikes was instantly presented to him in crystal clarity as he everything moved slowly around him. It was one of his true gifts, and he was using it to the fullest on Yavin IV in this moment.


No, Ataru wouldn't work here. Much too cramped to be efficient. Djem-So's power would leave him open to the three blades. No, it was time.

For Vaapad.

In the blink of an eye, the GrandMaster of the Jedi Order completely emptied himself of all emotion. The Force beckoned to flood within him, but he wouldn't allow it. Instead, he focused on his will to win, his desire to succeed in all conflicts. For the right reasons, he wanted to help, and winning would help all life. He held fast to that thought as he channeled his own darkness, and he let it open a loop, a superconducting loop. Any combat was aggressive, and thus Rosa and Seroth served to feed the loop by the conflict they where creating. Yet Darron dug deeper, and pulled from the darkness of the planet, and he felt all the power he would need. Yet he kept himself emotionless, save for the storm within. His calm face never once betrayed the storm within, although his blue eyes raged like a hurricane ready to be unleashed.

A hand of flesh immediately went to his waist to grab the other electrum plated hilt, and in the other half second before Rosa landed at his back and Seroth's blades came to meet him. Both activation switches where hit, and two azure blades sprung to life with a deafening snap hiss. The air flooded with ozone from the five blades being in such proximity, and the GrandMaster immediately went to work.

Spreading his feet wide to give himself a better base, the Jedi physically did as he was doing internally. His right foot moved back towards Rosa as he transferred his weight to that side to absorb the frontal assault from Seroth. Though his back was his number one priority so Darron quickly raised his arm, and with strength augmented by the Force, he locked blades with his lover. The sparks from their blades burning at the nape of his neck. With his left hand he was forced to deal with the three strike flurry from Seroth. Pointing his emitter towards the ground, Darron bent his knees to allow his hips better torque on his blocks. Bringing his blade across his body he used his staccato flurry of bocks to throw off the Knight's tempo while beating his second blade away to buy him time. The second strike was easy as he turned his wrist up and batted that strike away. The stab not so much as the GrandMaster had to lean a little to close to the saber at his back as he turned his left blade parallel to the ground and pushed the stab up.

A moment passed as blades cracked against each other, a mere couple seconds having just passed.

Channeling all the aggression directed at him, he pulled deeply within the Force. Darron channeled all of the energy he had into himself, and let it build deep within to his core. Instead of channeling it from one focal point, such as his hand. The GrandMaster released all the built up energy in a mighty Force explosion forcing his opponents away. Bringing both of his blades back to him, Darron pivoted towards Rosa and launched one azure blade at her, his will controlling it's path. The lightsaber was aimed squarely at her throat. Turning towards Seroth, the Jedi lunged.

Force assisting his movements, Darron covered the distance between the two. The Jedi's hand extended as his blade that he had thrown returned to his hand at just the right moment. As his feet connected with the ground he brought both of his blue blades crashing down from overhead aimed at both of Seroth's shoulders. Not waiting to connect, he brought his right blade out and brought a quick slash aimed at his Seroth's left elbow. Stepping forward, he retracted his left blade back and aimed a stab at the Knight's heart.

 

[Ben Watts]

Jaxton redirected the tree, and Ben was impressed, he was faster than Ben originally thought but his strength was just about where he wanted it to be. The tree was launched back at him, and Ben flipped into the air, and when his head was facing the ground he used his lightsaber to slice the tree right down the middle. Completing the flip, he landed inbetween the two pieces of the tree, letting his lightsaber drop for a moment.

"I never said to wait, I said never rush in head first without knowing your opponent. You're right, they won't give you time to learn them, that is why you figure them out through combat. In the short time you have been here, I have already gauged your combat skills. How well you can dodge, how you handle other objects coming your way, your strength and your speed." Ben adopted the traditional stance that was common with Form III, Soresu, his most trained lightsaber form. While using Soresu, Ben was nearly impenetrable, his reaction time and his mastery of the form allowed him to block almost any incoming attack. He kept his body tight, his mind open, and his lightsaber at the ready.

"Let's see what you can find out about me."

 

[Seydon of Arda]

Conservatively, Seroth understood that tenants of the oft-unfinished Juyo canon were discouraged from study by unprepared students unable to harness the bleak ferocity and near uncontrollable staccato chorus of killing strikes. There was something inherent to Juyo, the youth had surmized, that forced a practitioner to walk a searing line. Even vaunted Djem So only imparted a surface philosophy of physical combat. Observing Darron work his hands and cleave away the paired killing blows with preternatural crispness and uncanny control, Seroth felt a twinge; Vaapad wasn't simply 'fighting' in a superlative sense. It was like carthatic communication, answering and subduing the fragility of inner turmoil so very many Jedi never learned to acknowledge, let alone cope with.

His momentum seemed to only add to the strength of Darron's flashing defense. The boy's cuts were skewed aside, feints thwarted and returned with jarring kinetics. Seroth reversed his blades, staggering a cut that flashed to his collarbone, ducking beneath a follow-up crossed slice that could have burned through his throat. Detractors of lightsaber combat derided skill demonstrations as being flights of fancy; notably the Mandalorian camp and their nigh-on invincible iron and short swords, snickering at 'balletic fools' while launching impudent ordnance blasts from obscenely cached armouries. They hadn't witnessed Vaapad. They didn't know the savage threat of being cut into a score of pieces if one iota of defense was found lacking.

And then a solid wall of mental energy swept across Seroth's frame, bowling him once end-over-end before his toes caught into the stone. His cheeks burned and he felt a gush of fleshy gore burst from his nose, limbs pricked with striating stings. The Grandmaster hurled in, vaulting the difference with supreme speed, keeping the Knight on a forced defensive. His left hand blurred and whacked the strike brandished to his elbow, the right ducking in to catch and glide the a fierce stab seeking his heard. It sailed past his crooked neck and right shoulder, using the split moment to check his forehead into Darron's lips and force his pace back a step. There wasn't time for breath. Seroth brough up his twirling blades and cleaved in with Djem So.

Slaying cuts were met with blurring parries and pounding counterattacks, Vornskr meeting Krayt Dragon as Seroth wrists cocked and dived through the ferocious blur of Darron's multi-angled rents. The youth respected the Grandmaster's reputation in swordplay, never imagining to be on the recieving brunt of his unpredictable kata's and forced to weave through a dozen moves in as half as many seconds. His ears pounded with blood and all he could make out above the fracture sounds was his soaring heart-beat. Not a byproduct of inexperienced anxiety, nor fear... but a kind of... joy. Their swords crossed and stuck, twin 'X's pressing as their arms swelled with cording muscle, feet anchored.

A beat. Against Darron's sheer physical presence, the youth looked as if he was exterting himself against a mountain. He caught his reflection in the burnished breast-plate, expression caught between avid concentration and a toothy smile. The saber-locked ended, blades hissing as they snapped away, Seroth bouncing against his toes as his hands spoke to each other and sliced in once more. Another dizzying trade of parries and counter-blows followed, their sheer energy bleeding heat into the cold air. The youth waited... Waited for what he felt like was a familiar routine... He swayed out of reach of yet another uncountable crushing strike and reversed his hilt-gripping, attempting to reach as he hopped and bring the hilt-butts clanging in against Darron's temples.

 

[Jaxton Ravos]

Jaxton easily spotted the Jedi Master @[member="Ben Watts"] sport a Soresu stance, the most defensive of all the Lightsaber forms. Master practitioner were said to be nearly impenetrable, and without weakpoints, but not very aggressive. The key to beating it was patience, and wearing the opponent down without wearing yourself down. In his most trained Djem So form, Jaxton came at the Jedi master, using the Force to increase his speed and strength to give his blows strength that would have been considered unnatural for wookiees. Diagonal up to the left, horizontal to the right, and diagonal down to the left he slashed. Even with having no weakpoints in form, Jaxton reasoned if he could get enough strength to literally push him out of position with his blows, he could make one appear.

 

[Darron Wraith]

Blue and green blades moved in perfect harmony against one another, and it was quite the sight to behold.

Vaapad versus Djem-So was always fun to watch, factor in that both warriors where using two blades, and it was quite the show. Their blades hissed and screamed at each other as the two fought with blinding ferocity. The darkness from the planet fueled Darron's every move and he appeared to be bathed in blue light going against the powerful, deliberate strikes of from Seroth. One was almost the evolution of another, and the skill with which both were being executed presently was breath-taking. Impeccable footwork and perfect timing where on display, and the energy the two where releasing was truly a rare sight to behold. Though Seroth was only a Knight, his clear understanding of bladework was on full display and the GrandMaster was incredibly impressed with him. A moment of reflection on his choice for the last slot of Adamant Company would come, but right now all he could manage was to file a mental note. This boy will most definitely be a useful ally against the dark.

CRASH!!

Another flurry of blows had just happened, and the pair had paused as their blades pressed against each other. Darron towered over the youth before him, and every muscle in their bodies fought each other. Through his field of responsibility he could feel the struggle going on between them, and he relished it. The Knight's enthusiasm was contagious, and it reminded him of himself when he was that age. Though there was a hint of innocence still in him, he hadn't lost quite what the Master across from him had. I hope that you never do either, a twinge of sadness, though fleeting was felt. There was no room for such a thought, feeling, or any emotion in general. Not with any Jedi, especially not with the one who was channeling his will to win. Without supreme focus, Vaapad was nothing, and Darron was a master at keeping his.

Silence...

The saber-lock was broken, and immediately the hair at the end of his neck stood up. The next few milliseconds flashed before his mind's eye as he immediately felt his guard broken. Going off of muscle memory, the Jedi Master let his blades fall to his side as he leaned back and away. Then he saw why, the youth had adroitly repositioned his grip and had planned on knocking the leader of the Jedi out. It was a grand and cunning plan, and it would have worked on a lesser foe. Taking advantage as he heard the hilts clang off of each other, Darron immediately stepped forward and inside Seroth's arms. Saber still in his hand he came underneath and pulled his blade up to safely reposition his opponents blade up and away from him. Sabers screaming against each other, he slid down the length of it and knocked his arms away. Now they where in each other's faces and Darron brought his head down as hard as he could, hoping to make contact with the crown of his forehead against Seroth's nose.

CRACK

Standing as a titan of battle, the GrandMaster spoke as he shifted his focus elsewhere.

"Impressive...most impressive. You fight me with everything you have, and I appreciate the respect. Know a Sith would have cut your throat just then and ended your life. You must never let them that close to you understand?"


With his senses all around the top of the temple, he began to reach and feel. Gradually weaknesses around the temple began to reveal themselves and in the surrounding trees. No, he wouldn't try a grandiose Sith trick. He would go with more subtlety at first. Finding what he was looking foe, the GrandMaster visualized what was to come next as his will wrapped around every stray piece of debris. Another second passed as every loose brick, branch, and structurally weak object slowly rose around them. Darron's brow furrowed as he focused, and he extended one saber encumbered hand towards his opponent . Doing so he channeled his energy and will towards the Knight, and every object that had arisen suddenly accelerated and flew towards Seroth from all angles.