Training Day

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

Kafh-en-ma-nofre sat in his quarters meditating, pondering on what the Force had to offer. He had decided to take a break from studying, a well needed one at that. He decided to spend the day by himself, he didn't really want to bother the rest of the crew. Kafh opened his eyes and smiled. Feeling refreshed. The young man stood up and fixed his denim jacket before exiting his quarters. Kafh made his way to The Bastion's training room, upon entering Kafh smiled...empty. Glad he was able to work out without people gawking at him.

Kafh removed his jacket and shirt, stretching hour his arms and legs, doing various warm up routines. 'Heathy body, healthy mind' the young man thought. He cracked his neck and smiled. "Okay.." he said aloud as he sat down and began doing sit-ups." Not realizing anyone would be walking in.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Ah? I'm not the only one who comes down here to work out?" Kahlil entered the room with a slight chuckle, glancing to [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] as he stepped past. He had only a pair of slacks on with a towel draped over his shoulders. It was his daily routine to train down here, but it came with a fortunate twist having his padawan there for the same reason. "Good. Actually, I've been wanting to teach you a couple things. So, here." He had walked across the whole room to a rack with some training blades and such on it.

Training sabers too. He grabbed one of the hilts and tossed it to Kafh.

"The Lightsaber is the tool of the Jedi. Don't be confused. It's not a weapon. It's a shield. It's a key. And at times, it is a sword. It's important that you know how to use one. There's a red button, press that. But make sure you don't point the end at yourself." Kahlil lit up his own blade as a demonstration. It was a simple yellow color. Kafh's would be too.

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

Kafh looked up to see his Mentor entering the Training Room, he gave Kahlil a smile. "You know what they say big brother, healthy body makes a healthy mind." Kafh said as he sat up. Kahlil was glad to see Kafh because he wanted to teach him a couple more things. Kafh watched as the tall man walked across the room to a rack, and remove two hilts, tossing one to Kafh.

Kafh-en-ma-nofre caught it and examined it for a second. He slowly stood up as Kahlil explained that the Lightsaber was a tool not a weapon, it was a key and a sheild but also a sword in some cases. He explained that it was important that Kafh learned how to wield one Kafh nodded. The younger male examined the hilt in his right hand, and found the red button Kahlil spoke about, he made sure it was facing away from him before he ignited it.

He stared at the yellow beam entranced by it. He tilted his wrist watching closely as the blade followed. "Hm so this is one of the main tools of the Jedi..." Kafh commented, glancing over to Kahlil. "Okay so this is not to be seen as a weapon, but a tool...please explain Teacher." Kafh asked.
[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"A lightsaber isn't a gun. You don't use it to kill. Simply having it on your waist is a silent threat to many in the galaxy. A deterrent from violence. It cut through most anything, such as doors, locks. Cells." Kahlil had shut off his saber and begun stretching, though he paused as he mentioned the cell. As an ex slave, there was no doubt in his mind that would be important to [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] , but he wanted to make sure the young man knew it was to free slaves.

Not to kill slavers.

"Even as a sword, it is used to protect. You never take a life, unless it's to save another. Remember that. Now, follow my stance." Kahlil stopped stretching and lifted up his blade in both hands, spread his feet, and took a breath. "Shii-Cho, or Form 1. The basics of lightsaber combat. To understand it, you must understand the zones of your opponents. 1 - head, 2 - right arm and side, 3 - left arm and side, 4 - back, 5 - right leg, 6 - left leg. Your strikes, vertical or horizontal." He inhaled again, then slid his front foot forward and struck down in a quick slash. Then he returned to the starting stance. Again, he slid his foot forward, and cut horizontally.

"The basics are key. Now, you will do those strikes when I call out a number. Strike at me as I just did. Understood?" Once Kafh confirmed it Kahlil would step forward within range. "Watch my movements, learn how to defend with this stance as well. Now, 1! 2! 3! 5! 6!" For the time being, Kahlil would go in order, skipping four as his back was not turned, in full drill.

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

For Kafh it was easy enough to picture the saber as a key, a tool for defense, he never intended on taking any lives, not now or in the future. He didn't think the gods would be very appreciative of that. Sending a person off before their time was not how things were done. Kafh nodded.

Kahlil warned Kafh not to take a life unless it's in the defense of others. The young man understood, yet even that would be a last resort. The taller male took a ready stance asking Kafh to follow as he explain Shii-Cho, or Form 1 the root of Lightsaber combat. The basic embodiment of a Jedi. Kafh spread his feet apart, slowly gripping the hilt with both hands and held the blade vertical to his body. Kafh repeated the striking zones in his head, the basics of swordsmanship. Kafh watched as Kahlil demonstrated a horizontal cut as he slid his front door forward, then he moved back into the ready position and demonstrated a horizontal slash, again moving his foot forward, slashing, then returning to the ready stance.

Kafh practiced the motions, sliding out of his stance and slashing horizontally only to move back into his ready position. He took a breath then did the same thing with a horizontal strike this time.

Kafh-en-ma-nofre nodded as Kahlil stepped forward telling Kafh to strike at him when he called out the zones. While he was a bit worried that he'd strike a hit on his Mentor he quickly disregarded the thought when he realized Kahlil was capable. He closed his eyes for a second taking a breath. "Force, gods, guide me." He whispered.

Zone 1 Kafh stepped forward and raised the training saber a for a horizontal attack to Kahlil's head. Bringing it down only to be met with his blade. Khaf slid back, readying himself and taking a breath before attacking zone 2 the right arm and side. Kafh followed through with a horizontal strike to the right side as he slid forward. Again his blade was caught by Kahlil's. Kafh slid back to his ready stance and continued to zone 3 Left arm and Side. Kafh again stepped forward and raised his saber for a horizontal attack to the arm. Blocked.

He slid back into his ready stance with a exhale. Taking a second to prepare himself for 5 the right leg and 6 the left leg. Kafh demonstrated a horizontal attack for both. Again meeting Kahlil's saber both times.

"Hm. So those are the striking zones." Kafh commented as he slid back into a ready position.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Faster." Once it was more clear that [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] had a handle on the strike zones Kahlil would indeed make it faster. Even change it up, randomly throwing up numbers again
and again. Unpredictability was an important part of Shii-Cho, and he wanted to try and drill that into the young man. After some time of that, Kahlil would stop. The entire time Kahlil had been leaning back in his defense, bringing his blade perpendicular to the strikes Kafh had been doing to better show the defense side of the stance.

Distribute the weight evenly to better defend against the strike.

"Did you get a good look at how I was blocking your strikes? For the rest of this session I'll be the one doing the striking, and you will have to defend. Understood?" Kahlil gave them both a moment to breath. As simple as it was, there was a lot of body movement, and strength behind the blows themselves. "Ready your stance when you're prepared."

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

Kafh nodded as Kahlil instructed him to strike faster. The Padawan took a breath and quickened his slashes, doing his best to react to the strike zones Kahlil was calling out. Zone 1, Zone 3, Zone 5, Zone 2. Over and over, different combinations. All the while, studying Kahlil's defense.

Kafh felt the sweat trickling down his body. As Kahlil began to speak, halting the drills. It had been going on for nearly an hour of Kafh going through the different strike zones. The young man felt like he had a good idea of what the strike zones were.

He had to make a note to try and avoid wearing his jewelery when in combat, could be a hindrance.

Kafh nodded to Kahlil. "Understood...Mentor." Kafh said between breaths. He deactivated the training saber for a second, resting his hands on his head. He hadn't worked this hard in a while, it was different from dancing that's for sure, but at the same time the same. Like you have to be in Harmon with the best in dance, you have to be in harmony with the Force while engaged with a adversary. Kafh smiled. He took the Shii-Cho opening stance and activated the training saber. Nodding to Kahlil. "Ready Teacher." Kafh said

'Trust in the Force, it'll guide me and keep me safe.' Kafh thought.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Good." Kahlil sucked in another breath, gripped his saber in both hands, then started the next round of drills. Again, he would go in order, calling out each strike before he slashed at the zone. He wanted to make sure [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] could understand how to defend against the strikes. Despite Shii-Cho not being built for saber on saber combat, it did have some defense.

Once Kafh started to show that he was able to defend himself, he'd start mixing it up, calling out the numbers randomly to strike the different zones and keep him on his toes. The only intention was to get him use to the tell, how his body moved before he struck. Near the end, that's when Kahlil would really throw Kafh for a loop. After another hour went by he brought his blade around. "One!"

But he didn't strike at one. He struck at 6, aiming to smack his leg and trip him up.

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

Kafh-en-ma-nofre braced himself as Kahlil began an onslaught of attacks. Again Kahlil began to call out the zones, following up with a horizontal or vertical attack, depending on the zone. Kafh had complete trust in himself bringing up the saber to block horizontally when he struck at Zone one, and vertically when he struck at Zone 5. This continued randomly, each time Kafh brought his saber up to counter Kahlil's blows. Zone 1, Horizontal. Zone 3, left arm, vertical block. Zone 5 Right Leg, vertical block. Over and over in different combinations, Kafh felt like he was getting the hang of it, not even thinking that his Mentor would stwitch it up again.

"One." Kafh heard Kahlil say. Without thinking, he brought the saber above his head to counter a zone one vertical strike. By the time he noticed Kahlil's feign it was too late. The saber zapped Kafh. "Ow." He yelped and dropped his guard. He was a bit frustrated at first, giving Kahlil a bit of a salty look, but he took a deep breath and nodded.

He sighed. "I let myself get to comfortable. Apologies teacher. Let's go again...that trick won't work twice." He said with a grin as he readied himself again.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"].

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil smirked. [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] was at least a good sport about the trick. He shook his head though as the young man readied himself. They had been doing this for hours now, after all. His yellow saber retracted into it's hilt as Kahlil turned back to the rack of weapons to set it back down. "That'll be enough for today. It's not that you got comfortable. You got use to numbers, not my stance. Your foe won't announce their attacks. We'll pick this up tomorrow. Take the chance to relax. Or drill the strikes by yourself, if you want. Either way, I'll see you tomorrow morning."

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

Kafh watched as Kahlil shook his head and explained they were at it for hours. He also explained where Kafh went wrong saying he wasn't focused on Kahlil's stance. His body language. Realization spread across Kafh's face. The older male deactivated the training saber and placed it back on the rack explaining that they'd work on it again in the morning.

"Of course, Teacher. Uh thank you. " He said with a bow. He watched as Kahlil exited the training room. Kafh-en-ma-nofre gazed into the practice saber and sighed. "Its not just numbers. It was about a person's body language too...live combat won't be the same." Kafh said as he began striking the air at various imaginary zones.

Soon after he deactivated the saber and placed it back on the rack. He had learned a lot today about Form 1.

With that he gathered his things and exited the training room. Making his way to his quarters where he meditated on today's lesson. Hoping to get further insights. He looked down to his leg. A small burn mark sat where Kahlil's saber hit.

Lesson learned.

Kafh-en-ma-nofre ran a hand through his hair. His muscles ached more than ever. "Zone 1, Head and neck, Zone 2, Right arm and side, Zone 3, Left arm and side, Zone 4, Back and Torso, Zone 5, Right Leg, Zone 6, Left Leg. Along with the horizontal and vertical blocking to each respective zone.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil let out a sigh after he left. Shii-Cho wasn't something he was all that use to practicing himself. But, it was the basis of all other forms, and it was important for [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] to learn how to fight and defend himself. This galaxy was unforgiving place. For him, the rest of the day would go by uneventfully, but it was the next morning that he was looking forward to.

In the next morning Kahlil was already down in the training room, holding both training sabers in his hands as he waited for Kafh to arrive. Today would cover some of the same as yesterday, but he would introduce the more important side to it.

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

Kafh-en-ma-nofre slowly got out of his bed. His whole body was on fire, he groaned as he made his way out of his room. The young man let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes, he had stayed up late running throught the zones over and over, trying to remember the way Kahlil had his defensive posture. Today he wouldn't mess up. On his way to the training room he stretched out his upped body, making sure his muscles were loose for today's training.

Kafh entered the Training room to find his Mentor already there with training sabers in his hands. He wouldn't lie, Kafh was definitely excited even if his body hurt like hell.

"Good morning Teacher." Kafh said with a bow. As he rose, he reached out for one of the sabers. "I'm ready for today's lesson." Kafh said with a warm smile.

"So what're we doing today?" He asked.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil tossed [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] one of the training sabers with a a slight chuckle. "Good to know you're up and ready. We're going to be continuing what we did yesterday. Practicing the strike zones, defending. Then we'll mix it up. Get into your stance, you're defending first." With that said the Jedi would ready his own stance, and as soon as Kafh was prepared he'd begin the drill. Once again, he'd go through the numbers in order, still skipping 4, before mixing it up with random strike calls.

And then, after about a half hour, he stopped calling his strikes. Kahlil fell silent and began striking the random zones with the same strikes they had always been doing. Hopefully he had begun to pick up the tell, though even that was far more obvious then it would be in a real fight.

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

"sounds good Kahlil." Kafh said with a smile as he ignited the training saber and got into the Shii-Cho opening stance. Kahlil didn't pay attention to Kahlil calling out the numbers at this point. Like his Mentor said earlier, enemies won't call out attack Zones. Kafh focused on Kahlil's body language and trusted in the Force. When Kahlil began to say random strike zones, Kafh ignored them, purely focused on what the Force was telling him. Sliding into the defenses. Horizontal block, vertical block. And so on.

Some time later Kahlil stopped calling the zones all together, striking random zones without warning. Kafh took a breath leaning away a little as Kahlil continued to strike.

Kafh continued to go through the motions. Horizontal blocks when it came to zone one, and arm strikes and vertical when it came to leg and side strikes.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

[member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] was doing well. As much as Kahlil thought that the young man might not be able to truly handle a lightsaber, he seemed to have picked up on it rather well. "Good, good. This is what's known as ideal though. Always vertical, always horizontal. Real combat will be nothing like this, but it teaches your body the right moves. Reflexes will keep you alive. The Force will keep you alive." He had been striking as he spoke, but Kahlil stopped, shutting off his saber.

And then he waved a hand, bringing over a small orb. "In our travels you won't find much in terms of lightsaber combat. What I've taught you is how to hold your blade and defend. Those same movements will help you with this. Now, take this." Kahlil then pulled out a blindfold and held it out for the Padawan. "Put this on. From now on you'll be training with this droid to work on your reflexes. Trust in the Force, let it guide you. You've done well will that so far, so I imagine you'll do fine."

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

As [member="Kahlil Zambrano"] spoke, he would continue to strike at Kafh. Explaining that the vertical strikes were what they called ideal. He said that they'd never really happen in a live situation. The basic strike zones got Kafh conditioned to the right movements tho, his reflexes and the Force would do the rest. He dropped his defense into the opening form as Kahlil brought out an orb.

The Mentor explained that he wouldn't be up against other lightsaber wielders too often, that what he taught Kafh was to hold his blade, defend. The orb would somehow help him. Kahlil pulled out a blindfold, explaining that he had to trust in the Force. The orb was a training Droid that would help Kafh work on his reflexes.

Kafh deactivated the training saber and accepted the blindfold, tying it over his eyes and making sure he couldn't see anything. "Gods I probably look ridiculous." Kafh said with a smile. "So what exactly I going to happen?" He asked as he sore his feat apart, relaxed slid into Shii-Cho's opening stance and waited. He reached out to the Force hoping that it would guide him in whatever he was doing.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"There's nothing ridiculous about the classics." Kahlil paused as he watched [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] take the stance, and stifled a laugh. "Just, don't let Thiavi see you like this." That was as much as he'd say on the matter, and with a quick press of a button the droid activated and began to float, humming around in front of Kafh. Then, after a moment, it fired, aiming for zone 2 right away.

"You're gonna get shot. A lot. Just trust in the Force and let it guide you." Kahlil chuckled and made his way to a chair, plopping down to watch Kafh train. Give him pointers, guide him as needed. But at this point it was all up to Kafh, and would be for quite some time. From this day on Kafh would have to train with the droid to better hone his reflexes, and only once he was sure would Kahlil begin the next phase of his training with a lightsaber.

 

[Kafh-en-ma-nofre]

Kafh smiled when Kahlil said there was nothing ridiculous about the classics. The younger man was about to say something when Kahlil said not to let Thiavi see him like this. Kafh-en-ma-nofre felt his face heat up at his Mentor's comment. "Uh..ahem." he cleared his throat nervously trying to hide an obvious dumb grin.

At that Kafh heard Kahlil power on the orb. Kafh was definitely a bit confused...it began to power up, then a shot was fired without warning, hitting Kafh on his right side. "Ah..." Kafh yelped in suprise as the beam hit him. He knew it wasn't leathal but it still stung like crazy.

"You tell me after it shoots at me?!?" Kafh said with a bit of frustration. While he was talking the Droid let off another shot this time to Zone 5, hitting him square int the leg. Kafh fell to a knee for a second. 'calm down...trust in the Force...your reflexes.' Kafh thought. He rose to his feet and readied himself. Reaching out to the Force, let it wash over him...around him. Trusting in it. Kafh listened as the Droid began to whirr up for another shot. 'focus..' he pictured the Droid firing to zone 3. 'its not a saber...it's a blaster bolt.' Kafh quickly moved the saber to Zone 3 but instead of a vertical block he angled his wrist, tilting the blade a bit. 'live combat situation...'

This time the bolt didnt hit him. It was deflected by the saber. Kafh didn't let up, giving himself fully into the will of the Force, letting it guide him to each zone the Droid would fire at. Just barely angling the blade into the beams.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"If you had been paying attention, I told you to trust both the Force and your reflexes. I wouldn't have to explain what's gonna happen." Kahlil chuckled. There was a point to it. A live combat situation would be filled with unpredictability and stress. Both things [member="Kafh-en-ma-nofre"] would have to contend with. Though, Kafh seemed rather adept at picking up the skill. The first block surprised the Knight, and the rest? He was a natural.

But it was time to test that.

"Y'know, Thiavi's a Mandalorian through and through. Their culture is pretty based around family, honor, skill. Get good enough at this and you might actually have a change of getting closer to her."