Private Training in the Force

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC

​

Temple. Place for worship for some. A place for meditation for others. It had many meanings.
For the Jedi, it was a place to become as much as remain, a place to integrate if also escape.
There was no confusion in this. This was not a paradox. Jedi shared order, but not everything.
For Vayla Mirana, she came to the temple on Coruscant today to meditate as much as train.

The building was busy, with many of the other visitors and inhabitants on their own errands.
However, one woman found solace and serenity in one chamber that was reserved for her.
Others were open and right beside hers, but this one was smaller, quieter, guiding her spirit.
She was knelt, hands on thighs, eyes closed, motionless, breathing in as an incense burned.

Myrrh and lavender blended together; warm wood, floral and herbal, as pleasant as calming.
The incense helped the Jedi focus, deepen attention, heighten senses, while she meditates.
She had the Force, of course, but there was no harm in the art of fragrance—nor of blades.
Vayla was composed, relaxed, tranquil, yet if she kept up this position she may be yawning.

There was another reason she had entered this chamber.
In her white robes streaked in blue, her hood pulled over.
She also wore her lightsaber hilt—it certainly mattered.
Vayla waited on another to enter. Her sparring partner.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Halls
Outfit: Training attire
Tag: Vayla Mirana

Lily had agreed to train with a Jedi Knight that she had not met before. Lily was curious to see how Jedi Knight compared to the Padawans that she had been sparring with. Her own Master was very skilled in combat and constantly kept Lily on her toes and she knew several Masters were adept in many forms of combat but outside of that knowledge, she did not have much in terms of understanding how others worked. Lily was not at her prime currently but she was willing to push herself to get back to where she had been at one time.

Breathing in slowly, she thought about the different techniques in the Lightsaber training that she had taken a part in as well as her Echani training. Lily had been working on her adaptability in combat, wanting to switch things up and adjust to the many different approaches to Jedi combat. From the more defensive forms, to the aggressive ones to the ones focused on single combat. It was interesting to her how some Jedi focused purely on a single form or only a couple. It seemed strange since each one was useful for a different situation and had their benefits as well as limitations.

There was the final form of Vaapad that she had yet to learn and Lily was intrigued by the form since it seemed to be linked similarly to how Echani combat was. Though, she was very aware it was not a skill she was ready to use currently. It was advanced and since she was still very new to the Order there was still too much risk in her learning a potentially dangerous form.

However, the curiosity clung to her whenever she read about the form.

Arriving on time to the training room, she could smell the fragrance emanating from the room and was curious. It seemed distracting for a combat session to have such smells going on but Lily did not doubt there was likely some purpose to it all. Jedi worked mysteriously at times but she couldn't help but notice in their weird ways, they found something. Entering the room, Lily stood opposite the kneeling Jedi Knight and bowed politely.

"Greetings to meet you, I am Lily Decoria." Lily introduced herself in a polite, formal tone.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

​

A chamber of silence, solace, serenity, unbroken, uninterrupted, until that very moment as someone walked in. The entrance opened, a woman walked in, yet another woman was motionless, like a frozen ocean.

Vayla did not look up straight away, did not open her eyes, only her mind. Incense burned—odor of myrrh, fragrance of lavender—and she took in the scent as smoke permeated her nerves. Her senses were alert, like a budding flame, yet composure pervaded her veins.

The Knight’s master had taught her the art of the blade. She learned through him and her own ways that a Jedi’s lightsaber should be as steady as one’s own heart and mind. Calm. Collected. Aggressive, but not aggressive. Sith were violent, by any comparison, but engaging in violence did not make Jedi Sith if they could temper their emotions.

Shhhh, Vay… Emotions could bleed into her person, channeling her thoughts against her, so Vayla Mirana had to just shut herself up. Breathe… In. The younger woman broke the quiet with her voice. Breathe… Out. The Pantoran welcomed the noise, and saw the bow without the naked eye.

“Greetings.” Vayla opened her eyes. They would look normal enough from afar, but closer their electric blue irises almost glittered, shined in the light. Prosthetic oculars, and the woman was not shy about wearing them.

“I am Vayla Mirana.” She smiled at her partner. She did not know much about her, but planned to. Lily Decoria was a Padawan before the Knight, yet a Jedi all the same, and only time and space would reveal the art of her blade.

“We may start when you are ready.” Vayla was in no rush but realized they could familiarize with one another in a different way through conversation later. Then again, she gestured with another expression. “May I offer you some tea?”

The pot was hot beside the incense, with two cups; neither were filled. If incense seemed distracting for Vayla’s guest, tea might be much the same, but a soothing spirit tempered the blade in the Knight's experience.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Halls
Outfit: Training attire
Tag: Vayla Mirana

"A pleasure to meet you, Knight Mirana." Lily gave a short, yet respectful bow to the Jedi Knight.

The offer of tea was pleasant but not what Lily wanted right now, "I am content for now, perhaps after the sparring match." Lily suggested, she did not believe it would be wise to drink the hot beverage then go into a fight. She would rather have the tea and reflect on the match.

Pulling out her training saber, Lily was revealing that she had not yet been able to go and retrieve her Kyber crystal or whatever Lightsaber crystal that she was ended up choosing for her Lightsaber. Instead, she was stuck with the training saber that many very young or very new students carried with them. Lily did not move into a combat stance yet, giving Vayla time to shift into position.

"Did you wish to fight as two Jedi? Or shall we spar in the Echani ways?" Lily extended the offer, it one type of duel that would favour Vayla and one that favoured Lily. Few Jedi were use to fighting without the Force and the being able to take down their opponents with a mixture of the Force as well as fighting capabilities.

It would be interesting to see which this Knight would choose.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

​

As Lily Decoria declined the offer to drink tea at the early mark before the spar, Vayla just as politely dipped her head in understanding. A hot, soothing beverage would settle just as well after their endeavor, and in some instances, even better.

The tea remained untouched for either person, then, though it had been no test of nerves. While Vayla welcomed a moment of conversation before they begin, if needed, Lily conversely looked ready to get on with it. Excellent. The young woman revealed her weapon, handle on hilt, and she was no Human.

Echani. It wasn’t every day that Vayla Mirana had the privilege of dueling one of these Near-Human species. She knew enough to know that they favored agility, keeping on the move. Even without the Force, they were known to read their opponents—to know their enemy.

Well, it was no enemy standing before this young lady as the Pantoran slowly rose, yet it was her opponent. She made no movement to remove her incense or her tea, letting the objects sit in the center of the room, hoping nobody stepped on them for what was ahead.

The Knight stood straight, gently taking her lightsaber hilt into her right hand. “Let us try it your way, Padawan Decoria.” The Knight smiled with no less grace. Yet it came with a bit of a requirement as Vayla ignited her cyan blade; set on stun for this training session, granted.

In a way, they would clash blades without the Force, even if they would still train with the Force. For her form, Vayla got into position facing her opponent, offering her left side. Hilt in right hand, blade horizontal from the floor and right beside her face, left arm extended, two fingers pointing forward.

“The first strike is yours.”

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Halls
Outfit: Training attire
Tag: Vayla Mirana

The Jedi Knight had agreed to fight her way, "Echani combat means no Force, no healing and no armour." While neither were wearing armour from what Lily could tell, she felt it was still important to stress what this was going to mean. Especially since Lily had no idea whether this Jedi Knight had any inkling on how Echani combat should be done. The use of weapons was not unheard of and there were Echani forms that used them, some preferred to do a first spar with hand to hand since it was the most expressive, the most insightful on a person.

Lily rolled her shoulders and took a firm stance of Djem So. She recognised the position that Vayla was maintain was from Soresu, a mostly defensive form. One that worked on keeping defensive and analysing an opponent for the correct moment to strike. It was a good method to adopt, but could be overwhelmed with strong, fast, aggressive moves. Breathing in deeply, Lily felt herself shut off the Force, not out of fear or anger. It was to prevent her use of the Force unintentionally during the match. There were still times that Lily connected to the Force without meaning to.

When Vayla encouraged Lily to strike first, it was curious approach. It was something that Lily was not a fan of since it meant that they remain at an impasse if she refused strike first in the similar manner. It was also the take of someone who refused to start a fight, someone who would only defend themselves when attacked, even though there were times that one needed to be more aggressive, that they needed to strike first.

This was all whirling in her mind as Lily moved forward in expert movements to attack the left side of Vayla. She seemed to fully intend to attack the torso on the left side of Vayla before last minute revealing it was a feint to strike Vayla in the face with a palm strike from Lily's left hand.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC

​

“Of course,” Vayla acknowledged the conditions of the match with no disputes. She would not use Force powers, however the Force would still be with both Knight and Padawan, in a sense, even if it wasn’t utilized. Her sentiments and lessons aside, kept quiet, Vayla knew that the Force was an eye that never closed, even if it blinked.

Her own two electric blue cybernetics did not blink either, unless she wanted them to. In the moment that she did, there was no light in her eyes, only darkness in that instant, but of a brigher kind. Shadow in the night. The Knight was, admittedly, not so versed in Echani combat, or of turning off the Force like a lightswitch, but she would try.

Vayla observed her opponent with spread lips, not a grin, neither a frown. In any fight like this, someone had to strike first anyhow. It wasn’t something to analyze. That would be a waste of time, like striving to maintain a lightsaber stance. Soresu was good for defense, yes, but it might not last.

No, quite simply, Lily had offered to spar in the way of the Echani, and the Knight wanted to see why. She honored the offer, and the Padawan would show her why she favored it over fighting as two Jedi. So, Lily Decoria moved forward and attacked.

Vayla stood her ground as Lily came her way. Even with the feint to her left side, the Knight moved in time. Had her opponent’s lightsaber actually been swinging for her, Vayla first defended by retracting her left leg, placing it behind her right in an instant, aligning her right side with Lily.

At the same time, Vayla bent her lightsaber to her left, gripping it in just her right hand. At first, the sword would have been used to clash into Lily’s blade, yet instead the Echani had performed a feint.

Therefore, Vayla’s blade was now positioned toward Lily’s left hand. As Lily attempted to strike Vayla in the face, she would end up either hitting Vayla’s blade directly, or Vayla’s blade would be swinging into her wrist. Either way, this would negate the strike to her face.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Halls
Outfit: Training attire
Tag: Vayla Mirana

It seemed that Vayla had been able to perfectly assess her feint and shifted to block her incoming fist with the Lightsaber. It was possible for Lily to punch through while stunning from the Lightsaber would not be pleasant, it would be more viable during this than during an actual fight. But Lily pulled back before her fist collided with the Lightsaber, she refused to win that way. Lily was determined to keep it honest, if she would have lost a hand in the strike then the strike did not count in her mind.

Lily preferred her people's way of fighting because of two reasons. It was the form of combat sparring that Lily knew the most, it was the one that she was most familiar with. However, it was also the fact that Lily felt it was more expressive, more a conversation, a way to share each other's feelings and emotions and understand one another much deeper than an hour or two talking. That was harder and did not reveal anything nearly as deep as ten minute Echani spar could.

Taking a step back, Lily was clearly impressed with how quick the other Jedi had been able to respond from her feint. She decided to come from another approach since the Jedi had not moved on the offensive yet. Lily swung her leg out to sweep Vayla, it would be a fast and hard sweep. But from that momentum, Lily spun around and launched herself into the air to kick at Vayla's face. She was predicting the sweep to fail and launching into a second attack from that failure.

It was allowing Lily to demonstrate her calculated and critical mindset.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

Precognition was of course a vision for Force users to capitalize on, but truthfully Vayla had no need of that element in that moment when it came to distractions and evasions. A feint was always a risky endeavor; a gamble, like a hand at pazaak or sabaac.

Lily came her way, aimed as though to swing her blade, but didn’t actually commit. In that moment, Vayla moved so as to defend, but at the last second had also shifted upon spotting her opponent’s evasion. It is what it is.

In turn, Lily pulled back her fist so as not to get hit and be burned. Her opponent respected this. The Echani then stepped back, and indeed Vayla kept on the defense as her blade stayed in its position.

Between the withdrawn fist and the step back, she had the time she needed to gauge her opponent’s movements with her eyes. It had only taken a second.

The Knight stood with her right foot forward in front of her left. That meant her opponent was likely sweeping her own leg for Vayla’s right.

So Vayla stepped backward once again, maintaining her distance, right foot beside left foot, evading the sweep. The next moment ushered in Lily’s kick.

Vayla’s lightsaber was up in its Soresu guard this whole time, right beside her face. As the kick came, she did two things concurrently. The Knight stepped to her left, bringing her head away from her opponent’s kick.

She also swung her lightsaber to her right so that the blade would connect with Lily’s shin. It would sever the limb in two, were that the setting, but would otherwise simply stun both flesh and bone.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Halls
Outfit: Training attire
Tag: Vayla Mirana

The block from Vayla had worked effectively against Lily, she had been clearly too telegraphed with her kick and demonstrated when the block prevented Lily from being honest about continuing the fight. The stun coursed through her body and Lily grunted, she hadn't thought about a way to keep Vayla from using her Lightsaber as a defence against her melee attacks. It was clear that Lily was disappointed with how short the fight had been but it was her own fault for not thinking things through more thoroughly.

"Seems you have won this encounter, Master." Lily stated, her teeth only gritted as she still felt the stun in her leg and attempted to walk it off. "Still adapting to Lightsabers and how dangerous they are in a fight I guess. I am happy to go another round if you wished?" Lily offered as she moved around the mats, walking the pain off and letting her leg feel normal once more. It was not pleasant but she rather feel her leg back to how it should be than simply leave it be.

Looking to the Jedi Knight, "the choice is yours though as the victor of this." Lily bowed her head slightly, willing to let Vayla end it there if she wished or to continue sparring and enjoy the flow between them. Hopefully with Lily improving her skills.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Lily was stunned, Vayla had won, if that was what one wanted to expect of this endeavor. Yet, for her, for Knight Vayla Mirana, this was no competition, but practice. It wasn’t about winning. It was about improving; learning of one’s own self as much as the other person.

Philosophical nonsense, maybe? From a perspective, perhaps, but all it really meant was knowing yourself, knowing your enemy. Vayla had discovered that her opponent favored fluidity, variety, not relying on her lightsaber outright, which fit the Echani.

“Fists and kicks are effective, I will admit,” the Pantoran reflected with a grin. There was no harm in enjoying combat at heart—as long as it was contained and did not give into the way of darkness. This spar was a whole different kind of fighting.

“But it is all about position, in my experience.” From footwork to lightsaber, from feint to blade, nothing else mattered.

Granting her opponent a moment, Vayla considered Lily’s offer. “We are here for practice, after all.” She flicked her wrist, whipping her blade away from her face in a salute. She, too, was enjoying this.

“I will call.” What she meant was—well, she dashed ahead. Vayla went on the offensive, swinging her saber right-handed, the tip targeted for Lily’s left shoulder to her right hip just when Vay made blade range.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Training Halls, Coruscant
Tags: Vayla Mirana

The Jedi Knight seemed open to idea of training again, it would be good and Lily was ready to keep fighting till one of them could no longer stand. Most likely her, if she was going to keep losing like this but it gave Lily so much insight into her opponent and she would be able to show some ability to continue fighting and breaking down the strong defences that Vayla appeared to have. As Vayla agreed to start once more, instead of approaching it from a defensive position like before, Vayla went on a strong offensive. It was sharp and quick, the move was surprising for Lily since she had expected the Jedi Knight to be more a defensive fighter like before.

However, luckily for Lily, she had seen enough movement in Vayla to be able to predict some of the next strikes that were being launched at her.

Lily blocked and parried the strikes that came at her, they were strong and fast but Lily was able to match them. Her arm was sore but Lily was able to put that pain aside and focus. Her mind was determined and she was going to make sure that she could win the fight this time. However, for now, Lily was doing the same as Vayla in the previous match, keep a strong, unbreaking defence. She couldn't let Vayla see any chance to penetrate through. Grunting, Lily's face was determined and her movements were demonstrating her commitment, she was expressing her focus and the need she felt for validation in her fighting abilities.

There was a need to be the best, to be amazing and to be the strongest so she could save everyone. Lily was burdening herself with the challenge of protecting the galaxy from harm. Standing at the front line and letting no one pass her. It burnt a fire in her steel gaze that showed she was unwavering.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Vay had since learned that the best defense made the best offense as much as the best offense made the best defense or some such nonsense. Either way, the case remained: To take on your opponent, sometimes you had to be the one who closed in from a distance and attack her thereafter.

So the Jedi Knight did just so when it came to Lily, her sparring partner, and therefore her foe. The latter parried the former’s slash for the shoulder to her hip; well struck and well ducked, in a manner of speaking. Vayla went on swinging and Lily kept on sweeping.

The two Jedi, whether Pantoran or Echani, maintained their play in the game. Flurry, parry, riposte, hit and block, the two swordswomen danced as the light side that guided them watched on in silence, not called upon to fight beside them.

Yet, the Force was ever there, ever aware, drifting in between like the smoke from the incense or the steam from the tea. It permeated the room, true and honest, preventing either combatant from getting carried away as they fought ever onward.

At one moment, Vayla had crossed her blade horizontally from her right to left, hilt still in right hand only. Her right foot forward, her opponent had parried her blade as predicted. As her lightsaber went away to her right, Vayla reacted immediately.

She kicked her left leg forward, intending on sweeping Lily off her feet by bringing her left foot behind Lily’s right leg behind the knee. If Lily jumped up then Vayla might just kick her in the middle of her calf instead.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Training Halls, Coruscant
Tags: Vayla Mirana

Lily had been able to keep a strong defence going, ensuring that each blow was blocked, parried and countered. It wasn't easy and it was impossible for Lily to allow herself a moment to think about the way to take Vayla down and ensure that she was defeated. While Lily thought she could see an opportunity to counter a strike and get the chance to switch from purely defensive position to an offensive one. However, before she could act upon the opening, the world shifted. The floor hit her back hard and she was slightly dazed and staring up at the ceiling. For the shortest moment, Lily wondered what had happened since she was standing.

Then she realised that her leg had been swept from under her.

"Chit." Lily grunted, she rarely cursed but having her leg swiped from under her was a basic error and demonstrated that Lily wasn't paying attention to her body, too focused on landing a hit instead of listening to her body and moving in sync with it.

Before Vayla could react to Lily being on the ground, Lily rolled away and then used her muscles to throw her back onto her feet. Reigniting her training saber, Lily was demonstrating her swiftness and grace. She rushed forward and launched into the attacks. Being the aggressor this time since she had gotten the chance to break away and gather herself now.

There was just a glimmer of hope that Lily could land a blow now.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

Left. Right. Right. Left. Directions were cumbersome to mention at best but could make a difference when mapping the combat. That was a lesson Vayla might try to teach a classroom of Padawans with datapads. For now she held her ground as Lily landed on her back after her little trip.

She had actually expected her Echani opponent to evade the hit in some way. The Knight would have been far more interested to see what the Padawan could come up with, especially with her abilities. Echani did favor agility.

Vayla might have swiped her opponent right there and then but this wasn’t a fight to the death. She would let her get up. “All right then.” The Pantoran grinned at the younger woman. Back in her Soresu stance, fingers beckon. “Hit me. If you can.”

So began their dance, picking up where they had left off. Lily swung. Vayla blocked. Dodged. Parried. On and on. Finally Lily pulled a move and pulled through, distracting Vayla to attack her flank the next instant.

The kick to the back of her shoulder sent her staggering into a bit of a spin. She rounded out just in time to raise her blade in case her opponent tried something funny in that moment.

Otherwise, the Knight rotated her shoulder blade and maintained her position. “Well struck. Guessing that kick was payback for your trip?” Ever spoken with a grin.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Training Halls, Coruscant
Tags: Vayla Mirana

Lily went on the offensive and while Vayla had maintained a strong defence that seemed impenetrable, a kick had managed to find a way through. It was a demonstration of her skills and ability to probe the defences, searching for an opportunity. When Vayla mentioned it was done out of revenge, as something trivial as doing it to give payback for the solid attack from Vayla, Lily tilted her head. This was a sparring match, there was nothing petty like that in her mind, for her, this was a demonstration of skill and pushing oneself into achieving the very best that you could. Lily kept a high guard as she attempted to figure out if this was a ruse to make her feel tilted or upset with how her acts were taken.

"I landed the blow because I saw the opportunity..." Lily stated in a neutral tone, she was focused on the fight, nothing else mattered to her right now. "Payback is not my style, your sweep was solid and I respect that. It showed me that I was not grounded enough." She mentioned, it was factual and not her attempts of flattery.

Swinging her Lightsaber forward, Lily switched from her standard Echani combat, shifting towards the Jedi Form of Makashi, using the duelling techniques to counter the highly defensive nature of Soresu. Her mind was focused on creating opportunities, her body moved with grace and precision, each blow highlighted that she was not a rookie in combat, her skills in combat far exceeded her skills in the Force. Lily knew she could be a dangerous fighter with the Lightsaber one day, and that her skills purely in Lightsaber combat were higher than most. However, if a Jedi was able to use the Force while fighting her, she would be severely on the backfoot.

It was only her fighting talents that were a cut above the rest. She was still very much a Padawan in every other aspect.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

While she was not taunting her opponent, Vayla was having fun nonetheless. The art of the blade was as serious to her as it was satisfying. Sparring was both enlightening and entertaining, a great way to train, and without having to worry about your opponent being your actual enemy who was trying to kill you too.

However, the Echani preferred a more grave face than Vay when it came to amusement in the moment, of which this was no ruse. The comment about revenge was intended to be in jest, but the compliment on Lily’s kick? That was meant in every respect. The Pantoran hoped to see more of it.

“Well, bantering aside, revenge is indeed more for Sith than Jedi.” Whether with one woman’s lips spread in a duelist’s grin and the other’s rigid, however, the spar was what mattered as both combatants returned to it the next moment.

It may equate to a dance in ways but they aren’t playing. Lily came at Vayla with Makashi, highlighting the swordswoman’s agility befitting her Echani species. The Padawan had finesse, gracefully guiding her blade and gliding her footwork. The Knight is impressed.

Soresu was a form focusing on defense, Makashi on offense, the latter to bypass the former and the former to adapt to the latter, and the argument didn’t end there.

However, the Knight had since learned that skill and experience in any form was what mattered, and had further discovered that these ‘forms’, outdated to some, were worth their weight when taken more as components for your sword.

Lily attacked. Vayla blocked. Pushing her opponent’s sword back, the Knight swung her weapon for the Padawan’s shoulder to see how she’d react.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Training Halls, Coruscant
Tags: Vayla Mirana

Lily didn't see emotions as being tied to the ideology of one faction or another. Her people always fought with emotions displayed, there were some that became Sith and others that grew to be powerful Jedi. It was not the use of the emotions or lack of that displayed their stance in the Force. It was choices. Decisions to do harm and to offer a hand to help. There was nothing else that mattered. That was the views that Lily held onto and it was her fighting style that reflected that. There were emotions in her movement, the pride of landing a blow, the frustrations of fighting an opponent whose defence was superior to most she normally face, the honour of being given a second chance to prove herself in combat. There was also the joys of just being able to give everything she had in a fight. It was blending into a harmony of movements and strikes.

It powered Lily in ways that was not the Force, but the Echani mindset of honing one's emotions and using them to express action and strike hard. Understanding people through fighting, understanding the emotions that one feels, it also allows Lily chances to predict the movements of their actions. Without using the Force for precognition, Lily could tell where Vayla was aiming and where the Jedi Knight intended to move next. Her strikes weren't just attempting to weaken Vayla's defences but she was also seeking the opportunity to understand and predict the movements of Vayla as well.

When the strike came for the shoulder, Lily threw her training saber into her left hand and held Vayla in a strong saber lock with her non-dominant hand. With her right hand free, Lily thrusted a hard jab into Vayla's side, attempting to knock the wind out of the Jedi Knight and leave her body sore and weakened. It was more aggressive move but it was tactfully done to put Vayla on the backfoot.

"Revenge is the way of many. Sith claim it as theirs but there are plenty who are not evil or connected to the Dark Sith that seek revenge. Sometimes they frame it as justice, the same action except one is seen as more favourable than the other." Lily stated, she not usually talkative during a fight but the idea that revenge had to be Sith, that Jedi were above such actions yet the Jedi often sought out justice, it seemed contradictory.

At least to her.

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

Vayla’s eyes grew wide at the creativity of the other Jedi. Echani, indeed, yet as both opponents moved without the guide of the Force, they were still Jedi Padawan and Jedi Knight.

Vayla’s saber was intercepted, as expected, by Lily’s own. Yet, when it came to time and space, range was no understatement. A blade, especially when extended by the arm, was designed and relied on to keep your opponent at bay.

Thus, Lily had to close in toward Vayla, bypass both sabers’ reach and enter the Pantoran’s guard in order to hit her. It was a quick motion, a bare moment, but that mattered, because it offered Lily’s opponent the opportunity to defend against her punch as the former closed the distance.

The Knight might have countered, but with the speed and agility of the Echani, Vayla immediately stepped back instead, preventing the fist from connecting with her side. The combat was on pause yet again as the two Jedi talked.

“You’re right,” the Knight acknowledged the Padawan’s words. “There have been Jedi who have fallen to the dark side on account of wanting revenge. There are even those outside either order, absent of being Force-sensitive, who find their revenge to be justified.”

Vay tilted her head, blade raised. “Justice. Vengeance. What is the difference? Perhaps the emotion behind the drive? One is a selfish motive, no matter the injury." She shrugged. "Enough speak. Get ready.”

Vayla stepped forward, both hands on hilt. Right foot planted in front of left, she swung her blade diagonally upward and underhanded in an attempt for the Knight’s edge to strike the Padawan at the left side of her head.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: Training Saber
Location: Training Halls, Coruscant
Tags: Vayla Mirana

Lily didn't think it was just some fell to emotions and the Dark Side when seeking revenge, that of course had happened and would likely happen again. However, it was more that people used the words to present their acts of violence in positive light when they are the heroes in their narrative, or call it revenge when perceived as the villains. No matter the acts, meaning that it was never about what you did or the intentions you held, it was all down to how others perceived you. That was something Lily understood all too well with the acts that happened surrounding the Mandalorian Enclave and her part in it all.

Though she had meant no harm, it seemed that she had caused it with her actions. Willing or not.

The Knight then ended the conversation and launched into an attack. Striking down towards the side of Lily's head. Luckily, she had been able to catch the movement and prevent the blow from harming her. Instead gliding the blade down her side, she could feel the blade got just too close and would have left some serious burns if the Lightsaber had been activated, however it was only slightly numbed. Lily knew she would be able to fight fully even with the burns so she didn't surrender. Not yet at least.

Instead, she had seen the chances to gain a win in the previous moves she given. The punch had missed but it surprised the Jedi Knight, she had not been expecting that and clearly a weakness to exploit now from Lily's perspective. Launching into the attacks, her Lightsaber swung towards the Jedi Knight aiming to either slash the Jedi or force a blade lock, while her other hand punched towards Vayla. Forcing the Knight to be on the backfoot of an aggressive and fast attack plan.