After a Days Rest

[Emperor Xhinx]

Xhinx awoke in his chambers, ready to bring the others forth to continue their training, he walked to the central training area he simply sat and waited. As the others gathered waiting for teaching, Xhinx rose and spoke: "Today we will be practicing the forms Soresu and Ataru. We will start with Soresu, a defensive form used against ranged attackers or blasters. This form uses tight movements and dodges. The goal is to preserve as much energy you can to out live your opponent. In this form you must quickly adapt to the scenario accordingly. Typically Soresu teaches a more defensive state or fight to survive rather than an offensive approach. This time I will have you practice against these combat droids and blaster droids, while they may be stationary they can still track you with their ranged weapons. I will show you. Start from a distance to successfully block the blaster bolts, while carefully dodging. Once close enough you may disarm their weapon with a close slash while keeping your weapon close to your person." Xhinx then began demonstrating on a droid, deflecting bolts and dodging around strays or misfires, and then quickly and tightly slashing the arm off one. "Now begin, try not to mess up, these are live rounds."

[member="Korogum"] [member="Etheriud Yvvera"]

 

[Etherius Yvvera]

Etheriud had spent the last few days revising the moves and techniques he had learned in the previous training session with Xhinx and Korogum. Shii-Cho and Makashi; the first two forms a lightsaber user will ever learn. Etheriud found no interest in either form. One was too random, the other was too refined and specific. Etheriud had no intention of being a professional duelist and preferred to keep things more organized than random, uncalcuated strikes around his opponents body. Nonetheless, Etheriud thought it necessary to keep Shii-Cho at a decent level as it would be the form he would be falling back on the most and thus would often be found practicing on the training dummies littered throughout the compound. Upon hearing Xhinx's call to training, Etheriud traveled back to the training room and awaited his instruction. The form Etheriud had been waiting for; Soresu. A defensive form meant to wear out his opponent. Etheriud watched as Xhinx went through the motions and deflected the blaster bolts fired by the droid. Eager to begin, Etheriud stepped up to the plate and activated his lightsaber; attempting to mimic the form Xhinx had just demonstrated in the best way he could. Ready, Etheriud watched as the droid floated around the room and timed when it would stop; preparing himself to deflect the bolt. With each blaster bolt Etheriud blocked it back into the ceiling or onto the ground, also dodging those that he felt were too close to redirect. Etheriud continued dodging and redirecting for a few minutes to get himself used to the force of each blaster bolt until pressing the droids; slowly getting closer and closer to the blaster droid with each bolt until eventually he was right on it, slashing upwards to destroy the droid. Etheriud deactivated his lightsaber and returned to the sidelines to watch Korogum preform the same motions.

[member="Xhinx"] [member="Korogum"]

 

[Korogum]

During the few days of rest they had been granted, Korogum reflected on the two forms they had learned, Shii-Cho, and Makashi. The random, and the dueling forms. He knew that these would be good to know, but ultimately he doubted he would be using them with his unique tool. As he heard the call from Xhinx, he made his way back to the training area, and met up with his comrades. After listening to Xhinx and watching both his and Etheriud's performances, he thought he had a decent grasp on the stances involved.

Stepping towards a droid that had popped out of a dispensary, to replace the last one Etheriud had destroyed, Korogum activated his blade and entered the defensive stance. As the droid began firing, Korogum blocked the first few shots before stepping closer and closer, gaining more ground as he deflected round after round. Getting a bit more confident, Korogum took a large step forward, only to be met by the grazing of a bolt searing past his abdomen, to which he painstakingly ignored, taking the last step before violently bisecting the floating droid in a flash of red.

 

[Emperor Xhinx]

"Excellent, I can see this helping, but naturally an enemy would not grant such leisure. Once more you two will face off, using Soresu. I will not say forget what you learned in the other forms, in fact hold onto them. Use them to further grasp all off your martial ability as a whole, but we will specifically be using Soresu in this duel. This time with a twist... Those droids that you were training on just now, you will be avoiding those while fighting. I will call it when I think that is enough." Xhinx turned to activate the droids without giving the others a signal, immediately beginning the next phase.

[member="Korogum"] [member="Etheriud Yvvera"]

 

[Korogum]

As Korogum eyed Etheriud, and they had gotten into their respective positions, he was slightly surprised by what Xhinx had said. This surprise was quickly replaced with his blades activation, and it's hum buzzing through the air around him as numerous droids lit up around them. Korogum's eyes darted between them through his mask, unsure of what to go for first, the droids, or Etheriud. He came to the conclusion that, while dangerous, they were merely training droids, and Etheriud would be the more cunning opponent. Korogum then roughly assumed the Soresu stance, to be sure he could deflect any surprise shots from around him, as he lay out the first few strikes towards Etheriud, in quick, shifting strikes.

 

[Etherius Yvvera]

Etheriud knew that he would be the defending party in this duel. Korogum was the more aggressive of the two and Etheriud had no intention of laying out the first strike, especially in the conditions the two were under at the moment. Etheriud activated his lightsaber as Korogum assumed his stance and mimicked his movements, putting on his best Soresu form and eyeing the room as the droids floated around the room. Etheriud intercepted Korogum's strike with a heavy block and continued to intercept and divert Korogum's attacks in light, tactile motions that attempted to keep Korogum's blade as far away from Etheriud as possible. In the short intervals between each strike, Etheriud barely dodged a few of the strikes that came his way; trying to focus more heavily on the fighting between him and Korogum. Etheriud did not attempt to make an aggressive strike; instead trying to keep Korogum on the offensive while he continued blocking and redirecting his strikes.

 

[Korogum]

Korogum knew the droids would only remain docile for so long before they began their onslaught of the two. And as soon as Korogum landed his flurry of attacks, the first bolt rang out, as he quickly spun to deflect it away from himself into the ground, rotating back into a strike again Etheriud.

 

[Etherius Yvvera]

Etheriud moved quickly as Korogum swiped at one of the training drones to strike down another that had been floating close to the two, freeing up his mind a little bit more to focus on the battle at hand as Korogum moved back in for his flurry of strikes. Etheriud kept his composure as he returned to his defense movements; focusing on keeping Korogum on the offensive for as long as possible while he wore him out.

 

[Korogum]

As Korogum felt the fight go on longer and longer, he knew Etheriud was employing the basics of the Soresu form, and taking great advantage of it. Even just beginning with it, Korogum mentally appreciated how much of a master he knew his ally would become with this form. Nonetheless, Korogum shifted his focus on a number of droids around him, eliminating them quickly with a flurry of attacks in a Shii-Cho stance before facing Etheriud again, this time at a distance, employing Makashi's form against his sparring partner, and with no droids on his side, and still a few on his opponents.

 

[Emperor Xhinx]

As Xhinx noticed the others begin to tire, Xhinx concluded the duel. "That is enough, Soresu is more of a defensive form as you can tell. So I believe it is less suited for you Korogum. But now we will move on to Ataru. This form is a more aggressive form, quickly operated and excellent against single opponents. I would not recommend it for prolonged usage, as it requires high energy and a lost a room to perform the attacks. This form is enhanced with the force, as it uses many acrobatic attacks. I will have you fight each other one last time for today, for the day is nigh ended. To properly execute Ataru, one would assume a wide stance to allow acrobatic maneuvers such as leaps and somersaults. This can disorient your enemy by landing behind him and cutting him in two. Ataru users also turn the tide of battle in their favors, by making the enemy resort to defensive means. To do this one must rapidly and with short strikes overwhelm their opponent. I will again demonstrate." Xhinx begun demonstrating the form Ataru on a leftover droid, quickly jumping from side to side strike it down with a series of slashes. "Now be ready, and I hoped you have saved some energy for this. Begin." With that, Xhinx held his hand out, vertically, signalling to the others this time.

 

[Korogum]

As Xhinx spoke, Korogum returned to their original positions at the start of their sparring, taking a deep breath as Xhinx finished, and planting his legs shoulder width apart, to give him some stronger mobility. Within a few moments of rest, Korogum let out a sharp breath and dashed forward, bringing his weapon upwards at an arc to sweep into Etheriud's defense.

 

[Etherius Yvvera]

Etheriud was glad Xhinx had stopped them when he had as he had not expected Korogum to unleash an array of different form techniques upon him. He managed to block the strikes, but he could feel his defense slowly slipping away as Korogum unleashed his assault. When Xhinx called them back over for the next form, Etheriud was relieved for just a moment. Etheriud listened intently as Xhinx explained the next form and was instantly put off from its description. Another offensive form, and an acrobatic one at that. Just what he needed. As the two backed into their dueling positions, Etheriud readied himself with his lightsaber and momentum as Korogum did the same. As Korogum dashed forward and brought his blade upwards, Etheriud released his momentum and jumped up above Korogum, landing behind him and slashing down towards his back with his first aggressive strike in a while.

 

[Korogum]

As his initial attack failed, Korogum utilized his momentum and tucked himself into a roll to avoid Etheriud's downward strike, coming up into a crouch and launching himself upwards, letting his body arc through the air and down against Etheriud, slamming his weapon, backed by his falling weight, into him.

 

[Etherius Yvvera]

Etheriud watched as Korogum rolled out of the way to avoid his strike and braced himself for the coming attack, placing his weapon in front of him just in time to block Korogum's heavy hitting strike; sending Etheriud kneeling down as he attempted to block the full weight of Korogum's attack. He knew he had clearly been put in a bad position, but this was fine, he knew he was never going to master the use of this form anyway. He let himself be on his defensive and bear the weight of Korogum's attack as he tried his hardest to push back against his attack. The first real saber lock the two had ever been in, how romantic.

 

[Emperor Xhinx]

Xhinx stood to cheer on the two currently engaged in a power struggle. "Well done, I would say that is enough for today, as per usual I would recommend studying these further. Before you know it you will be proficient in each form. Let us retire to our room and get rest for our next training segment." Xhinx concluded as he vanished into the darker corridors. He could sense their power growing even further, it may have not seemed that way to them, that is because they were both growing with each other.