Jacen Voidstalker versus Caleb Brolen (Kenobi Padawan Tournament)

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Jacen didn’t follow up on the elbow smash, now more than ever he required patience. “White line fever” was a term used in many sports, and was one he knew well. You saw that goal nearby, and threw everything you had into reaching it. From experience he knew how easy it was to be mistaken. His Company Commander had once thrown everything into a perceived defensive hole, only to find it was a trap. Jacen had barely escaped with his life that day, his hip still troubled him where fragments of artillery shrapnel had ruined it.

Caleb came back at him hard. His opponent put a lot of weight behind that first slash, so Jacen deflected it to the side and gave ground. Perhaps a more confident version of himself would have tried to put Caleb off balance, but for now he gave ground and watched his opponent’s footwork carefully, looking for the opening.

He continued to give ground, but slowly strafed as well, he didn’t want to end up pinned against the wall. Caleb used his longer reach to come with him with a flurry of blows. Jacen kept his defence tight, but one strike still painfully rolled off his shoulder, burning through the robe and leaving a painful whelp across his flesh, even with their blades set for training.

Giving more ground Jacen went for a different tactic. Caleb seemed determined to end the fight quickly by overpowering him, so he decided to give him the opening to see if he developed “white line fever.” Jacen’s front foot seemed to slip a tad on the arena floor, as he regained his balance he let the tip of his saber fall low. It was an opening, but it would require Caleb to overextend himself and strike high.

 

[Caleb Brolen]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

I knew that he was trying to lure me in but I had no choice but to go for it and hope I get a opening. I first went in for a low stab to the chest. This was to keep him tired and I off balance. I would then follow up with a few side slashed to the head and cheek. It was a risky move but I had to end this and to be honest I wasn't ready to end this with him. I was going to win this hole thing even if it killed me which it just might. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that but if it does at least I will go out doing something fun. After the fast shots I would back up again and go into a defensive stance.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Caleb Brolen"]

Jacen had hoped, that with his saber tip low, he would have drawn Calen into a high strike. However, the taller Padawan came in with a straight stab for the lower thorax. It was enough for Jacen to work with, better that Caleb had come at him than backed away from the feint.

Whilst he’d allowed his front, left foot to slip slightly, he’d kept his weight over his back right foot. With his right leg slightly bent, he was ready to change his momentum suddenly. His saber tip went out wide and he raised the blade abruptly and he sprung forwards and up. Pushing Caleb’s saber up and out to Jacen’s right.

Voidstalker didn’t let up once the trap had been sprung, even if it had been imperfectly. He kept moving, preparing a second strike to immediately follow his counter to the feigned opening. His front foot went forwards and he stepped up and to the left. His blade went up and around in a circle and then he shifted his momentum back to the right, bringing his saber up from his left hip towards Caleb’s waist. It was similar to the sarlacc sweep that Caleb had used earlier, with Jacen hoping that by using the trap to put Caleb off balance, followed by pushing his saber high and wide, that the sudden swing from the other side would put his opponent in a precarious position.

 

[Caleb Brolen]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

I managed to move my footing around and backed up before the sweep which only caught the tip of my robe and burned my stomach. I fell backwards onto the ground but before Voidstalker could do anything else I concentrated all the force I had left into my hand. Then I got closer and released it into his chest. Hopefully this would send him into the wall. If he managed to somehow block or dodged it I would follow up with a flurry of strikes to the chest. These strike were comprised of all the strength I had left. Down to the last ounce.

 

[Caleb Brolen]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

I managed to move my footing around and backed up before the sweep which only caught the tip of my robe and burned my stomach. I fell backwards onto the ground but before Voidstalker could do anything else I concentrated all the force I had left into my hand. Then I got closer and released it into his chest. Hopefully this would send him into the wall. If he managed to somehow block or dodged it I would follow up with a flurry of strikes to the chest. These strike were comprised of all the strength I had left. Down to the last ounce.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Caleb Brolen"]

Jacen’s ability to sense the Force didn’t extend to feeling the build-up of telekinetic energy; at this point in the battle the mental and physical fatigue ensured he was a long way from a full meditative connection with the Force. The straight blast of energy struck him in the chest hard.

Like a punch to the sternum it knocked the wind out of him and left him gasping. The laws of mechanics meant that the straight blow had him pivot over his back foot and tumble, rather than fly a great distance.

His body reacted almost of its own accord as his balance faltered. However, his conscious mind did have the foresight to flick off his saber as he started to tumble, better that than catch it with his teeth. He tucked his chin into his neck to limit the chance of taking a blow to the back of the head and becoming discombobulated. He threw his legs straight up in the air, which actually slowed his spin, with the wall behind him there was no scope to roll back.

As his feet reached the highest point, he placed his saber beside him and his hands on the ground. He reversed the momentum of his legs and flung them back the other way, pushing himself back up to his feet in a kip up.

He pulled his saber back to his hand, the golden blade bursting back into life with a snap-hiss. Left foot planted on the ground ahead of him, he put a lot of weight behind a straight stab at mid-height. Regardless of positioning, it would put his blade directly between himself and Caleb to prevent any immediate strikes at his torso.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus sensed the duel was at an end. At this stage one of two things would happen. Either the bout would go on forever or a mistake due to fatigue would end it - and neither was a fitting end.

So she stepped forward and once she was aware both had sensed her she bowed to them.

"It was an honour and a privilege to watch this bout, let alone be asked to adjudicate. The outcome was by no means a foregone conclusion - both sides could have reasonably expected to be given the decision - which can make a loss harder to bear. But please remember my opening remarks. It is better to lose well than to win poorly. You both performed as I would expect Jedi to and for that you must both be commended."

She drew in a deep breath, "But there can be only one winner and I award this match to...Jacen Voidstalker."

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Caleb Brolen"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Jacen didn't even show his appreciation to his opponent at first. His lightsaber flickered off and he took a knee. He gulped in great mouthfuls of air, his lungs burned as if they had collapsed. After a few moments his vision stopped swimming and his breathing started to return to a normal level. Gritting his teeth, he got back to his feet, offering Caleb a bow.

"My thanks," he said between breaths. "We'll do that again sometime!" he added, as he moved up to clap his opponent on the shoulder.