Private Seventh Sword

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

One... two... three... four... five... six...

Drystan was surrounded by an orb of azure light, a blazing sphere formed by the speed and precision of his saber strokes. Sweat beaded on his skin, soaking into his tank top, trickling down the black metal of his prosthetic arm. Alone in the sparring room, he moved with purpose, each strike masterful, each motion his own.

His new outlook had reshaped the way he wielded his gift. No longer was he chained by the limits of the people he replicated. He did not merely imitate what he saw—he learned it. His ability to replicate movement was no longer just a parlor trick, no longer just a means to pull techniques out of thin air. It had become a tool for mastery. And this shift in perspective had opened new horizons.

The forms he executed in this room belonged to no one. They were his. Yes, he had taken from others, absorbed their styles and techniques, but much like ore belongs to the earth, the sword forged from it belongs to the bladesmith. But as he finished his final kata, a frown formed on his lips.

Forms I to VI were to his standard, honed to an acceptable level, even by his own lofty expectations. But the last form eluded him.

Juyo. The Ferocity Form. And its sister, Vaapad.

He had found few proper sources—no firsthand demonstrations, no clean-cut materials to study. Even his encounters with Sith duelists had left him lacking— Zachariah Conway , the Sith he had crossed blades with on Woostri, had favored Form V by his assessment, leaving Juyo still beyond his reach. It was an elusive form, a technique not readily taught amongst Jedi, scattered across sparse records and unreliable demonstrations that were of little use in his search.

And without a foundation, he could not make it his own.

Dillon Kai'el

 

[Dillon Kai'el]

Coruscant
Tags: Drystan Creed

​

"Ever wonder where lightsaber forms originated from?"

Dillon observed the young Jedi Knight from a casual perch atop one of the training hall's various statues. In one hand, a well worn book with a leather bound spine. In the other, a simple sandwich. He was reclined, to some degree, looking as though he were simply on a picnic. Amidst sprawling grass fields as opposed to the classy but brutality architecture of the Jedi Temple. A gentle, playful expression decorated his face.

"They're increments of each-other, each representing evolution upon the last," the ancient Master stated. "Shii Cho is a product of those ancient protosabers tethered to power units, while Makashi was a response to the sudden surge in mobility offered by the Kyber crystal. One after another, these forms offer new factors that are presented to counter the last in the chain."

And then a shrug, as though that insight had merely been a guess.

"That's what this book says, anyways," he shrugged. "It also says that the Midi-chlorian is the powerhouse of the cell. Personally I think that sounds like a load of hokey."

A grin spread across Dillon's face as he took in the Knight.

"All that sweat, yet you can't seem to get the result you want," Dillon Kai'el mused, taking a bite of his sandwich. "To want yet not receive. A tail as old as time. That sort of longing is sure to give you quite the headache. We're meant to reach with our hands after all, not our brains. Lest the folds get all unraveled."

No offer for assistance was put forward. Not one. That was something that Drystan Creed would have to seek out himself. Dillon was simply here to be himself.

Whatever that meant.

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

Drystan halted his movements, casting a scrutinizing glance at the stranger perched atop the statue. An odd place for lunch. With a flick of his wrist, he deactivated his lightsaber, the hum fading as he clipped it back to his hip. A good time for a break, anyway.

He listened, arms crossing as his gaze remained fixed on the older man. It was sound advice, but he felt it would have suited another jedi better. How he learned compared to the average person was completely different.

"I'm well aware of the origins of the forms. They taught us that before we were even allowed to hold a training saber." His voice was calm, measured—his curiosity piqued, but not yet revealing itself.

His eyes remained locked onto the stranger as he continued.

"I've been piecing together the Seventh Form from personal experience. It's not something they readily teach us at the Temple or among our colleagues. And the records here… are scarce, to say the least."

There was a pause. A brief moment of appraisal.

"Is this a normal routine of yours? I'd imagine there are more appetizing places to eat than the training hall. Or are you taking a break from training too?" He asked, brushing a bead of sweat from his brow.

Dillon Kai'el

 

[Dillon Kai'el]

Coruscant
Tags: Drystan Creed

​

"Juyo and Vaapad, hm?" Dillon mused.

The ancient Jedi proceeded to wrap his legs around the head of the statue and hang off of it upside down, continuing to eat his sandwich.

"I get up to many things," he stated. "Perhaps it's a product of boredom. Maybe a break between training. I'm sure my brain knows the answer, but it doesn't seem to want to relay that information. Alas, a mystery upon us both."

Drystan was sure to know the history of most forms. As he stated, the history of these things was a basic standard of education in the order. What was essential was breaking down the foundations in one form that ultimately lead into the next. Dillon finished his sandwich while upside down, beginning to stroke his mustache as he though.

How to approach this.

"Well, if your familiar with your forms, enlighten me on Djem So," he suggested. "I believe you'll find many of the foundational tenants to be valuable when considering the seventh form."

A grin spread across his face.

"If you'll humor the ramblings of an old man."

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

Form V?

Drystan paused, gathering what he knew—both from the archives and from his own developing style.

"Well, there's two branches to Form V. Shien and Djem So, mirroring Juyo and Vaapad, but it's Djem So that feels closer to Form VII. Strength, control, sheer physicality. Aggression. All things that naturally carry over from Five into Seven. And if that's the case, I'd wager Juyo demands just as much stamina—maybe more, since it leans even further into offense."

It was what the records had told him, anyway. And while informative, the descriptions felt lacking—clinical. Sterile. There was only so much a datapad could teach without a living example. Drystan had searched for archived demonstrations, but even those were frustratingly scarce. He'd briefly considered slipping into the restricted archives—but dismissed the thought almost as soon as it surfaced.

"I can't say I know more than that. I learn differently from most. More... hands-on."

He fell quiet again, eyes narrowing in thought.

There was a reason for the question, he was sure. A direction it was nudging him toward. But with so little to go on, all he could do now was keep listening—and be ready.

Dillon Kai'el

 

[Dillon Kai'el]

Coruscant
Tags: Drystan Creed

​

"Well, you're on the right track," Dillon stated, hopping down from his upside-down perch. "The goal of both Juyo and Vaapad is to overwhelm. Vaapad's principle is speed. End a battle swiftly and aggressively before it can even begin. Juyo is about raw power. Strength and ferocity. No forgiveness, no surrender."

The Jedi Master used the Force to pull a training droid out of the corner of the room, one designed for fencing. With a simple wave of his hand he activated it, setting it to the higher end of Soresu, the defensive form. It would be most useful for this demonstration. Then, when the droid had put up its guard, Dillon Kai'el transformed from a whimsical old man into an oppressive force of nature. Each swing was titanic. Even as the droid matched the movements to block, the sheer output of raw Force strength that the Master was displaying caused the machine to slide backwards. In many ways it was almost brutish, like a caveman swinging a club, yet each move was clearly purposeful.

Then Dillon Kai'el brought down a heavy overhead strike, one akin to that utilized in Djem So. When the droid brought it's training saber up to meet it, however, the sheer force of the impact caused it's mechanical arms to be all but ripped apart. The droid's legs buckled, and in one more swift motion it was cleanly decapitated.

"You are to be relentless in your resolve," he concluded. "Do not allow your opponent to breath. Press every advantage, cede no ground. Djem So was made to hunt prey. Juyo hunts predators."

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

Drystan watched as Dillon jumped down from his perch atop the statue, observing the old Master summon a training droid. Finally—a demonstration. Something tangible he could learn from.

As Dillon began to exhibit the seventh form against the droid, Drystan's pupils darted back and forth, scanning every minute detail of the movements on display. This was more valuable to him than any lecture or holocron. He couldn't help but smile, the embers of excitement pooling within as he absorbed each motion.

When Dillon concluded—his saber cleaving cleanly across the droid's head—Drystan gave him a respectful nod, that smile curling into a smirk at the Master's closing remarks.

"I've already learned much from watching your demonstration."

Without wasting another moment, Drystan stepped into the center of the room, igniting his saber. He launched into motion—a storm of calculated fury, each swing and strike infused with purpose. At first, he mimicked Dillon's movements, reproducing the exact combinations but with his own personal flair. But as he reached the end of what had been shown, his form began to shift—blending the foundation he had absorbed with his own improvisations. Unique strikes. Personal flourishes. Extensions of what had only moments ago been a lesson.

When it was over, he exhaled and powered down his saber, his chest rising slightly with exertion. He turned to Dillon, eyes bright with clarity.

"I feel like this was a much-needed breakthrough."

A pause.

"That said, I know there's still much to learn about this form. I've only scratched the surface—and that's not even counting Vaapad."

Dillon Kai'el