Time to step up

[Kriel Firin]

The pursuit was relentless. With changing ciimate and no doubt time-zones and precious little sleep, Kriel soon lost track of time. Days had passed, he knew that much. But five or six? Or even eight? There was no prescribed destination given to him, so he presumed he just had to remain alive and the Knights of Ren would find him when the time was right.

Which could not come soon enough for Kriel. The wound had, as he expected, become infected and fitful sleep brought nightmares and at times even waking hallucinations. Paranoia was his key driver and never had he needed such an ally before.

He'd despatched countless droids so far. Again, he could not keep count. Forty at least.

And finally he found a cave that he threw himself into. It was snowing outside and any tracks would be covered in minutes. The mountains were tall and the climate freezing, but he dare not light a fire, so he huddled against a wall and was soon asleep.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Time stood still in the cave. Kriel had no idea how much time passed - if any. Days may have elapsed, or even weeks - or maybe just hours.

Finally he was awoken from his sleep by a dark shape silhouetted against the bright entrance to the cave, snow still falling outside. Kriel felt too weak to fight but managed to drag himself onto his elbows and look at the newcomer. It was no droid.

A metallic clunk jarred Kriel's senses. A saber hilt had been thrown to him and rattled along the cave's floor before stopping a matter of feet from his face.

"Time for your final test," came a voice, all to familiar to the would be Knight.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel knew this was coming. From the moment he was summoned to the ship for this test. Not because of any sixth sense. Not even because of the Force. But because he'd read about it. There was a lot to be said for studying.

Not that it gave him any advantage now - other than the psychological edge that anyone else might have been despondent at the news. Kriel was prepared.

He had no energy and the sleep he'd had provided little in the way of help compared to the fever he was running from the wound to his arm. Yet he'd been preparing for this moment for some time now. Over a year in fact. He had the one thing he needed - the Force.

Struggling to his feet, he replied to the Knight. "I am ready. I shall not fail." And he scooped the saber hilt off the ground, feeling the familiarity of his own saber in his hand. He walked a little uncertainly past the Knight and out into the cold of the snow. Facing him was a figure with a saber already illuminated. Scarlet. Kriel did not recognise him and wondered if it was some Dark Jedi paid to either beat Kriel or die trying.

 

[Kriel Firin]

The two circled each other, Kriel's saber still not activated. He pulled the Force to him and channeled all of his anger and rage - so much so that he felt more powerful than he had ever done before. But he knew the Force could only carry him so far and his lack of sleep and nourishment would be a factor the longer the fight lasted.

So he activated his saber and launched into a quick and furious attack. He noted his opponent's saber hilt was curved, no doubt a Makashi user, and so he focused on quick and powerful blows in the hope of breaching the Dark Jedi's defence quickly.

 

[Kriel Firin]

The blows came fast and furious and Kriel pushed the Dark Jedi back with his power and pace. At one point his adversary dropped his saber but jumped back quickly to avoid a killing blow and called his hilt to him with the Force.

Kriel pushed the thought of this being his chance gone as he resumed the onslaught - confident he would open the Dark Jedi up again for a kill.

Which is when the Makashi user managed to hit Kriel's saber arm with a quick but effective jab. Kriel lost feeling in his hand and dropped the hilt of his saber. He scrambled to pick it up with his off-hand. He was competent with his left, but given his weakened state, he knew then and there, his chance of victory had gone.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Until now, Kriel had ignored the Dark Jedi’s posturing. Now his opponent grew more vocal and Kriel realised the tide had turned.

But he would not give up without a fight. So he lunged with a powerful overhand strike, which was parried to the side.

Again Kriel forward, his blade ascending diagonally from right to left in a long, swift arc. But the Dark Jedi now parried with a nonchalance that showed how much in control he was.

Kriel knew that victory required a combination of the Force and physical skill. He still had the Force, but his injuries had robbed him of the necessary attributes to end the bout in his favour.

The Dark Jedi was smaller and lighter than Kriel. Physically outmatched by the brute force of Kriel's Form V, he was nimble enough to avoid the last few efforts of Kriel’s attacks and hit back with quick counters to inflict more damage on the Disciple’s knees and arms.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Sensing he was about to run out of time, Kriel leapt high in the air and came crashing down from above. The Dark Jedi parried the attack with ease, then swept Kriel off his feet with a simple leg-whip.

The Dark Jedi flipped to his feet with ease, but not so Kriel. A short time ago, Kriel had thought the battle was over. He was disappointed that he hadn't been able to finish off his opponent, but he knew victory was near. Yet now, it was Kriel that was breathing in ragged gasps now, his shoulders slumping.

The Dark Jedi stepped forward with a quick thrust. Kriel had no defence and the blade sliced across his right shoulder.

 

[Kriel Firin]

His opponent sensed the momentum had swung completely in his favour now. “You have lost. Accept your fate…loser.”

He wasn't asking Kriel to yield. He was simply stating a fact, Kriel was about to die.

"You trained for so long to challenge me, yet you failed."

Kriel chose not to listen to the words anymore. His heart was pounding so loud he could hear the blood coursing through his veins. Literally quaking with impotent rage, he knelt in front of the Dark Jedi, no defence visible, his saber now on the floor.

Yet as the Dark Jedi stepped forwards to deliver the killing blow, Kriel thrust out his good hand out palm-forward even as the Dark Jedi leapt in to finish him off. Dark side energy erupted from his open palm to catch his opponent in midair, hurling him back a good few metres.

Kriel slowly clenched his fist and rose to his feet. On the ground before him, the Dark Jedi was writhing in agony, clutching at his throat and gasping for breath.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel had nothing to say to his helpless opponent. He squeezed his fist harder, feeling the Force rushing through him like a divine wind as he crushed the life out of his foe. The Dark Jedi’s body convulsed. He began to gurgle, and pink froth welled up from between his lips.

A final surge of power roared up in the core of Kriel's being and exploded out into the world. In response, the Dark Jedi’s body went stiff and his eyes rolled back in his head.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel had won, but he didn’t feel like a winner. He doubted he could finish off a Loth-cat right now, if one were presented as a test.

And he did not like the feeling one little bit. So calling on every last ounce of strength and determination, he called on the Force one last time to supplement his weary and injured limbs and he stood tall in front of the Knight.

“Is the test over?” he asked, as nonchalantly as he could, his held held so high, his neck ached from the effort.

The Knight nodded. "Yes, you have passed. Not that I doubted it and — I suspect — you never doubted yourself either. But what you believe and what comes to pass are not always the same. Although determination and persistence served you well and shall do so in the future.”

“Reflect on your strengths and your weaknesses. This test brings them home to you unlike any other. And be prepared to serve the First Order and the Knights of Ren once you recover fully. I have summoned a ship, which has a med bay on board. The Force will keep you upright for only so long.”

Kriel nodded his understanding of the Knight’s words but he didn’t trust his weak voice enough to offer a response.

When the ship appeared, for Kriel it could have been soon enough. And when the Knight clapped Kriel on the shoulder by way of encouragement, the young native of Bespin buckled at the knees and fell head first into the snow, the blackness of unconsciousness a welcome respite from the pain he’d endured over the past few weeks.