The Training of Dorin Hafmott

[Dorin Hafmott]

Dorin looked at his Master when he removed the blindfold, blinking rapidly to readjust his eyes. He enjoyed the excersise, because he had only been taught this particular technique on a very minor level. It was good to feel that he had put it to it's proper use. He smiled at Rowan, nodding his agreement with the instructions. "I will do as you say, Master."

When Rowan shrugged off his over-robe and armed himself, Dorin immediately took a defensive posture. A basic Soresu stance that he had practiced, and he reached out with the Force once more as he did against the remote.

Dorin reacted instantly. He whirled the blade close to his body, the hum of the powercell growing more insistant from the speed of his counters. He swats the jab aside, and whirls the blade again to block the knee strike. He brings the blade up in a sweeping arc following Rowan's retreat. He dashes toward him, powered by the Force and opens with a flurry of his own. He brings the blade humming down in an overhead strike, then strikes very swiftly at both shoulders and arms.

 

[Caleb]

Rowan was somewhat surprised at Dorin's opening Soresu stance—most Padawans only had instruction in the most basic of forms; yet, he had been at the temple from such an early age, no doubt he had taken the opportunity to learn. This momentary surprise however was enough to throw the knight off balance. His jab swung wide, the lightsabers hissed and sputtered as they were forced apart by the younger man's deft parry. Dorin's whirling block left Rowan with no option but to shift back even further.

Then Dorin took the offensive and Rowan was pressed to keep his strikes from landing. A crushing blow came rushing from above, but the Force gave Rowan a brief premonition and the knight quickly sidestepped and then blocked the onslaught aimed at his shoulders. Then, Rowan disengaged, leaping backwards again. He calmed himself, quieting his surprise, and sank more deeply into Force. Now he could see twisting avenues of attack, potential strikes and ripostes and counterstrikes.

Rowan plunged back into the combat, spinning to the left and bringing the blade up in a short cut aimed across Dorin's shoulderblades. Then, he shifted to the right and used the momentum of his upward stroke to slice across the arms of the younger man.

 

[Dorin Hafmott]

Dorin felt the trimmer in the Force. It moved against him like a gust of wind. He allowed himself to be carried away in it, and suddenly he knew the state of mind he'd achieved was correct.

He whirled his lightsaber in a tight shield and blocked Rowan's attack aimed for his shoulder blades. His face remained ever serene, caught up in the peace of the Force. When the next attack for his arms came, he was hard pressed to parry both, but managed one block, while the other was to swift for his less advanced reflexes. While he had 'seen' the move coming, he was just not quick enough. His arm convulsed and he dropped his blade. His face contorted a little from the electric current, and his arm went a little numb. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head, conceding victory to his Master.

 

[Caleb]

As the slash connected with Dorin's arm, Rowan could feel the energy surge through the training blade, and the younger man fumbled with his weapon. It slipped from his grip but Rowan caught it before it collided with the ground and deactivated the blade. He acknowledged Dorin's bow with a salute from his still glowing blade. “Well done Padawan. It was not a lack of sight that bested you, but a trick of the blade...a matter of years and training.”

Rowan flipped the hilt of the other saber around and presented it to Dorin again. “The first only time can remedy, but I think we can work towards the other now. I noticed that you opened with Soresu, and it nearly cost me my dignity.” He smiled crookedly, “Supposedly the master, I made the most novice of mistakes: never underestimate your opponent.”

“Come, take your stance again. This time, we will meld our knowledge of the Force with tricks of the blade.” Abandoning the basic, non-descript opening he had chosen before, Rowan stepped into a stance that mirrored the one Dorin had opened with. “As you can see, Soresu is the form I've studied most extensively. I can, however, only train you in one form of combat...do you know which you prefer?”

 

[Dorin Hafmott]

"I saw your move coming, it was just to fast for me." He says, rubbing his arm and laughing a little. "The important thing, I hope, is that I succeeded in the excersise."

Dorin stands to his feet again and takes the offered lightsaber. He laughs at Rowan's remark, but becomes silent when Rowan admits that he underestimated him. "I didn't expect you to admit to something like that, if I can be honest with you. But it's not really an uncommon thing. Masters expect to have raw Padawans. I see it every day. I was most sincere when I told you that I focused my efforts in all areas of my knowledge and talents."

"I have been told that I am adept in Shii-Cho." Dorin says, taking his practiced stance again. "I have been instructed in the very basics of Soresu, and I much prefer it over the latter. It makes better use of my particular strengths."

 

[Caleb]

“If you feel yourself given to Soresu, you must know that it requires patience, above all else. To lose control of one's emotions in battle is simply to lose.” Rowan brandished the blade in a tight arc around his body. “Never forget, the lightsaber is a weapon of finesse rather than brute strength. Mind your guards,” he inclined the blade towards his left shoulder, “the six,” and then towards his right, “the four.” With a quick flick, he brought the blade down, sweeping through the line of the high guards, to protect his legs, “the two.”

“It does not require the sweep of Shien, or the flair of Ataru. Remember that a parry, a redirection is preferred to a block. Now, ready yourself.” Rowan brought the blade up in salute and then stepped back into the combat ring, circling Dorin carefully this time. He opened himself to the Force, letting it flow to the tips of his fingers.

He moved, a short burst forward followed by a probing jab at the Padawan's shoulder. A feint, designed to distract—a Soresu user would know to let it slid off the edge of his blade. Then, Rowan followed up with a furious slash towards knees, switching half-stroke into an upward slice.

 

[Dorin Hafmott]

Dorin listened carefully and paid close attention while his Master spoke. When Rowan told him to ready himself, he ignited the blade and waded back into the familiar currents of the Force. Instead of starting slow, however, he plunged himself into it. He attempted to become a part of the living Force, and surrender himself to it completely.

Dorin brought the blade up, and he whirled it around him in a blurry shield. He parried the shoulder thrust, and arched the blade back around to catch the knee strike and upward cut.

His training saber doesn't stop as he goes into a flurry of motion. Guided by the Force, empowered with its fluid grace, and wearing the same serene expression, he performs several whirling cuts aimed for the head, shoulders, arms, and the torso itself. He drops and spins, bringing his blade around for a slice at the midsection, and aims several more blows for the legs, sides, and arms again.

 

[Caleb]

[Sorry for the delay, school has been keeping me busy.]

Dorin's parry of Rowan's attacks was energetic, overly so. A Soresu user had to keep his movements controlled and taut. The crux of the form was an impenetrable defense, cautiously waiting for your opponent to tire and then striking when they finally faltered. Too much exertion on your part meant that you would tire more quickly than the attacker—for a Soresu user, this would be fatal.

As a result of his over-balance, Rowan easily warded off Dorin's blows. He dodged the stab towards his chest, the training saber coming within a centimeter of his robes, and deflected the strikes towards his arms with a tight arc of parries. The knight brought his saber close to his chest in a one-handed grip and shifted forward, pressing against Dorin's blade and forcing it out of line with his guard.

Too close for lightsabers to be effective, Rowan jabbed an elbow at Dorin's chest and made a sweeping kick towards his legs.