A Jakelian Knife-dance Intructor

[batumshakalaka]

Graves strode out onto the proving ground. Mandolorians were hard at work all around him. Some firing at targets others battling with vibroswords and shockstaves. A few were honing various non-combat techniques.

He wasn’t here to learn any off those skills. He was an excellent shot and didn’t see the need for a weapon as large as a vibrosword or stave. He had always preferred smaller weapons, such as pistols, to their larger counterparts. Today he was here to train in the ways of the Jakelian Knife-dance, or at least begin the long path towards perfection.

He already had some training in CQC with a vibroknife, but the Jakelian Knife-dance was, in his eye, the epitome of the martial arts. The perfect way to hone your body.

Hopefully he could find a teacher.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias stood in a cleared space, two practice knives held in his hands, sweat on his brow. Someone might've mistaken this for normal knife practice at first glance. It was definitely not. He stood completely still, facing a direction, an imaginary opponent. To his opponent that he could see only in his minds eye, he was open.

It was as when the Jakelian would stand in front of the predator it was to hunt, and lure it into a mistake. Thus the name of this form. The Jakelian Knife-dance. Suddenly Elias moved, darting in and striking at this unseen opponent, weaving and slicing before jumping back again guard up. A master would've pointed out his mistake of overtaxing himself on the initial strike, but otherwise he had perfected his own form of the art, just as many had before him.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Graves saw the lone Mandolorian training with his two knives. His movements were percise, deliberate, and powerful. This was what graves was looking for.

As he aproached his fellow Mando he saw it was Elias. He had worked with him before. A good Mando. A strong Mando.

"Interested in sparing partner?" He asked Elias. There was a lot he could learn just from being in the same ring as him.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias stopped, and glanced up at Graves. He smiled and nodded, walking over to his equipment for a drink. Drenched in sweat and dirt from the practice, he looked over at him.

"You know the Jakelian Knife-dance then vod?" And with that he tossed a pair of training knives over at Graves waiting for an answer.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Graves gave a grunt and a nod as he caught the knives then tossed one to the side. "Only need one." He said with a smile. "I know the basics, I know that true masters only use one blade." He said not meaning to offened his fellow Mandolorain, just bring out some of the fire he knew was there. Training as friends was all well and good, but throw in some real anger. Then your bound to learn something.

Graves dropped into the defensive position his father had taught him. Knife point down, off hand out for balance, knees bent at the ready. He nodded at Elias.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias grinned. He dropped his own extra knife to the side with a wink saying, "Two can play at that game Graves." He dropped into his own stance waiting for Graves to make his move. He opened his side to a strike, legs seemingly relaxed to others, but ready to dart to the sides at a moments notice. It was always a challenge to fight another adversary who knew, even in a basic way, the Jakelian Knife-dance. Both would fake eachother out in some instances, and leave eachother stunned and confused. It was a mind game, intellegance, as well as physical activity. You had to know what was a feignt, and what was a strike.

"Whenver you're ready." ELias chided jokingly.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Graves didn't bother with a verbal response. Instead he elected to rush his target. He imagined Elias was expecting the more defensive Jakelian approach. He knew the form was based off of luring your target into what you wanted. Hopefully his rush would catch Elias unawares.

He bowled forward all his momentum thrust outward as he swung with his off hand aiming for Elias' head, wanting to hold back on the knife until the opportunity was right.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias hadn't extpected the attack, but that did not mean he hadn't been ready for it. He sidestepped to the left, leaning down so Grave's blow would miss, but twisting his right foot in case Graves would strike at his exposed side. It was so he could spring back fast and unmarked by his opponent. He aimed a slice to Grave's stomach while sticking his other arm out to the side for balance.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Elias had been ready for the attack but, perhaps, caught off guard. Either way he had made a mistake. A small one, but it was enough.

Elias had stepped left to dodge Graves rush. Graves had the momentum of his upper body going to the right because he swing with his left hand, his off hand. He used this to his advantage kicking his legs out in an awkward barrel roll.

He was now perpendicular to Elias and horizontal with the ground. His legs sprawled out to the left of his original position were now right in line to collide with Elias!

He braced for impact, hoping he could bring Elias to the ground with him.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias couldn't help but let his eyes widen. That was unexpected. He had a slight moment before Graves feet would collide with him. He had to act. He did the only thing he could think of to dodge the move. He dropped prone, catching himself barely on his hands and feet, hoping Graves would miss and overtax himself losing his balance. This would give Elias the advantage to spring up and strike if he did it right. He dropped hard, and pain shot up his right arm whilst his knife skidded from his grip several feet in front of him.

Maybe this wasn't the best idea after all.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Elias had somehow avoided his last ditch assault. He may have missed but things weren't all bad. Graves hit the ground at a roll, rolled a yard or two then found his feet under him. He had felt better but the roll had saved him from any real injury.

Looking at Elias he saw that the man was disarmed now, his knife a solid three or four feet from him. Graves again started into a bull rush. This time though, he was slightly disoriented from his roll, his first few steps were clumsy enough to delay his attack. He ran at his target, focused on keeping him from reaching his weapon.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias had to choose between pushing off and striking, or grabbing the knife. He chose the first. He pushed off and found his feet. Barely in time, he sidestepped stuck out a leg to trip Graves. If he succeeded he would either leap for the knife, or for Graves. It all depended on how long he was down, if at all.

 

[batumshakalaka]

In Graves disoriented state he didn't even see the leg. Elias moved so fast he just saw a blur, then began to curse as he fell to the ground. His momentum propelled him forward before he collided and he saw he was going to land right on the dropped knife.

Graves reached out with his off hand using it to brace his impact as well as grab the knife. He hit the ground hard. The air was knocked out of him and he felt as if he had breathed in pure pain to replace it. He began to rise up, then thought better of it. He rolled over onto his back expecting an attack from Elias. He brought both knives up before him, ready.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias wasn't stupid. And to leap on the man holding two knives up at you was something someone stupid would do. He would let Graves stand, but not to the point his balance was perfect. Then he would strike, and attempt to disarm him of at least one of the knives. He settled down into a defensive stance to make it seem like he would be waiting for Graves to strike. This was a special one though, for with a shift of his front leg, he would be in a striking stance, within striking distance when the time was right.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Elias stood over him. Graves wasn't to thrilled with the current placement of the dejarik board but he would have to make due. A sacrifice was in order.

He began to rise when he got to one knee he hurled the blunted knife in his main hand at Elias. He had no skill at throwing a weapon like that, or any weapon but he wasn't using it as an offensive tool. At the same time he threw the knife he leaped up into a defensive posture.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias was sure Graves could see his eyes widen. His thoughts before he leapt to the side were, 'What the-!?' Before he could finish this train of thought he was stumbling and off balance, his side open to strike in the eyes of one watching closely. He was in trouble. Graves probably knew it to.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Graves saw the opening and moved in bringing the point of his blade to rest just under Elias' rib cage. "Yield." He said grinning.

 

[Arisalin]

Elias grinned back and looked down.

"I think you have me mate." He said, letting his Coruscant accent roll in for the first time in months. He straightened and grasped Grave's arm in the traditional Mandalorian way. "Good fight vod."

 

[batumshakalaka]

Graves clasped Elias back. It had been a good fight, he wasn't sure what exactly he had learned but there would be time to sort that out later. Good fight vod." He repeated back.