Ask [Brighthome] A New Path

[Liana Mason]

After the terrible mission that had led her padawan friends and her into the lair of a terrible cult, a lot had happened. Her broken wrist had needed fixing and together with her master she had not only crafted a new lightsaber, but had continously worked on processing this one fateful day.

It had taken weeks until she had fully found her peace with it, yet things had never been the same. The horrible experiences had left their scars and not just the visible ones, so that however generally speaking, the padawan had matured a lot after all those struggles.

She had dutifully finished her training and had been nominated for the trials which she had immediately accepted. After having found herself in the darkest places twice by now, she did feel ready for this next important step after she had overcome all those challenges and so one by one she made it through the different tests.

As a newly knighted Knight, Liana was obviously faced with much more responsibilities, yet after the first two months and the first successful mission with another Knight, her thoughst had circled back to the talk she had had with Ruz.

She found her new position very exciting and she could still feel how she learnt so many things each and every day, yet she couldn't shake this feeling that after all the wonderful masters who had trained her, she wanted to give something back now that she could.

She had appealed to the Council soon after and as they had agreed, she had excitedly waited for an apprentice ever since. A few more weeks had passed until she had been informed that they had found a fitting padawan learner who would join her soon after, but as overly positively excited as she was, she also soon realized that she was nervous beyond belief.

She was adorned in her Jedi Knight Robes and her green bladed lightsaber was clipped to her belt. She had been sent to Brighthome to meet the padawan named Saro and awaited him in one of the training rooms where they would apperently lead him, but she found it hard to stand still as the anticipation was constantly growing.

She paced a little, not even knowing what to do with her hands. She had sent Maura ans overly excited voice message, knowing that her good friend had also passed her trials but she didn't know whether she immediately wanted an apprentice as well, but pondering on those thoughts distracted her a little.

As she knew he was about to be led into the room, she folded her hands against the small of her back, however soon realized that if she wanted to appear poised, she couldn't simply take a stance that was supposedly professional but for her simply not authentic.

She finally decided to lock her fingers in front of her body and to keep a rather upright positon as she faced the electronic door, yet while her stance was supposed to be as dignified as it should have been, the warm, friendly smile on her lips was genuinely authentic. Despite the nervousity, she felt ready!

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

A new moon had passed by, and a new day had begun. But this day was unlike the others that had preceded it. The time of routine, repetition and ostensible safety had passed the moment the sun had risen up. Today marked the day where Saro Keldan would finally begin his long journey to become a Jedi Knight, and as such, it was in essence also a rite of passage into adulthood. Saro was keenly aware of the importance this day held, and as such, he was naturally quite nervous. He had heard of the important bonds maintained between a master and their apprentice. At times, he had even seen it in person. But to actually experience it for himself? That was something new. And one cannot trust that which is new.

Many questions raced through his mind as he was escorted towards the training room, questions such as 'Will we be a good fit?' and 'What if things go wrong?' It helps to prepare for the worst, but at this stage, Saro didn't feel as if he was doing himself any special favors. If anything he was digging himself deeper into a pit of self-imposed anxiety. Aside from his own thoughts, the trip was a quiet one, and the escort was similarly silent. If the Order was trying to make this moment appear welcoming, then they had failed spectacularly, he thought to himself.

Finally, they had reached the training room. The doors opened, and the escort entered the room with Saro in tow. As he entered, he finally saw the person who would be his guide and companion for years to come. A young woman with blonde hair, carrying herself in a rather casual manner, smiling towards him as he entered. He wasn't sure how he should feel at this moment, so he just smiled back, though the smile appeared more painful than anything else. As the moment passed, the escort began to speak. "Miss Mason. Your Padawan has arrived. If it pleases you, we will take our leave now."

@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

While she stood there waiting, she had also remembered how her first day with he'd assigned master had felt like. She had thrown countless questions at him, but he had always been patient. She had learnt incredibly much and she was excited to carry this knowledge on, yet even if she felt ready for this next step, she was still extremely excited.

She let the Force calm her as she slowly let it flow through her. The young Knight also forced herself to breathe slowly until the doors were about to open. She sensed their presence through the living Force and so she also already felt that he too, was a little nervous, and so she wanted to greet him as warmly as possible to make this first meeting memorable.

Liana was a kind, still relatively bubbly soul in general, yet she knew that with the new responsibilities, she had to be a source of peace for her apprentice and so the nature of those master - padawan interactions were obviously different from encounters with her dearest friends, so she reminded herself to tone it down.

As he walked in, her dark blue eyes softened as a new wave of excitement washed over her, but again she focused on the Force. She nodded at the escorting Jedi and offered a polite, "Thank you!". She then stepped forward, slightly inclining her head before she extended her hand. "Welcome, padawan. It's nice to meet you". Oooh this was all so new...yet she was indeed happy to finally meet him.

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

As the escort left the room, a new wave of anxiety rushed through the young padawan. He was all alone now. Well, not quite. He was all alone with a stranger, friendly though she appeared. Her voice and attitude helped alleviate some of his worries, but he couldn't help but maintain some level of skepticism.

Nonetheless, he was not about to fail at simple courtesies. As she extended her hand towards him, he replied in kind, and shook her hand. As he felt her hand touch his, he felt a sudden spike of emotions rapidly pulsate throughout his body. As a result, he instantly jolted his hand back.

He was unable to identify how these emotions came to be, or even what emotions they were supposed to embody. Only that this confirmed that this was indeed something special, already at this very moment. What confused him more though was that this was surely the work of the force. Yet he'd never before had anything resembling such attunement to it.

If he was skeptical before, then he certainly was intrigued now. It was then he realized that his sudden motion must've appeared quite rude and unexpected. So he offered a quick bow towards Liana. "I am sorry about that... it's just, something unexpected." Great. Now he couldn't even formulate proper sentences. Where was he going with this?

"In any case, my name is Saro. I am very pleased to finally meet you, Master."
'Let's see you save this first impression, you fool.' He though to himself.

@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

As he stepped in, she was somehow reminded of the young kids they had saved from the clutches of those monsters. The padawan didn't just seem nervous, but she knew he was also a little afraid of the uncertainty of this new encounter. She absolutely couldn't blame him, yet she had learnt that the Force could work real wonders when it came to that.

Instead of giving herself in to her racing thoughts and her own apprehension, she took another deep breath. The Force around them was calm and she let herself be encompassed in it while at the same time she added to that energy. She didn't just let it calm her, but her presence within the Force was shifting and while she then seemed more calm, she was also basically drenched in the light.

He reached for her hand and as the skin made contact, it was as if there was a certain static released between them. For a split second, a frown crossed her face before she regained full composure as she decided to not let that sensation startle her. Perhaps that was how it felt like when an apprentice was matched with a Knight...she remembered that the very first moment she had shared with her master had also been wonderful and she could still recall the feeling that had lingered in the air as their bond had begun to form.

"It's okay, don't worry", she calmly assured him, also letting her calm presence expand so that it would soothe him when he let her while her smile only brightened. "This is...also new to me", she admitted, showing how she absolutely sympathized with him. He sounded genuine about being glad to meet her, yet as he addressed her as 'master', she really had to force herself not to giggle. Damn, this was absolutely exciting.

She realized he wasn't even that much younger, but this fact obviously didn't deter her as her master had also been rather young when he had taken her on as in apprentice. Age meant little, experience did, and she had learnt that she was ready for this. "Tell me something about yourself, padawan! What makes you want to be a Jedi?", was it too upfront to ask such a deep, important and serious question?! She was literally basing it on her first experience with her own master and back then, she had learnt that if had taken them forward as he had known her intentions.

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

A feeling of relief washed over him. Good, she didn't feel insulted. Whatever embarrassment he had momentarily suffered, he could now pack up and leave behind. He tried to read her body language as best he could.

Although he could feel some vague sensation of serenity looming throughout the room, he had always been weaker when it came to these things. Matters pertaining to the Force had never been his strong suit, and sometimes, he wondered if he had the necessary capabilities to pass the coming trials.

He wanted to trust in the Force, but in reality he often had to trust his baser instincts. However, as she confirmed her own apprehensions and anxieties, he would allow himself to relax a bit more. It was more relatable, this way, he supposed. But then came the iron question.

What makes him want to be a Jedi? A question every aspiring Jedi must've no doubt asked themselves a million times. A question he would probably be asking himself a million more. But it is a thing he's had a long time to consider, and formulate an answer to.

Yet, as he was asked, he momentarily found himself at a loss for words. He looked away from his Master as he took some time to consider the question, before he offered a reply. "Well, it's not so much about what I want. It's more about what I was meant to be." A safe answer. But also a terribly vague answer.

He thought on it some more. "I never really had a choice in these things. It just kind of happened. But I am fine with that. What matters is that I have an opportunity to make things better."

He then looked back into Liana's eyes. "What about you? What made you want to become a Jedi?"

@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

Her dark blue eyes were still lingered on him, yet the way she had asked her question wasn't pushy at all. She had voiced it curiously, yet the doubts set it. Wasn't that too harsh? Hadn't she already played this first meeting in her mind various times? Why was she relying on her memories of her own experiences?

It was still the nervousity and somehow this uncertainty about possibly making a mistake even though she actually knew that there wasn't a recipe for this. She inhaled slowly again and decided that she would let the Force guide her from now on.

She took a positive mental note as he took time to consider her question. She was convinced he had asked himself that question repeatedly, yet she herself often found it hard to find the right words as the question was of a very complex nature. As his answer came, it did admittedly surprise her, but she mananged to keep a fully straight face.

She didn't want to be presumptuous, yet she'd have to take it into account..It was not that everyone needed a noble cause to follow, but set determinations and aspirations to keep the galaxy safe were needed if you wanted to stay on your path. Convictions were adaptable and she decided that her was goal was to show him that he couldn't leave that in the hand of fate or whatever he called it, but that you'd actively had to pursue a goal, yet for now she accepted it the way he had voiced it.

"I assume you've joined the Order as a child then. I share this part of your past, although I couldn't wait to join", she replied, slowly letting herself sink to the ground of the training's room but not asking him to do the same yet. "My parents had told me stories about the heroic Jedi, so that I couldn't believe I was lucky enough to be force sensitive myself".

It sounded like he had been thrown into the Order, while her parents had talked to her about it. Still, she had been way too young for a reflected opinion, so it had been childhood stories that had convinced her. "As a child, I believed the Jedi were those valiant, good-natured space wizards who were pure goodness and were protecting us from all the bad, but I soon learnt that there is much more about our philosophy", she paused for a moment, closing her eyes.

"What always drove me was the prospect of helping people and keeping them safe, but I've learnt to understand all the responsibilities that are entailed when you fully commit yourself to the Light and being an agent of balance". She didn't want to get too philosophical here, so she decided to begin with something more practical.

"Relax and join me. Get your mind into a calm state and tell me what you feel within the Force". She voiced her instructions softly and would keep his emotions monitored, so that she would be able to offer help if he would find it hard to meditate now.

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

Her answer surprised him. It was measured, a bit more reflective, then others he had met within the order. Not that people didn't have good reasons, but some things simply remained private. So she was delivered to the order, like him.

Although her interpretation of the events that played out in the past was quite different than his own. He listened intently on her story, and her small philosophical discussion, short as it was. It was perhaps these sides of the Force that interested the most. Less magic, more way of life.

When she finally asked him to join her in meditation, some degree of embarrassment washed over him again. "Uhm. If we're going to be working together, there's something you should know about me and... the Force." He took a deep breath, before he continued. What is a Jedi without the force? A skilled acrobat? A pacifist monk? A politician, even.

But what makes a Jedi truly special, what allows them to be separated from the rest, is their attunement to the Force, and their ability to let it flow through them freely. So what does that make him?

"My connection to the Force, it's always been weaker than my peers. I struggle at anything that has to with the Force. I am able to do the basics, but... it's much more difficult for me. That includes meditation, or simply feeling the Force."

He looked away, somewhat embarrassed, somewhat ashamed. But deep inside, his pride is what's wounded more than anything else. More than his self-esteem, more than his sense of worth, his pride and dignity is what asked for rectification.
@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

She wanted him to lead him into this first, shared meditation as the Force surrounding Brighthome was specifically calm and balanced. They could use this to get started and she had learnt how guided mediations were really helpful. However, he didn't immediately join her but spoke up instead.

Uh oh, what now? She reopened her eyes and met his gaze, not at all demanding. He could share whatever he wanted to and she would do everything she could to make him feel comfortable. She swallowed, frowning ever so slightly as she waited for him to elaborate.

"Don't be ashamed", she then immediately interjected, her voice still warm and soft. Those feelings weren't helpful if they were to strong and could easily seduce you to follow a different path, so this was the first thing the could actually be working on. She was partly grateful for having found such a good starting point, but at the same time, she couldn't help but to feel with him.

She was grateful that he had immediately shared this aspect of him even if it obvious bothered him a lot. "We will work on this together" she reassured him, pushing herself back to her feet and walking over. From what she knew, weaker connections to the Force weren't simply connected to the midichlorians count or whatsoever, but it had a much deeper source.

There were subconscious factors that could help you back or inhibit you, so she also knew that she had to be really careful as slowly opening yourself up to the Force carried its risks. "Take a deep breath", she softly urged him as she took his hands and signaled him to sit down with her.

She then went down into a seated position, legs crossed and back straight, still holding his hands in hers. "I will guide you". Before she closed her eyes again, she was basically already amplifying the Force, the Light for him. "Close your eyes and tell me what you feel". With her help, she was hoping he would feel the Force calmly flowing through the room, but not just that. It was all around. Every now and then, there were people walking by and even behind the closed doors, the living Force gave them away.

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

He sighed as she insisted they continue. He'd been through this many times before, how was this going to be any different? While he didn't hope for any sudden magic cures, he did allow her to take his hands, and allowed her a shot at helping him through his troubles.

He followed her lead, and sat down, legs crossed like hers, and attempted to silence his mind. The basics, simple enough. But now the moment of truth is at hand. He could feel that she was somehow amplifying his connection, perhaps sharing a bit of hers with his even.

It was wonderful thing, feeling the Force like this. It isn't the first time he's felt it like this either. In the past, various teachers have done similar techniques to help guide him through the learning curve. But he appreciated the moment for what it was. Not just bonding with the force, but bonding with another person.

He began moving his focus away from himself and Liana, and over to their surroundings. He could feel the Force amplified in here too. Or... no, not amplified. It was the Force as it always had been. He just hadn't noticed it before. It was a calming sensation, one that made him feel as though he belonged.

That this was the right moment, the right place and the right composition. Everything was in balance, and in their proper place, as they should be. When he felt confident, he tried going a bit further, towards the doors now. But as he did, he could feel a headache approaching, and at that moment, the meditative experience ended rather abruptly.

He removed his hands from hers, gently, and sighed quietly as he looked toward the door. He didn't speak a word. Not out of fear, more out of expectation. He knew this was going to happen. It was a quiet form of resignation.

@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

Liana kept her eyes closed but monitored him through the Force. While she lent him some of her strength, she also felt what she felt. The hope, the optimism, the courage - but then, the frustration and the pain after the little demise.

"Don't be frustrated", she opened her eyes, slightly cooking her head to the side. "You did well", she praised him, her tone fully genuine. "This was your first time doing such a guided mediation with me and I really think you've done a great job" she reassured him with a warm smile, edging backwards a little.

"You expected your connection to break and a headache to set in, right?", she gently asked, again, not pushy at all, but still expecting a genuine reply. He seemed quite convinced about he was doomed to have this weaker connection and self fulfilling prophecies obviously were a thing.

"I know exactly how we can work on that", she optimistically added as she reached out and telekinetically pulled a little wooden square towards them and set it down between them with the Force. "Take your time. I want this headache to fade first before you just show me how you lift, push and pull this object. Alright?". She stayed seated, wanting to test a few more things before she would explain how they'd proceed.

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

He sighed once more. A new trial. The frustration continued to be felt, albeit in a more subdued and silent form. "It's difficult not to expect failure, when you're used to it. As I said, I've always lagged behind on these things."

Still, he was not one to give up. He would keep trying, as was requested of him. First, he closed his eyes as he entered a more personal meditative state. Not so much as a means to attune himself to the Force, more as a means to calm himself, and rid himself of his headache.

As it slowly faded away, he would open his eyes again, and look at the small wooden square Liana had provided. Really? He'd feel insulted, if the caution didn't feel justified. A small wooden object, simple enough.

He extended his hand, mustering the Force through it. The Force didn't feel natural to Saro, and it often felt like it needed a little push of its' own. So when he was at work with the Force, it often felt as though the Force did little, while he had to do the heavy lifting.

In short order, his hand got a grasp of the Force, he could almost feel him touching its' strands, as well as their connection to the wooden square. Utilizing his will, he lifted it up, and began moving it in a circular motion. It was fairly easy, though it didn't come as naturally to him as it did others.

"Self-fulfilling prophecies are all well and good. But I've seen it for myself. Some people simply are less gifted." He offered a somewhat pained smile. "But that doesn't mean I ain't going to try."

@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

She listened to him intently, however it saddened her that he was so affected by the aspect he considered an actual failure. "It's upon us to learn how to break that pattern of thinking...although obviously, we all have our strengths and weaknesses, but that's also totally fine".

If he generally lacked some force abilities, he was potentially a skilled lightsaber duelist. They would work this out together. Despite his subtle frustration, he pressed on and she was happy for it. Determination and not giving up were valuable traits. It was what kept them in control and away from the dark side.

She studied him as he calmed his mind and effortlessly lifted the square. "See, that's more like it". It was a light object, but it was good to follow with a success. "Keep it up", she said to him as she extended her hand and grasped it the Force, so that light, invisible tendrils suddenly weighted in out. She wasn't pushing down hard, but it wouldn't be as easy as it was before.

"That's what matters. We are all unique in our capabilities and being a Jedi isn't just about commanding the Force. You'll discover your attitudes, but that doesn't mean we can't keep working on your connection with the Force". She gave him another warm smile but she added a little more pressure, however still keeping him in control of the square. After a moment, she slowly let go again and stood up.

"You still have your training's lightsaber I assume?", she asked him, suspecting he wasn't in possession of his own yet. "How are you with them?".

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

He rolled his eyes ever so slightly as she went through the spiel of strengths and weaknesses. The Force works in mysterious ways, or we all have our doubts. He'd heard it all before, and he didn't seem particularly impressed by it. It would appear that very little will work towards alleviating Saro's harshest critic. Namely his own inner thoughts.

Yet the moment Liana mentioned lightsabers, he instantly perked up. It was an opportunity to show his strengths, rather than his weaknesses. Just the confidence boost he needed.

His anxiety was almost immediately replaced with some lighthearted smugness. "I still have it, yes. I figured it'd be wise to bring to a training room." He smiled towards Liana, as he stood up, and began walking circles around her, rather playfully. "I don't suppose you're ready to get schooled? It'd be a shame if you had to go all the way back to being a Padawan because of this."

He offered her a warm smile. His confidence was clear for all to see, but moreover, it was apparent that he was having fun now. He may be a Jedi in training, and more reserved than many of his contemporaries.

But he's still capable of being humorous, and more importantly, deep inside, he's still a child. So it follows that he's similarly childish when he's offered a challenge that he finds interesting. He stopped circling Lia, and offered a playful grin as he looked into her eyes.

@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

After finishing the little force session, she readied herself for the second part of the assessment she wanted to conduct to gain a rough sense of his skill level. It was good that he still had the training's lightsaber and she brought another item to her mental agenda before they moved on.

Was that arrogance?! Again, a frown tugged at her features. That was not an admirable trait, but then she reminded herself that he was still a child...well rather a teenager, but she couldn't expect him not to behave like one every now and then, Jedi or not. She had been a naive, toxically positive child and flaws and quirks were fairly human, hence she took it rather playful as well.

"Careful, padawan. The most cocky learners were always the ones on their asses first", she warmed him with a smirk, deciding that this approach in their first meeting would keep the mood light. They'd be faced with plenty of situations that required serenity, hence it was fine to start lightly today.

"Then let me see what you've got. Set your lightsaber to stun and let's go". She urged him, still with a hint of playfulness and throwing him a challenging smirk before she readied her stance and let her own, green lightsaber hiss into existence, ensuring that the weapon was indeed set to stun mode as she didn't want to risk any injuries.

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

Saro would chuckle at Liana's retort. Now things were about to get interesting. He brought out his training lightsaber in turn, setting it to stun mode as well. As the weapon was activated, a blue beam began to escape the hilt, with a satisfying hiss of its' own.

Before they would start, he began brandishing it a bit. He thought he might as well show off. After making what he considered to be some fairly impressive flourishes with his lightsaber, he finally settled down. He then got into position, entering stance emblematic of Form II.

It was clear from this that Saro was a Makashi practitioner. An unusual style at this age, but not unheard of per se. "Ready whenever you are, m'lady." He added in jest, likely in reference to the style he used. It had always been associated with a level of dignity, personal gravitas, and formality.

"Fair warning though, I'm not gonna hold back. It ain't good for self-improvement." He added, still with a confident smile on his face. He stood there, lightsaber aimed towards her. He had put as much distance between him and her as possible, while stile maintaining effective close quarters range. All that was missing in this pose was an 'En garde.'

@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

Liana was half amused about his growing confidence, but also subtly worried as well. At this age, it was perhaps fairly normal, especially because it seemed like he wanted to impressed her, but she'd keep an eye on it. He danced around her while she just calmly watched, moving her blade into a defensive psotion.

"I'm ready", she noticed now he spoke and how he moved and assumed the form because of it. It was an ancient style and her master had taught her the same form as well, yet she had developed her very own style over the years.

Her dark blue eyes were fixed on him as he suddenly made her chuckle a little. "Like I said, don't take this too far", she warned again in terms of his exaggerated confidence, but it was good to see that he trusted himself here. "I wouldn't expect you to take it lightly though".

He readied his stance and she was now the one slowly circling him. "Good footwork, but come on, make your move". She wanted him to begin, as this way, he would witness her more defensive movement as she wanted to focus his training on that first. He was, however, doing rather well so far and hence a warm smile was planted on he'd lips.

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

With all the flair, exaggerations and humor done away with, he was now beginning to take this very seriously. He was up against a fully trained Knight, one that had been assigned as his master no less. This afforded him little room for mistakes. Victory was all but impossible at this stage, and yet, he was determined to win.

He offered a tiny grin at her insistence that he should attack. "All in good time" he said. So she was surrendering the initiative. Surely she has some brilliant defensive move in mind. He took a moment to analyze her pose. But the principle for attacking remained much the same. He simply stood still, lightsaber pointed towards her, without so much as a single emotion betraying his face.

This was a mind game now. Moments passed, until finally, as if out of nowhere, he settled on a committed thrust aimed at her left leg, leaning towards her as far as his body would take him, and allowing the lightsaber to practically double the effective range he's working from. What had previously seemed like a conservative and safe distance between the two, was suddenly no longer so distant, nor safe.

He didn't expect her to just stand there, of course. But either way, he wanted to keep her on the defensive, reacting rather than acting.

@LadyRen

 

[Liana Mason]

He was patient, so this was definitely something good. He waited his sweet time, however she didn't miss how he analyzed her. She had fought various opponents, inside and outside training, however in the most recent past she had often dealt with dark siders, whose fighting style was often much more upfront and ferocious than a Jedi.

Still, she was curious to see what he had already learnt and as he seemed very confident about his lightsaber skills, she was curious to see him in action. She closed in while she kept circling him before she got into position in front of him, still quite a distance away, but she knew he had to move little to reach her.

Instead of actually charging forward, he did lean and in a split second her ethereal senses picked up that thrusting movement. He fully committed himself to the move, this she could judge from his complete forward movement, but this also meant that his center of gravity shifted forward as well.

His footwork was solid enough to keep him from falling if she just stepped back, but while she did withdraw her left leg, she immediately shifted her weight onto it as her body slightly pivoted to the left as swiftly she brought her knee up, aiming to kick him in the side, not his head, even if this would have been even easier, but Lia was potentially holding back a little. While she did that, her lightsaber simultaneously moved down so that she'd be able to parry another blow if her kick didn't land.

@Master Blue

 

[Saro Keldan]

Her response was quick. Quicker than he had expected, even - and Saro's not one to underestimate his opponents. In but a couple of moments, his strategy to keep her at a distance had proven itself futile, as she came in towards him with with a kick. 'This is bad.' He thought to himself.

However, an idea suddenly popped into his head at that moment. Why allow her to seize the initiative, when he can simply double down on the offensive? Instead of evading away from the kick, he attempted to push himself into it, raising his left arm as a shield to protect the rest of his body as he did so.

The kick connected, and his left arm was consequently in a world of hurt. A sacrifice he was willing to make for an opening. With his willpower, he managed to push himself through the pain, and immediately went for a diagonal slash against her chest with his lightsaber, at least as quickly as he had done before.

His motion with his saber was rapid and practiced, and a clean cut here would've ended any real fight. But of course, in order to do that, he had to actually achieve said clean cut...

@LadyRen