Ask The Fundamentals

[Jonas Syl]

Brighthome​

The Jedi Knight was in one of the open training rooms that looked more garden than training grounds. It was his favorite. Jonas didn't much care for the space station; he wanted to breathe actual air and feel a sun's light on his face. He had agreed to help with training for now, so he put up with it.

Jonas moved throughout the crowd of younglings as they practiced defensive drills with one another. "Try this.." he said, adjusting one younglings arm. "No, like this..." he said, correcting another youngling.

This went on for several minutes. He could tell they were growing tired, so he called a halt to the class. "Rest for a moment," he said, pointing to the side of the training room. He didn't just want this to be idle time. He spotted a woman walking just outside, clearly a Knight at least. "Excuse me." he called out to the passerby. "Could you help me with my class for a moment? I just need someone to help with some demonstrations," he said. "If you don't have a moment to spare, that is alright as well.." he said.

If she declined, he wouldn't harbor any hard feelings. He was intruding on her day. He had always found it easier to keep the youngling's attention if they witnessed actual sparring.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Official business had brought Sybella to the station; every so often, she liked to check in and relay her reports on recent missions. Never intent on staying longer than was needed, the knight was waiting on her ship's maintenance to finish. As soon as her resupply was complete, she'd leave on the next adventure.

Looking through a datapad full of briefs, Sybella almost missed @Jonas Syl 's impromptu summons. Paused in mid-step, the knight's ears perked up almost instantaneously. "A demonstration? Well, how could I possibly refuse?"

As she entered the training room, the Knight realised some of the padawans were actually familiar to her. They also seemed to remember her as well, with some greeting by her actual title. "Lady Demici!"

Sybella had, on occasion, hosted some training sessions on Yavin IV. Her sessions with the lightsabers had become quite well known. One could find much joy when it came to the instruction of the younger generations; teaching the younglings and padawans was especially rewarding as it meant a bigger and brighter future for their Jedi Order.

"What exactly are you hoping to demonstrate? Nothing too dangerous, I hope." Admittedly, Sybella was feeling rather curious. She didn't know this knight personally, but it was always good to make new acquaintances. With any luck, the shrouded lady may give her companion a run for his credits.

 

[Jonas Syl]

"Great, thank you! I'm Jonas, by the way." he said with a warm smile as they both re-entered the training ground. When they had, several of the children's faces lit up with recognition. The sentiment warmed him; for some of the younger members of their Order, the Jedi was the only family they knew; those tended to cling to their teachers just a bit more.

"We have been practicing our defensive forms today." he said with a nod to their guest. "I thought it might be a good experience to see them demonstrated within the context of an actual duel." he continued.

"Now, students," he said, facing the younglings. "I want you to really pay attention to how the forms flow together." he said before returning to his dueling partner. "Don't embarrass me too much in front of the students." he said with a smile before pulling his lightsaber out; it had already been switched to a training setting.

He bowed to Sybella before igniting his lightsaber, a soft green glow illuminating his face. "When you are ready." he said to his fellow Jedi Knight as he lowered himself into the starting defensive stance he had been practicing with the younglings.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Walking in with Jonas, the Knight made sure to introduce herself as well. "Please, call me Sybella. Charmed, I'm sure."

She also took the opportunity to give a gentle wave to some of the children. It was nice, the feeling of likeability. The Order had become very much her family, so naturally she would want to ensure proper instruction. It could very well save their life one day, or someone else's. Embarrassing Jonas, a fellow Jedi, was not Sybella's intent...it would, however, be a delightful benefit.

The knight was rather prolific in the sparring ring, especially when it came to combat and duelling with a lightsaber. Many attributed a majority of her success to her rather competitive nature but in truth, Sybella had dedicated her fair share of time and practice. She needed to keep in mind, however, that this wasn't a normal sparring match. It was a demonstration, meant to both instruct and enlighten.

Better for her to temper the predilection for flare. Still, a grin was slowly forming. After all, old habits were hard to kill.

Returning Jonas' bow with one of her own, Sybella fell into a practised stance. It was, rather obviously, an offensive style; if he wanted to illustrate defensive forms, then he would need something to parry and block. With a quick nod, the knight was ready, flashing her opponent a fleeting wink before activating her own blue saber.

She wasted no time in beginning her attack. Moving forward, Sybella started with long reaching swipe of her blade; in a real battle, such a slash would have carved at an enemy's upper torso. With a seamless, single motion, she then brought the blade down right and then left, in a criss-cross of motion. Ever the light and agile fighter, Sybella ensured her footing was both stable and firm. Breaking off to the side, she would pivot and twirl, her saber following in tandem with her intent. The aim would have been to disarm Jonas, quite literally. It was a common move in lightsaber combat - naturally, of course, her fellow knight would be able to counter the basic tactic.

 

[Jonas Syl]

He smiled as she introduced herself, and they entered the room.

Once they had begun, Sybella wasted no time in pressing her attack. His saber moved and blocked the first swipe, flowing to the block of the second swipe, illustrating the opening moves of the forms the younglings had been working on.

As the other Knight spun, Jonas' blade twirled, blocking the disarming attempt with his blade held at head height, pointing towards the ground. Sparks showered the two Jedi as the blades locked. Jonas pushed off her blade, it flowing into a counterattack at the back of her leg. It would be an easy enough attack to block or dodge, but it served to demonstrate the second block and counterattack demonstrated to the younglings.

Jonas would then take several steps back, resetting his posture.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Jonas proved to be a capable instructor; he handled the saber well enough, moving with purpose and yet, his actions were deliberate and measured. Though Sybella moved in a flurry, the eyes of younglings were fixed on the blade of their instructor. He blocked her first series of attacks, before attempting one of his own. Anticipating this, Sybella pivoted on one foot and then sidestepped on the other. There was a distance between them now, breathing room.

Nodding in silent silent appreciation, the shrouded knight decided to up the ante. Drawing her second saber, she ignited the sage green weapon; with an unapologetic wink, she rose both weapons till they held out in front of her, forming a crisscrossed stance. "One should always expect the unexpected, should they not?"

Twirling the two blades to her side, Sybella once more advanced on Jonas, striking with her left and then following up with her right. A series of alternating attacks followed in a similar fashion. Again, she was not losing herself to the heat of combat. It was an instructional lesson; she wanted to give her fellow knight a chance to show the full scope of a defensive form. More offensive styles were haughty to challenge, yes but very few could sustain it for very long in actual battle.

That was the beauty of the guarded styles. They allowed their yielders to converse their energy, and then (when the moment was right), they could unleash their real potential.

 

[Jonas Syl]

Even though both Jedi were not fighting to their full potential like one would in a life-or-death situation, he could tell she was good, better than him for sure. Jonas normally focused on the defensive applications of the lightsaber, leaving the actual dueling training to other, more inclined Jedi.

A grin spread across his face as she drew her second blade. "That they should..." he conceded. He ran his free hand through his hair, pushing it back out of his face as he braced for the oncoming attack.

As she neared, Jonas stepped into the first attack, blade gliding in the air as it blocked the first attack, and then rebounded and blocked the second strike, deflecting it down into the ground, sparks once again flying in the air. With her guard down on her left side, he swung in a horizontal slash at her left side.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Unable to resist the urge to show off, Sybella (after deactivating one of her sabers) tossed the weapon straight up into the air. With one of her hands now free, the shrouded Knight opted to use the Force; she stopped the strike in mid-swing, holding it there with her impeccable control. It was a bit of a gamble - Force Absorb, or Tutaminis, was a finite skill. Using it against blaster fire was one thing but against a lightsaber? It was a tricky affair.

Even now, Jonas' blade bristled against Sybella's invisible wall of energy. The lady Jedi was known rather well for the duality of her fighting style, using both the Force and the saber in unison with one another. It did, however, take much concentration. In a real battle, she would not be so haughty - desperate times, desperate measures and all that.

With a fortifiable shove, Sybella would push against the saber; it would force Jonas into the back foot, long enough for her to catch her weapon as it returned from above. Activating it once again, she brought both blades down in one overarching swing as if they were a hammer. A knee-buckling blow for sure, even if blocked.

 

[Jonas Syl]

Energy crackled as their blades locked together. Jonas would have the upper hand in a test of straight-out physical strength, but his style rarely used such displays of strength. He conserved as much energy as possible, changing together flowing movements and using momentum.

He reached out with the Force, aiming to pluck the discarded blade out of the air. Her heavy push disrupted the attempt, sending him stumbling back slightly. As she caught her blade, she swung down with a heavy blow with both blades.

With a flick of his own hand, a shimmering barrier of light caught the blades, stopping them from reaching him. The barrier was not strong, and Jonas wasn't going to waste the mental energy to keep the barrier—cracks formed along where she had struck it, light dispersing from the damaged area before dissipating. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you are showing off, Sybella." he said with a smirk, flicking the hair out of his face before resetting.

"What do you say? One more exchange where we go all out?" he said, preparing himself for their final confrontation. "...For the students, of course." he said with a smile.

 

[Sybella Demici]

Jonas had a fair amount of skill; in a fight, he could certainly hold his own. Sybella also acknowledged her fellow knight's instincts; he had preempted her attack, and countered it well despite its heavy-handed nature. Many often underestimated the shrouded knight. They didn't expect such powerful blows; more often than not, Sybella would push this to her advantage but Jonas had remained admirably staunch in his defensive style.

With this in mind, she offered her companion a respectful tilt of the head, "Just putting you through your paces. I must say, colour me impressed..."

Twirling her blades once more, Sybella alternated from one hand to the other. The younglings watched the pair of them, completely entranced. Some even muttered about the prospect of wielding twin blades themselves. The lady knight had to admit, there were advantages. Two weapons meant she could do multiple things at the same time more easily, such as using one blade to lock up her enemy's weapon while attacking them with the other. Admittedly, it was rather difficult to master, teaching her two hands to work in tandem one moment, then acting in opposites the next. Another thing to acknowledge was that very few were well-versed in fighting a dual wielder. Sure, they could hold their own but if the combatant was especially skilled, the advantage would most certainly lean in their favour.

The major drawback, however? Single-handed strikes were most definitely weaker. Unless one naturally possessed a ridiculous strength, opponents could then overpower the other. Sybella had tried to best to mitigate this, using the Force to imbue her blows but it was a finite skill, still in refinement. It required concentration and she could not always afford to divert her focus in such ways, especially when in the heat of battle.

With the demonstration about to conclude, Sybella nodded to Jonas and made ready. Her grip on the lightsabers was firm. She made sure of that as she took in a deep breath. Once she had centred herself, she moved with both grace and precision. With her right hand wielding a blue lightsaber and her left hand a green one, Sybella leapt forward, twisting her body in mid-air. As she lands, she brings her blades down in a powerful diagonal slash, the blue lightsaber cutting through the air like a streak of lightning, while the green blade follows a slightly delayed path, trailing behind.

She then spun, twirling the lightsabers around her in an intricate dance, creating a swirling barrier of shimmering energy. The blue and green blades seamlessly intertwine, creating a mesmerizing display of light and motion. In one swift motion, the knight then disengaged her blue lightsaber and performed a swift, diagonal slash with it, cutting at her mock enemy. As the blue blade carves its path, the green lightsaber swings horizontally, covering her flank, ensuring she remains protected.

With an agility that defies imagination, Sybella swiftly transitioned into an even more offensive manoeuvre. Her left hand drove forward with the green lightsaber, performing a quick succession of thrusts and parries, while her right hand utilizes the blue blade to execute swift, precise strikes. She moved with fluidity and purpose, the lightsabers becoming an extension of her body. Every movement was deliberate, each strike calculated and efficient. The blue and green lightsabers harmonized in perfect synchrony, each compensating for one other.

The blue and green blades begin to blur, leaving behind afterimages of radiant light. The air itself is filled with a distinct hum as they clash against her friend and foe, creating a symphony of power and skill. Sybella's intense focus was almost unwavering, her eyes locked on Jonas. Her target. Her enemy.

Finally, filled and somewhat fatigued, Sybella lands in a low crouch, her lightsabers ironically held in a defensive stance. Sweat glistens on her forehead, and her chest rises and falls with each breath. She deactivated the lightsabers, allowing them to return to their hilt before finally facing Jonas.

Despite all that, the knight had remained rather steadfast, conversing his energy and matching her offence with his own solid defence. Another problem with the more offensive styles; they allowed for quick success but in long, drawn-out encounters? They were rather draining to maintain. If it were anyone else, other than a fellow Jedi, Sybella would have been rather vexed. Instead, knowing it was all in good nature, she held up her hands in apparent surrender. "I concede. I admit defeat..."

 

[Jonas Syl]

Jonas was on the back foot almost immediately, Sybella's attacks coming in a blur of motion. He dodged, blocked, and parried at his full capacity. If this had been a real duel where he had also to counterattack, it likely would not have been so evenly matched.

Their speed increased and increased to match each other, the humming of blades forming into a singular note as the three lightsabers spun, stabbed, and danced across the dueling arena.

She almost broke through his defenses more than once, but he withstood. Their blades moved far too fast for the younglings to piece together any real information about how he was warding her off. Those lessons would be for another day.

Their sabers clashed one last time, and she dropped into a crouched position while he spun and put himself back in a defensive position. Jonas' chest rose and fell heavily, sweat beading on his hair. She extinguished her blades, and Jonas did likewise. The Younglings sat on their side of the room, speechless at the display for a moment before they started whispering excitedly to one another about their favorite parts.

"I would hardly call that a defeat." he said, still breathing heavily. "Can't say I have dueled anyone quite that fast before.." he truthfully admitted.

He turned to younglings, their class time over. "Younglings, we will discuss further next time. For now, you are dismissed," he said to the group of children. They stood, each bowing to Jonas and then Sybella before scampering off to their next activity.

"Again, thank you. I find myself in your debt." he said, nodding his head to Sybella as the last of the students left. "They will be speaking of this for days." he said with a smile. "And should you ever need a sparing partner, I would be delighted anytime." he offered.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Watching the children as they left, Sybella couldn't help but agree with Jonas and his sentiments. The pair of them had certainly made quite the impression. Even some of their fellow knights had stopped and stared, waiting in the wings before collecting their young charges.

"The pleasure was all mine. I had almost forgotten what it was like, instructing younglings." There was a time when Sybella would have been content, spending her days teaching the next generation of Jedi. She had led many demonstrations whilst on Yavin IV. But deep down, she felt like more could be done out there, in the wider reaches of the galaxy. With each passing cycle, her presence amongst temples and outposts was becoming few and far between.

Some of the masters had mentioned it to her in passing, but she waved off such concerns. There were, after all, other reasons for her avoidance...

Taking a moment to stretch, the shrouded knight emitted a muffled grunt. Assessing the pain, Sybella rolled the joint of her shoulder. The ache was persistent, an old wound not yet treated. "I had hoped to visit the healers before leaving, but they seemed to have their hands full."

 

[Jonas Syl]

He smiled warmly. "Well, there is always more to teach should you feel the desire to do so again." he replied.

His smile dampened slightly when she mentioned being injured. "I wish you would have said you were injured. You shouldn't have sparred with an injured shoulder." he said with a practiced healer's dissatisfaction when she rolled her shoulder.

"I have spent a fair amount of time working the Jedi Healers here, I could take a look at it if you would like.." he offered with a concerned look. "I have my healer's kit here; children have a knack for finding inventive ways of injuring themselves," he said, gesturing to the side of the room.

After picking up the box of supplies, he would show her to a side room off the sparring area. It was a meditation chamber, but it served to offer some privacy. "Do you mind if I take a look?" he said, gesturing to her shoulder. "And maybe it would be best to know what happened?" he asked as he set the box down and opened it.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Waving off the first of Jonas' concerns, Sybella couldn't help but appear haughty. "Pain is fleeting."

The heiress had actually developed a rather bad habit, choosing to ignore her discomfort rather than treat it. Stim packs were also to blame as they offered quick relief. Dashing from one mission to the next, the Knight rarely allowed herself some rest. How could she stop for even a moment? There was always someone, somewhere in need. People that required her help. Sometimes, the cycle seemed neverending.

"Though I must admit, I am touched by your concern, Jonas. But consider yourself lucky. At least my impairment gave you a fighting chance." She was jesting, of course, trying his ease his worry.

Still, Sybella decided to accept his offer. It wouldn't be long before she was yet again off on another adventure. She needed to be fighting fit. Following Jonas into the meditation room, the knight discarded her outer layers of robes. Her companion might to shocked to see the extensive bruising covering her exposed skin. Forearms, shoulders, as well as her upper back - she had certainly been put through her paces. There had been attempts to expedite the healing process but the medical droid on her ship could only do so much. A couple of hours in a bacta tank would have set her right, no problem, but she admittedly hated them. The thick, gelatinous substance might work miracles but she hated the loss of serenity precipitated by the submerging process.

Looking at the mosaic of discoloured skin, Sybella herself seemed nonplussed. She really had to think for a moment and recall her recent altercations. "I've kept myself busy, I must say. Pirates, poachers, bounty hunters, even the occasional Sith. By take heart, Jonas - if you think this looks bad, you should really pity my fallen foes"

 

[Jonas Syl]

Jonas gave her a look. "That is foolish..." he pushed back against her arrogance. A flaw that many in their Order struggled with at one time or another.

"Yes, Yes." he said, only somewhat patronizing. "A fine excuse indeed.." he said with a chuckle and shake of his head. She accepted his offer, and they moved out of the main room.

His frown deepened when he saw the rainbow of discolored skin and bruising along her shoulder and back. He gave a disappointed click as she nonchalantly described her injuries, even joking. He was sure it was a deflection technique, whether conscious or not. It was hard to say if this was a normal state for her as they had just met. "You should really take care of yourself.." he said.

"I will treat what I can here and give you some instructions on how to care for this until fully recovered. This may be somewhat uncomfortable; you ready?" he said.

He took a deep breath, centering himself before placing a hand on her shoulder, the other on her back. He began to channel the Force with another breath, directing its energy into her. There was a connection there between them. His hands would feel warm and then hot as the Force began to mend injured muscles and rebuild blood vessels in the injured area. Her injuries were even more than she had let on.

There was something else as we worked; it was faint—a cold shadow at the fringes of his perception. Minutes passed, and his work was nearly completed when something slammed against his mind, pushing him back to a more conscious state. A chill ran down his spine, hairs standing on end.

He was confused, healing was draining work, and even now, he was a little disoriented. Pushing that aside for the moment, he examined her upper back and shoulder. There was an improvement. She would need to care for it while she recovered.

Jonas handed her several bacta-infused wraps. "Wrap your should and your upper back with these, change every couple of days for the next week or so." he said before adding. "No strenuous activity...you will only undo the healing." he warned, not sure if she would comply or now.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Rebuked by her companion, Sybella fell silent. Despite being a knight, the role of a mentor suited him well. At least he was willing to speak his mind and make his opinions known. If she had to guess, she'd estimate Jonas to be older than her; perhaps that is why he took such a reprimanding stance. Clearly, the younglings respected his instruction. Despite his rather stern reproach, the heiress found her new acquaintance otherwise agreeable. His defensive ability warranted much merit and she certainly hoped this encounter wouldn't be their one and only. When was the last time she sat and conversed with a fellow Jedi? It felt like an age, just trying to remember.

Whilst Jonas prepared himself, Sybella took stock of her current state. Now that she had a moment to stop and pause, she could truly see her damaged state. Indeed, it was more extensive than she thought. Healing didn't come naturally to her; whilst her peers practised the relieving art, she had instead dedicated herself to more combative training.

"I have survived worse..." She had muttered this more to herself than Jonas. Compared to the suffering of others, her discomfort seemed almost trivial. There were some Jedi out there with missing limbs. A couple of bruises could hardly hold a candle to their sacrifice. When her companion spoke of some discomfort, Sybella would put on a brave face and mere nod. "Please, proceed."

The sensation was certainly an odd one. Heat coursed through various parts of her injured flesh. For a brief moment, it felt as though the wounds were once more made fresh. except the feeling was only a fraction of the original experience. Then came the burn. Mild, at best, but definitely noticeable. Watching in fascination, Sybella could see the colouration of her skin start to shift and change. Blackened splotches and greenish hues slowly faded into something lighter in shade. Aches and pain also vanished.

There was, however, one thing that wouldn't dissolve; the sharp, icy, pulsing that lay within her mental crevice. Glancing at Jonas before quickly looking away, Sybella's eyes scanned the room around them. She paid particular attention to the shadows in each darkened corner. Though she couldn't necessarily 'see' anything, she could almost feel the wraith's desire to manifest. 'Don't you dare...Not here. Not now.'

The lady knight acted quickly, fortifying her mind before anything tangible could envisage itself. Much practice was needed in order to perfect the act. Sybella had spent much time meditating, forming labyrinth-like tunnels within the recesses of her mind; it kept out would-be intruders, whilst also keeping in her own sordid shadows.

Hopefully, Jonas wouldn't have noticed.

Testing the movement of her limbs, Sybella was quick to admit, "You're quite the miracle worker. I feel as good as new already."

 

[Jonas Syl]

Jonas moved around in front of her, examining her moving her arm. He moved a hand absentmindedly through his beard. He looked up at her eyes, face still wearing a slight frown. "You sure you are feeling alright?" he asked something nagging at the back of his mind. The sensation slipped like a dream fading after he had woken up.

"I felt..." he paused, trying to put his finger on it "...nevermind.." he said. He must have just over-taxed himself with the duel and then the healing. "Any chance you are going to be staying for a day or two?" he asked, slipping some of the items back into the healer's kit. "I would feel more comfortable if I could monitor that arm for the next day or so," he said.

In truth, he thought it less likely she would run off and re-injure it again. Or maybe it was to give him time to put his finger on the feeling that nagged at the back of his mind..

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Halting in mid-motion, Sybella stared at Jonas; her new companion seemed troubled and this, in turn, made the shrouded knight frown. The last thing she wanted was to encumber one of her peers. "...I've never felt better."

Her tone, however, was less than convincing and she knew that. With a sigh, the heiress' head dropped back; at the same time, she closed her eyes and contemplated recent events that had transpired. Admittedly, Sybella had worked herself into a bit of a rut. She would take missions, complete them and then allow herself to be assigned more. Keeping herself busy seemed like the safest of options; time herself meant time alone with her own thoughts. A daunting prospect to say the least.

Could she really afford to spend a day or two at Brighthome? Those who were senior in the Order's ranks were still processing her reports. Nothing came to mind that required her immediate attention. Her ship, The Medea II, was getting some maintenance done as well.

"I suppose a day or two wouldn't hurt, providing you're willing to give the obligatory tour" Opening her eyes, Sybella then regarded her fellow knight with a tilt of the head "Are you always this attentive?"