Ask Yavin IV Training At Twilight

[Asena Zeev]

Jedi Temple​

And again, Asena was knocked down to the ground, her chest heaving with burning breaths. Each inhale hurt more than the last. At first, sparring with the battle droids seemed like a good idea; whilst others favored calm study and quiet contemplation, Asena sought more martial pursuits. Legends of old Jedi told of great heroes, the ones who championed themselves for the good of Force, the ones who became known as the respected warriors of the light. The padawan dreamt of one day becoming part of that legacy.

But in reality, at that moment, she'd had the wind knocked out of her now more times than she could count. Getting up time and time again was getting more difficult, given she was now covered in bruises and welts. Truth be told, Asena was far more comfortable with spears and pikes, the longer length giving her more advantage; it kept predators out of range, whilst giving her the added benefit of extended striking distance. The training saber however was... not great. Much to her frustration, it was taking Asena longer than expected to master the basic drills. Adding to that, her palms stung something fierce; they were practically on fire and upon inspection, she could see why. Angry, red blisters were beginning to form, with the skin being rubbed raw from the grip of her weapon.

Still beats the meditation sessions… she thought, a huff escaping her otherwise bated breath.

With that and a groan, the padawan pushed herself up, making sure to pat off the dust from her arms and legs, until immediately regretting it once more when remembering her blisters. Luckily, no one was around to hear her curse.

Biting back the pain, Asena turned towards the awaiting droids, saber partially made ready, “Again…” She ordered, achingly falling into stance, “begin the sequence.”

The training droids did not confirm right away. Instead, one opted to retort, “Observation: Training program unsuitable for entry-level padawans. Suggestion: Decrease difficulty.”

Asena, in a somewhat childish tone, mimicked the programmed response. "...SuGGeStIoN: DeCrEaSe DiFFiCuLtY." Stubborn as ever, she refused to relent, instead opting to snap at the droids in a less than pleasant manner. "Just start the sequence!”

On final confirmation, the droids sprung into action, one moving in head-on whilst the others flanked towards the sides. She parried the first jab, battering one adversary aside before turning to face the other towards her right. It swiped at her and she jumped back, nearly losing her footing in the process. Her movements were sluggish, her body not able to fully comply. Perhaps she’d pushed her luck with this last round. One opponent struck her shoulder, whilst the other's rod swiped her at the knees. It made contact and Asena went down, the training tool tumbling out of reach.

“Repeat observation: Training program unsuitable for entry-level padawans. Suggestion: Decrease difficulty.”

“Agh!” Asena, using the Force, launched a rock at the droid’s frontal cone. The projectile hit its mark, but the robot (disappointingly) gave no outer reaction. Instead, with no further movement detected, the sparring droids powered down as per their programming.

With the session apparently over, the Nautolan sighed. I can't keep this up...I need something more.

What she really needed was some real instruction, a bit of guidance at least. Asena needed a teacher.

@Apollyon

 

[Hlodovic Volsung]

Hlodovic had come to Yavin IV to help find absolution for his failings on Lothal. He had been a Temple Guardian there, it had been his duty to protect not only the grounds but the students as well. However, Hlodovic had failed in that duty. He had been assigned to protect and escort a group of Initiates to evacuation shuttles and ensure they reached the Jedi fleets safely. To his credit, Hlodovic had done the first objective in his assignment, he escorted the Initiates to the escape shuttles and had even boarded one with them. However, when Hlodovic saw the defensive line made up of Jedi Temple Guardians beginning to collapse, he abandoned his charges. Instead of finishing his duty, Hlodovic threw himself at the hole that was opening up in the line and the fresh body bought a precious few seconds that allowed the remaining Jedi to evacuate before the defensive line fell back to the few remaining transports that were headed off world.

Hlodovic had lived but the fates of the initiates, the pilot, and the craft they had been on was unknown to this day.

It was a fact that haunted Hlodovic and made him second guess his decisions for over a year. He had cast aside the mantle of Temple Guard, he had failed to uphold their duties and was undeserving of it. In fact, he hadn't left Brighthome in that whole year, he had focused on finding his center and trying to absolve himself of what he believed to be his greatest failure. But as the threat of the Sith continued to mount, eventually Hlodovic realized that he couldn't be idle anymore. That is why he had come to Yavin IV, to speak with the Jedi Masters here and find a path forward to redemption, absolution, and insight into what fate might hold for him.

And fate had led him here. To the training grounds of the temple complex. Here, in the shade of an entryway some distance away, Hlodovic watched a young Nautolan woman attempting to train with her lightsaber. The colossal Cathar silently chuckled to himself in reaction the young woman mocked the suggestion the training droid had made. He didn't interfere, instead he studied her last bout with the trio of droids, absent mindedly peeling the skin of a fruit with the claw on his thumb as he did so. In a lot of ways, the young woman reminded him of a younger version of himself, so spirited, determined, and stubborn.

Perhaps that is what prompted him to finally approach.

Hlodovic noisily bit into the sweet and crisp fruit, it produced a satisfying crunch and served to alert the Nautolan to his presence. Hlodovic's gaze would be warm as it fell upon the woman, his presence calm, but he wouldn't speak until he had finished with his fruit.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a pointed and direct question.

 

[Asena Zeev]

At that slightest sound, Asena shot to her feet and made ready, calling the saber back to her through the Force. Whoever this was, he had certainly caught her off guard, and honestly, that was surprising. Being the young huntress that she was, Asena liked to think that few could get so close; at the very least, she should have detected their presence. But she didn't. With a pout, she had to concede that perhaps exhaustion had finally got the better of her.

Maybe her brothers were right. Maybe temple life was making her go soft...

Then again, upon closer inspection, this was a Cathar. Wordly as she was, the padawan was very familiar with these feline humanoids; her family had once visited the Cathar homeworld and were lucky enough to witness a traditional 'blood hunt'. Purging a Kiltik nest was no small feat yet (if she recalled correctly) the natives were quite successful in cleansing several nests. A child at the time, young Asena. If only she had been permitted to partake as well but to the Cathar, she was still considered just a 'cub' and thus, not yet ready.

There was no mistake. This Jedi was a Cathar, and most likely a Knight. Taken aback by the stranger's sheer size and scale, Asena almost blanked on his singular question. In return, all she could offer was a simple, honest answer. "Training. You can never be too prepared, and I'd rather take a beating than waste time meditating."

Contemplating the ways of the Force was all well and good but nothing could compare to actually channeling it alongside martial practice. When Asena dueled, it was as if the Force was guiding her, directing strike after strike with each fluid movement. The more she trained, the deeper she could envelop herself. Yes, it was taxing but (in her opinion) it was entirely worth it.

Ever the bold one, she now sought some answers. "Why are you here?"

What had brought the colossus here? He wasn't an instructor, that was for sure. Just passing through, perhaps? After all, Yavin IV was one of their main interims. Asena was curious now, she wanted to know more from this new acquaintance.

Suppose it might help though if she introduced herself. "I'm Asena. Asena Zeev."

@Apollyon

 

[Hlodovic Volsung]

Hlodovic gazed down at the young Nautolan woman, he allowed a small smile of distant amusement to appear on his face as she gazed back at him. While she stood roughly fifteen centimeters shorter than him but was filled with a fiery determination and an unbroken warrior’s spirit, Hlodovic recognized it as something akin to his own. It didn’t take long for Hlodovic to determine that this Nautolan was a Padawan, her answer revealed the ignorance of inexperience and youth, and it elicited an amused chuckle to match his expression. Despite this, he didn’t interrupt the woman who was quick to retort with her own blunt question.



“Why are you here?” She had asked.



His answer was not as direct as hers, instead he wanted to engage with the young woman more. He wanted to determine the merits of her character in a purely natural state.



“To Yavin?” He asked, feigning confusion. “To the temple?” He continued with the same pretense. “Or just here, in this courtyard?” He said finally, his voice finally losing the amused and playful tone and taking on more depth and warmth to it.



As he asked this line of questioning, he would produce another fruit from a utility pouch on his armor. He would gently peel a slice from the fruit with one of his claws as he spoke before offering it to the young Nautolan at the conclusion of his small teasing jest. She was physically and spiritually tired, Hlodovic could tell from her battered appearance, the slight ragged pant in her breathing, and the sweat that clung to her skin. She had been pushing herself for some time, he could tell, and she had nearly reached her limit without stopping to allow herself a moment to recover.



“I am Asena. Asena Zeev.” She stated, introducing herself.



“Well Asena.” Hlodovic replied. “I am Hlodovic. Hlodovic Volsung.” He stated warmly. “Why don’t you sit with me for a moment and enjoy this small snack, hmm?” He asked, extending the arm holding the fruit towards a bench not too far from the training droids.



After the invitation, Hlodovic would make his way over to the bench and take a seat on the side furthest from the training droids and Asena’s position. Should Asena choose to follow him or not made little difference, Hlodovic would not give her direct and binding orders, he knew from lived experience that fiery Padawans tended to resent authoritative stances. Instead, Hlodovic wanted Asena to feel like she had a choice in sitting with him, in talking with him, and ultimately in learning from him because, she did. Hlodovic would take the seat furthest from the training droids and begin to peel another slice of fruit from her with his claw.



“The droids are right you know.” He stated simply as he offered the slice in her direction. “Asena, that program is dangerous for Padawans.” He stated a hint of genuine concern in his voice.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Asena Zeev]

“To Yavin?...To the temple?...Or just here, in this courtyard?”

Ugh. It seems the Cathar was asking one of those types of questions. The kind that wasn't necessarily literal, but rather philosophical. Asena gave an exasperated chuckle; stuff like this was becoming a bit of a trend when making new acquaintances. Why did some Jedi have to be so cryptic? Well, two can play at that game...

"Why not all of the above?"

Taking advantage of the unexpected break, Asena began unbraiding her tendrils; most of the markings (hand-painted on) had now faded, the sweat and dirt ruining much of the pattern. It didn't matter though, she could start anew and add something different. Whilst she was at it, the padawan might as well take stock of the (self-inflicted) damage. Admittedly, she was looking a little worse for wear. Asena had more contusions than she could count, having abandoned the top layer of other robes; great for mobility but there wasn't much to protect her from the strikes of the droids and their electro-staffs. Patches of aquamarine skin now curdled, turning her into a puzzle of cobalt. Explaining this to the healers was going to be such a pain, what with the matron having already warned the padawan against such antics.

Groaning, Asena absently stretched, her eyes straying over to the Cathar once more. He had been eating something, and now there was more. It seemed like a fruit of some sort. The sight of food reminded her that she'd also missed evening meals and the pangs of hunger were growing more notieable.

Hlodovic Volsun, huh? She didn't recognise the Knight but that was to be expected. The Order's reputation might have suffered, but their numbers were still strong.

His offer was kind and just as Asena was about to decline, her stomach (rather loudly) betrayed her. It grumbled for nourishment and the Nautolan relented without much fuss. Her aches and pains caused a slight limp but ever the stubborn one, Asena did not complain. She had, after all, done it to herself. Whining about it now wouldn't solve anything.

Neither would being rude to Hlodovic. His comment about the droids made her pout but bit her tongue. After all, she still wanted a piece of fruit. He was right, of course. As much as she hated to admit it, Asena was nowhere near skilled enough to beat those droids. She was still just a padawan learning the basics.

"The galaxy is a dangerous place, filled with beasts and burdens." She was actually parroting the words of her father before then adding something of her own. "We have dangerous enemies. I want to be ready for them..."

 

[Hlodovic Volsung]

”Why not all of the above?” Had been Asena’s reply to his cryptic series of answers, it caused a mirthful smile to appear on Hlodovic’s face.

“Fair enough.” Was his reply after the pair had sat down on the bench with a small chuckle.

The nautolan woman had followed close behind him, but Hlodovic had caught glimpse of the limp in her gait. He watched Asena undid her tendrils and began to inspect herself, she was littered with bruises and scrapes, all signs of her training. After she took the slice of fruit from Hlodovic’s hand, he immediately carved another V-shaped slice out of the fruit and offered it to her.

Hlodovic listened to the woman’s answer to his question. It lacked real conviction, it was the answer of someone who hadn’t truly experienced the chaos of war. But these thoughts didn’t show themselves on Hlodovic’s visage, instead the Cathar kept the amused smile on his lips, his head idly nodding at Asena’s response while he carved up the fruit for her. He wouldn’t speak again until the fruit was prepared for her.

“You are correct Asena.” He stated finally. “The Galaxy is a dangerous place and it is important to be ready for those dangers.” He continued reaffirming her statement. “But” he stated firmly. “Sometimes, no matter how prepared you think you are, you will fail.” He explained, a more somber tone and expression bleeding through his mask of mirth and amusement.

Hlodovic’s eyes pulled themselves from Asena and to the training droids she has been sparring with. He nodded in their direction before continuing.

“That is why we train for more than just combat, Padawan.” He explained. “Because when that time of inevitable failure occurs, it is important to find peace and trust in the Light.” It was a small lesson he wanted to impress upon his impromptu student and it was one he had an example for as well.

Hlodovic wiped the sticky nectar of the fruit from his hand on the front of his armor before touching the scar that he had gotten when he was slashed by a Mandalorian Beskad, it nearly took his left eye. A sad smile appeared on his lips before he explained.

“I was on Lothal when the Mandalorians came.” He started, his voice not quite steady, and his eyes almost peering through Asena. “I had been there nearly a decade, serving as a temple guardian.” He continued. “Lothal was my home.” Hlodovic said in a breathy, sad tone. “I fought with all of my conviction to protect it and I failed.” He explained. “Many of my friends died protecting the Temple that day. Many Initiates and Padawans, not dissimilar from you were killed or taken by the Mandalorians.” He continued. “For a long time, I believed that failure was on my own, I allowed guilt and self-doubt to consume me.” He explained. “It wasn’t until I came here and met with the Temple’s Master, that I was able to accept the loss I felt and move forward.”

Hlodovic finally paused for a moment, allowing Asena time to comprehend and absorb what he was saying.

“Asena, you say you want to be ready for the dangers of the Galaxy. I can instruct you in lightsaber combat but it will not be without cost.” He explained. “Before each training session, you and I will meditate.” He told her. “I want you to focus on finding balance within yourself as I instruct you on how best to be ready for the Galaxy at large.” He continued. “Does this seem fair to you?” Hlodovic asked finally.

@HoneyMagpie