Chapter 8

Chapter.8

Kestra was holding her blue bladed lightsaber in a hold that was vertical with both palms, either on the right of her body that easily told him that she was a practitioner of Form IV: Ataru. Vhetin was in front of her, his lightsaber pike was activated. Both combatants were standing in the center of a handmade fighting ring, one that Vhetin had sparred with Kasen what seemed like centuries ago. Last night while everyone was asleep, Vhetin has visited the graves of the six women that had trained him in Teräs Käsi though mainly it was Kasen that had training him. It was easy to find which grave belonged to whom because their graves bore their names. It was revealed last night that Kestra had no idea who brought back the bodies of the trainers or who had buried them in the private graveyard.

It was Gotab’s idea that they should spar in order to keep their lightsaber combat on peak condition, though Vhetin had a sneaky suspicion that he really wanted to see how Kestra fought against someone with a lightsaber since Kestra was trained to use one but she rarely carries it with her. Kestra had chosen to use Ataru since she could use its form to the fullest. From what Gotab had told him about the fourth form of lightsaber combat. It was an aggressive style; Form IV was fast-paced and effective against single opponents, though weaker in prolonged combat and confined spaces. Ataru was characterized by Force-assisted acrobatics, both for attack and defense, and fast, powerful strikes. And was the favored style of the Faberian Jedi sect known as the Prophets.

The only warning he got was of Kestra bending her knees and then she was on him like Hawk-bat on a granite slug with acrobatic moves that would have made even a Terrelian jango jumper jealous. Vhetin answered her aggressive style with his own aggressive style. He utilizes his own very aggressive combat form that is a mix of Form II: Makashi and Form V: Djem So, as well as a smattering of converted Teräs Käsi moves. He had to recreate his own form due to his utilization of the lightsaber pike, which was not the conventional Jedi or Sith weapon.

Kestra fought in a fury of acrobatic moves but Vhetin managed to block every blow. After what seemed like hours, Gotab blew the whistle and both combatants pulled away from each other, not even breathing heavily.

Gotab and the others were leaning against the fence watching the fight Jax was lying at Corey’s feet, his tail thumping every once few minutes. The grounds around the Verd vheh’yaim was used as a docking bay for the small group’s ships, for those that don’t have permanent homes or is staying somewhere else but are too far away; they had brought their ships here last night since they had all decided to stay here.

“Kes’ika, you’re not using the Force...why?” Gotab asked.

Kestra gave him an odd look and said, “Because it’s not fair for our opponent that isn’t a force-sensitive.”

Her words reminded him of what Kasen had told him when she had first started training him. And even know he can still hear her voice as clear as it was when she was still alive.

Kasen stood over Vhetin, she wore a black ribbed tank top, front-zip black trousers which sport a non-covered zipper at the front and strapped pockets at the back and boots that can spike out blades at the heel, and he had seen those deadly spikes in action when she sparred alone.

“Did I break your jaw, Vhetin?” Kasen asked her tone cold and emotionless; her face was just as cold and emotionless. It was hard to picture this woman capable of any other emotion then her cold anger but he had seen her with the two young boys that he had never been introduced to yet.

Vhetin sat up and wiped the blood that was sliding down his chin from a cut that was inside his mouth and said, “You’re using the Force so how can I ever beat you, master?”

Kasen smiled now, though a little, and said, “Oh? Is that what you think? I’ll let you in a little secret, Vhetin: I am not using the Force in any of my sparring sessions with you nor when I am in actual combat.”

Vhetin looked at her and asked, “Why?”

“Because it’s not fair for our opponent that isn’t a force-sensitive.” Kasen said as she held out a hand to help him up, Vhetin stared at it for a few minutes before clasping her forearm and allowed her to help him stand up.

“All Verds are the same as me…I mean, we all share the same beliefs and we ingrain those beliefs of fair combat into our students and the ones that are Force-sensitive.” Kasen said showing a rare side of her personality. Kasen was probably the tightest lip of all the trainers; she rarely ever does talk to anyone about the beliefs of her people. According to what Galene had told him since she was telling him more things that she normally will tell anyone is a sign that Kasen’s badly damaged mental state was slowly beginning to heal and all thanks to the children that she has been around as well as caring of and thanks to Vhetin who was the, and only, first male outsider that Kasen had offered to train before.

Vhetin cocked his head and said, “Like what you’re doing with me?”

Kasen actually chuckled at that and ruffled his hair, saying “Yes but it’s up to you if you want to follow my teachings or not, Vhetin.”

Kasen got into a Teräs Käsi fighting stance and said, “Ready for round 2, Vhetin?”

“Hey, Vhetin! You didn’t fall asleep with your eyes open and on your feet, did you?” Kestra asked waving her hand over his eyes.

“Sorry I was just thinking.” Vhetin said, shacking himself out of the memory.

“Well, don’t think too hard or else your brain will fry since it’s not used to all that activity.” Kestra said jokingly.

Vhetin lightly chuckled at that and brought his lightsaber pike up and said, “Ready for round 2, Kestra?”

Kestra lunged at him and bought her lightsaber down in a slash that would have cleaved him in two if he hadn’t blocked it.

They had continued to spar until dusk and Kal had come out to yell at them to come inside or else he was going to sic Walon on them. They grudging stopped their sparring and headed to the vheh’yaim, eager to eat, bathe and sleep so that they would be able to fight at the top of their abilities against those creatures.