OOM: Spar

[last_kallig]

The door from Milliways opens onto Ibani's quarters at the Imperial Citadel on Dromund Cass. "I think Kaal is the one most likely to give you trouble." Ibani explains, sharing the mental image of her apprentice with Garyn. "He's the more aggressive and impulsive of the two. Corrin is more cautious, more hesitant, than her brother."

Comments

[moonandstar]

Garyn nods. "I'll bear that in mind."

He's always found aggressive and inexperienced opponents to be easier to take advantage of. But the risk is higher if something unpredictable happens.

[last_kallig]

"They'll be using training lightsabers. The worst those will do if they hit you is leave a welt and sting like hell. Force lightning is absolutely forbidden in a spar, as you can't pull it to minimize damage. They might try to push you around or grab you, if they think of it."

"I'll likely be cribbing teaching techniques from you," she warns, smiling wryly. "I've no wish to emulate any of my so called Instructors on Korriban."

[moonandstar]

"If they're as you described them, the first lesson will be more of a humbling than actual instruction," Garyn says.

"It's a lesson every fighter must learn."

[last_kallig]

Ibani nods in agreement. "And better that they learn it here from you than from an enemy on the battlefield."

"Any preferences as to what weapon you'd like to use?"

[moonandstar]

"If you've any dulled training blade that otherwise resembled the one I used against your former master, I'd be inclined to use that," Garyn says.

[last_kallig]

"I think I have just the thing," Ibani replies. She walks over to a rack on one wall. "This seems to have come with my quarters, no idea why. I presume it belonged to whoever held these rooms previously."

It very much resembles the vibroblade Garyn has used before, though this one doesn't vibrate and is quite dull.

[moonandstar]

Garyn nods. He's not quite smiling - he's all business right now - but he is clearly satisfied.

"This will do nicely."

[last_kallig]

Ibani smiles at him, her expression fond before turning serious. "Right, this way, then."

It won't be a long trip to where the two apprentices are engaged in what appear to be warm up exercises. Ibani is all business, the Sith lord that others would expect her to be.

"Corrin, Kaal, I have engaged the services of an instructor in the blade to remedy certain deficits in your training thus far. This is Garyn Balvadares. While he is instructing you, you will obey him as if he were me, is that understood?"

"Yes, my Lord," both apprentices answer. However they might feel about this sudden change, they're not foolish enough to be blatant about showing it.

[moonandstar]

Garyn stands with his arms crossed, making a show of looking his new charges over. He knows the drill in that regard.

When Ibani has finished introducing him, he steps forward.

"I'm not much for introductions. I'm here to teach you and you're here to learn. Whether either of us accomplishes our goal is up to you. And so is the job of introducing ourselves to each other."

He draws his sword and points it toward Corrin.

"You. Draw your weapon and strike me, if you can."

[last_kallig]

Corrin's expression suggests she suspects that there is a trick in here somewhere, but she hasn't quite figured out WHERE, yet.

She flicks her training saber to life, and the red blade comes into being with the distinctive snap hiss sound of an ordinary lightsaber. The 'blade' is less bright though, a less vibrant red.

She lunges forward, aiming for his knees.

[moonandstar]

It's not the worst opening move he's ever seen. Aiming low can be a good idea, especially if your opponent can be caught off balance.

Unfortunately, Garyn has not been set up in such a position. He sidesteps as he parries her thrust from above, seeking to get her blade caught beneath it. Then, almost in the same motion, he sweeps his leg beneath her.

[last_kallig]

She wasn't expecting that! Her blade is caught beneath his, and his sweep takes her legs out from underneath her. She manages to turn the fall into a roll in a hurry, but she barely manages to keep a hold on her weapon.

[moonandstar]

Garyn knows how to keep an opponent on the ropes once they're on it. A thrust here, a slash to keep her honest, all to open her up for the thrust that will aptly demonstrate that she'd be dead already if this were a real fight.

[last_kallig]

It does indeed! The thrust hits her in the kidneys, a wound that would be rapidly fatal with a sharp blade.

Her brother shifts slightly where he's standing, watching the spar. Seems there's some affection there, perhaps, despite what Sith are 'meant' to be.

Corrin's expression hardens and she's more wary, circling him, looking for an opening.

[moonandstar]

"Second lesson," Garyn says, as they continue to circle each other. "A thrust is harder to block than a slash. But you must know the moment for it."

He pauses for a moment as they close the distance with each other.

"I'll tell you the first lesson when you've learned it."

[last_kallig]

Corrin takes a slightly deeper breath as they close the distance, then strikes out with two sharp slashes at a speed that must be Force enhanced. This has always worked before, on those times when she has been facing non Force users.

[moonandstar]

To her credit, they are indeed difficult strikes to avoid. But "difficult" and "impossible" are two very different things.

He allows the momentum of the second strike to carry itself just a little further than it should before twisting his grip, grabbing the middle of his sword and pivoting to strike Corrin's wrist at full force with the guard and pommel.

[last_kallig]

Corrin's lightsaber hits the floor and goes out, its safety mechanisms being the same as on a regular lightsaber.

Her right hand is refusing to obey her for the moment and her pale complexion is reddening with embarrassment despite her efforts at composure.

[moonandstar]

Garyn isn't withholding with the first lesson yet. Not when both students haven't learned it.

Instead he levels his sword at Kaal.

"Next. You."

[last_kallig]

Kaal steps forward, his stance more aggressive. He swings at Garyn as the lightsaber is turning on, moving to try and overpower Garyn with sheer ferocity.

[moonandstar]

Thankfully Ibani's warnings had prepared Garyn for what to expect from Kaal. He remains on the defensive to begin with, waiting for Kaal to tire himself out or present him with an opening. But he is not, as of yet, seriously threatened by him.

[last_kallig]

The longer Garyn blocks, the angrier and more frustrated Kaal becomes. He would never try this against another Force user, and no non-Force using enemy has lasted long enough against this technique for him to realize his limitations in maintaining it.

He gets sloppy and makes a mistake, leaving himself open for a response.

[moonandstar]

It's not a mistake he might immediately think of. Garyn's sword isn't open for another strike.

But he has more at his disposal than just that. He lets loose with a vicious kick to the shin, just beneath the knee. His durasteel-toed boot makes it hurt like a devil and a half.

With that, he has enough of an opening to grab his dull training sword by the blade and strike his head with the pommel.

[last_kallig]

Kaal definitely feels both of those, and when he's reeling a bit from the strike to the head, he does several things he should never, EVER do. He disobeys his Master, he breaks sparring etiquette, and above all he fails to consider the consequences of both those things.

He lashes out at Garyn with a short burst of force lightning.

His sister's face goes white when she sees what he's done, her expression frozen in an 'oh shit' expression.

[moonandstar]

Garyn's harsh training at the hands of his adoptive father had a great number of lingering effects on him, many of them bad. One of the ones that wasn't was his incredible tolerance for pain.

So he continues to strike at him with the non-pointy end of his blade. This time, he uses the cross-guard itself as a warhammer, and holds nothing back.

Kaal will survive it. But not for nothing is this move called the "murder stroke."