Chapter 3: Academy Days Episode III

My clanmates and I finished up lunch in no time.

Yennali giving me a rather intense stare the entire time.

Despite this I barely paid her any attention.

Since I wasn't about to let her ruin my lunch.

After our meal was done my clanmates and I had a bit of free time. Which we used to perform one of our five daily meditation sessions.

As soon as we finished it it was time for our next class.

Heading outside my clanmates and I ended up in one of the temple numerous courtyards.

Right after we did so I looked up towards the sky and saw numerous ships of varying designs flying overhead. A good number of them heading farther and farther into the sky above until they disappeared from my vision.

Having traveled into the stars.

Which I am most definitely going to do one of these days.

My mind focused on the spacefaring adventures and travels I would one day have for only a few moments, until the instructor for our next class arrived.

Looking in their direction I saw it was none other than Cin Drallig. The current battlemaster of the order.

[Insert Image of Cin Drallig Here]

Taking in the man and his stern face I can see now how he earned the nickname 'The Troll'.

But despite Dralligs' nickname from my memories I can see his skills are the real deal.

"Good day younglings." Drallig spoke.

"Good day master Drallig." Us initiates spoke in unison.

"Today we will picking up where we left off last time." Drallig said.

As he did a service droid came around and handed each of us initiates a training lightsaber.

The moment the service droid finished its task it walked over to the side.

While it did master Drallig unclipped his own personal lightsaber from his belt and got into the common 'Jedi Ready' stance used when wielding a lightsaber.

My clanmates and I followed his lead.

Seeing us do so he ignited his lightsaber, and a second after he did so did the rest of us.

"Follow my lead." Drallig spoke.

He then started practicing basic moves for the first form of lightsaber combat, Shii-Cho.

The style which he had begun teaching my clan only recently.

After we showed a high enough proficiency in the general moves and maneuvers used in all forms of lightsaber combat.

Our eyes on him and his movements my clanmates and I started to copy master Drallig's actions.

Starting the process to engrave the moves of Shii-Cho into both our minds and bodies.

Which is hard work, but the fun kind of hard work.

At least for me it is.

I hope the other lightsaber combat forms will be just as exciting to learn.

Because just like master Yoda and few select others in the order I plan on learning and mastering all seven forms of lightsaber combat.

Hell, I might even invent an eighth style one day.

Who knows.

I have no idea how much time passed as we copied master Dralligs' movements.

But he finally stopped we did as well.

All of us breathing heavily and sweating as we did.

'Damn. Now I know why there are no fat Jedi.' I thought.

From just that small bit of training I am already tired.

Once more it will only get harder and harder as things progress.

Though by then I will be able to use the Force to mitigate some of the strain training places on my body and mind, so it all works out.

"Excellent work younglings. Take a five minute rest." Drallig said.

So we took a five minute rest exactly as he instructed.

When it came to an end Drallig spoke once more.

"Pair off." He said. "It's time for Velocities."

Velocities. It's where two lightsaber wielders practice moves and maneuvers against each other, gradually increasing the speed and pace of their attacks as they do. Until either one of them is hit or yields the match using the word Solah.

Hearing master Drallig's instructions my clan started to pair off.

I got ready to spar with my usual partner Marcellus, only for Yennali to appear in front of me before I could.

"Hey Van, let's spar." Yennali spoke.

"Sure." I replied.

Since this will be the best way to convince her to drop her attitude towards me.

I hope.

"Van, are you sure about this?" Marcellus asked me.

"Yeah. I am." I replied.

"Hey wait a moment. Yennali, you said you would help me with velocities today." Serra said. Coming over to our little group.

Because from my memories it looks like she and Yennali are best friends

"Sorry Serra, I'll pair off with you tomorrow, I promise." Yennali replied to her.

"Ok. Fine." Serra said. She then looked at Marcellus. "Marcellus, would you like to spar?"

"Yes." He said.

So the two of them paired off and moved away from Yennali and I, into their own space, to begin their Velocities.

While the two of us did the exact same thing.

Igniting our training sabers the two of us began slowly circling each other.

Then after a few seconds we stopped.

Once we did Yennali made the first move.

She came at me with a horizontal swing aimed at my left side.

Which I easily blocked.

Staring at Yennali as I did.

"So, mind telling me the reason you were staring so intensely at me earlier?" I asked her.

But she didn't reply.

Instead Yennali pulled her training saber back.

When she did I went for a jab to her stomach, which she easily parried.

"Hey, I asked you a question." I said.

"And?" She replied. "I am under no obligation to answer you, Van."

"Sure, you're not. I just want to know why you're so upset with me. Especially if this is all simply because I answered a couple of questions before you could earlier in the classroom." I said.

That got a reaction out of Yennali.

"Why you!" She exclaimed.

Yennali then came charging at me with a downward swing, having sped up her pace considerably.

But even so I was able to react.

Raising up my training saber I caught her blade on my own and then directed it into the ground.

After doing so I moved to slash Yennali across the chest. But just before the tip of my blade made contact she deactivated her own training saber, quickly brought it up, and activated again to block my attack.

She then stepped forward and tried to push me back. Though I didn't let her and stood my ground, fighting to push her back in return.

The two of us held this clash for several seconds before we backed off from each other.

We then started swining our blades, parrying and dodging each others strikes in a whirlwind of movements.

I saw master Drallig and our other clanmates watching us out of the corner of my eye, but I only spent a second on them before I re-focused all my attention on not losing to Yennali.

A small smile on my face as I did.

The battle continued on for several minutes, until Yennali stumbled in her footing.

Capitalizing on that single mistake I swung my blade in a wide arc towards her blade arm and made contact with her wrist. Using the art of disarming or Sun djem to force her to drop her training saber.

The second after I did master Drallig spoke up.

"The match is over, winner, Van Sunrider." He said.

As he did so I deactivated my training saber. I then walked over to the downed Yennali and offered her my left hand.

Looking at it she took it.

When she did I helped her stand to her feet.

"It was a good match." I told her.

"Sure. But be ready, because next time I won't lose." Yennali told me. Though I noted no hint of malice of anger in her words.

Meaning our spar resolved her issues with me like I hoped it would.

Good.

"Both of you, excellent work. Fine bladecraft." Master Drallig told the two of us.

"Thank you master." Yennali and I said in unison.

Once we did the service droid came to collect our training sabers and we handed them over to it.

"Good work today, all of you. Class dismissed." Drallig said. Once the service droid had our training lightsaber's.

He and the service droid then left.

As they did our clanmates swarmed us.

"Wow, that was cool you to." Serra beamed.

"Do you think you could help me with my combat forms?" Aaayla asked.

"Let us spar." Nahdar said. Whether he is talking to me, Yennali, or the both of us I don't know.

Our clanmates continued to crowd and ramble on to Yennali and I.

Though I don't hate it.

In fact I like it.

Since that means I will fit in here just fine.