Salem's Training II: Simple Pages

[Jeseth Cloak]

It had been many months since their last training session, and weeks since Jeseth and Salem had left on a quest to retrieve the memory imprint of Lady Mara Jade. He hadn't had much time then to pay individual attention to Salem's training... he had been the latest of Jeseth's disciples, and likely the last for quite some time to come. Salem had been led into a large in-door sanctum within The Sith Palace. It was some sort of arboretum, filled with an array of plants and flowers, some of them quite dangerous, and at times even lethal.

Jeseth walked to one end of the large sanctum, drawing the second saber which was clipped onto his black belt. He did not know its name, for it was never his weapon. He had taken it from the Jedi Knight Fire Hazzard's corpse. "I left you a saber. I hope you had time to learn how to properly use it." The winged knight looked down at the stream between them. It would serve as a sort of "flag" for this match to begin.

[Salem Ave]

Salem nodded and retrieved the saber in question from the pocket in his jacket, taking the hilt firmly in his right hand. He pointed it downwards at a 70 degree angle and flicked the blade to life. The deep red beam quivered in Salems grasp, his confidence with the weapon still growing.

"Yes, Master. I have practiced with it in your absence."

[Jeseth Cloak]

He also knew that Salem had used it during their quest at least on one occasion. "Then come, and strike at me with all your anger. Hold nothing back!" In a snap-hiss of orange light, Jeseth's saber ignited downwards. He leapt forward in a flash of speed, the Force lending to his flight. The blade arched up from his side, and Salem found that the spewing hot beam was only mere inches from his chest.

[Salem Ave]

The Apprentice's saber blade flicked upwards jaggedly to connect and bind, loosely, against that of his Master. For a moment with thought of combat with Jeseth caused him to freeze, but he thawed quickly. He quickly lifted his right boot and thrust it in a quick heel jab at his Masters legs, ducking downward to escape the onslaught of the orange beam as his own saber moved in a horizontal swoosh at the Sith Knights torso.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth brought his arm downward, his gloved left hand gripping the saber's hilt tightly as its beam intercepted both Salem's saber and legs simultaneously. The beam stopped its downward, and Salem's leg passed just beneath the tip of the orange beam, taking in a horrible wound that would leave Salem slightly crippled for some time to come; His Achilles tendon had been frayed by the heat. Jeseth made a quick flicking motion with his right hand and Salem was toppled backwards by a sudden wave of resistance from the Force.

"Be mindful of the Force, always." Jeseth moved back to avoid Salem taking a sudden swing at his legs and brought his saber up to a defensive position, its orange beam still reflected in Jeseth's eyes quite clearly.

[Salem Ave]

Salem gritted his teeth at the pain and hissed as a reaction to the seering pain shooting up his leg. He looked up at his Master with a twisted expression, pushing his body upwards with one hand to get back to his feet, stumbling a little. He retook his grip on his saber and moved forward, placing as little pressure on his injured ankle as possible.

"Yes, Master."

He advanced on Jeseth more cautiously this time, side stepping quickly to avoid another surge of pain. He did a small sideways leap and landed hard on one foot, feigning a swipe at Jeseth's head before ducking downwards, dragging his saber with him to try and gash the beams tip into his chest.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth's hands reacted to the feigned strike at his head, and then moved downward quickly to intercept the slash at his chest. Salem's crimson blade singed through Jeseth's clothing and nipped at his flesh before it was pushed back in a shower of sparks. The tip of Jeseth's saber angled forward and made its way towards his apprentices' stomach as it parried the blow. Jeseth felt pain licking at the burn wound that had been etched into him...

Does the pain make you feel hatred towards me?

[Salem Ave]

Jeseth's saber cut partially against Salem's gut, but was halted as the Apprentice jumped backwards a little, swinging his saber upwards to knock his Master's blade away. His brow became knitted into a frown as the pain from his wounds throbbed in his mind.

Does the pain make you feel hatred towards me?

"I feel hatred, Master... but not towards you. You are my teacher, my hate should not be focused upon you but those who we oppose."