Drake Shadowstalker Training I: Battle Hymns

[Salem Ave]

Indoors, Salem sat against a small wooden bench. His eyes scanned the small training room in which he was sat, constructed from brick and timber, with great rafters above and steel poles protruding from the walls in calculated positions. The room had been designed to optimize the amount that could be achieved whilst practicing, teaching and learning here, and the vampyre was eager to test out its efficiency in his training with Drake Shadowstalker.

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake had heard this his Master was to be the vampyre that had first approached him at the Recruting Center. Drake had felt a powerful aura radiating from Salem. He was pleased to be trained by such a man. Salem had contacted Drake and told him that their first training session was to be held soon and had told him how to get there.

Drake approached the door to the room in which he was to have his forst training session. His steps were slow and deliberate. He entered the small room and saw his Master sitting on a small wooden bench. Walking up to Salem, he bowed. His hood was pulled over his face so Salem had yet to see Drake's face.

"Master."

[Salem Ave]

“Drrrake,”

Salem remained seated, and though it did not appear his solid-black eyes were fixed upon the apprentice, they most certainly were.

“I know nothing of you. Tell me of yourrr passst and skills.”

[Drake Shadowstalker]

The question hit him like a sledge hammer to the face. Drake's hands fell limp to his side. The memories of his past flooded back to him and made him feel as if he were going to be sick. He caught flashes of what had happened that dark and empty night. Drake felt the kicks, the punches, and the cracking of his ribs as they broke. It was like he was reliving the event for a second time.

Drake's voice when he answered was weak and lifeless.

"I...don't like talking about...my past. Maybe after a while...I can tellyou... I have some...skills with small weapons. Like daggers and knives."

Drake had to catch his breath many times throughout his short reply. He was almost gasping for breathe he was done.

[Salem Ave]

Salem quirked a thin black eyebrow at his response, but carried on none the less.

“And what of the Forrrce? What can you do with the Force, if anything?”

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake's breathing returned to a slow and steady pace. He felt like a fool for almost falling absolutely apart. Soon he would learn to open his mind, and take revenge on those who had so badly wronged him.

"I have been able to use my anger to shatter and throw objects. That is the extent of my abilities with the Force."

[Salem Ave]

The Knight stood up from the bench on which he sat, and lifted the top off of it, revealing it was infact a crate of some kind. Inside there were a number of things, all of which were shadowed by the dull lighting in the room. Never the less, Salem seemed to be able to pick out what he wanted – it was a small remote droid, the kind that were so often used in training. He tossed it into the air, and with a bleep it activated and began its automated path around the room, dodging up and down to avoid non-existent fire.

“… Sss-ee if you can shatterrr that.”

[Drake Shadowstalker]

"Yes, Master."

Drake stretched out his hand towards the remote and followed it's flight around the small room. He could feel his anger rising that was his power. It surged through his body and made him feel like an unstoppable force. Drake pushed out with his anger and hatred towards the remote and watched it explode into many different sized pieces. Lowering his hand he turned back to Salem.

[Salem Ave]

A sadistic smile curved onto his lips.

“… Now reassemble it.”

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Salem knew very well that Drake was not able to do this. Drake knew Salem was enjoying watching him.

"I know only how to destroy. Nothing else..."

[Salem Ave]

“You can lift items with the Force by visualizing it in your mind, and focusing your anger into those images. With enough will, they become fact. Sssimply try to lift the pieces one at a time, slotting them onto each other.”

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake reached his hand out towards the many pieces of the remote that were still smoking on the ground. Fixing this image firmly into his mind he focused his anger on it. Slowly in his mind, the remote was putting itself back together. It was like watching his destruction in rewind. The pieces on the floor of the small room did the same as the ones in his mind. Piece by piece it lifted off the ground and fitted somplace into and invisible image in the air. When the last piece was fit into place, the remote started whirring and spinning around the room again.

[Salem Ave]

“Now for something more rrrefined.”

The droid whirred back and forth, and Salem ignited his saber, motioning for Drake to do so also. The purpose of the next exercise would be to pass a blaster shot between the two of them, deflecting it for as long as possible back and forth.

[Drake Shadowstalker]

Drake reached inside his cloak and pulled out his single saber. He ignited the dark black blade and stood motionless.