Lightsaber training. (Jibrielle)

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Deep beneath Bast, there was a river. It was pure water, not acid. Burrowed in the layers beneath the topsoil were microbes that reduced the acid rain to salt and water, and layers of rock down things grew and flourished in the dark places.

Hob brushed a mushroom with his cane. A small cloud of spores fell from it, and then it began to glow. The light was dim, but bright enough to make out a vast channel in the darkness. Twin outcroppings of rock reached across from either side to meet in the middle, forming a bridge across.

Behind him, Jibrielle was taking everything in. Spying another mushroom, she gave it a poke. It shed spores, then began to glow, eliciting a smile of satisfaction from the young girl.

There was an electronic hiss and a sharp red light overshadowed the luminescent glow of the fungi. Jibrielle looked up.

Hob's lightsaber rested in his hand. He brought it in close, then spun, swinging the lightsaber as he did so. He did a short hop and angled the spin, flowing from one slice to another in short steps and skips.

Then, Hob stopped. From his belt, he produced a second lightsaber which he tossed to his apprentice. "When using a lightsaber," he said, his gravelly voice soft in the gloom. "Do, or do not. Turning it on marks you, to your peril. Unless you are prepared to take lives, leave it off."

The challenge lying in the words hung in the quiet air. Was Jibrielle ready to kill?

[Jibrielle Abunai]

It seemed that everywhere Hob took her, Jibrielle was in awe. This was no exception. The mushrooms fascinated the girl, and, following Hob's lead, she poked one. Her face lit up with simple delight as a shower of spores came off and it contributed to the dim light. Then, there was a hiss and there was another light, this time red.

Looking up, Jibrielle saw him holding a lightsaber and displaying some of his skills. Her eyes widened slightly as he unclipped a second lightsaber and threw it to her, which she automatically reached up and caught. His solemn words broke the heavy silence, causing her to hold her breath as she listened. Should she turn it on ? Should she tell him that she didn't want to kill ? Like he said, there were two choices: do, or do not.

If Hobgoblin can turn on a lightsaber and trust me enough to let me hold one, then I shan't disappoint him ...

After a moment's hesitation, she flicked on the ignition flitch, a steady hum filling the air.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Excellent, my apprentice. Your instruction begins now."

The dwarf bowed his head slightly, hooding his face further in the shadows. He cut his lightsaber off and walked to the natural rock bridge crossing the river. Jibrielle followed him and he motioned for her to go on it. When she had crossed halfway, Hob ignited his lightsaber and signalled for her to stop.

"Stay where you are and take the blade in both hands," he said.

[Jibrielle Abunai]

As Hob began to walk towards the bridge, Jibrielle swallowed nervously and followed him. After reaching it, he motioned for her to cross it. Slowly she placed one foot on it, at first doubting its sturdiness, but after placing her other foot on it she was relieved.

After she had made it half-way, Hobgoblin yelled out for her to stop and hold the saber in both hands. The Apprentice looked at him, and, seeing he had ignited his saber once more, began to get quite nervous.

She gripped the handle with both hands so hard that her knuckles started to turn white.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Now, do as I do," he said.

Hob lifted the blade above his shoulders, turning it horizontally as he did so. Then, he made three stabs with it, one straight, one low, and one high. On the pullback from the last stab, Hob kept going, performing a stationary spin in which he swung his blade outward in a tight arc.

[Jibrielle Abunai]

It looked simple enough. Swallowing, she took in a trembling breath and then slowly raised the saber, turning it horizontal like Hob did. Then she executed three stabs: one straight, one low, and then one high.

This isn't too hard, she thought to herself as she spun around after the last stab, swinging her saber out in an arc. Not hard at all ...

[Evil Hobgoblin]

To Jibrielle's surprise, there was a man standing there. Her backslash with the lightsaber caught him right across the chest. The man clutched at his chest, stumbled, and then fell to the ground.

Abruptly, he vanished. "The final strike should be lower," Hob said in a detatched and clinical voice. "So that it intersects the abdomen. Catching someone across the chest may leave them alive."

[Jibrielle Abunai]

Her eyes widened as she saw the wounded man, whose face was contorted in obvious pain. Where did he come from ... ? But as soon as he fell to the ground whilst clutching his chest, the man disappeared. Ah, it was one of Hobgoblin's illusions.

But he was showing her what it would be like, what death would be like. Harden your heart, they have no impact on your life.

"Yes, Sir."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Again." Hob said. "And we will go slower this time."

In front of the dwarf, an illusion appeared. As Hob went through each step of the series, he struck the illusion. Those spots where the lightsaber touched discolored themselves and his final slash left a burning red mark across the waist.

An image appeared in front of Jibrielle with the same marks as were on Hobgoblin's, clearly a practice dummy and just as clearly another test.

[Jibrielle Abunai]

Following through the same steps Hobgoblin had done, she finished it off with the exact same slash across the waist. The lightsaber was beginning to feel, well, comfortable in her hands. As if it belonged.

Looking at him, she remained silent, waiting ...

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob nodded. "Good. Now this."

The dwarf abruptly cut downward, planted his feet, and whipped the lightsaber in a whipping motion that pulled up dirt. As the lightsaber came upward, Hob gripped it with his other hand. He moved the blade tip in a sharply controlled loop, then let go with his right hand and swung it away with his left.