Advanced teachings (Spada)

[Shade Magus]

Shade Magus walked into an empty sparring room, waiting for his Padawan, Spada. He was drawing close to the end of what he knew to teach Spada. He only had a few more lessons for him and then he would be ready for the trails from the Council. Spada was a good student. He would become a fine Jedi Knight.

[spada]

Spada stook long steps and covered a long distance relatively quickly. Pressing a button on an airlock, the door shot up and inside was his Master, Shade Magus. He did not bother to apologise for making Shade wait, he was used to Shade getting there earlier. Bowing to him, he asked,

"Greetings, master. Do you have another lesson for me?"

[Shade Magus]

"Yes indeed. I wanted to teach you the more refined arts of lightsaber fighting. As you probably know there are seven different forms. I, however, have only mastered the fourth form. I practice the second and third from time to time, but Form IV is that I truely excel at. It is also the teaching that I wish to pass on to you if," Shade turned and smiled to Spada, "you think you can handle it that is."

[spada]

Spada chuckled quietly,

"Piece of cake. Now can you tell me all the details of form four?"

[Shade Magus]

"Form IV is the most acrobatic form ever developed. In this form the Jedi uses the Force to go beyond what is physically possible. Jumps, spins and runs. The form is filled with elaborate moves in which the Jedi stands as the center of the blur formed by his lightsaber. It is very physically demanding, and demands that one give themselves over ot eh Force completely."

[spada]

Spada nodded,

"Sounds like a pretty good skill for someone focusing on a lightsaber. But I may need help learning how to concentrate with the force while fighting."

[Shade Magus]

"I understand. It is very hard to do, but the result is well worth it."

[spada]

Spada nodded in agreement,

"Yes, I would definately like to pursue training with this form. Maybe you can teach me how to use the force with my abilities later."

[Shade Magus]

"Actually I think we should do that first.Follow me. (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35389) We could begin that now, and pick up on this later."

[spada]

Spada and Shade walked back to the room where they were going to train with the lightsaber and Spada asked,

"Now before I try the technique myself, can you show me a bit of an idea of how the style looks?"

[Shade Magus]

Shade nodded. He walked a little farther out as Spada stopped. He unclipped his lightsaber and ignited the green blade. "Now watch closely." He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them there was a fire burning that was not normally there.

Shade looked as if he was going to take a step forward, but before his foot touched the ground, he was in the air twisting, his lightsaber flashed at many different angles. When he landed, the Jedi pivoted on his left heel bring his lightsaber back around from the ground upwards. He didn't stop as his blade reached the end of the arc, instead going with it and turning the arc into a backflip. As he came around, he thrust the blade out infront of him. Shade pivoted to the right this time as he landed with his lightsaber going from high to low and low to high, all the while spinning around once, twice, three times he made a complete circle.

He inverted his blade and dropped to one knee on the last spin. He jumped into the air and began weaving the green blade back and foth several times before landed going intoa somersault, which he twisted in the middle of the air. As he landed, Shade inverted the lightsaber back to it's normal position and turnedit to him as if he were going to impale himself. The green blade disappeared and the hilt hung from his belt again. He turned to Spada and smiled, the fire gone from his eyes. "Catch that?"

[spada]

Spada nodded, amazed at Shade's obviously practiced technique and flowing movements.

"So what you do is constantly go from one move to the next? Sort of like you never stop moving the blade?"

[Shade Magus]

"Exactly. The blade has to become your center of balance, and without it...well, it's not pretty. You just have to keep flowing from one spot to the next. A person using this form of lightsaber combat must be very precise and their strength and agility must flow from the Force."

[spada]

Spada nodded and said,

"So what should I do first?"

[Shade Magus]

"First you must allow the Force to flow into you like you did just earlier. Let it flow to the different parts of your body giving you strength."

[spada]

Spada nodded and began to clear his mind. He beckoned the force towards him and brought it into his body, making him feel refreshed and loosened up.

"I love that feeling. What next?"

[Shade Magus]

"Now you must allow the Force to move you where it wants you, but don't be afraid to use the Force for yourself. You must have a symbiot cricle with one another." Shade walked a few steps back, watching Spada. "Now let go and trust the Force."

He nodded to the wall and a panel slide up, revealing two combat droids. To most they could be deadly, but these only had stun batons. For a Jedi it should be no problem to take them out. "Now disarm them."

[spada]

As Shade finished the sentence, the droids began to rush foward to hit him with the batons. Spada let all emotion go and allowed the force to control his movements. He revealed his lightsaber smoothly and ignited it as it was coming out of his belt.

Flipping foward, he arced upside-down over one of the droids and stabbed out with his lightsaber, cutting the shaft of the baton from the handle. flipping over and landing on his feet, he kicked the robot squarely in the back and continued foward, running up the robot's back and doing another backflip this time, holding the lightsaber at his side.

As he came around and landed on his feet, he swung his lightsaber around and brought it in front of himself. Trying to keep the momentum, he rotated the lightsaber in front of him and ran towards the 2nd droid, stabbing foward towards the droid's shoulder. The droid dodged to the side and stabbed him in the stomache with the stun baton. Spada continued foward as the sting flowed through him and jumped over the droid's shoulder. As he rolled to recover, he stuck out his lightsaber and his lightsaber flew right up between the droid's legs.

[Shade Magus]

He watched as Spada took care of the first droid and moved to the second. What Spada didn't see was the first one go back to the closet and grab another stun baton. He watched the second droid roll forward, just before the Kel Dor sliced it in half. "You're doing great. Keep it up. Oh and watch out behind you!"

[spada]

Spada stood back up and heard Shade say "watch behind you!"

Reacting with the force, he suddenly ducked as a stun baton whizzed over his head. Turning with his leg out, he swept his leg by and knocked the droid over. Slicing at the droid's head, he fried the circuts and destroyed it.

As he looked up, he felt a strange feeling with the force and darted his head to see the other droid running at him. Jumping into the air, the droid passed under him. He suddenly shot his foot out and kicked the droid's head. As he landed again and the droid recovered, he began to spin his lightsaber at his side. As it came 360 degrees and began to make its way down, he spun it in front of himself and did a kick-like spin to the droid's side. Spinning around, he sliced out to the droid's waist with his lightsaber.

[Shade Magus]

Before Spada's circle could end however another green lightsaber blade stopped his. Shade pushed Spada's off and twisted bringing his weapon in front of him. "You did well against droids, but how will you fair against another living being?"

[spada]

Spada held the lightsaber in front of him and said,

"How about I get some practice defending the form?"

[Shade Magus]

"If you can. Remember to allow the Force to flow through you." Shade spun around lashing his lightsaber out at Spada's left arm.

[spada]

Spada allowed the force to take him over just before Shade's lightsaber came towards his arm. Reacting on impulses and the force, he ducked and brought both arms out, allowing the saber to pass over his head. He brought his lightsaber up vertically to stop the counterattack from Shade.

[Shade Magus]

Shade flipped over Spada. When he landed, the Jedi turned around sharply, bring his lightsaber up on the right side this time.

[spada]

The force controlled his muscles, allowing them to work in ways which he never could before. His back faced Shade and he had a sudden feeling that he was swinging at his right side. Turning his lightsaber downward, he met Shade's saber midway. Turning the saber counterclockwise, he spun 180 degrees to hold his saber down on Shade's right side as he faced him.

[Shade Magus]

"Very good, but you can't hold someone down using ths form. You have to stay on the move until you are defeated or you have won." To emphasize his point, Shade hooked his leg under Spada's ankle and pulled.

[spada]

The speed of his master was too much for Spada. The darting swipe of his foot brought Spada down like a sack of Bantha Fodder. He fell onto his back and propped himself up a bit with his elbows, saying,

"Good way to show a mistake."

Said Spada, laughing a bit.

[Shade Magus]

"I just hope that you learn from it. I would hate for it to happen again in a real fight where the other person may not stop to let you recover."

[spada]

Spada replied defensively,

"No! No I meant it. The best way to show sometone they are wrong it to physically show them why."

[Shade Magus]

"And I believe you." Shade held out his hand to help Spada up.

[spada]

Standing with Shade's help, Spada straightened himself up and said,

"What now?"

[Shade Magus]

Shade stepped back a few steps and brought his lightsaber back up. "Now we contine. I told you. Toda I am going to help yo go beyond your physical limits like never before." Shade rushed Spada, and spun towards his left, bringing his lightsaber around to Spada's left arm.

[spada]

Reacting with the help of the force, he turned his lightsaber down to stop the swing in its tracks. He began to turn the saber down, pretending to do the same thing, but broke from the lock and spun outwards, holding the saber arm out to catch his knee as he spun fully.

[Shade Magus]

Shade jumped in the air, dong a backflip. When he landed Shade jumped forward, extending his body and lightsaber blade towards Spada.

[spada]

Spada dodged to the left in time to allow Shade to extend his body in front of him. Swinging up, he sliced towards his stomach and began to jump over him to run the saber along his back.

[Shade Magus]

Shade felt his stomach and back go numb and smiled. Spada was learning. He landed and deactivated his lightsaber, connecting it to his belt. "Well done. Now that you are able to defend properly, I'm going to teach you some techniques that hopefully will help you going on the offensive."

[spada]

Spada would normally feel tired, but he still felt ready to fight for an hour more. Watching Shade intently, he listened for his next lesson.

[Shade Magus]

"Now watch closely. I'll try doing these as slow as I can."Shade slid his feet apart and put his hands in front of him, in a fighting position. He pushed off with his back foot and spun on his side through the air. When he came down, he did a backflip and landed running up a wall. When he neared the top where his feet couldn't get anymore traction, he pushed off and landed on the ground, rolling forward.

He put one hand down as he came up and did a cartwheel, that ended in a backflip. He somersaulted forward, twisting in the air 180 degrees so he was facing the opposite direction when he landed. He turned and faced Spada. "Ok, so I lied, it's more acrobatics than techniques, but everything I just showed you, you will be doing before you leave here tonight. That way next time you fight, your body will be used to the movements and you can use them without thinking."

[spada]

Spada watched as Shade did the moves and when he finished, he said,

"Can I just go through each one of those movements one at a time to start?"

[Shade Magus]

"Of course. If you need me to show you any of the flips or tumbles seperately just ask."

[spada]

Spada did not quite remember the footwork of the move and said to Shade,

"Umm.. could you talk me through each move seperately? I am not exactly sure of the footing."

[Shade Magus]

Shade nodded "Of course. Though there really isn't much to teach, it just takes time."

Shade stepped away a few feet and then began doing different flips and tumbles, much slower than last time so that Spada could get a better idea of what to do.

[spada]

Spada nodded, getting into the similar stance as Shade was in, sliding his feet apart and putting his hands in front of him. Concentrating on what Shade had shown him, he pushed off with his back foot and spun on his side through the air, his tunic whipping from the spin. As his body arced down, he began to panic but concentrated in the force. He came down, positioning his feet awkwardly and doing a backflip, finging himself touching the wall, as Shade was. He began to run up the wall, getting a feeling of butterflies in his stomach. When he neared the top, his feet slipped and he pushed of in recovery, falling over as he landed. Standing back up, he shifed his weight sideways and did a cartwheel, pivoting his body during it and flipping backwards, landing heavily but absorbing the shock. Shifting his weight again, he rolled on the ground and began to turn his body as he came up, standing and facing Shade.

"Did I do it right?"

[Shade Magus]

"Excellent. I really didn't expect you're body to be able to be so flexible. Once again you have exceeded my expectations."

[spada]

Spada bowed, flattered that he showed his master that he is a capable fighter.

"Thank you, but I still need some practice. A lot of those moves were reflex so I wouldn't hurt myself."

[Shade Magus]

"Which is precisely what they should be. Relexes. That is what most of this form is about. Letting your relfexes take over and being able to use them as an offense."

[spada]

Spada nodded, saying,

"I see. What next?"

[Shade Magus]

"Now we see how fas your body learns." Without giving Spada a chance to think, he spun to his left side and swung out with his now activated lightsaber.

[spada]

Reacting on his Jedi impulses, Spada suddenly leapt into the air, turning his body on it's side and spinning quickly. Recovering from the awkward move, he uprighted himself and was able to land staggering behind Shade, clear of the attack.

[Shade Magus]

Shade inverted his blade and smoothly sent it striking behind him.

[spada]

Spada rolled off Shade's shoulder, kicking his legs out and creating a centrifugal force to spin him in a circle, allowing him to face Shade. Quickly reaching into his belt, he pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it with a snap hum and held it at the ready for Shade's flurry of attacks.

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled as Spada turned to face him. Good, he is learning. The Jedi then did a back flip and as his feet touched the ground he rushed Spada, extending his lightsaber out to meet the Kel Dor long before he got there.

[spada]

Spada had just enough time to move out of the way of Shade's lightning fast attacks. As he came foward, Spada sprawled to the ground and as Shade came over him, he kicked up with one foot, hoping to flip him. As he did this, he thought to himself,

'Come on Spada! You're not practicing what you just learned!'

[Shade Magus]

He flew over Spada and tucked into a ball to roll on the ground. Shade could feel the Padawan's slight anger at himself. "Let go Spada. Use the Force and let it flow," the Jedi said as he came up from the ground and turned to face the Kel Dor.

[spada]

Spada dashed foward, running at Shade until the last minute, when he ushed off with his front leg and jumped into the air, stabbing down on Shade.

[Shade Magus]

Shade brought his saber up and pushed Spada's attack up. He swung around to his left and brought his own attack towards the Padawan.

[spada]

Landing just as Shade's attack was coming, Spada made an awkward maneuver and attempted a cartwheel in the opposite direction. As he came back to a standing poistion, he slid foward, stabbing straight out with both hands, trying to shift his weight so if the attack failed, he could keep moving.

[Shade Magus]

Shade smack Spada's blade away and fliped over the Padawan and landed a few feet behind him and rested in a defensive position. Spda could defend well, and now was time to see how well his offensive was.

[spada]

Shade moved too fast for him, so Spada continued his momentum and threw his saber in a wide arc, hoping to catch Shade with the backswing. At the same time, he kicked his legs out, so he could circle around Shade and make the swing at the same time.

[Shade Magus]

Shade had to move fast to block the attack and he barely did. Spada was getting a lot better. He pushed he blade back and twirled his lightsaber in a circle, waiting for an attack or an opening.

[spada]

Completing the arc, Spada paused himself to change his balance point from the lightsaber to his waist and awkwardly hopped and swung down on Shade's circle, hoping to penetrate his defense for another attack.

[Shade Magus]

Shade brought his saber up and met Spada's evenly and tehe two blades clashed, neither giving ground. "You really are a quick learner Spada."

[spada]

Spada replied,

"Thank you. But I know you're not trying as hard as you can."

[Shade Magus]

Shade pushed the sabers back and swung to his left side. "Sometimes, strength isn't everything."

[spada]

Spada nodded, saying,

"I know, but I could tell you were holding back on some opportunities to hit me."

[Shade Magus]

"Maybe, maybe not," Shade said as he took hjis saber high into he air and brought it down.

[spada]

Spada quickly acted on his reflexes and dove to Shade's side, launching himself by him and swinging his lightsaber back to hit Shade's back as he did so.

[Shade Magus]

The Jedi Knight ducked and as he came up, did a back flip over Spada and attacked, while he was going ovr the Kel Dor.

[spada]

Spada's outstretched form was not able to react well to the move, and Spada haphazardly threw his saber up, knocking away Shades first attack but knocking him down. Struggling to stand, he would be easy prey for Shade's next attack.

[Shade Magus]

Shade landed and launched himself at Spada. "Use the Force and let it guide you."

[spada]

Spada stood just as Shade reached him and hearing Shade, his reflexes acted and planting one foot, he jumped into the air and kicked down, hoping to connect with Shade and usehis momentum against him.

[Shade Magus]

"Uffftt..." The sound escaped Shade's mouth as Spada connected with him. The Jedi Knight was thrown to one side and he rolled over on the ground coming up, crouching in a defensive position, trying to catch his breath.

[spada]

Spada stood from his position upon landing, staring at Shade and saying,

"Are you alright? I hit you pretty hard..."

[Shade Magus]

Shade jumped up to his feet and smiled. "I'm fine. How are you doing though? I know it has been a long day for you with little rest."

[spada]

Spada remained standing, trying to relax his tense muscles and allowing the force to flow in him.

"I feel stressed, and my muscles are tight and tense, but I can go longer if you wish."

[Shade Magus]

"No, no. You have gone far beyond my expectations today. You have earned your rest."