Sabre vs An Old Friend

[Sabre]

Sabre stood in the sand swept arena. His short black hair slightly curled in the humid arena of Tatooine. There was no roof, and the blazing sun cast his shadow metres behind him across the arena floor. Beads of sweat began to fall down his brow as he stood patiently waiting, patient and silent as always. He was ready for anything, anyone, his opponent was anonymous but he was confident that he could win. The amount of credits riding on this match was more than he had ever seen before and he wasn’t going to let his faithful fans down. He wore white sleeveless top, black leather trousers with boots and a long brown overcoat. He had several weapons hooked onto his belt, each casting glimmers around the crowd.

[Darth Ominus]

Silence was all that marked the entranced of a figure bathed in a soft brown robe that seemed to dance mere inches from the orange dust that blanketed the surface of the arena. He had been gone a long time but now he was back. Would he be remembered? Or perhaps his deeds were left unsung and his life's accomplishments meant nothing to those his deeds touched. It mattered not; he thought to himself. Fore he alone new what he had done, and he new of those that carried the false flags in his stead.

This was to be his swan-song that would ride upon the ghostly winds of change. His time had passed, and this sojourn would soon end as he drifted back into the obscure darkness of times past.

As I approach the jedi master I lower my hood and nod slightly as I sink into a low bow of respect. The shadows of times touch wore easily upon the man's weathered face. His smile genuine, his eyes seemed as if they were forged of blue durasteel that glared into his those of his opponent.

As I begin to speak the crowd quiets to a whisper...

"I offer you terms master jedi., and if you should ask for quarter it shall be given. You have my word."

[Sabre]

Sabre stood for a moment, eyes transfixed upon the man he would soon be facing. Echoes of times long gone, memories of a faded and now non-existent past flooded through his mind and soul. He dared not speak a woeful representation of the moment he now lived in, through fear that fate would take it back through seeds of spite. He dared not believe this to be more than a dream, through fear that he would wake up. He merely did, as he had been so confident he could do before, even though such confidence waned like a weight hanging by a thread. He bowed slightly, never taking his eyes of the man he assured himself he would soon be defeating. Such distorted confusion flooded through him, it reminded him of a time when his life seemed so much less… real, before the times of nothingness and despair. He had been sure his heart was dead, his soul dried up, but now he mused it to be different. “Perhaps an anything counts match,” he said, all the confidence of age now draining out of his hollow and not thought-out words. The truth was his heart was not in his words, how could it be. Such unrealistic mirages of past were for children lying safe asleep at night. Not grown men who were certain that it was crude despair running through their veins instead of blood. He wasn’t sure if he was ready or not, could he kill a man twice?

[Darth Ominus]

The time for poems and musings had passed. This was the game of death, a dance of souls that bring forth the silent fury of calm and hate. The orchestrated hum ascending to a prodigious crescendo upon the moist summer air that clung to our skin like sheets of silk.

This was our hour to shine brighter than a thousand Suns, this was our moment to walk as gods upon the clouds for all to see….But one shall fall into dusk as the day grew old as the moon is birthed by the sun we shall see a victor stand alone under the adulation of his peers…No… not peers, but his lessers, for not a man among them can soar to the heights we shall achieve this day!

With a brisk movement that was barely seen I spin away as the dust from the burnt earth swirled in the air to mask my effortless swim through the force in a concealed display of unmatched dexterity. As the dust cleared a moment later I stand ready... My robe catches the ever watchful eyes of the eager spectators as it rides gently on the desert air to lie muted upon the ground.

My posture, while unuttered spoke tales of battles won and lost. The scars that rode upon my hardened skin tightened as my jaw clinched then soften to allow my muscles exquisite relaxation. I tensed slightly as my sinew and bone begged to be freed from their invisible prison of calm and control… Like a thoroughbred they whispered for release, or were it to be unleashed. Their full potential hidden from the prying eyes of the unworthy.

My sabers Adegan crystals gave birth to soft yet brilliant gold hued blades that basked eerily upon the grey Jedi robes that encased my relaxed frame. My style was abstract and confusing even to the learned of the order. My blades held backwards to rest parallel to my forearms. My right hand rested near my right cheek bone while my left forearm came to rest near my forehead in a never before seen use of the high guard…My head hung low, my eyes closed as I began to release my mind to flow upon the tsunami of the force…As the waves brushed through me I felt their omnipresent tendrils caress my mind and soul alike. I was at one with the force and my eye sight was unneeded to hear the soothing song that murmured melodious promises of unmatched power…

[Sabre]

The chosen form of intricate yet graceful movements Sabre’s foe had chosen was vaguely familiar to him. Many times had he stood calmly by its side, but never in its path. The movements made were like a vibrant liquid, passing easily through the air before taking its calm and final position as far away as it would care to go. Still mesmerized by Jedi’s movements Sabre had not recognized at first the aggressive and unfortunate position he was now standing in. It was a battle, I war of wills and reflexes fought in the claddings of each mans choice and variety.
The irony of this battle was apparent immediately. Since Sabre’s murderous actions over Kain Lightbringer, he had been consumed by an icy armour of constraint, he had worn the guise of the Jedi but inside he no longer was one. He had spent countless hours consuming his weary mind in training rooms, war became the only thing real to him, death the only thing meaningful. Now it seemed these practices had been spawned to battle that which had spawned them. The circle was complete, and the fate inescapable.
Sabre was almost reluctant to move into his chosen claddings, his desperation for a way out of this path was apparent by the look on his face. The crowd would have no sympathy for this once cold-blooded killer. The grimace he wore was only highlighted by the endless weaves of scarring and bruising he carried from his endless battles. He had not lost a battle since the death of his friend; he would die rather than run, mutilate himself rather than give up. His body was a walking monument to the brave warriors who had fell beneath his blade, and the unforgettable sacrifices of self Sabre had given to the many.
His well crafted durasteel hand, crackled in his glove as he gracefully placed it in his robes. After seconds of movement his hand reappeared, holding the metallic shaft of steel he used as his weapon. This simple process was completed with such ease it was clear to all that he had done it so many times it was a thoughtless action of fluid movement and non-complication.
He didn’t say a word, he didn’t move a muscle. He was a living statue of serenity and motionless apparentness of will. It is said when you look into peoples eyes, you see their past, present and future. When you look into Sabre’s, you merely see a brick wall. And obstacle built to keep him humble, and conveniently inconspicuous.
He finally began to move, his footwork matching the endless void of expertise ready to use at his very fingertips. His position lowered slightly, he kept his knees slightly bent, giving him the opportunity of a quick reflex-full break, should he require it. He took the expertly crafted hilt in both his hand, holding it at his waist dis-ignited. He stood in a state of solemn silence for a moment, a moment that seemed to last a painful lifetime. He suddenly leaped into the air, his movements only crudely represented by his shadow upon the thin golden sands below.
He flew through the air effortlessly, for the first time in years he moved with the force and not using it. He felt suddenly apart of something greater, an entity which had been calling for him for long now. His body spun and rounded like a ball of completition, his scarred soul finally, peacefully showing the content of being one with the force.
He landed just before the warrior he was about to commence battle with. His knees bent with the force, before easily sliding back up into a slight comfortable curve. His hands lay firm but flexibly placed upon the hilt of his lightsaber, which suddenly ignited. For a split second a flash was made, blinding both the combatants, before its suddenly dissipated for both to see eachother plainly. It always made Sabre feel like the world had been odd before, and it now suddenly became clear again. He was mere feet away from his opponent, and it was his time to begin the battle in which he had been longing to understand for so long. His first move was to make a simple yet graceful Soren Sen attack. He dipped his glowing blade forward slightly, bringing it in toward Kain’s face. Only his hilts lay here, no actual lightsabers. As he did so he kept his body in a textbook representation of Soren Sen’s perfectly designed base form. Could he kill a man twice? He could try…

[Darth Ominus]

The actions of my opponent were like watching a play that I have seen a multitude of times yet never tired of it's climax. This was the most basic of jedi light saber forms and one that had been mastered long ago.

As the blade sprung forth toward my face I moved like a gentle wave that reached out with it's last breath as it met the ever present shore... I push forward with my left hand catching the saber blade outside of my own. I quickly turn my hand down ward while I bring my left elbow high into the air as my bicep rests parallel to the ground and push it out while keeping his saber firmly locked behind my own as I slide forward with my right foot and pivot my hips to bring me to within Sabre's guard and twist my right shoulder up and in while my elbow turns skyward to reveal a punch that is not made with a clenched fist but with the bottom of my lightsaber blade....

[Sabre]

The series of attacks were refreshing in an opponent, Sabre had never fought a man with such effortless skill and finesse with a blade. He was even in doubt if his own, highly commended skill could match it. This fight would surely be a difficult one. A battle of wills to end all battles. He would have to be careful, very careful.
As his blade clung to his opponents, he made sure to keep the lock completely static, such a move would cause minimal effort on his opponents side, making sure should he need to he could break the lock he would ovoid the opposing blade coming at him with its tense force. As the other blade came up toward him in a disguised and cleverly planned punch he moved his footwork slightly. His right foot slid out past the enemies flank, giving him an unmatched balance. He then twisted his body around to face his foe’s left side. The lock he was in had been brought around to the left side also and if Sabre cared to apply more pressure he could dig the blade right into the back of his enemies arm, however that would not quite do. His movements meant that he was now in a position to put extreme weight on his foe’s side, which was not in the vertically balanced line created by his foe. He pulled his blade back a few inches, creasing his elbows as he did so. He then suddenly slammed it forward at great speed, smacking his enemy’s blade in a flurry of sparks.

[Darth Ominus]

The master jedi turned to my side so I moved with him as I quickly mimiced his every move to step to my side. It would not be so easy as that my young friend; I thought to myself as fought back a smile. His blows rang off my saber at first but suddenly he found that my right saber had dipped in low and under his guard. While he pummeled at my saber my other flashed in with lightning speed toward his mid-section with as much effort as one would expect from a mother backing a loaf of fresh bread. My visage was calm and my eyes closed. I felt the force flow through me as mimiced his moves all the while my left saber kept his at bay while my right saber made simple attempts to end the battle once and for all.

So sure of himself this one...He went where I let him. This was my dance and I was leading, and soon he would be out of options as it always has been...the battle would end with a loss of a limb or worse...

I was content for now to hide my strength and allow him his special moment of assumed superiority...for now

[Sabre]

After Sabre’s attack he was left little to near not time to react. Vigilance was high in this match, both had limited knowledge of each other’s forms and both knew they would be hard pressed to win. The second after Sabre had hit his foe’s blade he change its angle from a near vertical one, to a slightly angled one to his right side. He moved his hand position slightly on his hilt, his right hand at the very top; little finger facing the blade, and his left hand beneath it; index finger facing the blade. Using his natural finesse he used a powerful but swift smack attack. He pushed his right hand down while dragging his left up. It caused the blade to swing around to his left and smack the enemy’s blade that way. Now that his foe’s left arm was crossed over his right side Sabre left had left him no room for manoeuvrability. He quickly readjusted his hand to the standard holding position and slammed it vertically into his foe’s right hand saber. He then pushed his weight into it; moving his feet to keep his body firmly in the lock. He was attempting to cross his foe’s arms over and provide himself a position of easy attack. Such a position was not an easy one to gain at the best of times so he kept his left foot back from the attack, making sure he had something to rebound back upon should he need to.

[Darth Ominus]

It seemed that while I was absent much had stayed the same. So certain were these new Jedi and old alike. They always thought of what they were doing and not of their opponent. Their egos, their downfall, fore when they believed they found an edge and raced to exploit they forget that I allow the illusion of that simplest of weakness, that killing blow only so close but incredibly far away. Always dancing on the head of a pin and inches from our deaths. I am eager to see where this may lead, but as it seems now it will end soon I am certain...

As my opponent crossed my sabers he made one fatal mistake. He brought my swords together in one place. This may be the final oversight if this next move was executed flawlessly. As I bore most of the weight of Aralion's saber on my top blade (left) I held it their by simply angling my own to counter act his sliding and jostling... A tipped elbow here, or a bent wrist there was all that was needed to press him forward or back...and within an instant it happened! My left saber suddenly pressed ever so slightly against his saber with just enough pressure to make it appear as if both sabers were still locked to his, I flipped my right saber in a blur with my dexterous fingers to send it spinning rapidly inside of sabers guard well beyond is own lightsaber that was above mine and still rising since I knew it was too late to continue the charade, and I began lifting his saber in the air ever so slowly to make the saving parry all that more impossible to make.

Info. I have your saber above mine with my arm parallel to the ground. I am moving my elbow and wrist to kinda keep your saber on mine and locked. I slipped my right saber off and have spun it inside yer guard. So I am spinning my right saber in my hand. It is below yer elbows in between yer elbow and your shoulder. It is spinning upward at an angle that is looking to cut off yer arms then slash through your chest.

[Sabre]

Such an expertly completed move was enough to slay the most infamous of dragons, let alone Sabre. However the rhythmic cries of warning through the abyss-full and ominous force. The attack was swift as it was deadly, Sabre was forced to make a quick “out” movement, providing himself time to rethink and re-plan his attack.
His lightsaber dis-ignited, its blue blade falling limply back into its shell. Sabre then yanked his hand out of combat as fast as he could wile keeping his balance. This was no time for fancy movements so he merely rolled backward over the sand, lifting up crudely in welcome for his lightsaber to speed back into his hands. He was now several ft away from his opponent.
He stood igniting his saber once more, he fell easily into a Soren Sen base form, lifting his defence high.

[Darth Ominus]

I listened for the sound that would never come...The burning of flesh followed by the screams of the damned. This jedi was quite skillful and his escape was top notch. Something more was needed to best this foe I now understood.

I clicked the button on the hilt of my left saber allowing it to fade from sight as my right saber rose to my forehead in salute of my worthy adversary. I quickly slash the remaining saber down ward as I hook my now dormant saber to my utility belt, before speaking in a calm tone of voice...

"Well fought master Jedi. You have learned much since our last encounter. I am pleased to see you have mastered Soren Sen beyond that which it was meant to be. It has been elevated into a higher form now, and that can only be the work of a true lightsaber master."

I fall silent as I once again close my eyes; since they were more a burden than an asset to my abilities. I Raise my saber high into the air forming a diamond with my arms that swept my lightsaber backward over my head. My feet swiveled into the ground to ensure a firm grip and hearty stance. I bent my knees slightly as I spoke again in the same calm tone as before...

"Do you wish to lead this dance my friend or shall I be the attacker this time?"

[Sabre]

Sabre steadied his wrist, holding his defence ready for an attack. “We both know you love the lead,” he said smirking slightly. He then did something that he even surprised himself with, he kept his right leg forward while pushing his left back behind him and turning the foot horizontally. He then brought his lightsaber up by his cheek, staring down it at his opponent.

[Darth Ominus]

I carefully watch the young jedi master before beginning to speak in a saddened tone of voice...

"Do you realize why I am here Sabre? You discarded the gift you were given! You have fallen into shadow. Even now you fight without knowing why. Have you yet to ask yourself why we fight here and now?"

[Sabre]

Sabre shook his head. “I don’t understand,” he said.