章 19: Instruction from the Grandmaster
She is waiting for me to attack first, and even though our sabers are on the lowest output, they still sting. I don't think I'll be able to land a hit against her. The difference in skill is too vast. I make a fast approach and utilize what I know about Niman and Ataru. With the limited training I have, she is blocking and parrying masterfully. "Your knowledge of lightsaber combat is great, Nate, and I can tell you studied to the limits younglings were allowed to." She begins to retaliate and put me on the ropes.
I'm utilizing some of the Soresu that comes with Niman, but she is so fast and stronger than me. She quickly lands some deadly strikes and trips me on my ass. I lay on my back, looking up at the ceiling, taking deep breaths. The amount of concentration needed to keep up with her is crazy. "I could barely keep up with you, Master..." I know she wasn't going to her fullest either. She is taking it easy on me so I can make some progress.
She walks up to me and holds her hand out. I take it, and she helps me up. "There is going to be a lot of training until you can keep up and fully spar with me. Think of your training right now as a way to develop a better understanding of your selected forms." I nod my head liking the logic she is applying. "You shouldn't start with the standard Niman stance with your saber high behind your head. Go with the guard variation and begin attacking again. Starting with the standard Niman stance with no real experience is a bad idea." I get back into position and use the guard variation this time.
Now that my hilts in position, I reignite it, and so does Satele. She gets back in her own unique stance and is waiting for me to approach. This time I use a little bit of the Djem So version of Shien. I lunge forward and begin laying down the assault. I incorporate Niman and use a force push to try and get some advantage against Satele. She uses Atrau moves and leaps out of the way as she is sent back. Landing gracefully. She gives me a small smile. "Good creativity, that's what's needed to be a Niman practitioner. However, since you are so inexperienced with the many forms you just used, there were many chances for me to end the fight. Come at me again with the same moves, and I'll show you." I get back in the guard stance and press forward.
She then proceeds to take me apart. She lands all the strikes she didn't last time. I can see why so many Jedi like Soresu. She puts me flat on my ass again, and I'm looking up at the same spot as last time. A smile spreads across my face. I was the best youngling when it came to duels and force prowess, but I'm a piece of paper compared to the storm that is Grandmaster Satele. "How many years have you studied your martial arts, Satele?" That's just another way to say lightsaber forms.
She deactivates her lightsaber, walks up to me again, and helps me up. "I've been studying for over a decade now. I'm a much faster learner when it comes to lightsaber forms. It takes many decades to get where I'm at with multiple forms." Talk about an amazing Jedi. Hopefully, it doesn't take me multiple decades to get where she's at. "You are more talented with the blade than I've seen in a long time. Put that together with your force abilities. I don't think it will be decades before you reach a Master's level." Hearing those words helps the bleak reality of how little I've actually come.
She looks at me with the question if I want to continue. I get back into my position and reignite my lightsaber. She does the same. For the next 5 hours, she absolutely dominates me in sparring. I didn't get a single strike in. I also did no damage while incorporating force techniques like force pull and push. I sit on the ground, exhausted, as she looks completely fine. "I find your determination to get better a great thing Nate, but don't let it control you. It can lead to dark things." I nod my head, and I let my sore body rest.
She walks over and sits beside me. "I think you will make great improvements in the next week, but I want to teach you something that will make it easier to block and parry lightsaber and blaster shots. It's called precognition. It's a way to sense where an attack is coming from next. Get up, and I'll guide you through the process. Your Shii-Cho training will help you with this." I do as she says, and I lift my sore body. I reignite my lightsaber and wait for her instruction. "Now, close your eyes and feel where I'm going to attack. Once you do, try to parry it or block with your eyes closed. This will help refine precognition and not rely on what you see and instead of what you feel." I do as she says, and I close my eyes.
I hold my saber in the Jedi-ready guard and try to feel where the attack is coming from. I get a strong feeling of Zone 2 and side. I make for a block, and my saber blocks Sateles. "Great start Nate. Most don't get it on the first try. Now I'm going to try multiple strikes. Try your best to block them all." I nod my head and keep my eyes closed. I get Zone 3 and side, followed by Zone 2. I block those, and then the next wave comes in. I was able to parry and block three in a row, but she got me on the fourth.
I feel the stinging sensation, just like all the other times she landed a strike. I keep my eyes close. However, I want to get used to this. The next set of attacks come in, and it's only three this time, except I get a feeling of needing to jump, and so I do. "Excellent job." I hear Satele give me praise. "Reckless to jump with your eyes closed, though." I feel her force push me, and I hit the wall hard. I land on the ground and open my eyes.
I take deep breaths, and I lean against the wall. "That's enough for today. If you want to use the practice droids and keep refining precognition, you can. However, I must handle things that require the Grandmaster's attention." She gives me a light bow in respect, and I do the same while I'm sitting. I've got a long way to go, but precognition is very similar to training with the blaster droids on Tython while blindfolded. Instead of blaster bolts to refine Shii-Cho, its lightsaber strikes to refine saber combat. It really is how Satele said.
My body is very sore, but I'm not done training yet. I have much more stamina and durability than all the other younglings back on Tython. I can thank Master Caleb for that. His lessons on force augmentation really helped. I stand up and walk over to the single console in the room and notice that it's the same one you use to order droids for combat training. I input the lessons on defending and parrying. I finish the command, and a single droid pops out of a vent. It unfolds, and it's now taller than me.
It takes out a training saber and gets into a stance. I get into Jedi ready and close my eyes. "Begin!" I yell out the order, and the droid begins to attack me. I use precognition to block and parry. I'm doing a good job until it lands 2 consecutive strikes. It lands a third, the program stops, and I start over. I block and parry four more, but it lands its three strikes and stops. I open my eyes and feel the stinging all over my body. I use force revitalize and take a 10-minute break to recover better. This wasn't taught to younglings. I learned it on my own. After I showed promise with force abilities that improved my body, I was sent to Caleb's classes.
I stand up after 10 minutes, feeling that my body is better, and I get back into Jedi ready and close my eyes. "Begin!" I hear the droid power back up and begin to attack me with a random variation between forms. More difficult, but I make better progress. I continue training for another 4 hours, and I'm now ready for bed after a full 9 hours of training. I exit the training room after sending the droid back and enter my room. Satele isn't here. I take off my clothes and enter the sonic shower and get clean. I get out after I'm cleaned and put my robes back on. I head for my bed and lay on it. I use revitalize before I sleep so I can be ready for training tomorrow.
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