Way of the Guardian: Chapter 5
"Begin!"
No sooner had the word escaped Nemo's mouth than Bandon immediately dashed forward, closing the gap between him and his opponent within a mere second.
Yet in spite of this aggressive assault towards him, the unnamed Padawan made no immediate response. He waited silently at his corner of the arena as the overzealous student came charging at him, neither moving to defend or avoid.
Bandon was quick to believe that he had gotten the jump on his counterpart, and would not waste the opportunity.
The enigmatic Padawan knew better…
And so did Kai…
With uncontrolled aggression, Bandon's blade slashed down upon his counterpart with all the force his arms could muster, determined to show his superiority, and perhaps break a few bones in the process.
In that moment just before the vibroblade landed, every watching Padawan was certain that the first match would go to Bandon.
However, only two among them knew exactly why.
The two combatants stood silently together for a moment. And indeed, Bandon's blade had reached its target.
"Contact," Nemo immediately called out.
Mical looked back up to his older friend, feeling vindicated in his assumption of how this fight would transpire. "See? Bandon is stronger than you believe."
"I have no doubt that he is strong, Mical," Kai quickly responded, a monotone expression upon his face as he stood with his arms crossed, "but, remember what I said about the difference between strong attacks and controlled attacks?"
The youngling gave Lugo a slanted look then, not sure what he was hinting at.
The young Guardian indicated back towards the platform with a small nod. "Look closer…"
Turning back towards the combatants, Mical stared upon the pair with a furrowed brow, trying to deduce Kai's meaning.
For several moments, the young Padawan gazed at the scene. …Nothing… seemed unique about what happened. So what was Kai talking…?
…
It was then that the young boy was finally able to see it, as several other Padawans came to see it.
As Bandon finally came to see it as he stood there with his opponent, who remained unstirred as the sword touched ever slightly against his left shoulder.
Nearly no one else had noticed at first, not even Bandon, but against the attack that would have caused a welt upon his arm, and even likely would have broken it, the unnamed Padawan had countered, holding his sword single-handedly against Bandon's, and having deterred nearly all the momentum of the attack, only to let it barely nudge him in the arm without so much as causing him to flinch.
Bandon's attack had made contact, as Nemo had stated, but it was only because his opponent had allowed it…
They both knew it…
Angered flared within Bandon's eyes, to which his opponent responded with a mocking smile. "First round is yours, Bandon…"
With an elaborate gesture, the unnamed Padawan pushed the vibroblade away from his arm as if he was brushing away a bug that had landed upon his robe.
Burning with aggression, the quick-tempered Bandon prepared to bring his blade back around for another strike.
"Step away from him, Bandon," Nemo called out, gaining the Padawan's attention in time to stop him from retaliating.
Bringing his blade to rest at his side, Bandon took a moment to stare down his opponent, as though he were contemplating his next attack, or simply thinking of ways to hurt him. Either way, he was determined to get his way next time…
Complying with the rules, Bandon stepped away from his counterpart and immediately brought his weapon at the ready again, while the other competitor simply stood as he had before, with his blade resting comfortably within his right hand.
"I don't understand," Mical whispered quietly to Kai, still confused by what he had seen. "If he could have stopped or avoided the attack, why didn't he?"
Kai remained staring forward, seeming more drawn into the combat exercise than most of the other Padawans. It appeared at though he had been correct in his assessments of the unnamed Padawan. What little the combatant had done so far was enough to reveal his deep level of understanding and ability in combat. And that he was cocky too…
"Begin," Nemo called out after counting off the seconds.
This time, however, Bandon was not so reckless. Rather than once again dashing forward in the hopes of catching his opponent off guard, the Padawan stood his ground and stared upon his counterpart, showing an ability to control his aggressive impulses to some degree at least, if only to prevent him from charging blindly.
"What's the matter, Bandon?" the unnamed Padawan call out mockingly, "Your last attack seemed to work to your favor…. Why the change in strategy?"
"Shut it…" Bandon replied, the waver in his voice hinting at him being on the edge of losing what little control he had.
Slowly, the enraged Padawan moved to engage his opponent, beginning his approach by moving to encircle his combatant to the right. Rather than again remaining stationary, the unnamed student began to move in the same circular motion, meeting Bandon's movements step for step, yet with more control and calmness visible in his movements.
The scene was a familiar one to Kai: two combatants moving in a circle. Almost every time he had faced off against Master Kavar he had found himself falling into the same motion, as though by instinct. The dance of predators, as Kavar often referred to it as, where each was looking to make the other there prey without becoming one in the process.
And while Bandon may still have thought himself the predator, even he now realized that he may have underestimated his prey. And he was intent on not doing so again.
As Bandon came in for the strike, he moved this time with trained precision, his blade slashing at an angle. And this time, his opponent met his attack with one of his own, sending the deep ring of metal on metal echoing outward.
Bandon did not hesitate to follow up his first attack with several more consecutive ones, each time his weapon being met with his opponent's own.
Mical continued to stare onward, still believing, despite what had happened in the first round, that this was a competition between equal opponents. His older friend knew better.
Kai still saw that Bandon's opponent was not taking the matter seriously, his stance loose in form with still only his right hand upon the hilt of his weapon, which he used sparingly. But then again, from the way Bandon was attacking, Lugo admitted he probably would handle himself the same way were it him on the platform instead.
Bandon's attacks, as constant and power-driven as they were, were also predictable, as was his apparent strategy of trying to force his opponent into a corner. While his attacks were meant to keep his opponent on the defensive, he constantly moved to the left and right, blocking off any means of retreat.
At least, that was what he was attempting to do…
Even from a distance, the holes in Bandon's attacks and maneuvers were clear to Kai. And yet for some reason the unnamed Padawan made no move to take advantage of this, as though he had no intention of escaping the ploy.
It did not take long for Bandon to finally place his opponent at the corner of the ring, leaving no means of retreat. The unnamed youth quickly looked behind him as if just noticing that he had been backed onto the edge of the platform.
A dark smile formed on the Bandon's lips then, convinced that this round was his. With enough force behind it to impale cloth and flesh, his blade lunged forward at his cornered prey.
Several onlookers, including the watchful knight, saw the intent behind Bandon's attack, but none had time to respond…
…
Except for his opponent…
With eyes and senses keened by rigorous training and raw talent, the unnamed Padawan knocked the oncoming weapon to his left side, not enough so to cause the blade to fly from Bandon's grasp, but just enough so that it slid smoothly into his waiting palm…
Several breaths gasped and murmured in shock of the sight as control of the situation had completely shifted within that instant. Even Bandon's eyes bulged in shock as his opponent tightly grasped the end of his weapon, stripping him of all control he had over the blade.
It took a moment even for Nemo to realize what had happened, just as surprised as every other onlooker within the chamber by the scene.
Well… almost every other…
Taking a moment to re-center himself, the elder knight reassumed his role. "Contact…"
And indeed, it was Bandon's weapon again that touched the flesh of his opponent, though no one present felt it just to credit him for his victory.
Even little Mical now saw the truth of the match, and it caused his brow to furrow in confusion. "Why is he doing this? He could have easily won both matches. Why is he messing around?"
"Because he's arrogant and cocky, for one," Kai quietly whispered back as he kept his eyes on the match, seeming not as impressed with the unnamed Padawan's performance, and it was a performance, as the other onlookers. "And also… I think he is trying to teach Bandon a lesson about control… and to show him what little he has…"
"Huh?" the youngling's confused expression turned upon his older friend, who respectfully met his gaze. "What do you mean 'a lesson about control'?"
"Remember what I said about acting stronger than you really are? About knowing the limits of your ability to control?" Kai lightly nodded in the direction of the arena. "Bandon is being taught the same lesson the hard way."
"But Bandon is strong… stronger than many of the students. I've seen him win these exercises several times."
"Perhaps so, but what little control his ego may have granted isn't help him now."
As Mical looked back upon the competitors, now having broken apart and stepped away from eachother, he could see the validity of Kai's words.
Bandon's anger and hatred now seemed to almost take shape, as the Padawan's hands grasped his weapon so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his teeth gritted and eyes burning with rage, giving him an extremely feral persona, like a beast lost in bloodlust.
Despite this though, it was still the unnamed one that acquired the young Guardian's attention. Even with Bandon's hatred and desire to cause pain focused so strongly upon him, the Padawan remained indifferent in his expression and posture, as though he had expected as much.
Admittedly Kai had no idea as to the intentions of this apparent 'Protégé'. And while he had stated otherwise, he doubted it had anything to do with Bandon. A lesson in the dangers of arrogance and ego was not something this cocky Padawan could teach. In the end, Lugo found himself wondering if these two combatants were actually alike in that sense, and that maybe it was only their levels of skill that divided them…
"Well done, Bandon…" the unnamed student called out with a smile as he tossed the end of the blade away. "One more successful attack, and the match will be yours…"
"Shut up… just shut up!" Bandon yelled out, barely seeming able to prevent himself from charging forward in a maddened rage.
"That's enough, Bandon," Nemo called out. A part of the knight knew that perhaps he should end the match right then, before the situation grew dire. But again he hesitated. After all, he was meant only to give council in such situations so long as they were under control. Despite what little control there was…
As silence fell upon the room, many of the onlookers held their breaths as they waited for the knight's initiation.
…
…
…
"Begin-"
It was as though Nemo's voice broke through the last wall of self-awareness within Bandon's mind. Blinded by anger and rage, the Padawan sprung forth like a pouncing feline. It was not the desire to catch his opponent off guard that made him react as such. He wanted to hurt this one. He needed to hurt him…
It took less than a second for Bandon to reach the other side of the platform where the unnamed Padawan stood. Many of those students watching found themselves so overwhelmed by Bandon's ferocity and madness that they would have been unable to respond had it been them standing in the arena against him.
But none of them had had the same training as Bandon's opponent.
With his sword held high, Bandon fell upon his victim, slashing his weapon downward with enough force to easily crack a human skull, and completely oblivious to the illegality and consequences of such an attack. Nemo did not even have enough time to yell out for Bandon to stop, let alone intervene.
It was an attack that was meant to kill, and for the first time since the match had started, Kai saw the Protégé become serious.
In an elaborate but controlled technique, the unnamed Padawan spun down and to the left of the oncoming attack, his arm trailing behind him as he finally brought his weapon to bear against Bandon, knocking his right foot out from under him.
Overpowered by his own momentum, Bandon fell forward, tumbling over himself as he fell off the edge of the platform, forcing the audience to scramble left and right as he landed hard on the ground.
"A pity…" the unnamed Padawan mumbled to himself a he slowly walked over the far side of the arena, hanging his head as though he had hoped for better.
The match was over…
All around, voices murmured in shock and disbelief at the realization that Bandon, who had stood so proudly among them as the victor, had been defeated with relative ease.
"I don't believe it…" Mical muttered, dumbfounded by what he had seen. Again he turned to Kai for confirmation. "He defeated Bandon… as if he were-"
Kai's eyes suddenly became wide with distress and Mical quickly followed his friend's gaze to its target.
Bandon rapidly pulled himself back up onto the platform and charged in a crazed rush at the unnamed Padawan's turned back, madness in his eyes and blade at the ready. "I won't let it end like this!"
He closed the distance between him and his opponent, driven by nothing more than hatred and the urge to kill.
And in that bare instant just before the blade met his flesh and cut with sheer force through bone and sinew, the unnamed Padawan struck back, pointing his open palm right into Bandon's chest.
Everyone within the chamber felt the power erupt from the Padawan as he sent Bandon's body flying through the air in the other direction, smashing him into the far wall and then plummeting back onto the ground.
This time, he did not get up…
- - -
"We should detain him immediately," Master Vrook stated with so much surety in his voice as though he believed there to be no other choice in the matter. "He is obviously far more dangerous than we were led to believe…"
"Detaining him now would serve no purpose, Vrook, and may only raise his suspicions, if not confuse him completely." Vandar calmly responded, overlooking the implications made on Master Quatra, and possibly him as well. "This is not something we can answer with brash decisions."
"I agree," Zhar interjected, "We do not know the nature of what… that echo was. We must learn more before we take any direct action upon the Padawan, lest we risk more than we know."
"We already know what is at risk," Vrook countered, seeming almost surprised that he had to defend himself. "When that… ripple appeared, did you not feel it? The Force… it shared in its pain…"
A deep unsettlement appeared within the elderly Jedi's eyes then. "And, for the first time in a long time… I found it… difficult to see…"
Neither Vandar nor Zhar were quick to respond, as they both knew of what he spoke of.
When that wave of pain and anguished had reached them, they had managed to avoid sharing in its suffering. However the Force, and all its connections to the world around them, had not been spared.
That which they saw became twisted and distorted, like eyes blurred by tears…
That which they felt became cold and black, as if all warmth had been stripped away…
And that which they heard became like a whisper beneath the wailing of madness…
It had been only for a moment, but that moment had left its mark…
"We are his teachers, Master Vrook, not his jailers, and certainly not his judges," Vandar finally responded, looking upon the human with absolution in his eyes. "No action is to be taken against Kai until the council has convened and decided as one…"
"Very well…" Vrook responded in a low grunt, obviously unpleased with the decision.
- - -
A heavy silence had fallen upon the crowd of students for the last ten minutes or so as the pair of medical droids loaded the unconscious Bandon onto the hovering stretcher and examined his injuries, with Nemo standing by overlooking the scene.
All the while, the unnamed Padawan sat quietly on the edge of the arena platform, watching the scene indifferently.
One of the droids eventually turned upon the Knight after finishing its examination. "No critical injuries, Jedi Nemo. Major concussion detected, along with minor epidermal bruising and lacerations. Request transporting the patient to the medical wing for rest and further medical surveillance."
"Very well… I shall accompany you..."
Immediately the droids disembarked from the training grounds with Bandon in toe.
And as if just noticing the crowd of students about him, Nemo turned upon the Padawans "Everyone, I have to go with Bandon to the infirmary now. Your training sessions are to continue as though I was still here. However, no lightsabers are to be used in my absence. And no training duels either."
Nemo then looked rather pointedly in the enigmatic Padawan's direction, who remained passive in his expression as though feeling no sense of guilt in the matter. After all, Bandon had attacked him...
Before Nemo left, however, he happened to notice the white-robed Echani still practicing silently within a corner of the room, and remembered hearing that she had acquired the rank of Knight, despite still being so young. And while that technically qualified her for overseeing the training exercises of the Padawans, Nemo decided it best not to confront her about it. During all that happened, never once had she turned an eye of concern, as if too enwrapped in her own practice to pay heed to the other students. Or perhaps she simply did not care...
Either way, Nemo left without approaching her, and slowly the students began to return to their exercises.
'Do you think that Bandon's alright?" Young Mical asked as he and Kai began to slowly walk about the training grounds, neither of them really being anxious to return to their own exercises and none paying them any particular notice.
"I doubt he is enjoying himself right now," Lugo replied, his gaze hanging low as he was preoccupied with other thoughts.
"I've never seen that before..." the youngling muttered mostly to himself. "I'm mean... I've seen some of the Jedi use the Force to push and pull blocks and things, and Master Vandar once lifted this big ship for us to see! But... I've never seen the Force used so..."
"-Aggressively against another person?" Kai finished for the young one, nodding ever slightly. "It is not something I have seen often either. Padawans are not trained in such techniques."
"Then..." Mical turned about to look in the unnamed Padawan's direction, who still sat on the edge of the arena, looking about the other students as if expecting something to happen, or looking for some one. "Why does he know?"
"Not sure," Kai answered with a shrug of his shoulders, refusing to turn around and look as well. "Bandon did call him a Protégé. Maybe he's been trained in such things."
Kai was certain of it, and much more...
"Listen Mical," Lugo turned and knelt down to come to eye level with the young boy. "I... think I'm just going to call it a day today..."
"What? Why?" Mical protested, "I thought we were going to practice."
"I know... I've just..." Kai paused, unsure of how he should explain himself. "I... have a lot to think about is all..."
Mical did not appreciate such an answer, puffing up his cheeks and whining loudly.
"Oh, come on..." Kai muttered as he lightly flicked the young boy between his eyes, causing Mical to grab at his forehead. "Don't look at me like that. I'll be here tomorrow, and we'll practice twice as long then. Ok?"
"Fine..." Mical mumbled as he diverted his eyes, depressed at the thought of having to practice by himself.
Knowing that was about as good as an acceptance as he was going to get out of the kid, Kai lightly ran his hand through the child's blond hair, messing it up a little, then got up to leave.
As he made his way to the exit, the young Guardian looked upon the students that he passed, noticing that many of them seemed to be taking their combat practices just a tad more seriously, as thought the whole affair had made them realize the importance of what they were doing, despite the simplicity of the exercises, or the disdainful way the matter had ended.
Inspiration comes from wherever one chooses to find it, Kai silently thought.
It reminded him of the reasons he chose the path of a Guardian: because fighting had always been what he did best.
A voice suddenly overpowered Kai's thoughts as it rang out above the commotion of the students. And immediately, he knew it was addressing him.
"You're not leaving yet."
The racket of the students quickly died down into nothing, and again all eyes in the room fell upon the voices owner, and the one for whom the voice had been directed at.
Slowly, Kai turned about to face the voice's owner, knowing that he would be staring right back at him.
"We still have one more match before the day's end," the unnamed Padawan called out, now standing near the center of the platform, and looking Kai straight in the eye despite the distance between them. In an elaborate motion, the Padawan brought his vibroblade out in front of him, aiming in straight within the young Guardian's direction.
"Come, my fellow offworlder," he spoke like a bad actor on a two-credit holovid. "Let us see the finesse of a true warrior."
- - -
Having reached halfway back to the Enclave, Quatra continued at her pace, knowing that the sooner she got back the better. She could already imagine that Kai had been detained and locked within his quarters by now, scared and confused with no clue as to why he was being treated in such a way.
The young Master knew that, despite the students having been unable to feel whatever it was that Kai had unleashed upon the Force, the other Masters would not overlook the potential danger he could pose.
And he was a danger, Quatra realized this now.
In a mere instant the Padawan had managed to incapacitate her entire class, bringing them pain and agony on a level few of them could have truly understood.
But why? Why did his will, his pain echo throughout the Force? What was it about him that birthed this… unnatural ability? And why was he unaware of it?
She had no answers. And with no answers, what could she hope to do for him? How could she convince the other Council Members not to take measures against him?
She did not know.
She started walking faster…
- - -
For a moment, Kai stood there in silence, staring back at the brazen Padawan, a visible disdain upon his expression while the unnamed student kept his snide smile. It was the exact same situation he had found himself in with Bandon less than twenty minutes ago, and just like then he wanted none of it.
"I'm not interested," the young Guardian finally responded. "Besides, the knight said no more matches."
Not that Kai particularly cared what the elderly Jedi had prohibited, though he did not wish to draw any attention from the Masters by his actions. Mostly, he simply had no desire to submit to this student's will.
"He had forbidden us from carrying out any more training duels," the unnamed Padawan clarified. "But I thinks it's safe to assume that such a competition would do neither of us justice. So what I am proposing will be an all-out combat match."
The muffled voices that filled the crowds of Padawans grew louder, many sounding shocked or even excited by the idea.
Kai was neither.
Among the menagerie of Padawans, little Mical stood about his peers, having decided to join a group as they went about practicing their stances, and now standing in silent observation with the rest.
"I'm willing to keep the rules about three-hits and falling out of the arena," the unnamed Padawan continued, "but with no restrictions on attacks, nor on the use of Force powers."
Kai had had enough of this. He still did not understand what interest this Jedi Protégé had in him, and was not about to concede to his desires, despite how much a part of him would like to wipe that cocky smirk from his face. "I'll say it again. I'm not interested."
"Despite the fact that I don't believe you," the Padawan quickly countered as if having expected Lugo's resistance. "I also don't believe you have much of a choice in the matter."
Kai arched an eyebrow.
"After all, I did take care of Bandon for you. And I doubt he will be waking up anytime soon..."
The raven-haired teenager's expression suddenly became very dark. Was he insinuating that he had fought and incapacitated Bandon for…? Had he predicted all of this? "You can't expect me to believe that you-"
"-He attacked me and I defended myself," the unnamed student quickly countered. "Had it been you fighting him, you would have had to have dealt with him in a similar manner."
"I wouldn't have pushed him as far."
"Perhaps not," the Protégé remarked as though it was irrelevant. "But right now, I'm sure that it is no longer you he holds a grudge against. If nothing else, you owe me for that."
"I never asked for your help."
"And your young friend never asked for yours…"
To that, the young Guardian found he had no response. Though he hated to admit to himself, a part of him did perhaps feel indebted to this cocky Padawan for dealing with Bandon, who Kai imagined would not have left him alone even had he willingly lost against him.
And still the question remained. "Why do you desire to fight me?"
The snide smile lessened within the unnamed Padawan's expression, now accented with a sincere gaze, and Kai now knew there was a reason. It was not out of arrogance or ego or anything superficial. There was a reason.
And perhaps in the most serious tone Kai had heard from the enigmatic student, he answered. "Because I'm interested…"
"In what?"
The Padawan's brown eyes sharpened ever slightly. "Many things…"
Again the pair of teenage boy's found themselves staring at one another, though this time Kai found himself reconsidering his opinion on the enigmatic Padawan, or rather adding to it.
Yes, he was cocky: cocky, and arrogant, and manipulative. But he was also inquisitive, and tempered, and driven by a will that stemmed from more than ego.
In short, perhaps he was a level above Bandon…
Without saying a word, Kai slowly started to approach the arena once again, and the auburn-haired Padawan found his snide smile once again.
"Before we begin…" the unnamed student quickly called out before Kai reached the platform, causing him to pause. "Your not going to need your lightsaber… please give it to someone for safe-keeping."
Kai was left a bit dumb-founded. How could he have deduced that the young Guardian was carrying a weapon? He kept it sheathed on his back underneath his robe in order to avoid… attracting attention. Ironically it seemed that he had gained the focus of his peers regardless.
"Mical…" The young boy tensed up as his name rung out, along with Kai's gaze falling upon him, it quickly being accompanied by several dozen others. "Please come here…"
Attempting to place the discomfort he felt from such attention out of his mind, the youngling slowly made his way across the grounds towards his older friend.
As the child came to stand before him, Kai, almost seeming shamed as he looked upon his friend, slowly reached behind his back beneath his cloak. "I'm… sorry, Mical."
Was he apologizing for having forsaken their training session and then choosing to fight with another? By the way he said it, Mical almost felt as though Kai was apologizing for something much worse. But as what that could be, the young boy did not know.
"Could you please hold onto this?"
As Lugo's hand reappeared from beneath his robe, nearly all watching eyes within the room, spare those of the auburn-haired Padawan who knew what to expect, went wide, accompanied by shocked murmuring and gasping at the sight of the weapon: a double-bladed lightsaber.
Calmly, Kai held the weapon lightly for the young boy to take. Mical, just as much surprised by the sight of the weapon that's length was easily twice as long as that of his own lightsaber, held both of his shaking hands out to receive the weapon.
"Don't activate it," the young Guardian warned as he calmly placed the weapon within the child's hands.
"I would follow your friend's advice, young one" the unnamed Padawan mocked as Lugo turned back upon him. "For those who are not intensely trained in such a weapon's use, you're likely to cut yourself in half as soon as the beams ignite."
Though his words did unnerve the child, his shaking starting to intensify, Kai quickly placed a comforting hand on the youngling's shoulder to calm him. "Control, Mical…"
At the sound of his friend's words, young Mical breathed deeply to calm himself, and just as quickly as it started did the shakes disappear from his hands. With steady motion, the young Padawan brought the weapon to his side, making sure to place his fingers away from the activation buttons.
A slight chuckle escaped the enigmatic student's lips as Kai calmly started to climb up the side of the platform. "Well done. You might have the makings of a teacher or leader about you."
Kai's expression remained indifferent as he met the Padawan's gaze after reaching the top of the arena.
"Do you know that it is believed that Exar Kun was the first Jedi to ever use a double-bladed lightsaber," the unnamed student continued as Kai slowly moved towards where Bandon's former vibroblade now laid. "At first, the Council condemned such a weapon, saying that the only value it had was 'more kills per swing', and naming it a Sith lightsaber. And indeed, there is something… dark about it, isn't there?"
He paused as if expecting the young Guardian to give confirmation.
"The commonality of single-blade wielders has created an image of just that… the common Jedi: a single-lightsaber, Force-pushing, robe-wearing warrior… Not to say that such Jedi do not deserve respect for their strengths and abilities."
Kai slowly bent down and picked up the sword beneath him, still not taking his eyes off his soon-to-be opponent.
"But it is the unique… the uncommon, and even the bizarre that catches the eye and attention of those around us." The enigmatic Padawan spoke with a strong zest in his words, as though he were preaching his personal philosophy. "Those that are unique, those that have strengths that are lacked by their peers… They are the leaders we follow… the Masters we praise… and the monsters we fear…"
"So what?" Kai finally responded as though annoyed by the earful he was getting. "Are you calling me special… or a monster?"
"Well…" the unnamed Padawan elaborately shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't be interested if you were just that… Their might be more, but I can't say for certain... Not yet, at least. But than again, I know that if you were a common Padawan you would not be trained in the arts of dual-blades."
"I could say the same about you … Protégé…" With that, Kai spun the sword about in his grasp and quickly tossed it at the Padawan. With an ease that only comes from arduous training in ambidextrous techniques, the auburn-haired Padawan shot his left hand outward and caught the hilt of the weapon in mid-air, never taking his brown-eyes away from the green ones that met him as he brought the blade the rest at his side.
The room became deafly quiet then, filled with shocked expressions.
"You have a sharp eye…" the unnamed Padawan commented.
Kai nodded towards his right in the direction of a weapon stand up against the wall. On this particular stand rested a weapon that had gained dust over the several years it had laid in disuse. "Do you mind?"
"My pleasure…" the unnamed Padawan responded as he raised a hand in the direction of the stand.
For a moment, the weapon simply shook in place before it suddenly jumped from its resting point and launched like a spear in the raven-haired Padawan's direction.
Many of the onlookers jumped and yelled in shock and fear in that moment they realized that the weapon was aimed directly at Lugo's head.
And like a chorus, the yells reached their peek just before the moment the double-bladed vibrostaff made contact. It was in that moment that Kai dropped downward, simultaneously reaching up with his left hand and catching the bladed staff by its center hilt as it passed overhead. And also, he never took his eyes off those of his opponent.
Mical watched his friend from among the crowd, shaken by Kai's ability, and more so by how different he seemed. His usually compassionate eyes had become cold, sharp, and dangerous, all of which seemed emphasized by the deadliness of the weapon he now held with such ease and familiarity, and his stance: knelt down with his free hand on the ground, like a beast ready to pounce.
Stranger still, the young Guardian was smiling as though amused by the attempt on his life.
"Your aim must have been off…" Kai sarcastically remarked as he slowly rose from where he knelt.
The enigmatic student continued to smile. "Good thing you were able to dodge it then…"
"Indeed…" With weapon now in hand, Kai walked over to the far corner of the arena opposite his opponent.
Silence fell amongst the crowd of students as the two combatants stood at their respective points, all within the room feeling the rising flame of the coming conflict about to clash between the Protégé and this unknown Padawan they had only noticed in passing in his conflicts with Bandon and while he trained with the blonde-haired youngling, and who now suddenly began to radiate with a prowess and control he had never revealed before. And all but two of those watching did not even know who he was…
"I'm Kai Lugo, if you desired to know," the young Guardian remarked with a bow of his head as if just remembering his manners.
"Yes, I know who you are," the auburn-haired Padawan responded, "I've known since nearly… well, your first little skirmish with Bandon…"
Kai arched an eyebrow slightly for a moment, noticing the pause within his counterpart's words, as if he was about to say something else, but quickly disregarded it as meaningless. "Is that so… then would you grant me the same courtesy before we begin, or are you so far beyond everyone else to even have need of a name...?"
"Unfortunately, no…" In an elaborate posture, the unnamed Padawan lowered his head and bowed at the waist, one armed crossing his chest, the other held out far to his side. "I am Revan…"
…
He spoke his name as though it wielded great power in itself. And while Kai, who had had no name for the better part of his life so far, knew what value a name could have to others as well as one's self, he could almost sense a great weight within this Padawan's name, as though it would mean more than his ever would. Whether that was a good thing or bad, or simply his imagination, the young Guardian could not tell…
"Then well met, Revan…" Kai calmly responded as he flourished the vibrostaff about him before bringing it to rest in front of him with only his left hand upon it. "Shall we begin…?"
"As you wish…" Revan calmly responded, elaborately spinning both his blades about as he fell within his stance, this time facing his opponent and knowing him to be a true predator…
But then so was he…