In the weeks that followed. I continued learning and growing in the ways of the Jedi with Derren and Seris, but now that had Barriss joined our group. Together, the three filled each other's gaps and helped keep me grounded in the present.
One day, the younglings gathered for their trials to be formally placed into clans. And consider a Jedi initiate. The Bear Clan, Hawk-Bat Clan, and Kowak Clan.
I stood outside the training chamber with the others, quietly reciting the breathing cadence to calm ourselves. Each one of us was called to the room by ourselves. When I was called in, it was Master Yoda, Plo Koon, and Master Fay.
Seeing Fay was crazy, she was a true beauty, like a High elf from D&D that was placed into this world. "Hello, youngling Cain, are you ready to proceed with your initiate trials?" Plo said.
"Hello, Masters, I am ready to proceed." Yoda nodded. "Good, good, ready we believe you are. Now recite the Jedi code and what it means."
I nodded and composed myself. "Yes, Master. "There is no emotion, there is peace; there is no ignorance, there is knowledge; there is no passion, there is serenity; there is no chaos, there is harmony; there is no death, there is the Force."
I continued ."There is no emotion, there is peace." A Jedi is to master their emotions, not suppress them entirely, to achieve a state of inner peace. "There is no ignorance, there isknowledge." Means we commit to the constant pursuit of knowledge, continuously seeking, understanding, and expanding our awareness rather than accepting ignorance. "There is no passion, there is serenity." It is meant to tell us to control our passions, channeling them into calm and focused action rather than being driven by them. "There is no chaos, there is harmony." Mean's Jedi should seek to create and maintain harmony, promoting balance and unity in the galaxy through their actions. "There is no death, there is the Force." This means to see death as a natural part of the Force, a transformation rather than an absolute end, and not to fear it.
The three Master's paused and listened. Fay was the first one to speak. "That was a great reciting of the Jedi code and explanation. You may go now, youngling Cain." Master Fay gestured with her hand to a door to the other side of the room. I bowed and exited. When I walked to the other side, I saw Barriss, Derren, and Seris on the other side.
Derren smiled. "See, I told you we would make it." Barriss smiled. "Is that why you were hyperventilating earlier, because you were nervous about remembering the Jedi code, or messing it up?" She said, making all of us smile and giggle. "I told you those were advanced breathing exercises Wookie's do," Seris spoke next, surprising everyone the most. "Derren doesn't insult the Wookie's like that. Unless what am I gonna do, what am I gonna do. It is also part of their advanced breathing exercise."
All of our eyes were on Seris with surprise. "What?" Seris said. "You made a joke, Seris." A good one too." Derren said, surprised. "Are you sick or something. Where is the ice princess we know and tolerate?" Then Seris elbowed Derren in the stomach when he got too close to her. Making Derren gasp in a slight pain. Then everyone in the room was gestured to be quiet and listen as Master Plo and Fay walked through the door.
"Now, younglings, pay attention, we shall begin with your next trial," Plo said. Everyone in attendance listened, our attention focused on his every word. "Next will be the trial of self-discipline. You all will make a choice to either saber duel or meditate. If you are going to duel, come to me, or go to Master Fay, should you choose meditation. There is no wrong answer, so choose what you think is best." Seris and Derren went to Plo Koon's group. While Seris went to Fay's group.
The group numbers were uneven. Plo approached me, Derren, and Seris. "Would you three younglings mind dueling each other at the same time?" I looked at Derren and Seris, who looked excited to test themselves, just like we do in our free time. As everyone around us started their own. The three of us ignited our training sabers.
Then, after getting into our first form one stance. We moved fast. I threw a downward strike at Derren. He blocked, and then I turned my strike into a parry as Seris came in for the attack to my side. Then Derren launched a strong strike at me and Seris. We were both on the defensive from his powerful strikes. Seris was the more agile one and dodged and parried, and then threw in fast and precise strikes in between her elegant movements.
Derren would land fast and strong strikes with the occasional block from a joint attack me and Seris would throw towards him. Then the world around us disappeared. I saw how the two moved as the three of us clashed. Their movements became predictable, like I could see them before they attacked. I felt like I knew how to break their momentum as well. Then it happened, I tried to hit Seris from behind while Derren was going for a downward strike.
Seris elegantly moved out of the way as I moved in for a strike. Now I was in the direction of Derren's attack. I parried the powerful downward strike and managed to slide my saber up his and disarm him. That's when Seris made her move. She quickly grabbed Derren's training saber with the Force and began dual-wielding in a Jar'Kai stance.
I thought she looked so damn cool, but I knew she probably had next to no experience in Jar'kai. So I switched to Form 2. Then Seris's assault began. She was quick and precise with her strikes. Whatever state I was in barely allowed me to keep up with her pace. All I could do was block and parry her strikes. Then I recognized her patterns; she kept attacking my side or arms. No hands or legs. Her window for precision went down, since she's probably not used to Jar'kai yet.
I waited for my moment when she left herself open to an attack. Then it happened, a moment later, she overcommitted on a side slash. I saw it coming before she even launched it. That's when I got into her space and deflected the saber strike. She had her other blade coming from the side. I kept pace and went in for a stab strike. As our blades got close to each other, we heard a familiar voice bringing us back. "That's enough."
Serris and I stop inches away from landing a clean strike on each other. The Master Plo spoke again. "You two are finished with your trials." As Seris and I pulled away from each other, I noticed that everyone's eyes were on us. And that me and Seris were covered in sweat. Then, Seris spoke, "Master, are you saying Cain and I failed the trials?" Seris said, panting slightly out of breath and looking tired.
Plo shook his head. "No. You both passed my trial with your lightsaber duels and more. Your display of the Force as you duel was amazing." What do you mean, master, I asked. "He means that as you both dueled, you started to move so fast that you both started to become blurs." I was surprised looking back at Seris, who had a small smile on her face.
Plo then stood in front of Seris. Youngling Seris, where did you learn Jar'kai?" Seris paused for a moment and then spoke. "I saw a Padawan practicing her saber forms, and I started practicing in secret." Plo studied Seris. "Are you interested in learning that Saber style?"
Seris paused, then looked at me. Making me confused. "No, master, I just wanted to throw youngling Cain off in our duel. So I tried, but it didn't work." She said humbly.
I smiled, "What are you talking about? It did work." That made Seri's eyes open slightly wide with surprise. "It did? But you kept up with my strikes?"
"Barely," I said. "I thought you were cool, the way you did all that, like it was flawless." That made Seris ' cheeks blush, and her ears twitch. "I want to learn Jar'kai. I think it's pretty cool. I think we should learn it together."
Seris smile. "I will consider it. Plo nodded to us, telling us we could wait outside the room with him while Master Fay handles the last Trial. We followed, waiting for the last trial to finish. Later in the assembly Hall. A wide, circular chamber, its floor marked with symbols representing the various training clans. One by one, names were called stepped forward to receive their clan assignments.
When my name was called, I stepped forward without fear. "Bear Clan," Yoda declared. I nodded and moved to my group. In between the names called Seris, Derren, and Barriss were put in the same clan as me.
Close to a full year passed since then. The rumors about me started to spread more and more from my achievements. Order members from initiates to council members, across the temple halls, spoke of me. From my small feats, like being able to solve difficult Force telekinesis puzzles. Three at once. I only did that as a dare because Derren egged me on. Some would talk about my maturity and how I acted older than my age. My greatest feat was moving two Muntuur stones from the ground for three minutes. I was aiming for three, but I had a feeling the more I display my abilities, the worse it may be for Anakin when he comes to the order.
So I made sure not to hold back, but not overly display if I don't have to. On a quiet afternoon in the Upper Sparring Hall, I and Seris faced off with training sabers. Our hilts clicked softly, energy blades set to low stun. Barriss sat nearby with Derren, offering subtle commentary.
"She's always trying to be number one," Barriss said. While Derren chuckled. "She's always been like that. But I think Cain helps keep her leveled." Barriss nodded, "I agree."
I stepped into a flowing stance of Makashi, to Soresu. As Seris took a more aggressive hybrid of Form 1 and Form 3. Her strikes were fast and in calculated bursts. This is how our duels would normally go. Sometimes Derren would join us, and all three of us would put on body weights to make the duels harder. When Seris asked why we should do that. I said it's good practical training under harsher conditions, cause we won't always get to decide the conditions of our fights, out there in the galaxy.
Derren would agree with my idea. Today, it was just me wearing the body weights. As we got close to the finish of our duel, that's when he walked in. Jedi Master and the Order's Battle master Cin Drallig.
Beside him was a young Serra Keto, his new padawan. Their presence filled the room. Seris and I continued our duel. While Derren and Barriss were observing the two that just entered. Seris pressed forward, but I countered in a smooth motion of block to parry transition and disarmed her. Then froze mid-motion as I caught the training saber.
That's when Cin's voice echoed through the hall. "You two move very well for ones so young."
Seris and I bowed immediately. "Thank you, Master, me Seris and said in unison. Cin smiled faintly. "I've heard much about you, youngling Cain. I came to see for myself." Serra nodded her head. "Yeah, I've seen his duels with her and the other youngling," Serra said, gesturing to Seris and Derren. They are good duelist and have a lot of potential.
Cin Drallig turned to Serra. " Let's see how you do against the rising Initiates. If's it okay with you both?"
Serra and I nodded with a smile on our faces. "I want to go first, Cain. Is that okay?" I smiled and handed her back her training saber. "All yours," I said. Then Seris stepped into the ring with Serra. Once both were in the ring, they ignited their sabers.
Cin Drallig told them to begin. That's when Serra moved in with her Jar'kai stance. She attacked Seris with a fast flurry of strikes. Seris parried and dodged with ease, at first at least. I noticed, and so did Derren. "Seris can't shift from defense to offense," Derren said. That's when Serra kicked up the pace, and Seris matched her. But she barely had time between parries to send a proper strike back at Serra.
That's when Seris turned a parry into a deflecting motion to strike Serra. But she blocked it with her other blade and disarmed Seris in a single smooth motion. Their duel was sharp, intense, but Serra's experience overwhelmed Seri's. Next, it was my turn to fight. Seris left the ring looking frustrated; she wouldn't even look at me. I put a towel over her head. "Go relax, you were amazing." Seris gave a small nod, and I thought I saw a faint smile as she walked past me.
As I entered the ring, we ignited our training sabers. Then we circled each other. Then our blades touched once. Twice with slightly more force. On the third motion. Then Serra and I exchanged a flurry of strikes. Her two blades to my one. Managed to deflect all her strikes in small control motions. I rushed her with a burst of fast and powerful strikes. She deflected each of my strikes, some better than others. When I went in for a clean strike, she slid underneath past my blade.
She went for a strike on my legs as she slid past me. I managed to flip in the air and barely dodge her. As I landed back on the mat, she was already in my defensive space. As I got ready to defend myself from a strike. She spun in a feint strike and swept my legs. I hit the mat with a hard thud.
I coughed, then saw Serra standing over me. "Do you submit?" I deactivated my saber. "I do." Serra smiled and helped me up. "That was a good duel, I don't know any new Initiates who can fight like you do." I smiled, "Thank you, Padawan Keto. I learned a lot from this."
"Anytime, Cain. I enjoyed this. I hope we can do this more in the future when you become more experienced and pass your padawan trials." I then faced Master Cin Drallig and spoke, "Will you please spar with me, Master Drallig?"
A pause. Serra, Seris, Barriss, and Derren raised an eyebrow and blinked. Cin Drallig smiled. "You're a bold one, youngling Cain. Why do you want to fight me? Do you plan on becoming the Order's next battle master?"
"No master, I would like to test my skills and see how I could improve myself. I can only get better by being defeated and learning from that." I meant what I said, I would rather learn from my failure early, before I get older. Especially if I can avoid losing a limb like Anakin and Luke.
Cin Drallig smiled and nodded as he walked calmly to the center of the ring. "Very well. Come, youngling Cain, and show me what you are capable of."
I took a moment to ground myself. I breathed deep into my core and reached out to the Force. Then a burst a speed moved. My saber clashed with Cin Drallig's. But he didn't move an inch. I sent a flurry of speedy strikes to test his reflexes. Cin just flicked his wrist, parrying with no wasted movements.
I focused mainly on using Makashi. But no matter how strong or faster my strikes were. Nothing broke his defense. I recognized it as form 3. Then I tried something new. I flowed from Makashi to Ataru. I had barely started learning it in secret. The transition was rough and not as smooth as my other hybrid forms of one and two, with small traces of form three.
Every strike I sent through Ataru was blocked like it was nothing. "Whenever you're ready to start beginning youngling, please let me know." Oh, this guy has a sense of humor, I thought. Fine, I will kick it up a notch.
Reaching deeper into the force, I managed to augment my strength, speed, and reflexes. I struck high, low, and spun, and adjusted my footwork as the duel extended, each move learned from my years of study and improvisation.
Cin didn't press. He started to move in smooth, minimal, fluid motions. His blade deflected my strikes effortlessly like water slipping off stone. I tried to read the rhythm of the Cin technique. But I couldn't tell them it at all. Finally, I fucked up truly and overcommitted on a mid-level thrust, and Cin stepped inside my guard. With one clean strike, I tapped my chest.
Then the match was over. "You move and adapt well, youngling Cain. If you keep up the training, you will go far as you get older. You will be an excellent duelist."
As I stood up, catching my breath, and nodded slowly. Cin knelt beside me. " Why do you pick up a lightsaber, youngling?" I met his gaze, my golden eyes burning with conviction. "I want to protect others."
Master Cin Dralleg paused for a moment, then he nodded and spoke, "Then start by mastering yourself first, you will understand more once you start there." I bowed deeply. "Yes, master, thank you for this lesson, and your wisdom."
Later that evening, I replayed the duel in his mind over and over. I wasn't upset; I felt like I was close to awakening something. I just didn't know what. Later in a training chamber, I stood with Seris, Barriss, and Derren.
I recreated Cin's footwork with Seris's help. I broke down Serra's feint, sweeping motions, and different ways to counter them. We walked through how to feel the moment of overextension, how to listen to the Force mid-combat. Thanks to Barriss's insight on staying calm. We found out, Derren is the best at keeping calm under pressure.
When Seris asked how he did it? Derren laughed and said, " Sorry, ice princess, there's nothing to tell. This is just who I am. Maybe if you ask me kindly, saying Oh, great, Derren, please help me, I might consider teaching you a thing or two." Derren said chuckling
Then, in a split second. Seris grabbed Derren from behind. "Uh, Seris, what are you doing?" Derren said, confused and blushing. The Seris Supplex, Derren into the ground. I thought it was beautiful and gave her a thumbs up. While Barriss kneeled over Derren and rubbed his head. I guess these are the little moments I should be enjoying more. I thought.