The Bitter Twist of Dark 1

I waited quietly in a dance stance while the announcer read of who we would each be paired off with. There as a sucking in of breath as both mine and my opponent’s name were called. I looked over to see who I was sparring against and suddenly understood. I had been paired off with a rather unhappy looking young man from the Corellian Star School. One of his friends nudged him and he looked back at me. There was something slightly familiar about his face but I couldn’t place it. The smile he gave me was not a nice one and he made a throat slicing gesture with his finger. I just shrugged. What did he think he could do to me? This was not a tourney and the sparring bouts were to be clean. The purpose of these trials was to test the student’s abilities and skill. He and I were evenly matched as far as levels went. There really was no win or lose, or was there?

I got to watch the first round because I was set for the second. I focused on breathing and trying to center. I was sort of used to doing this in stressful situations; I was pretty sure that being in Lord Vader’s presence counted as a stressful situation. I was aware when the first round of students were finished their trials and felt a strange sense of calm when my name was called.

I took my place in front of my opponent and gave him the traditional greeting, right hand curled over left fist and I bowed. I was aware that he did the same but was also aware that underneath his calm exterior he was angry. I just did not know why.

We had three separate rounds in which to prove our skill with the moves we had learned and to show off all that we had been taught within the parameters allowed. As students in a trial, this was not an offensive match but rather a showcase of our abilities; at least it was supposed to be.

My opponent, a tall, muscular young man about my age called Kiol, was not going to play by the rules and his first move was a fast serpent strike with his right hand. I blocked it and countered. We moved around one another, and continued to dance, attack and counter attack. He kept his temper in check but there was an edge to his moves that made me wary. He was aware of the rules but he wanted to hurt me and I didn’t know why, this wasn’t a tourney and we were not enemies. When the judges were satisfied with the first round they signalled us to stop, take a minute and begin the second part, where the more intricate kicks, leaps and leg moves would be judged.

We bowed and began with me on the offensive this time. I liked the leg moves and kicks, they always reminded me of dance and it was part of the Bunduki Arts I was very good at so I got the better of him, while he was powerful and strong he lacked my agility. Instead of trying to focus on what I would do next he allowed his frustration to get the better of him and broke the rules of trial by completing an illegal hand strike at me. It caught me by surprise as he hit me on the side of my face. When I hit the floor I saw stars.

One of the adjudicators stopped the round then and came over to me asking if I was okay. I nodded, shaking off the buzzing in my ears. I heard the judge tell Kiol he now had a black strike, one more and he would fail his trial, this was not a tourney and the object of this was not to hurt the opponent but to evaluate the skills of the students. Kiol mumbled an apology at me and I nodded back. I could not figure out his reasons for being so mad but put it down to the rivalry between the two schools Makki had mentioned earlier.

The third section of the trial was to test for combinations of moves and defensive-offensive skills. We circled about and he moved first, I could tell the combination he was going for because it was an easy one to spot through the body position. He had been well taught but there was a certain stiffness in his motions as though he had memorized choreography and was not feeling it by heart. I countered easily and moved into a more complex combination that was not generally used or utilised, but I liked the flow of it. It put Kiol off and he was unable to defend his body, had I been fighting for real it would have hurt him, as it was I just put him on his ass. When he got up his anger was visible on his face. He launched a series of moves that were fast and furious, putting me on the defensive quickly. He was very strong and quicker than he looked but he was oddly predictable and I was able to counter each combination he threw at me until he lost his temper and in a surprise move dropped into riding bantha stance then swiftly and then with a spring spin, viciously kicked me in the lower chest sending me backwards onto the floor in pain. The crowd made a collective noise of displeasure and the one of judges watching us sounded the tone to let us know that our match was now over and that Kiol had violated the rules a second time meaning that he would not obtain the right to step up a level, but that I would. I got slowly to my feet and wondered at the pain in my side. It felt as though he had cracked one of my ribs with that last kick. As I turned to walk off the floor he suddenly came at me, grabbing me by the front of my kej-ji’doh. He pulled me as close to his face as he could and hissed.

“This is not over, you witch. We know who you work for and we will have revenge for what was done to us. You will pay for Lord Vader’s arrogance.” He would have said more but someone pulled us apart and he was roughly escorted off the floor. My hands were shaking as I was handed my new kej-ji’doh and I barely noticed that Master Fessi had come down from the bench seats to lead me back to the group I was with.

“What was that all about?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t know but he wasn’t being friends.”

He shook his head. “Bloody school rivalries, I wish they’d stop promoting it. Are you hurt?”

I lied and shook my head. “Just winded.” I said. I thought about telling Master Fessi what Kiol had said but then decided not to, after all lots of people hated Lord Vader and I didn’t want anyone to think I was asking for sympathy.

He patted me on the back. “Well, you do this school and your master proud. Well done ke’ashj Merlyn, you are a most promising student and your Master will be pleased. Now come and sit and watch the others.”

I swallowed the aching pain in the right side of my chest and did as he asked, grateful to stop moving. The others all clapped me on the back or the shoulders in congratulations but I didn’t feel so celebratory. As I had glanced around me I noticed that Kiol and two of his fellow students, who were older and stronger looking, were eying me with such a bitter hatred it made me shudder. This wasn’t over yet, not by a long shot. I just hoped that I could avoid any more arguments with them. I didn’t want to give them more of an excuse to dislike me than they already seemed to do. This was one of the disadvantages of working for Lord Vader.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly and each student from the group I was with passed their trials easily. Only one other student from a different school was not passed for his behaviour and for the most part the rest went on without incident.

I watched with delight as Makki passed his trial and was awarded his white kej-ji’doh. He was a beautiful fighter and I could see why master Fessi had beamed when his student’s name had been called. I wished, at that moment, I would be allowed to train with these other students. I suddenly realised how much I had missed by being taught alone and in private. I made a mental note to ask Master Kjestyll if it would be possible to do so. I was grateful when the master of ceremonies made his speech about how well the first inter-galactic school trials had gone and closed the event. We started to stand up, joke and laugh. Collected our things and prepared to leave the hall. I was in the middle of teasing Makki about something stupid when someone yelled my name.

“Merlyn Gabriel!”

I turned around to see Kiol and the two others flanking him standing with their hands on their hips. Everyone still in the great hall stopped and watched. I was aware that the tension in the room had suddenly tripled. Master Fessi stepped up beside me and I looked up into his face, then back at the three men who faced me.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“You.” Kiol said in a loud clear voice. “I call the Rite of Tet’zais-tjiumei.”

Master Fessi sucked in his breath and the following stillness in the hall was sickening. I turned to him. “What is that?” I asked. I had never heard of it before. While I was slowly learning about the Bunduki Arts and their history from master Kjestyll, this Rite was one I had not been taught yet.

Before Master Fessi could speak Master Kjestyll was at my side. “What is this about ke’ashj Kiol?” he asked. “Are you aware of what you request?”

Kiol pointed at me and said. “She works for the Dark Lord; he is responsible for the death of our father. We will have retribution, we will have revenge and she will pay. I demand the Rite of Tet’zais-tjiumei and you know the rules, once the challenge is laid it cannot be refused.”

I watched as my Master drew a deep slow breath. I could feel his subtle anger and it scared me.

“I am aware of the rules.” He said. “I am also aware that it is forbidden for students to engage in death matches during official trials.”

“The trials are over Master. I will not be denied. Either she fights the Rite of Tet’ or she is punished accordingly.”

“Would someone like to explain some of this to me?” I whispered.

Master Fessi drew me aside as Master Kjestyll called over the other Masters to confer. “The Rite of Tet’zais-tjiumei is a rare challenge usually only given in the direst of circumstances. It is a fight between two combatants to the death. It was only ever used as a last resort when all other avenues of resolving an issue or grievance had been exhausted. Once the challenge has been issued it must be followed through or the one being challenged can walk away but in doing so you also walk away from further training. You would be considered Ash’nej, shunned, and no one from the Bunduki schools would be allowed to ever teach you or speak to you again. You would be banished from our grace and in doing so you would bring about much dishonour to your master.”

“Some choices.” I said softly.

He nodded, “The rules are this way so that the Rite of Tet’ would not be used lightly. This incident is far more unusual than you will ever know.” He sighed. “There’s more. He will have the right to choose someone to fight for him because he is of a lesser level, a lesser strength than you. He can choose someone of a higher level than you even and there is nothing we can do to prevent this. You then get to choose the weapons. In a death match weapons are allowed. The fight ends when one dies.”

“These rules are insane.” I hissed

He nodded, “They are very old, from a time when life was very different.”

I rubbed at my forehead and looked around at the group of scared looks on faces of the new friends I had made today. Now I understood why Kiol had acted so badly during our trial, he had not wanted to obtain a new level, he had wanted to stay behind.

“Why do these things only ever happen to me?” I asked as Master Kjestyll came to my side. I hoped I didn’t sound as worried as I felt.

“Your path is, indeed, a difficult one.” He remarked. “I cannot tell you which way to walk, child but the other masters and I have talked and unfortunately ke’ashj Kiol has the right to do what he has done. This challenge has been laid and must be answered.” He said. The sadness in his voice made me ache.

“Then I accept, I will not have Master Kjestyll’s name dishonoured. I am not afraid to die.” I said loudly enough for everyone to hear. I sounded braver than I felt.

Kiol grinned nastily. “I call the right to have someone fight in my stead. My brother Riori has agreed to do this.” A taller, more powerfully built man, probably three or four years older than me stepped forward. One of the two Kiol had been standing with. I looked from one to the other now that I was aware of it, I saw the family resemblance. Admiral Griff’s sons.

Master Fessi drew a deep breath. “Unacceptable, ke’ashj Riori is level eight and the match will be far too uneven.”

“It is my right to pick whom I choose. If she is not up to the fight then she can step down!” he shouted.

“I can fight in your stead.” Master Kjestyll told me. “You are still my student and I am considered responsible for you, I can take the burden for you as the match would be uneven.”

“He can,” Kiol said, “but what he doesn’t tell you is that this would disgrace you both.”

I was starting to get cross. That slow burning anger that simmered in my gut was making itself known. I forced it down. Now was not the time to get angry. I needed to be clear headed. “Fine, fine! I accept the challenge and I accept the substitute combatant but I get to choose the weapons, yes?”

Everyone nodded.

“Combat staves.” I said and there was a collective sucking in of breath.

“I protest!” shouted Kiol.

I smiled. I knew from long talks with Master Kjestyll that the Bunduki arts concentrated on a weaponless style of combat, this is what made it so deadly. Most students did not learn how to fight with weapons unless they branched off into some of the more elite training styles that also taught weapon use. More often than not most students who wanted to learn these elite styles went to swords, it was flashier. Combat staff training was considered archaic and was not often taught. I had been playing with fighting staves for a very long time, they had been Jyrki’s weapon of choice and he had taught me well. I took it from the general reaction that my choice was very unusual. It was the first time since this whole nasty affair had begun that I felt I had an advantage. It wasn’t much. My side ached with what I was sure was a cracked rib and Riori was not just two levels more experienced than me, but also much larger and stronger physically. This was not going to be fun.

“You can protest all you want ke’ashj Kiol, it is you who have called the Rite of Tet’ and you have requested we all abide by the rules, so then must you. It is her right and she has asked for combat staves. These weapons will be provided and examined by a neutral parties, masters Anadiav and Oskarii have agreed to do this as and act as watchers for the Tet’ match.”

I looked at the two Bunduki Masters who had offered to play chaperone, neither were from the either of the schools involved in this fight. “Do I get time to get ready?” I asked.

“Yes, we begin in an hour from now.” Master Kjestyll said. “Master Fessi will take you to a place where you can prepare and meditate. I will join you in a moment. I must confer with the others about this. This is most unusual.”

I nodded and did not resist Master Fessi’s touch as he led me off to a quiet room off the main hall.

I looked at the Zabraki Master. “Why is this happening? How did this get so complicated?” I asked as he gave me a nutrient bar and handed me a cup of juice.

“I do not know. The Rite of Tet’ has not been used in many decades. It is considered barbaric and out of touch. It was a very old method of sorting out conflicts between two individuals. It was created by the original Followers of Palawa many centuries ago. These boys, they want revenge for something the man you work for supposedly did to their families. They know they could never even hope to come close to Lord Vader and you are, in their eyes, an easy mark. They do not understand that this solves nothing.” He sighed. “You need to concentrated and center.” He told me. “This is not a trial test; this is a fight to the death. Do not focus on the negative or the why. Be the stillness.” He said and I did as he suggested and knelt down to meditate. I heard rather than saw Master Kjestyll enter the room and heard Master Fessi leave. I looked up at my Master and our eyes met.

“I am sorry.” He said. “This should not be happening.”

I shook my head. “I seem to attract the lunatics. It’s as if I am a magnet for insane behaviour and bad things.”

He nodded then said. “Listen to me carefully. This boy you fight is very good, but he does not have the variety of training you have had and he has never sparred with anyone on the level of Lord Vader. He will not think creatively, he is not a dancer. In this fight you may use everything you have to survive within the few rules there are. Now, that being said I will tell you this, you are capable of winning, but you must kill him or else you forfeit everything.” He paused then said slowly, carefully. “If you want to walk away, you may and I shall accept that and all it entails. I will not force you to do something your heart will not allow you to do. Do you understand?”

I nodded. “I do.” I said but I wasn’t so sure. I did not want to be killed or to kill anyone, least of all someone I didn’t know over something I had nothing to do with.

“Meditate, center and find your stillness.” He said as he began to put pressure on certain points on my back, releasing the stress and the terrible fear I was starting to feel. I did as he said and delved deep into my center, hoping I would make it through this latest bit of idiocy in one piece.