On the fringes of the Outer Rim territories and famous for being the one-time location of the Rebel Alliance, Hoth is a frigid world marred with fissures created from the tidal pull of Hoth’s three moons. Blanketed in a frozen ocean, massive oceanic currents beneath the southern hemisphere are the cause of constant seismic activities that result in a constantly shifting landscape of tunnels and caves.

Buried into the side of a fissure reaching hundreds of meters into the core of the planet is a network of tunnels leading into a cave. Its sole entrance is suspended within the wall of the fissure, requiring one to rappel down the dangerous crevasse and into the tunnels; one small miscalculation could send explorers descending the rest of the unmeasured height deep within the planet’s core.

Insulated under several hundred meters of ice in all directions, the cave is protected against the gale force winds and the intense snowstorms that sweep along the planet’s surface. As a result, the cave is warmer than most of Hoth’s unforgiving cold with melting icicles dangling precariously overhead. In turn, this allows for more life to grow in addition to being a promising habitat for the hulking wampas that have been trapped this far below the surface. Beginning to thaw, it is obvious that this cave will eventually fall victim to seismic activity and disappear into the sheets of ice that surround it. Illuminating the cave’s interior with a dull blue glow, the luminous forms of lichen have taken up residence among the bones of the creatures unfortunate enough to be trapped here.

Caution must be exercised if one is to navigate the slippery slopes of the cave as melted icicles drip onto the cavern’s floor surface. In one corner of the cave, the ocean water has accumulated to form a large pool, providing sustenance to the rare lumni-spice growing within the crystalline complex, never to see the blue-white sun.

Mune trod with purpose along a path woven through ancient stalagmites while water droplets fell steadily from stalactites high above. The howl of Hoth’s wild winds of whipped by the mouth of the cave with monstrous ferocity, though the hybrid had left its entrance far behind. The farther he journeyed into its icy depths the warmer the temperature became; it had been a relief to get out of the biting harshness of the wind-driven snow and escape the great sheets of blinding wind.

The hybrid Savant slowed. A hand rose to draw back the hood of his cloak, the cool air tickling the fur of his tall ears. He smiled a bit to himself before he turned to the boy that came to stand behind him. Ruby eyes took in the Knight studiously. He had no doubts the youth underwent much scrutiny in the field and remembered how often he had been underestimated when he was the boy’s age. He offered Derek a smile.

“Derek. I am pleased you accepted my invitation.” Mune greeted softly. The eerie blue glow of luminous lichen played off the two dark jedi, casting odd silhouettes upon the frigid ice.

The boy grinned from ear to ear, mirth already alight in those deep green eyes. He held Mune’s gaze. “You were younger than I was, when you found the Brotherhood, weren’t you?”

Mune’s ear gave the slightest twitch. The sound of water droplets echoed off the walls of the vast chamber, filling the otherwise quiet moments before Mune spoke again. “Just about the same age, actually.”

Again, silence. Again, time counted by the slow drip, drip, drip of water in the distance, an understanding of sorts passing between the Palatinaeans in their watchful gazes. No words needed to be spoken; the scene was set. Derek broke the still silence of the moment and grasped the hilt of his zhaboka. He moved, the double bladed weapon grasped firmly in hand, and made to stab at the Savant. The blade cut through the air in a wicked thrust at the hybrid’s right hip. The blow would have been vicious had it not been so easy an attack for the more experienced dark jedi to dodge.

Mune twitched sideways, the blade of the weapon passing harmlessly by. The hybrid drew one of his swords and caught a second wide swing from the shorter boy upon its edge, their ears ringing with the impact of steel on steel. He noted the boy’s lower center of gravity; he had a good foot in height on the younger male, he thought before the slow shrieks of grating steel made Mune's ears cringe against his skull. Derek had taken up the attack once more, pressing his blade against Mune's before the locked weapons slid free of each other, both dark Jedi pulling back two paces. Mune drew his second sword.

They circled clockwise, a pace counted out only by the slow dripping of water off stalactites in the distance.

Derek's armour shone brilliantly with the glow from luminous lichen. Both warriors were smiling.

“I’ve been wanting to meet you, you know.” Derek spoke.

Mune grinned impishly, “I am aware. Why else would I have extended an invitation for a training exercise?”

“Boredom?” Derek chimed, in a tone indicative of his youthful enthusiasm and energy.

With a laugh the human spun his zhaboka and thrust one of the blades towards his opponent. The attack was easily deflected. Derek shifted his weight and brought the other blade up in a vicious arcing slash that the hybrid managed to catch upon the sword in his offhand. They were gauging each other’s strength, studious of each other’s movements. Their weapons separated, only to come crashing back together again in a ring of steel. A shift of footing, an adjustment to position and Derek swung at his opponent with an underhanded slash of his blade staff. As expected, Mune parried then took a sweep cut back at the younger boy. It too was deflected when Derek brought his own weapon up to block.

A slash, a cut, a parry and a block, one after another like the steps to a well choreographed dance. They moved slowly about the cavern, seeking understanding from the quick movements and attacks from the other. Mune’s ruby eyes narrowed, his grin broadening.

“You are about where I was at your age, maybe even better.”

Their weapons separated once more and Derek reached out with the Force. He grabbed at chunks of ice from the cave floor and flung them up towards the hybrid. Mune cut through each with quick, precise slashes of his blades, seeing the attack before it even came. The zhaboka rent the air where he had only moments ago been standing. Before Derek could pull back out of his attack, he felt the cave spin hard as a telekinetic blow hit him wickedly in the right shoulder. He jammed his blade into the ground to keep his balance and a giggle escaped him as he straightened up again to face his rollmaster.

“You’re better than I expected,” Derek said, caressing his now sore shoulder, “and I had some high expectations.”

Mune only smiled and charged at the young Knight. Their blades clashed together violently and the sound echoed around the cave. Furiously trying to gain the upper hand, Derek leaped up. He slammed his zhaboka toward his opponent who shielded himself with crossed swords. With a powerful shove, Derek staggered back. Mune’s hand rose and Derek flew back against the hard icy wall.

“Okay, we’ll play like that.” Derek said grimacing. The barely teen boy charged at his rollmaster, his double-bladed staff held out in front of him like a fishing pole. The sharp hiss of steel sliding against each other made him shiver.

“What’s wrong child? You seem to be lagging.” The Savant said gleefully. With a swift swipe of his foot, Derek slipped to the frozen ground, looking up at Mune’s saber which was now aligned with his neck. “You’re better than this, surely.” He stated with a triumphant grin. His sharp canines were clearly visible now. Frustrated, Derek swiped the sword aside and began striking again with renewed vigor. Beads of sweat —despite the cold — formed on his forehead. The deadly waltz of the four blades progressed down the cave steadily. The clanging and slashing seemed to linger in the narrow cavern.

Both dark jedi seemed to be in sync, parrying and jabbing in rhythm as if in a ritualistic dance. The duel progressed; Their blades blurred with the speed of the engagement. They finally separated from each other, both panting slightly. They had entered a massive opening deep within the mountain with sharp jagged stalagmites and stalagmites protruding from the cave’s ceiling and floor as if they were teeth.

Derek smiled at Mune, “Maybe it’s time we move on to something slightly different.” His silver blade erupted from his grey hilt.

“I think you’ll find that you are making a mistake.” The rollmaster replied, his pearly white canines now on full display. His tail quivered slightly at the evil hiss of his two cerulean sabers.

The hum of their sabers filled the air of the cavern. Harsh light cast them in strange shadows, reflected upon the snow and ice. They stood, broken only by the sound of their lightsabers. A gentle breeze brushed the Hybrid’s robes. Mune flipped his off-hand lightsaber into a reversed grip then launched himself forward. His lightsaber in his left hand cut wickedly through the air. Derek gripped his saber firmly, bringing it up in time to catch the violent attack. A gasp exploded from his lungs, the force of Mune’s strike forcing him to plant his feet.

Their faces were within inches of each other, green eyes locked with ruby. The crackling of their weapons filled their ears. It was for but a second they held their positions, before Mune brought his off-hand saber into a violent horizontal slash. Derek threw himself sideways, the saber barely missing him, so close as to leave the slightest burn along this white armour.

The boy rolled, got back to his feet and spun around to catch another strike from his opponent. “You don’t let up!”

“You need to react faster Derek! If I were someone out to actually kill you…” Mune did not finish the sentence, a chunk of ice slashing the air to his left. The Force whispered through his mind. The next ice chunk he split in twain with one saber only to backpedal a step to catch the younger Dark Jedi’s saber again against his own.

Derek drew back, breathing hard already, breath coming in small puffs of icy mist into the cool cave. He slashed, pivoted, cut at his opponent. Every attack was swift, every new attempt at getting through Mune’s defences; unpredictable. Each blow came quicker, more ferocious than the last. He wove strike after strike into a brilliant dance that would have overwhelmed someone lesser than the Savant he faced.

Mune kept pace. His mind sharp, the Force pulsing through his body. He kept focused on his speed to keep up with the whirlwind of a Knight. He kept to his defence, catching strike after strike on one saber or the other. Like lightning, the impact of their lightsabers sent wicked flashes of power along the walls, stalagmites and stalactites. He spun, caught a blow on his reversed saber. He brought himself back around and caught his opponent’s saber again. Derek went in for a vicious stab towards the Savant’s torso, a blow turned away by the Hybrid even as he felt the rent in his robes in passing.

“Your Juyo is coming along!”

Derek grunted as he brought his saber down again, power crackled and sparked violently when their weapons connected. “Your Jar’Kai is likewise fantastic!”

Sweat matted their hair, beaded on their brow. They were both enjoying themselves. Mune crossed his sabers when the next blow came crashing down on him. He held the block, catching his opponent’s blade. He breathed out, focussed his mind. He could already feel dull muscle aches starting from holding his amplified speed. He was already calculating, trying to best figure how long he could maintain the pace. Derek had proven impressively quick.

Derek was drawing his saber free, Mune felt the shift of weight along his own sabers. The boy made to attack. He saw the sabers both drop from Mune’s hands. He felt rather than saw the blow. The full impact of the telekinetic strike crashed into his abdomen. The pain lanced through him, air was forced from his lungs in a quick rush. His body arced through the air before landing roughly on the cold stone, ice and snow. He rolled and came to rest at the base of a stalagmite.

The boy groaned and slowly pushed himself up with his arms. A shudder ran through his frame before he coughed and spat blood.

“Thoughts?”

“That… That was some trick.” Derek chuckled a bit, lifting his head to look across at Mune. He wiped the blood away with the back of a hand. “I did not see it coming.”

“You weren’t supposed to.”

“I should have seen it coming.”

“I waited until the very last second so there was no time to detect my intention.” Mune explained. He snapped up both his sabers with a flick of his hands. Their light cascaded again in a brilliant flare of energy.