Duel The Lost Children of Ryloth

[Braze]

TAGS: Revna

Several months after a fierce conflict with the Mandalorian Enclave, the planet Ryloth is on a path to recovery, with communities gradually rebuilding from the ravages of war. Amid this backdrop of reconstruction, Braze, a young jedi apprentice, arrives on a critical mission assigned by his Master, Jasper Kai'el . His task is to locate children who were separated from their families during the chaos of the war and return them home.

As Braze delves into the heart of Ryloth's landscape, he discovers that not all have the community's best interests at heart. He encounters a group of smugglers taking advantage of the situation, trading in scarce resources and possibly holding crucial information about the whereabouts of the missing children.

In short order Braze confronts these opportunists, ready to stand against their exploitation. The sounds of battle escalate before he runs them off for the time being.

 

[Revna]

Tags: Braze
Current Equipment: Squire Armor, Lightsaber "Tyros"


It had been some time since Revna had set foot on Ryloth; too much time, if she was being honest with herself. The last time she’d been here, it had been with her then-Mentor, and she had joined him in assaulting one of the Hutt’s slave training facilities. She’d been gravely injured there in her first true taste of violent combat and despite her efforts and all those involved, her Mentor and his forces had been pushed back and had been forced to retreat. He had written off Ryloth as a lost cause, but Revna had gained valuable experience in those harrowing moments.

It also opened her eyes to the face that Ryloth was the perfect place for slavery to take root. The planet’s history was rife with it, its people taken and shipped off throughout the long history of the galaxy, the Hutts having exploited it for the beautiful and unique Twi’lek people who lived there.

It was then to no surprise to the young Sith woman that whispers within the networks of her now Sith master, Darth Strosius, revealed to her a situation she might be able to get involved in on Ryloth…albeit with less violence than her master had - or so she hoped.

A group of missing children, separated from their families, and at risk of being exported into the slavery pipeline. Word was that a group of smugglers might have vital information about the missing children, but time was of the essence…so she made her way from Formos to Ryloth, following the leads she’d been given.

It came to no surprise to the young Sith that she felt the presence of the Light side of the Force present in the area she was headed towards. Based on what she could feel, she assumed it to be a Jedi, though she wouldn’t say for certain unless it was revealed to be fact.

She kept to the shadows of her environment, making sure her Force presence was as close to her center as possible, as she watched the tail end of a fight between what appeared to be a young but skilled Jedi, and a group of ruffians with whom he had engaged. Sensing that they were outmatched, even by a Jedi Padawan, the group of ruffians broke and fled…and Revna reached out her Force senses to touch their minds as they ran, giving away her presence to the Jedi while also gleaning vital information from the others.

She sighed heavily; they were the smugglers she’d been looking for. It seemed the Jedi was also looking for them. She would need to do a more …thorough search of their minds, but she couldn’t do that if they were tucking tail and fleeing for their lives, and certainly not with a Jedi around.

Revna growled low in her chest; this complicated matters, but when was anything ever easy? She turned golden-hued eyes towards the young Jedi; he wouldn’t be the first she’d come across and he certainty wouldn’t be the last. She debated on her next course of action; did she confront him? Or did she follow the smugglers and continue on with her mission?

The decision was an easy one for her, as she turned to start hunting down her targets. She just hoped the Jedi would let her be…though she doubted that would happen. They always had a knack for sticking their nose where it didn’t belong, and rarely did a Jedi just let a Sith walk away. Though the same could be said for her, she mused. But she didn’t fancy herself to be a normal Sith. One couldn’t be normal and be apprenticed to Darth Strosius, after all.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Revna

​

Braze, having sensed the dark presence of Revna even amidst his confrontation with the smugglers, feels a surge of curiosity. Braze decides to follow the residual dark energy he sensed. He recognizes that this Sith could either be a significant threat or a potential source of information regarding the missing children. His mission's urgency and the Jedi's innate drive to protect the innocent push him to seek out this new, mysterious figure.

Quietly, he navigates through the broken terrain of Ryloth, using his skills to mask his presence as much as possible—a technique he's still perfecting. He reaches out with the Force, trying to feel the pathways around him, understanding that engaging a Sith might require not just confrontation but also diplomacy and insight.

As he moves closer to where he felt the dark presence, Braze prepares mentally for what might come. With his lightsaber ready but not ignited, Braze aims to observe first, approach carefully, and understand the intentions of this Sith who is unexpectedly intertwined with his mission. He stepped out of behind a tree and in front of her path.

"And who... are you?"

 

[Revna]

Braze


Revna could sense the Jedi’s presence, albeit less strongly now - as if he was trying to hide his presence from her - following along with what she assumed was the intention of confronting her. She kept her awareness sharp, and her eyes shifted as she continued to follow the smugglers, though she came to a stop in a more wooded area and sighed softly, waiting for the Jedi to reveal themselves.

Sure enough, the young Jedi stepped out from behind a tree and moved in front of her, facing her directly and allowing the Sith woman to get a better view of him. Her predatory-like gaze assessed him quickly, and her eyes narrowed slightly. He wasn't much taller than her, though he appeared fit and healthy - no doubt honed by his training, just as she had been honed by hers. Jedi padawan or not - she would not underestimate him, as she simply did not know how skilled he was, and it would do her no good to be cocky and overconfident in such a situation. It was still undecided yet if he would be hostile or neutral to her presence. But…he stood in her way, blocking her from her hunt, and this aggravated her a bit.

The Jedi asked her who she was, and she offered a small half smile that was not exactly friendly.

“Who I am is of no importance to you, young Jedi. Now move aside and be out of my way; I have business to conduct and you are delaying me.” the shorter Sith woman replied, her voice a touch frosty in its tone. She stared him down in her typical bold fashion, waiting to see if he would comply or not. She had a feeling he wouldn't, but he might just surprise her. It wouldn't be the first time a Jedi had surprised her, she mused to herself silently.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Revna

​

Braze eyed Revna cautiously, sensing the tension between them as if the very air was charged. He could feel the power from her lightsaber's crystal, a quiet yet threatening presence. "The Force really does weave some odd tales, doesn't it? Looks like we both have our missions in these woods. Tough break, princess," he said with a hint of defiance. "You can either lay down that saber and talk nicely, or we're going to have a problem. And you don't want that. If you're tangled up with The Organization, think carefully. They're hunting Force sensitives for their cruel experiments, and I'm here to put a stop to that. I won't let them, or you, harm the missing kids."

 

[Revna]

Braze


Mirth danced in her eyes and her smile widened a touch further at being called princess by the Jedi youth before her. The defiance in his voice was not lost on her, and she found it a bit amusing. Revna was further entertained by his demand that she lay her weapon down and they have a nice chat, otherwise there would be problems. Though she did not touch her weapon, her hand rested close to the hilt of the saber she had decided to bring with her this day.

However, his statements about this ‘Organization’ made her raise an eyebrow, which rose further when he said that he wouldn’t allow them, or her, to hurt the children.

Seems they were after the same thing then. Strangely enough, his words brought back a distant memory, from the early days of her training when she’d been an aspiring Acolyte. She’d come across an orphaned boy on Tund in one of her now master’s campaigns, around the same time another Jedi had. And he’d assumed that she, too, was there to harm the poor child. That child had since been delivered into a new adopted family and had a new name and a new life ahead of him…thanks to her, an evil Sith.

Revna huffed slightly. “Lay my weapon down hmm? How about you lay your weapon down with me? I’m no fool to relinquish my weapon and allow my possible enemy to keep theirs. I’m sure you understand - you seem like an intelligent boy.” She said in a calm and steady voice, seemingly unphased by his warnings or threats. “It does appear however that our paths were meant to cross here. Though I am sorry to disappoint; I am not with this ‘Organization’ you speak of. I simply came here to try and locate some displaced, missing children. And unfortunately you are blocking me from continuing my hunt.”

Slowly, she moved her hand to the hilt of her saber and slipped it from her belt, though she did not ignite it - simply choosing to hold it in her hand at her side. Ready to fight, if need be, but not aggressive. Not yet, anyway.

“I didn’t come here to fight a Jedi. But I will make an exception if you keep delaying me.”

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Revna

​

Braze's somber jade green gaze narrowed as he observed Revna's calculated movements and listened to her composed response. Despite the situation's tension, he felt an unexpected clarity—a Jedi's resolve solidifying against the murky intentions of a Sith.

"You will not touch the innocent with even one inch of your blade; I will not allow you continue your hunt. If you want to taste the soil, feel free to attack me," he said, his voice carrying a calm intensity as he stepped directly in front of her path.

His eyes briefly darted to Revna's hand on her saber, acknowledging the threat it posed. Braze waited, his senses heightened, watching Revna's reaction closely.

 

[Revna]

Braze


The tension seemed to swell in the space between Revna and the young Jedi before her. Her attempt at a more…non-violent solution seemed to be ignored or disregarded. And the Jedi were supposed to be the more peaceful ones huh? - she growled to herself in aggravation. She knew in the back of her mind that, as a Sith, she wasn’t exactly expected to come across as more composed or even non-violent. But she did not consider herself a ‘normal’ Sith. She did things her own way, nevermind how others felt about it. Their opinions of her didn’t matter.

Revna raised an eyebrow at the young man’s words to her, before she barked out a sharp laugh and shook her head almost sadly.

“Oh Jedi…I suppose I can’t blame you for thinking that I would want to harm the missing children. I don’t; I wanted to bring them back to their families - save them from possibly being shipped to slave auctions. But you seem determined to stop me from doing so, and that angers me.”

The thought of the children possibly being captured and shackled for enslavement as she and this Jedi bickered ignited a fiery, almost righteous fury, in her soul. How dare this child stand in her way? If he wouldn’t move on his own accord, if he couldn’t understand or see that she was trying to help…then she had no choice but to go through him. She would need to end this fight quickly; she knew from experience that her saber would deactivate at some point, being unstable since she’d removed its Solari crystal some time back.

Revna was still as a statue for a moment, then she moved with a blur, the Force aiding her with speed as she took a couple steps forward and jumped - landing just on the other side of the young Jedi, her saber hand swinging out with a swipe towards his chest, igniting the formerly yellow blade as she swung, the anger she felt towards him in the moment lending her some strength for the suddenness of her attack.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Revna

In the midst of the tense standoff, Braze's expression hardened into one of contempt and defiance. As Revna made her case, painting herself as a savior rather than a predator, Braze couldn't help but scoff loudly, his voice echoing with both fury and scorn.

"How dare you?! How dare you stand there and claim nobility while you serve under the banner of the Sith? Do not speak to me of saving children when it is your leaders who keep slaves chained and broken! Instead of standing against them you stand with them!" His eyes blazed with a fierce light, and he stepped forward, reducing the distance between them, his posture rigid with aggressive resolve.

He knew the predatory nature of those who called themselves Sith, yet claimed to want to free children. They sought to prey on the young, offering kindness because they were easier to sway. There was always a hidden agenda, always something they wanted in return. It was always tainted, twisted in some sick way, and some of these corrupt individuals were either blind to or pretended to ignore their predatory tactics. Braze knew better.

"The Sith are known slavers, and you dare to paint yourself as a hero in this twisted narrative? Don't make me laugh," he sneered, his words laced with venom. "You talk of non-violence while your hands and the banner you represent are stained red with the blood of the innocent. You are no savior. You are a Sith, and I will not stand by while you taint the hope of these children with your corruption!"

As Revna lunged forward, saber igniting with a rush of anger, Braze's own saber came alive with a brilliant hum, the light casting sharp shadows across his visage. He was ready to meet her blade with his own, fueled not by his training but by a righteous indignation that burned fiercely within him. This was a stand against what he believed to be the very essence of tyranny and oppression.

 

[Revna]

Braze


In the moments prior before she made her first move, Revna could tell her words - though spoken in truth - were not accepted by the Jedi padawan before her. Internally, she knew he wouldn’t; Jedi had preconceived notions and it was nigh impossible to convince them otherwise, even if the truth was given to them. Just like the young Jedi Jackson had resisted and not understood her “difference” in the Sith ways - so too did this young one reject her truth, choosing instead to believe them to be lies.

The truth she spoke would shock the Jedi and challenge their views of the Sith anyway, and they didn’t want to stop and think that Sith were not all the same. But…in the moment, it mattered little. This young man’s defiance to her genuine desire to help the children very briefly brought a spike of disappointment in her, but she pushed that aside as she felt his rising anger.

Now that was interesting, coming from a Jedi. And rather dangerous, if not controlled properly. Maybe she could use that against him in the fight that seemed imminent.

His words spoken against her in his supposed righteous fury made her roll her eyes and scoff back in return. A sneer crossed his face as venom laced his words as he spat back at her. If only he knew that she too had once been a slave, and she knew exactly what it was like - which was why she wanted to spare the children from the same fate she had experienced. She’d fight and kill her own kind if necessary; she did that anyway as it was.

He met her blade with his own after she made her attack, and their blades clashed furiously with angry hissing and sputtering. Revna was driven by her need to continue onward, by anger at being delayed, the fear of what might happen to those kids; she felt the Dark side flow and surge through her, empowered by her emotions, giving her energy for this fight. He, on the other hand, seemed to be striking out against her with his sense of righteous indignation, an emotion-laced response.

After a clash of saber blades, she sent a wave of Force energy towards him - intent on knocking him off balance, saying as she did so:

“Your ignorance is showing, young Jedi. You speak as if you know who I am and what I do, but you know nothing. That is fine; you don’t know any better. It is all you’ve been taught - to believe we Sith are all the same. From my perspective, all you Jedi are the same. Ignorant fools, the lot of you. Maybe my Master was right all along - maybe there is no hope for your kind.”

She then pressed onward with the rising aggression that bubbled up in her chest, the intent to disable him foremost in her mind. If she could injure him enough that he couldn’t fight back or stop her, then she would be satisfied.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Revna

​

If there was anything Braze was particularly skilled at, it was sword combat. Even with his main arm injured, he had trained his right arm to be on par with his left. As the fight intensified, Braze corrected himself mid-air like a cat, using his control of the winds to slow his descent and propel him forward, landing on his feet. Fire flew from his fingertips, swirling around them and locking them in a heated ring.

As swiftly as she spoke, she might find her air supply being siphoned away, her breath sucked from her very lips. The air was funneled into the ring of fire surrounding them as he closed in upon her, acting aggressively and viciously. This was a tactic he had been perfecting since facing Darth Malum of House Marr , and Braze was reaching higher adept levels of control over the air around him and his opponent. Perhaps a dangerous wild move, not typical of a Jedi's calm demeanor and approach to combat. He didn't let up there.

Constant drilling of Faalo's Cadences demanded an absurd amount of focus and skill to attain, requiring intense mental discipline and finely tuned hand-eye coordination. The shoto-style parrying dagger (Sentry ) flipped out and ignited, along with the heavier two-handed crossguard saber(Resurgence). Braze engaged her in Makashi, the small parrying dagger zipping about with telekinetic fury towards her skull, while the larger saber swept low for her legs, and Braze aimed for her middle guard with his foil(Requiem ).

Revna might begin to feel a tightening in her chest, her vision blurring as her body struggled for oxygen. Her movements could become sluggish, her focus could waver... The ring of fire around them, fueled by her own breath, might make her feel trapped, the heat adding to her discomfort and desperation.

This was a brutal assault, and he wasn't going to let up, not giving her a chance to think, let alone breathe. It was perhaps a wonder why a Jedi child would be so viscious.

 

[Revna]

Braze


Revna realized rather quickly after initiating the fight with the young Jedi that this was going to be a different kind of fight than what she’d experienced before. Almost immediately, he utilized Force abilities Revna wasn’t too familiar with to correct himself in midair and slow his fall before using the ability to launch himself forward as fire erupted from his finger and circled around them to create a sort of ring, and as she spoke, she could feel the oxygen be siphoned from her lungs by the combination of air and fire. The time for talking was over, and thus she fell silent to concentrate on the fight at hand. She reassessed her situation, her eyes narrowing at the Jedi before her when she realized he had used Dark side techniques against her. Interesting, she thought internally - before shifting to controlling the use of her breath through the Force to mitigate the effects of suffocation. No sooner had she done this, that the young man was advancing on her with aggression. It was a dangerous move on his part, seemingly reckless - and she found it rather intriguing that this Padawan seemed to forsake the usual calm and collected approach that most of his kind seemed to take in a fight against the Sith.

She felt like she was fighting against another of her own kind, or perhaps a Dark Jedi.

To compound issues further, her opponent revealed not one, not two, but three blades to wield against her - a smaller shoto styled blade whipped around via an impressive display of telekinesis, while a larger cross-guarded saber and what appeared to be a foil appeared in both of the Padawan’s hands as he engaged her. The smaller Sith woman slipped into her instincts and training, moving with her speed and agility to avoid the shoto, and counter his use of Makashi - a form she herself had learned under Malum’s tutelage. She knew that harder, more aggressive fighting forms might be able to overwhelm a user of Makashi, but for now until she could get a better feel for her opponent and assess him further, she adopted an almost defensive style - parrying the foil strike to her middle guard while just barely avoid the strike against her legs with the heavier blade.

Revna had never faced an opponent using more than one blade before - let alone three. As the seconds ticked by and the heat from the ring around them grew higher, the little Sith allowed the discomfort she was beginning to feel to feed into the Dark side and sharpen her senses. She let the Jedi seemingly push her around the ring of fire he’d made to trap them together, circling around him as she fended off his precise strikes with equally quick and snappy blocks or parries. The small shoto blade was an annoyance that pulled at her concentration and attention, and this further frustrated her.

The small woman was beginning to realize grimly that this may be a fight that she wouldn’t win. She didn’t underestimate her opponent - she knew better than that - and as she assessed him further she had to give him her begrudging respect. He had more training than she did, for a Padawan. He had trained hard, and she could tell. It showed, in every move he made, and in the skills he used against her. But she would fight back, until it was no longer feasible for her to do so.

As they fought, Revna began to notice a very subtle weakness in his left arm. An old injury, perhaps? Regardless of what it was, she positioned herself and when she was ready, she switched from being more defensive to offensive - utilizing a more aggressive form like Djem-so to counter the elegance and precision of Makashi, specifically targeting strikes and jabs against his weaker side. Anger and determination, carefully controlled to help her laser focus in on her opponent, was the conduit for the Dark as she pulled it into her for strength, pressing in closer to him as she used consume essence to siphon away his own volatile emotions to add to her own strength, attempting to further weaken him in the process as her own attacks came faster and harder. She was aggressive in her assault on him, but she was also aware and quick to react to her opponent and her environment.

But something would have to give at some point, sooner or later. It was only a matter of time before one of them faltered - she just hoped it wouldn't be her that made a mistake.

 

[Braze]

​

Spoiler

TAGS: Revna

Gear

Sabers: Training lightsaber | Gauntlet Shield | Resurgence | Corsage | Calypso | Sentry | Requiem | Echo | Whirlwind | Twilight | Nightshade
Melee: Knife
Ranged: Fang |G.O.O. Gun | GA-E.G.G.S. | Phantom |
Equipped Gear: Boots | Gauntlets | Lightveil Circlet | Mask| Charms x3 | Ring | Amulate | Brace
Other Items: | Survival Kit |
Ships: Ashwing
Crystals: Serenity | Phantom Ghostfire | Amplification | Frostheart | Entropite | Tiger's Fang | Mindshatter | Echos | Mestare

Strangely, he was serene, a mix of excitement and cool focus. He was adept at multitasking, a way to channel his restless thoughts into something productive.

She had guessed correctly. He wore a robust exoskeleton Brace over his left arm and Gauntlet. When she launched an attack at his weaker arm, he skillfully caught her blade with the fins of his gauntlet and twisted, attempting to disarm her. But that wasn't his only trick: he also released a jolt of electricity ( 360 joules) from the palm of the brace towards her.
​

While holding his ground, he launched an attack with the light foil (Requiem) in his right hand, each movement calculated to subdue rather than kill. Simultaneously, he used telekinesis to maneuver the shoto (Sentry), positioning it threateningly towards her. The large crossguard (Resurgence)was also telekineticly poised, ready to defend against any incoming attacks, showcasing his ability to exploit any advantage he saw without lethal intent. The goal was to encourage her to release her blade in favor of not being harmed.

"I don't want to harm you. Stand down and let's talk."

​

 

[Revna]

Braze


Almost as soon as she made her move against his weaker side, Revna found herself caught - metaphorically and literally. Bladed fins on his gauntlet twisted to snag her saber and she felt it lock, and before she could counter this, she felt a shock snap through her system, physically freezing her in place for a moment as she seized from the pulse of electricity that pulsed through her body.

Well, that’s different - she mused to herself grimly.

She was unable to fend him off in time, and she found herself surrounded and held at saber point at multiple angles, as she was skillfully disarmed of her own saber, unable to hold onto it from the momentary shock that rippled through her briefly, and the soft thud of it hitting the ground between them could be heard. It didn’t take a genius to know that she’d been outsmarted and any further action would result in serious injury, if not death. And she was in no rush to die this day.

She found it somewhat irritating that she was literally at the mercy of a Jedi padawan of all people, but she pushed her irritation aside as she wrestled control of her emotions and brought them under her command; a show of control over her own volatile emotions, just as her Master had taught her.

Revna assessed her situation. It was not ideal; she knew that if any other Sith was in her position, they would feel utterly insulted by the circumstances and react out of pride and arrogance - to their doom. But she knew better than that; frankly, she was better than to fall prey to such notions. She recognized the skill that her opponent had; he was simply better than her. She was surprised he was till a padawan with the skills that he had displayed. Surely, he was close to being Knighted.

The Sith apprentice eyed the young Jedi man before her, still in control of her breaths as sweat dripped from her face and her hair stuck to her skin. Her clothes were drenched, and the sensation of wet fabric against her flesh further agitated her. She hated that feeling.

She had been subdued in the fight. It was over, and she knew it. They both did.

His words did come as a surprise to her: he didn’t want to harm her. He pointedly told her to stand down, so they could have a chat.

“Oh now you want to talk?!” She exclaimed sharply as she glared at him, clearly displeased. “I was trying to talk to you before this whole thing dissolved into the mess that it is!” Revna hissed before she sighed heavily, shaking her head in her disappointment at being defeated. Thoughts of furthering the fight floated through her head; even disarmed, she still had abilities at her disposal that could be used in retaliation. Perhaps she should have used such powers, but she saved her energy. There was no point in it right now.

The longer they fought, the longer those children were away from their families and in grave danger of being preyed upon by slavers.

“I concede, Jedi. You have disarmed me and proven yourself more skilled than I at this point in time. I commend you.”

She flicked her gaze down to her fallen saber, wondering if he would allow her to take it back and return it to her belt - though she doubted he would. Though, it wouldn’t hurt to at least…attempt to retrieve it. She could have Force summoned it straight into her hand…but she had a feeling that would just result in her head being relieved from her shoulders.

“Let me collect my saber and we can chat…again. Though I don’t see why you want to talk now. You didn’t seem interested in anything I had to say before this point.”