Cularin Excoriate [Closed]

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: Outside the Enclave
Allies: There can be only one…
Enemies: The other queen – the one called real-life | [member="Vrag"]
Theme: You’ve got a friend

‘When people can be so cold
They’ll hurt you and desert you
And take your soul if you’ll let them
Oh, but don’t you let them.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qde5NMy7WTU

What started as a routine trip to check out what some twitchy seers had told them that they might possibly have seen but then maybe not, given how the Force has been wonky recently, had turned into this.

A team of Jedi were called for and they got two. And Corvus had…quite simply failed. She was given the title Shield of the Jedi for a reason and instead she’d focused on two Sith accomplices whilst her only ally – her good friend – was suffering. Now that she allowed herself full reign to the Force and was free of the surrounding taint of so many Sith and Dark-sided Jedi, she could sense it.

Any normal person, heck, any normal Jedi would have been angry, or sad – or both. But Corvus wasn’t normal. She was someone who’d locked her emotions away before the six years of conflict and hadn’t opened them up again. It took no effort. Applying the filter that allowed a sensible amount through in either direction – now that was a challenge. But remaining the cold-fish, that was way too easy. In fact it was a cop-out. She owed it to that brave warrior to feel something right now, but she didn’t trust herself.

But she could do something about what was happening. The bearded one would be there tomorrow and the day after. But her friend? So she dismissed thoughts of [member="Darth Vornskr"] and headed to where her heart rather than her head instructed her to go.

She moved quickly and reflected that they’d all join the Force one day, but why did it have to be today? A tear trickled down her cheek. Perhaps the durasteel wall in her mind had a crack – or maybe it was just windy where she was? She was back on the roof. In the distance she could see an area with holes in the ceiling. In what were otherwise abandoned corridors she could see the body of her friend lying prone, a Sith Knight standing over her. They were too far away to interact with yet.

Hmm? What's that now?... Oh! You thought that I was talking about [member="Drapeam Nyx"]? How right you’d be!

“Get away from her…NOW.” Her voice carried across the distance between them. If the Sith Knight looked up she wouldn’t have seen the Shield of the Jedi. Or even the GrandMaster of the Order. She would have simply seen the friend of the woman she was about to murder. And friends simply don’t let that happen – ever.

‘Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night.’

 

[Vrag]

Objective: Capture the Jedi
Allies: [member="Vi'kas Mirtis"] | [member="Darth Veles"] | [member="Darth Helios"] | [member="Darth Vornskr"] | [member="Darth Carach"]
Enemies: [member="Drapeam Nyx"] | [member="Corvus Raaf"]

_____________________________________________________​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=85&v=VYffGOMCcMQ​

She was a woman of few words, more so when watching the hand of death settle on the shoulder of a warrior, and the pale fingers had been caressing the woman's cheek even as she spat blood and bravado at the immovable Sith. It was much like trying to rationalize with a force of nature, for the firrerreo would never give. In that aspect, she was almost ironically close to the Jedi ideal of no emotion; an impenetrable, expressionless black wall, nothing more than a reflection that the redhead could gaze at as her trembling eyelids slipped closed.

The last thing her opponent would see was her own battered face, split lips smeared with blood as she struggled to gasp at air. The Sith watched her fade with a sort of morbid curiosity, the orange silhouette of the Jedi draining of color as life and heat fled her body. She was kneeling in a pool of the other woman's blood, blue eyes following the slow ooze of the dark, viscose liquid as it crept further and further away, taking her growled promise with it.

She glanced back at the limp and motionless form of the Jedi beneath her, the pallor of her face a clear indicator of just how much life there was left inside of the broken body. The Sith contemplated delivering a coup de grâce, the last courtesy she could offer to the warrior before Chaos claimed her for her own. Her fingers moved against the weight of the lightsaber in her grasp, and the Knight raised her hand to— she twisted around at the commanding yell, blue eyes narrowing at the figure looking down at her through the cracks in the roof.

The decision was made in a split second, and her lightsaber hissed to life a hair's breath away from the fallen Jedi's throat as the Sith calmly rose to her feet, gaze fixed on the lone beacon of light in the endless sea of darkness that was Cularin.

"She deserves a warrior's end," the firrerreo said simply, her tone free of any malice or cruelty. She could respect the life given, and would take what was offered with the dignity the Jedi deserved.

It started in the shoulder, a tiny, nigh imperceptible a motion that travelled along her arm, flexing her elbow and passing through the wrist, until finally, her weapon followed suit. The red blade would sever flesh and bone in one swift slash, leaving naught but a clean cut in its wake.

'Twas a good death.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ZKrHhkNf8[/youtube]​

Carving a path of destruction and carnage
The streets ran red with blood, and the sounds of artillery bombardment rang loudly in the Sith Lord's ears.

It was good.

Their sudden blitz strike completely overwhelmed what little of Cularin's defenders there were left after the apocalypse, and thus it was all too easy for the Sith to spread out across the city like a plague of locusts, devouring and destroying anything in their path. Several Blackblade repulsorlift companies were fanning out through the larger streets and accessways, cutting any opposition to ribbons with a flurry of blaster bolts and well-thrown incendiary grenades, burning entire buildings and their occupants out in mere seconds. The smell of burned earth and charred flesh wafted past Vornskr's nostrils, and he took in a great breath, sighing joyfully as he inhaled and exhaled the aroma of battle, of carnage, and of butchery.

This was nirvana for him.

The blood-curdling screams and the bark of blaster rifles made for such a wonderful cacophony of music it almost willed him to dance to it's tune, but such enjoyments would be saved for the aftermath of the slaughter, and for now Vornskr was content to parading through the streets, letting his eyes fall upon the efficient work of his Blackblades. He watched with silent glee as a Blackblade assault company breached one of the larger buildings lining the street, breaking through wooden doors with powerful kicks, dragging the occupants out into the already gore-covered streets and unceremoniously executing them where they had fallen.

Again, it was good.

Still, his main objective was not the slaughter of the worthless rats that infested this city, but rather the bloated toads who squatted down from their temple in the far distance, and the very thought of them gave fuel to his anger. That anger spurred him forward, his brisk walk now exploding into a deranged sprint, leaping over hastily made barricades, bounding across the burning wreckage of ships and tanks that littered the broken streets, his eyes set upon the temple. His presence would be like a turbulent maelstrom of darkness, alerting any and all who could sense such vileness that he, the Butcher King, was coming for them all.

-Gamemasters-
Myself (Sith)
[member="Corvus Raaf"] (Jedi)

-Sith Participants-
[member="Tes Dralyn"]
[member="Darth Carach"]
[member="Vrag"]
[member="Darth Helios"]
[member="Darth Veles"]
[member="Vi'kas Mirtis"]

-Jedi Participants-
[member="Kana Truden"]
[member="Drapeam Nyx"]
[member="Uri Aureleos"]

 

[Artemis Vahl'Nyx]

OBJECTIVE: Defend Cularin {FAILED}
SUB-OBJECTIVE: You Are Dead. You Have Been Dead All This Time

ALLIES: Republic Forces: Everyone Is Dead (Now You Are As Well) [member="Corvus Raaf"] Lives
ENEMIES: One Sith: [member="Vrag"] (A Warrior All The Same)
{I recommend listening to this while reading.
SLEEP. GO TO SLEEP. LAY DOWN YOUR HEAD AND DO NOT RAISE IT AGAIN.
FALL. FALL TO THE GROUND, DO NOT WAKE, CEASE YOUR SLEEPWALKING

DON'T YOU KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DEAD THIS ENTIRE TIME? ​

POOR LITTLE FOOL. IT TOOK YOU FORTY YEARS TO REALIZE YOU DON'T EXIST.​

Oh, friends, I'm so sorry, I did it again... Can you forgive me this time?
I've left you all behind... Darlings, my darlings, I still love you...

Don't you know that death is never truly the end? ​

No matter what, I shall see you all again, one day, one day my friends.​

The moments were filled with slow, shallow breaths, each counting the seconds she had left. Ten. Nine. Eight. Sev- oh? As expected the bacta held within her armor was seeping out, going to the spots where her skin glistened with blood. Each horrid blow was slowly starting to heal. Not very fast, mind you, but enough to start the stabilization process. Perhaps... perhaps she was going to make it? If someone simply went to assist her further... Or if the Sith Knight decided to capture her instead of killing her. Drapeam Nyx would live to see another day! Though she had no idea. No idea that once more she was coming so close to death, only to narrowly avoid it.

Maybe, however, she was right.
"Get away from her! NOW!" The voice cut through the air with ease. Who had come?...

NO. CORVUS. Had the Zorren known that her friend was now present, she would have done her best to shout, asking her to leave. FLEE! Go, leave me! You need to get out of here alive! Oh, how terrified she would have been. Master Raaf was someone she considered a friend. One of the few in the past years that she had called such a thing. At most the others were acquaintances. Most were simply 'tolerables'. This Jedi though... You need to go, Corvus, staying will only mean death for you. Just like me... Nyx had no idea that the woman she cared so much for was putting herself in danger in an attempt to save her.

Her attempt only made the situation worse.
"She deserves a warrior's end." That much was true.

A crimson blade extended, unfurling it's nightmarish appearance, reaching out to hum next to the soldier's ear. Of course she didn't hear it. No, the woman had no idea that the weapon was coming for her. Never felt the sting of it slicing across her neck. Not once did her eyes snap open. Nor did her breathing quicken. This was what it was to die asleep- you never even knew that you were dead or dying. Drapeam was simply there one second and gone the next. Her consciousness faded without notice. What else would have happened?... She was not awake. Our 'hero' had her last thought a minute ago. Time didn't slow. She didn't get to rewatch all of her history. That's not how it works. Nyxius' mind wasn't falling apart, her life force was.
It dwindled. Slowing down. Growing darker. Fainter with every moment. And the blade came.
What little was left disappeared in an instant. The Boomshot queen was gone.
DEAD. LIKE HER FATHER. LIKE HER GRANDMOTHER. HER MOTHER. HER STEP-PARENTS.
LIKE THE TWENTY CHILDREN WHO CAME BEFORE AND AFTER HER.

Rain started to fall. How... fitting. How wondrous, as well, as the falling water likely masked the shimmering that showed behind the Sith Knight. Was it light reflecting off her armor? Or, perhaps... no, it couldn't be her.
Drapeam Nyx was very much dead... right?
-----------------------------------
EQUIPMENT: ECHO Bactarma Armor, fighting knife, lightsabers. {Link in signature}
INJURIES: Decapitated. Dead. Gone. Absent. Deceased.
MUSIC: Nyx's Death Scene Playlist: Click Here
NOTES: Thank you, friends, for writing with my favorite character. Thank you for a death done right.
Try not to cry to hard, alright?

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: On the roof of the Enclave
Allies: And then there were none…
Enemies: [member="Darth Vornskr"] | [member="Vrag"]
Theme: Now it’s dark and I’m alone, but I won’t be afraid

‘There's a world where I can go
And tell my secrets to
In my room
In my room

In this world I lock out
All my worries and my fears
In my room
In my room

Do my dreaming and my scheming lie awake and pray
Do my crying and my sighing laugh at yesterday

Now it's dark and I'm alone
But I won't be afraid
In my room
In my room’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l71pbhqnvNM


She was gone, Corvus could see that, but the GrandMaster didn’t cry or even look at her friend’s dead body. Nor did she immediately rush to engage the Sith Knight. She was a Jedi and in particular a noted unemotional one.

A Jedi will not take revenge was taught to every Padawan for a whole variety of reasons. And Corvus was not going to suddenly change her behaviour - despite the obvious provocation. The Knight had killed her friend and justice would be forthcoming - if not today, it would happen. The only question was which encounter would be the fatal one for the Sith murderer.

And she sensed not just the Knight but the Sith Lord from before closing in on her. So she closed her eyes and for a split second reflected on her friend, but locked away the thoughts for later. Dying here would not benefit Nyx’s memory - she owed to her to live and remember her properly - back on Ossus. So she kept her eyes closed and entered Serenity. It was a brief meditative state due to the proximity of her foes but it would at least allow her to regain focus and power.

 

[Vrag]

Location: Ruined Enclave
Allies: [member="Darth Vornskr"]
Enemy: [member="Corvus Raaf"]

__________________________________________________________________​

It would be foolish to linger on the dead Jedi beside her when there was a much stronger presence hovering above her, and the Knight had never been the sentimental type. Coupled with her long-dead conscience, it was no wonder that the armored woman never spared a second glance to the rapidly cooling corpse on the floor, fixating her piercing gaze to the still-warm figure staring down at her through the hole in the roof.

Silly Jedi, she thought with a lopsided grin as she unclipped her slugthrower from her belt, aiming at the center mass of the brunette. Her finger pressed the trigger; once, twice, thrice. The unfeeling, merciless projectiles would be propelled towards their target by a series of small explosions, and Vrag would watch with her fingers caressing the hilt of her lightsaber, waiting to see if the Jedi would feel the sting of bullets penetrating flesh.

There was a bloodlust running in her veins, spurned on by the fresh kill, by the life she'd just taken, and the Knight couldn't be stopped now. Cularin was falling, and the Jedi would fall with it.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: On the roof of the Enclave
Allies: None needed
Enemies: Just the one [member="Vrag"] for as long as she lasts…
Theme: So who are you? Yeah, who are you? Yeah, who are you? Yeah, who are you?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjQ9tuuTJQ

‘I'm the voice inside your head
You refuse to hear
I'm the face that you have to face
Mirrored in your stare
I'm what's left, I'm what's right
I'm the enemy
I'm the hand that will take you down
Bring you to your knees.’

You don’t spend over two decades as a Jedi without learning a trick or two - or better still simply listening to the Force. It had a habit of tapping you on the shoulder and letting you know something was about to happen.

Except this time it was less of a tap and more of a sonic blast. For in her meditative state she was closer to the Force than usual and the klaxon was set off in plenty of time. Corvus entered Center of Being as a matter of course. She was able to almost unconsciously defend from even the most flowing random attacks and feints. Something as uh, uncivilised as a slugthrower? It was relatively straightforward.

She allowed the bullets to pass her by before finally opening her eyes and walking towards the Sith. Her saber and shoto were still clipped to her belt and she simply closed the gap slowly and with a measured stride.

As she walked, she recited the crystal Code:

"The crystal is the heart of the blade.
The heart is the crystal of the Jedi.
The Jedi is the crystal of the Force.
The Force is the blade of the heart.
All are intertwined.
The crystal, the blade, the Jedi.
We are one."

As she finished she was close to the Sith, and she gave a small bow before saying, her voice calm and collected, “So, who are you?”

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Cularin Jedi Enclave
He could see the Enclave in the distance, it's besieged shape dominating the horizon, smoking billowing from great rends in the outer walls where Imperial bombers had dropped their payloads. The final stretch between him and the temple's wall was quickly covered by a frantic sprint, and then with a low grunt he launched himself from the ruined street to leap high into the air before coming down on one of the broken precipices of the temple. He looked upward and spied the edge of the roof not far above him, and he immersed himself in the Dark Side as he braced himself for another fantastic leap high into the air. Then, after a short lull in sound, the Sith Lord propelled himself up and over the edge of the Enclave's roof, flipping forward in the air to come down with a thunderous roar on the temple's roof, his impact leaving a rather large crater in the stone coupled by criss-crossing cracks that spanned out in every direction.

The Sith Lord remained kneeling for a moment before he rose up to his full height, his black robes billowing out behind him as a gust of wind washed over the roof. His dark, brooding eyes looked down upon the ruined corpse of [member="Drapeam Nyx"], and then moved across his compatriot [member="Vrag"], before finally settling on the new Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, [member="Corvus Raaf"]. He chuckled menacingly, and with a flourish of his right hand he brought the hilt of his Sith lightsaber to his hand, and in another moment the scarlet blade exploded into life and bathed the surroundings with an fiery glow. "Master Raaf, what a surprise. I had not expected you to be on this backwater... are you eager to follow in your predecessor's footsteps? If so, I will gladly give you the same treatment I gave her." He didn't move after he spoke, but simple stood, still as a statue, and eyed the Jedi Master curiously.

The tension was palpable.

 

[Vrag]

Eyebrows knitted together first in confusion, and then in frustration. Instead of, you know, falling over in agony from being shot or something, the Jedi at the edge of the hole flicked the bullets away as if they were annoying flies.

Vrag narrowed her eyes at the figure, but before she could waste another clip the woman was alerted to a smothering cloud of darkness approaching. Even her relatively rudimentary connection to the Force picked up on it — she wasn't that blind — and then the cloud of black was on top of the Enclave, breaking against the light that exuded from the Jedi like the waves in a hurricane. She could feel her own soul thrumming in rhythm with the Dark Side that swept across the ravaged world, and the beast that lay curled in her chest reared its monstrous head at the sound of its song.

The firrerreo promptly ignored her opponent's chanting, focusing on the voice of [member="Darth Vornskr"] that rang across the roof above. Raaf? Vrag wasn't one to be easily intimidated, but she'd heard that name in correlation with one specific title that sent a chill down her spine. The realization that she was about to go toe-to-toe with none other than the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order had her licking her lips both in excitement and nervousness; it was a double-edged sword, fighting someone so renowned.

On the one hand, the prospect of winning would see her rise through the ranks of the Sith with FTL speed; on the other, she could end up just like the beheaded redhead on the floor of the ruined Enclave. Not a very appealing future, to be sure.

"Your problem," a simple, quick response. Vrag didn't talk much during battle, not unless it had the express purpose of deceiving, demoralizing or distracting an opponent. Considering who the woman above was, the Knight didn't really bother with any of those, since they most likely wouldn't work.

She pulled out her flamethrower instead. In one swift, smooth motion the Sith pointed it at [member="Corvus Raaf"] and squeezed the trigger, intent on visiting a fiery death upon the Jedi.

 

[Helios]

White eyebrows came together in frustration as Helios' weapon rotated through necks, torsos, legs, arms, anything the pale Sith Lord came within range with as he advanced towards the Enclave. The soldiers around him also continued their driven barrage of destruction as they marched forth, executing enemy rebellion with relative ease given the numbers the One Sith brought upon the planet. Inside himself Helios could feel his rage building slowly over the course of the battle, a cold fire in his chest that slowly moved from ice to molten lava. He fueled the emotions he felt, using it to enhance his movements as he finally broke the barricade of defenders attempting to thwart Sith advancement into the Enclave but they were too slow and quite unready for the flurry of attacks the Eldorai unleashed upon the men in his way as he continued his sprint past the fallen soldiers and moved his ochre eyes to the building ahead.

Signs of bombardment and even smaller explosions were evident as he noticed the numerous holes in the walls of the establishment along with the damaged roof. Sliding a hand down the shaft of his double-bladed lightsaber, the emmiter buttons were mashed in the process, causing the crimson blades to retreat within the handle with an escaping screech. A swift motion saw him purse the item back to his belt as he used his free hands to use minimal amounts of force energy to deflect a few stray bolts of fire as he rounded the west wing of the Enclave and leapt through a hole which looked to have formally been inflicted by a prior explosion. Lifting his silver head, Helios realized that he was in a hallway, though when he looked to his left and right there were no other sentients within view. He quickly contemplated his next course of action, and without further delay moved deeper into the building.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: On the roof of the Enclave
Allies: None – who needs ‘em?
Enemies: And then there were two…[member="Vrag"] | [member="Darth Vornskr"]
Theme: You’re going down


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liW-kWFiXtQ


‘If it's a fight, I'm ready to go
I wouldn't put my money on the other guy
If you know what I know that I know.’

She stood atop the roof of the Enclave. As far as the eye could see there was wanton destruction – that was the Sith way. Even the building she was currently standing on was billowing smoke from countless shells and would not last the day. So why was she standing here? Because she was a Jedi. Rebuilding Cularin would be more significant than its destruction but she couldn’t stand by and allow it to be destroyed without at least a symbolic defence – for that was all she was offering. At least to the outside world that was all it was.

But deep down this was a turning point for Corvus. On Kashyyk there was hope they could hold the planet right up to the bitter end. The One Sith had thrown a handful of Lords and Knights at her and her alone – such was their desperation. And the Jedi and Republic had sensed the change in fortunes. If there was such a thing as a positive defeat, the Wookiee’s home-world was one. For the One Sith it was a Pyrrhic victory. The planet was back under Republic control and they’d not lost a single trooper in retaking it.

Which still didn’t explain why she was here. It was simple really. She needed to stand up and be counted. It was time to show that the Jedi didn’t simply talk a good talk, they were prepared to roll their sleeves up and give their life if needed. Not that Corvus expected to die. And it wasn’t that she wanted to kill either – but a couple of prisoners had a nice ring to it.

‘It's been a long time coming
And the table's turned around
'Cause one of us is going
One of us is going down.’

She sensed him before she saw him. Melodrama wasn’t solely a Sith trait, but she had to admit they were rather good at it.
“You’ll have to pay for that, you know,” she said as he landed with a roar and his impact left a crater in the stone as well as the criss-crossing cracks that suggested he’d caused significant structural damage to the roof below him. Duly noted. As he chuckled, she wondered if it was anything she said.

And then she watched as he rose up to his full height, his black robes billowing behind him. His blade came to life with a snap-hiss and he addressed her directly.

“No speeder this time?” she asked, “Will you need a rest before we commence? You see I always respect my elders and betters and you make one of the counts anyway.” She smiled at him. “Anyway, I like surprises – so your appearance here disappoints me…too predictable. And if you’re referring to Master Grayson, I suspect you found her too tough a nut to crack. Only the weak fall to the Dark-side you know. Not that I’m volunteering of course. For you see I think you are the one that should be considering your fate. But don't worry, I assure you, I will ensure you receive a fair trial.”

‘You can treat this like another all the same
But don't cry like a queen when you feel the pain.’

And then, no sooner had she started this delightful conversation with her would-be prisoner, the Sith Knight had to butt in.

Or rather she had to attempt to roast her alive, which was almost as uncivilised as the slug-thrower. Of course Corvus would take no pleasure in taking this one hostage. Of course she expected to have to hurt the Knight to do so, but of course she’d not be exacting any revenge for Nyx. But she did consider the fact that she expected the armoured Sith to feel pain – and a lot of it – before she was subdued. And of course she would take no pleasure from that. Nyx’s memory might, but never Corvus.

‘This is hardly worth fighting for
But it's the little petty **** that I can't ignore
When my fist hits your face and your face hits the floor.’

No sooner had the flames left the weapon than Corvus simply used Force Push to return the ignited gas straight back at the barrel and by definition the shooter. How the Knight would deal with the flames at point blank range was anyone's guess, but genuinely the last of Corvus' concerns.


‘It'll be a long time coming
But you got the message now
'Cause I was never going
Yeah, you're the one that's going down.’

And then she returned her attention to the Lord standing in front of her. “Sorry, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?”

‘One of us is going down
I'm not running,
It's a little different now
'Cause one of us is going
One of us is going down.’

 

[Darth Carnifex]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BNBQCBmQuQ[/youtube]​

On dat roof, bby
The Sith Lord chuckled at the Jedi's retort, and he distinctly remembered her spewing something similar at him back on Kashyyyk. However; there was no army or legion of Jedi here to aid her, there was only the meager resistance and the overwhelming Sith bearing down on the planet, so she was in no position to make snarky comments. Well, Vornskr doubted that would hardly stop her anyways, but he liked to think it anyways. "Funny. I will enjoy making you swallow your teeth and tongue." Then came the ferocious spout of flame from [member="Vrag"]'s flamethrower, a suitable distraction that worked in the Sith Lord's advantage, who simply waited a few moments longer while the Jedi Grandmaster put up a suitable defense against the brazen attack, and then he sprung into action. It started as a spark, like it always did, a spark of burning hatred welled up from deep within his gut, and he fanned the flames ever so slowly so that it would rise up into a raging inferno of passion.

He fed it his doubt, he fed it his fear, and soon it transformed into a maelstrom of emotions that he molded into a weapon, and it gave his body power and purpose. He put one foot out followed by the other, and in no time he was charging at Corvus, the wind whipping around his massive form as he neared ever so closer. When finally in range he would twirl his scarlet blade around and around, and then unleash it upon [member="Corvus Raaf"] like a force of nature. He quickly settled into his preferred style of Form V augmented by elements of Form I, II, III, and VI, a hybrid style he had spent decades learning and building, and one that made him a powerful swordsman on the battlefield. However; because of his immense size and strength, he was woefully unacrobatic, and thus was very grounded and static in his fighting style, always staying on the ground and relentlessly pursuing his opponents with the tenacity of a wolf.

His assault would mainly consist of various chops and slices, wide; yet surprisingly quick, strikes with his blade that utilized his physical strength to terrifying results. He had been known to rip away lesser-trained Force User's lightsabers with a well-placed power attack, leaving them completely open for a follow up chop and jab, but he was absolutely certain that Master Raaf could be able to weather his barrage.

Good, he wanted a challenge.

 

[Vrag]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wREKhBGlqo​

There wasn't much place for thought in combat, especially not where Forcers were involved — matters of life and death could be decided in the blink of an eye — and so it was lucky that Vrag had never been one for elaborate inner monologues, or she might have found herself cooked inside her own armor.

As it was, however, the woman wielding the flamethrower was quite conscious of what she was doing, her focus solely on the present moment; she measured time in the beats of her heart against her ribs, in the shallow breaths filling her lungs. Blue eyes followed the streak of ignited napalm as it blazed towards the Grandmaster, only to be deflected with seemingly no effort on the Jedi's part.

Were the situation not so dire, the Knight would have perhaps taken the time utter a few choice expletives as [member="Corvus Raaf"] started moving, but debating hypotheticals is moot. In reality, the armored woman was a creature of instinct, more so in battle, and the muscles of her legs strained against the rubble-strewn floor of the Enclave even as the Jedi above her made the traitorous gesture.

Not that avoiding fire is that easy, mind you; despite her quick reaction, the liquid fire splashed against the black plating of her armor, heating up the durasteel as if it were butter. Well, almost. Luckily for the Knight, the metal didn't melt as the aforementioned diary product surely would have, but it you can be sure it got uncomfortably hot under that black suit. Still, the contact was but momentary, for the Sith had let go of the trigger when her attack had backfired, and the flamethrower clattered useless to the ground.

The firrerreo stumbled backwards with a low hiss, favoring her left arm as she took stock of the damage done, mind racing with adrenaline and anger at being so deftly outmaneuvered. The woefully short encounter had once again proven that she wasn't of much use as a ranged fighter; no, she needed to get in close to dish out her best. The Jedi was too far above her to jump, and she would probably get smacked down mid-air anyway — the Grandmaster had shown exceptional multitasking skills, and Vrag didn't want to test them further — which is why the Knight burst forward with the aid of Force speed, aiming to sever the line of sight between them.
If all went well, [member="Darth Vornskr"] would keep the brunette occupied with single combat, allowing her to pick up the discarded lightsaber of the redhead she'd killed mere moments ago. She would throw the ignited weapon at the smaller of two heat signatures, the red beam aimed to cut at the Grandmaster's legs from below as it pierced the already crumbling roof beneath the Jedi's feet.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: On the roof of the Enclave
Allies: None – who needs ‘em?
Enemies: Definitely two…[member="Vrag"] | [member="Darth Vornskr']
Theme: I’ve got to fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHnK7m2PNVI

'Someday I'm going to smack your face
Someday I'm going to smack your face
Somebody's going to call your bluff
Somebody's going to treat you rough
Sometimes there is only one way out
I've got to fight.'

The benefits of Soresu and Center of Being came from one significant hurdle - in order to be truly effective, the Jedi had to trust totally in the Force. And for the past twelve years that’s what Corvus had been practicing - daily.

For the Force guided the Jedi in defence at the expense of conscious thought - which was difficult to teach and just as hard to commit to - the desire to override when faced with potentially fatal blows was immense.

So no sooner had she dealt with the flamethrower than the Force warned her of the imminent attack from the Sith Lord. Her hand moved to the correct position and en route her hilt snapped into her palm and the violet blade ignited with a snap-hiss. Her intention was to deflect, not block the blow. Against a physical opponent she’d seen ulna’s shattered by misplaced faith in a blade’s ability to block a blow - kinetic energy was never dissipated but rather transferred.

Of course Soresu came with an inherent weakness, alone it would prolong a fight but it would never end it. But it kept a fight going for long enough to spot an opponent’s weaknesses and with patience allow for the time when a mistake was made.

So she remained in the eye of the storm and having parried was made aware of a new threat, a thrown blade aimed at her legs. Rather than use her blade to defend herself and leaver her open to an attack from the Sith Lord, she simply stepped backwards - her Teräs Käsi training allowing her tremendous speed without the need to call on the Force.

The saber passed perilously close but her reliance on the Force had served her well - and at the distance it had been thrown from was relatively simple to avoid. Which could not be said for the bearded brute standing in front of her.

This was going to be a rough one…

 

[Darth Carnifex]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFM1phgD3Bw[/youtube]​

Somewhere over the Rainbow
The Dark Side flowed through Vornskr freely, uninhibited as he continued to trade blow after blow with the Grandmaster. He instantly recognized the trademark stance of Soresu, and found it humorous as his constant barrage of strikes kept the Grandmaster in the defensive. He had found that a fight could not be won by holding the defensive for as long as possible, a fact that Dranok Lussk discovered all too well. He had been a paragon of Form III as well, and his defense was nigh impregnable... that was until Vornskr challenged him to a duel for supremacy of the Old Empire, and after a heated battle he shattered Lussk's defenses, and then proceeded to shatter his spinal cord over his muscular knee. Overbearing defense would not serve the Grandmaster either, and he increased the ferocity and intensity of his assault, going in from ever angle, sometimes using heavy power attacks, but often switching to precise jabs reminiscent of Form II moves.

Suddenly his senses ignited with oncoming danger, and acting on his instincts he made a small leap backwards right as a saber thrown by his comrade, [member="Vrag"], skirted between himself and the Grandmaster before cutting through the stone of the roof. A tremor rumbled throughout the structure, and a section of the roof between the Sith Lord and the Jedi Grandmaster crumbled and collapsed, but the overall integrity of the roof remained intact for now. The possibility of this place to collapse under his feet did not frighten him, he had planned to have this whole place destroyed in the end anyways, and he was confident of his abilities to escape and survive this structure collapsing. So, with ferocious abandon, he launched himself over the gap to reengage [member="Corvus Raaf"] with a mighty two-handed overhead power attack.

 

[Vrag]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYf3wP3l28k​

Once more, her attack proved ineffective against the Force-honed reflexes of the Jedi. She let the fallen redhead's blade clatter to the ground in favor of moving backwards as a few blocks of the crumbling permacrete were severed by the plasma blade. Ignoring the settling white dust, the Sith glanced upwards to catch a glimpse of red meeting blue in the newly created hole in the roof.

She had confidence in [member="Darth Vornskr"]'s abilities — no small amount of which lay in the sheer brute force he could dish out — but two were always better than one, and both old and recent experience had proven that she couldn't do much from this range. Well, at least not from the woefully disadvantaged position she was in at the moment; if she had the higher ground over the Jedi, then perhaps… but considering the current circumstance, the firrerreo was hardly left with any other viable options other than joining the pair atop the ravaged Enclave.

The sounds of lightsaber combat faded in the distance as the woman turned on her heels and backtracked to the entrance of the corridors, Force speed imbuing her legs with an inhuman swiftness. Metal boots pounded the already ruined floor as she rounded the last corner and burst out into the fading light of day, her blue eyes absorbing the details of her environment in the space of two breaths. She cursed inwardly as she spotted her way of ingress — so to speak — and lamented the poor decision to stave off her Force jump training in favor of dedicating more time to Makashi. Oh, well.

As her heart pounded against her ribs, the Knight scoured her surroundings for any other, quicker and less tiring option, and she would've pumped her fist victoriously in the air if she weren't so busy rushing over to the speeder already. She nearly leapt onto the seat in her hurry to rejoin the heat of battle, revving the engine with a small, vicious quirk to her lips as took off into the air.

Unwilling to take the risk of [member="Corvus Raaf"] meddling with her ride — though considering how busy the Sith Lord would keep her, that wasn't very likely — the Knight skidded to a stop on the other side of the roof, dismounting and assessing the amount of rubble-covered terrain she would have to traverse. She was no stranger to unhospitable circumstance, however, and so she began to move across the blasted and charred pieces of upturned permacrete, doing her best to stay hidden behind the debris at all times. The Grandmaster could very well see her through the Force, of course, but it was hardly the same as having a line of sight.

One must count their blessings always.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: On the roof of the Enclave
Allies: What are they?
Enemies: [member="Vrag"] | [member="Darth Vornskr"] | @That’s enough isn’t it?
Theme: And the dance goes on and on and on…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv0HpZLzCUI


‘We're going up in flames
We're burning up in a blaze of glory
Don't put fire into the hands
The weak and faint, the weak and frail

Dripping the life fantastic
Let's celebrate our great escape
For goodness sake, it’s all the same
The sinner and saint, heaven and hell
And the dance goes on
And the dance goes on and on
And the dance goes on
And the dance goes on and on and on and on.’

She was pretty decent and astrophysics and so her maths skills were solid. And how was this relevant to her current situation? Because one on one with the Sith Lord, she stood a chance. Just her and the Sith Knight and she’d be confident. But both at once? Even a Corellian had to accept the odds sometimes told the truth.

A Jedi planned for success first and then for failure. So she pressed on but her brain also computed an escape route in case it was necessary. Conquer Overconfidence and Conquer Defeatism. Textbook stuff. It was just a huge pity there was nothing in the Code about avoiding having your head cleaved in two by a monster of a Sith.

She felt him feeding on the Dark-side – his power palpable. His blows were powerful but surprisingly quick too. It was all she could do to parry them, one after another. Wherever possible she met him at the outer ring but often his pace meant she was forced to parry in the middle ring.

And then started to mix it up. A jab to her chest was reminiscent of Makashi and he’d penetrated her inner ring to such an extent that her parry merely deflected his blade to catch her ribs. In her Shadow Robes, the armour would have protected her, but today the smell of burning cloth and singed flesh meant only one thing.

But if Soresu was pointless in ending a fight in and of itself, the Form was designed to prolong it on purpose. He would be expending far more energy than her and with tiredness there may present an opening. Or she might spot a pattern in his attacks that she could exploit.

But staying alive was the first order of the day and his double handed overhead strike was a formidable challenge. But as he launched himself over the gap to reach her, she held out her left hand and performed a Force Push to stop his progress.

And in the back of her mind she wondered where the Knight had gone. She’d stopped her attacks for now and as much as she wanted to search for her with the Force, the brute in front of her was taking up all of her attention. So she did what she always did. She trusted in the Force. If and when she needed to be aware of any random attack, Center of Being would be likely to tell her. Wouldn’t it?

 

[Darth Carnifex]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6X1fS_dC2Y[/youtube]​

Gonna smack dat Jedi ass bby
Unprepared for the sudden Force Push to his gut that carried the power of a well-placed punch, the Sith Lord let out an oomph through clenched teeth as the force of the blow propelled him back over the gap. He could feel his body tumble backwards, and he quickly righted himself by allowing his body to complete the backwards flip, and landed on his feet in a crouching position, sliding back on his heels before stopping a mere meter away from the roof's edge. His lightsaber had been deactivated during the fall backwards, most likely due to his battle instinct and combat awareness, and with a flurry of his hands he brought the blood-red blade back to life with a snap-hiss. He craned his neck from side to side, letting the vertebrae pop with a satisfactory sigh as he shook his shoulder free of some excess dirt that had gathered from his roll after being pushed across the rend in the roof.

A fool would just charge back into the fray, and Vornskr was no fool. Instead, he analyzed the battlefield around him, seeking new opportunities to exploit in his fight against [member="Corvus Raaf"], and he found one wanting. Holding his blade in his right hand, he lifted up his left and extended his fingers out towards the Grandmaster and her surroundings. He channeled his will through the Force, willing the invisible telekinetic power he commanded to act against the stone beneath the Jedi, and with a twitch of his fingers he grabbed a hold of it. With a dramatic flourish of his hand in a downward motion, the floor underneath the Grandmaster and the surrounding area would crack with a thunderous roar, and would begin to crumble and cave in great blocks of stone, quickly falling away to pepper the chambers below with massive debris.

It was his goal to eventually bring this whole temple down, so why not wait any longer?

[member="Vrag"]

 

[Artemis Vahl'Nyx]

There was a faint shimmering hovering behind the Sith Knight known as [member="Vrag"].​

One wouldn't be able to notice it unless they were looking for it, what with the rain and rubble-dust.​

"Corvus..."​

It wasn't clear where the soft, feminine voice came from, only that it would be almost to quiet for even the armored woman to hear.​

Almost. Hmm. There are far to many 'almosts' in this world... Moreso for the dead than for the living.​

And that will never change.​

[member="Corvus Raaf"] | [member="Darth Vornskr"] | [member="Vrag"]​

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: On the roof of the Enclave (at lest some of the time)
Allies: None present in body…
Enemies: [member="Vrag"] | [member="Darth Vornskr"]
Theme: Be my Devil Angel


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uao73FefA4


‘Ever dance with the devil baby? Oh no
Make my day
Do you feel lucky? Oh no
Tomorrow’s another day.’

Corvus watched as the bearded Sith landed back on the other side of the gap that had developed between them. She’d pushed him further than she’d expected and only his acrobatics – impressive, even if a Jedi said so – saved him from going over the edge. Now that was an interesting turn of phrase because although he prevented himself from befalling that situation literally, figuratively she wondered what she’d provoked him into.

His saber re-ignited and as the rain started to fall, there was a rhythmic hiss of steam as water droplets were being rapidly heated as they touched his blade – and hers for that matter. Funnily, it reminder her of her nightly training regime if and when there was a shower during her evening run. You could say a lot about Darth Bane that was negative, but some of his training methods were spot on.

As the Sith craned his neck from side to side, she was sure she could hear the vertebrae pop. As she saw his free hand being raised, she braced herself for what Force Power he was going to unleash, and suddenly the earth was moving for her. Aware the floor underneath and around her was cracking with a deafening roar, it started to fall heavily into the chamber below. She felt she had a choice at this point. Fall with the debris and make her escape – or jump to a safer part of the roof and resume the fight.

Was it because she was a Jedi that she chose her course of action? Possibly, or it could just be because she was sometimes too stubborn to take the obvious choices. Either way, she fell from sight as the roof gave way and a split second later reappeared. Using Force Valor, she leaped from the chuck of concrete that had been beneath her feet and performing a simple somersault, she landed some five meters to the left of the position she’d vacated. She nodded to the Sith Lord. “Nice move,” she said and extending her free left arm, she turned her palm upwards and beckoned Darth Vornskr with her outstretched fingers. “Is that all you’ve got?” She grinned and had to admit, if nobody was listening, that she was rather enjoying this.