Public From Playgrounds to Battlegrounds

[Braze]

OOC: Open to Young Jedi Characters for that Brat Pack Vibe. LOCATION: Veridia TAGS: Aris Noble

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Nestled in the heart of a breathtaking mountain region, a vast clearing unfolds, embraced by the towering ancient trees. This secluded haven, far from the prying eyes of the galaxy, serves as the foundation for an outpost, constructed by young Jedi. The air here is crisp and pure, filled with the scent of pine and the distant murmur of a cascading waterfall, its waters glittering like diamonds as they catch the sun's rays.

The clearing itself is a canvas of natural beauty and careful planning. The ground is level, with soft, verdant grass underfoot, providing a perfect arena for training and sparring. Around the edges, the beginnings of wooden structures emerge, blending seamlessly with the environment.

At the center of the clearing stands a particularly large, flat area, deliberately cleared of any debris. The ground here bears the marks of their dedication, scuffed and worn in places.

Beyond this central space, the outpost is surrounded by the wild, untamed beauty of the mountains. Jagged peaks rise into the sky, their tops often shrouded in mist, while the dense forest that encircles the clearing is alive with the sounds of nature. It's a place of isolation, but also of peace.

Braze's discovery of this secluded spot, nestled just outside of Ord Providence, had been byproduct of practicing his new piloting skills. The area with it's undisturbed tranquility and natural beauty, had immediately struck him as the ideal location to forge a retreat from the galaxy's chaos. Here, amidst the swaying trees and the soft murmur of distant waterfalls, Braze envisioned a haven where he and his friends could deepen their connection with the natural world and each other.

The outpost they had begun to build together through shared efforts, was a place where the rigors of Jedi training could meld seamlessly with the peace of the wilderness.

Despite the limitations imposed by the loss of his left arm's use, Braze moved with a fluid grace flourishing his saber in his right hand with near the same accuity as he could before. Each flourish of his saber was executed with precision and confidence, a clear indication of the countless hours he had dedicated to remastering the weapon with this one hand.

Braze felt a surge of exhilaration. The progress he had made left him with a high crested over confidence. It was as if he had rekindled the fiery spirit within him that had been somewhat dampoened by his injury. With a mischievous glint in his eyes he saught some one for a challenge.

Braze couldn't resist the urge to test his skills against a worthy opponent. He spotted Aris Noble "Hey, Aris!" he called out, his voice carrying across the clearing with a teasing edge. "Think you can keep up with me? Let's see what you've got!"

 

[Aris Noble]

This was a different place than he'd expected.

Aris stared around the area with a faint smile. This place was perfect, ideal. Him and Seszil could spar to their hearts content here. No threats of the wildlife like on New Cov, no metal jungle like on Coruscant. It was their own place. Part of him was tempted to raise his hands and yell in joy, but he didn't. He was too calm for that, as per usual.

Though it seemed someone else had a different idea.

He glanced towards Braze, tilting his head for a moment before smiling, just a little more. "I know I can keep up. But can you?"

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Braze, catching Aris's confident smile, couldn't help but let his own grin widen. "Oh, I can keep up, and maybe even show you a trick or two," he retorted, his voice laced with playful arrogance. "But let's make it interesting, shall we? First to land three solid hits wins."

He twirled his saber in his right hand, the blade humming softly as it cut through the air. "And let's keep it friendly, Aris. No hard feelings, no matter who wins. Deal?"

Braze's grin took on a mischievous edge as he considered Aris' unique situation. Somber Jade green eyes gleaming with the thrill of adding an extra layer of challenge. "And to spice things up, let's fight on those logs over there." Braze pointed towards a series of large, fallen trees that lay scattered across the clearing, their surfaces uneven and covered in moss.

"It'll test our balance and focus, making it not just about saber skills but also about how well we can maintain our footing. Loser has to do the winner's chores for a week. What do you say?"

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris unshouldered Seszil, gently propping the sheathed blade close by before he reached down to take out his own saber. His blade ignited, though there was no sound as he looked back towards Braze. Then to the logs. So an added challenge of balancing on those? "Footwork is important with any saber combat. Very well. Chores for a week it is."

He stepped over to the logs before hopping up. Idly tested his balance. "Ready when you are, Braze."

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Braze moved with a touch of grace, hopping up from his previous activity. Braze typically had exceptional balance; he had been working towards mastering Faalo's Cadences blindfolded whilst atop a slack line or tight rope, dedicating countless hours to perfecting this skill. However, the challenge of balancing had significantly increased with the use of only one arm. Unable to control his left arm, compensating for its weight and movement became a complex task that could potentially work against him.

He was not deterred by this however, rather encouraged towards this rout. Braze bit into the fabric of his shirt near his shoulder, lifting his left arm. He then nudged his wrist into the front section of his coat, attempting to somewhat secure the hand and wrist in the front slit of the jacket as a makeshift solution to some what pin it in place. Stepping back, he adopted the Tierce stance, signaling his readiness. "Ready," he announced, poised and focused.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris idly shifted his weight as he watched Braze get up on the log and secure his arm. Right. He didn't know the details, but he did understand that something had happened. Not that he planned to go easy on Braze because of it.

That'd just be insulting.

"Good."

He tensed a step forward, then rocketed across the stump. Speed and strength, that was the advantage Aris had. Both hands gripped his blade as he swung down.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Braze was acutely aware of the formidable capabilities that Aris possessed. He had witnessed firsthand the raw power Aris could unleash, a display of strength that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The very thought of being on the receiving end of a direct hit was enough to solidify Braze's resolve to approach this confrontation with finesse rather than brute force. This battle would require not just physical agility but a strategic mind, a game of chess played at breakneck speed.

With this in mind, Braze executed a swift maneuver, leaping towards another fallen tree. His foot slipped slightly on the wet slippery moss of the log briefly, before finding purchase just in time to be clipped by Aris' attack. It was a hit but not direct and took with it a bit of cloth leaving a singe and welt in it's wake. As he made contact with the other tree, he pivoted with precision, using the momentum to catapult himself upwards. His trajectory was aimed to land him some where in the grassy expanse between the two logs, a path seemingly chosen for its directness, yet would have likely been out of bounds should he land. However, as Braze began his descent, an unexpected event unfolded. It appeared as though his foot found purchase on something mid-air, something invisible to the naked eye, which he ingeniously used as a stepping stone to propel himself even higher.

This maneuver was a calculated attempt to flank Aris, to find an angle of attack that the brute strength of his opponent could not easily counter. Braze, smaller and more nimble, intended to leverage his agility and the Force at his command to compensate for his lack of raw power.

 

[Aris Noble]

Cloth didn't singe, even as Aris's blade touched. The Entropite edge did not burn, could not cut. Only weaken. He wasn't going to use the cutting blade of his saber against a fellow Jedi, especially since the cold blade could very well deflect and defend against the burning edge of a Kyber. He turned his gaze up, watching as Braze leapt about. Readied his blade for another strike.

Which came as Braze leapt down. He had no belief that Braze was already going to let himself land out of bounds and was thus plotting something, but he wasn't going to wait for it. He launched forward again, leaping from where he'd found footing on the log to catch Braze midair with another powerful strike. Only to blink as Braze was suddenly sailing overhead.

Aris gritted his teeth as he landed on another tree limb. He hadn't expected Braze to be able to jump midair, but he was always that clever.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Braze was surprised not to have been burnt by the blade. It worried him in a way. He didn't know what kind of blade it was, but he figured it wasn't a typical saber. He could see the subtle changes in muscles, and Braze's eyes were finely tuned to pick up such changes in his opponent, no matter how slight or small. It was part of what he lived for. The gritting teeth did not go unnoticed, as there was a clear, clean line sharply cut in Ari's jaw by the muscle movement that accompanied that action.

Aware of Aris's superior strength, Braze turned the balance exercise into a game of agility and wit. On the fallen logs, his lighter frame became his greatest asset. He danced around Aris, trying to force the taller boy to adjust his powerful stance amidst the shifting terrain. Braze's strategy was clear: to outmaneuver strength with skill, making each step more difficult with passing touch and go attempts to test where Aris's defenses may be weakest.

 

[Aris Noble]

Strength wasn't the only thing Aris had. Without the Force, he needed more to compensate. Jedi used the Force to guide their sabers, their battling. All Aris had access to was practice. Hours upon hours of practice every day on how to swing his blade, how to position his footing. He wasn't able to take over as lead in the fight, but he could keep up. His eyes never left Braze, and his saber continued to intercept Braze's own.

But he wasn't fast enough to change this. Braze had set the pace, even as they fought on the fallen logs. It wouldn't help if he couldn't change the pace, so he brought a foot down. In an instant the wood shattered as he leapt back, leaving the log itself in splinters under them both in the process. He leapt for a different foothold of course, one on a tree farther back before springing his way back forward to try and catch Braze off guard.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Braze's eyes widened as he witnessed Aris's display of raw power, the log splintering under the force of his foot. This unexpected move momentarily threw Braze off balance, but his agility and quick thinking allowed him to recover swiftly pressing down and flipping backward. As Aris leaped towards a new foothold, Braze used the moment to reassess his strategy, realizing that brute forcing an attack, and direct confrontation were not going to win him this duel.

Braze could make snap decisions with ease, for him although they moved so quickly, his perception of the world slowed down. Entering the flow state of mind. With a quick, fluid motion, Braze adjusted his stance, readying himself for Aris's next move. He knew he had to rely on his agility and the element of surprise. As Aris sprang forward, aiming to catch Braze off guard, Braze executed a daring maneuver. Instead of retreating or attempting to block the incoming strike directly, He used the force to tilt the tree Aris was on, rolling it. Two could play at altering the environment in unexpected ways.

"Nice try, Aris!" Braze called out, his tone playful. "But you'll have to be quicker than that!"

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked as his foot slipped out from under him. Blinked as he found himself falling. But he wasn't going to let that be the end of him. His other foot came down, burying into the wood to suddenly and abruptly stop it from rolling. Another stop of his other foot split the log in half, separating where he stood and Braze did in an instant. Just to stop Braze from trying to roll it on him gain.

And let him launch the other half that Braze was standing on up in the air.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Braze was caught off guard, his surprise mingling with a hint of frustration at the turn of events. The sudden launch, courtesy of Aris's powerful strike, sent him and his section of the log flying. It dawned on Braze that perhaps keeping a distance from Aris was a wiser strategy. The kinetic upheaval threw off his balance significantly. With his left arm unable to assist, regaining his footing was a battle lost before it even began. He scrambled desperately on the moss-covered log, but it was futile. When the log crashed back to the ground, the force of the impact was too much for Braze's lighter frame, hurling him from his precarious perch.

Braze, propelled through the air, had only moments to react. Instinctively he braced for impact. He landed with a thud on the soft, grassy underbrush a short distance from the log, the lush foliage cushioning his fall somewhat. Braze tucked into a roll, allowing the momentum to carry him forward and dissipate the force of the landing. His roll was smooth, practiced and hard falling flat and sprawled on his back as he came out of the roll looking up at the sky. Coming to a stop, he pushed himself up, and rolled back into a crouched position.

 

[Aris Noble]

"Three solid hits, right?"

Aris hopped off his log onto the ground. He hadn't chased after Braze, rather watched as the other boy landed 'out of bounds'. But that hadn't been the agreement. The logs were just a self imposed challenge for them both, not an actual way to loose. The first to three won, there were no rules about how they could loose otherwise. They'd both proven they could handle fighting on the logs and work their need for balancing.

He lifted his blade, overhead this time. Ko had been teaching them both about the take on Ataru. One that he could utilize. And without the unsure footing of the logs, Aris's explosive speed would be possible to use. Turning and adjusting wasn't the easiest for him.

Straight lines he could master, though.

In the blink of an eye he was before Braze. He couldn't use the Force like others, but in turn his physical capabilities were far beyond even Knights of the order. And now he was free to utilize it in a heavy slash right for his white haired rival.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Aris's speed was a blur, his movements a testament to his physical prowess. Braze, caught off guard by the sudden onslaught, barely had time to react. With a desperate effort, he managed to raise his saber, the metal of his weak arm trembling under the weight of Aris's powerful strike. The clash of their blades sent a shockwave through the air, a bright flare of energy illuminating their faces in the dim light of the clearing.

Despite the overwhelming force behind Aris's attack, Braze held his ground. His feet dug into the soft earth, leaving trails as he was pushed back, his body straining against the momentum. The Force flowed through him, a tangible presence that bolstered his strength and will. It was as if the very air around him became a shield, absorbing some of the impact and allowing him to withstand the assault.
For a moment, time seemed to slow, the clashing of sabers in to a crawl.

Braze pushed and rallied against the blow bolstering it with a yell, refusing to yield. Even in the face of Aris's superior physical strength, he found a way to level the playing field, turning what could have been a decisive defeat into a moment of defiance.
He mustered all the strength the Force granted him, channeling it into a powerful effort to repel Aris. With a determined heave, Braze sought to widen the gap between them, fully committing to the bind-and-push maneuver. As their blades locked in the bind, Braze exerted every ounce of his will, pushing against Aris's formidable strength. The moment he felt Aris's resistance waver, Braze executed the push, aiming to create space for his next move.

Seizing the momentary disengagement, Braze didn't waste the opportunity the push-off had afforded him. With the distance now between them, he quickly regrouped, his breathing steady as he focused on his next move. Drawing upon his agility, he feinted to the left, a swift, deceptive movement designed to draw Aris's attention and guard. Then, with the grace of a dancer and the precision of a marksman, Braze launched a counter-attack, aiming a low, swift strike towards Aris's side, hoping to exploiting the brief opening his feint may have created. This maneuver was not just about landing a hit; it was about reclaiming the rhythm of the duel, demonstrating that even in defense, there was opportunity for offense.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris's eyes narrowed for a moment as he put his full weight behind his strike. There was no second, no follow up. As Ko had taught, he was only going to focus on the first as the last. The bind was enough that he could keep Braze pinned where he stood, and overpower. Without both arms he doubted Braze would be able to keep both their blades at bay as he pushed further and further down.

Or so he thought. There was a limit to his strength he'd yet to experience, and as he felt the sudden push from Braze to make space he realized it far too late. Putting his all into a single strike was somewhat foolish, all things considered. With no plan now he found himself pushed back and breathing. When Braze charged, he hadn't had the time to find his footing again to meet it.

His eyes never left Braze, even as he twisted to block the feint. Even as Braze spun around him and struck his exposed side, he hadn't looked away from the older youth. is teeth grit at the light sting, but rather than retreat from it he swung wide. Another quick slash to either hit Braze in return, or push the Padawan back.

"One."

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Braze exhibited the agility of a seasoned warrior, his movements shadowing around Aris with deliberate intent. His approach was reminiscent of a cat stalking its prey, each step a calculated ploy in the intricate dance of combat. With a fluid motion, Braze executed a light parry, a tactical feint aimed to test Aris's guard and deflect his blade. This maneuver wasn't merely about contact but strategic misdirection, aiming to disrupt Aris's balance and focus, hoping to continue on creating a momentary lapse in his defense.

Advancing towards Aris's flank, Braze's strategy unfolded with the grace and precision of a chess master. This was a calculated encroachment, designed to outflank and gain a superior position.

 

[Braze]

Append to the abouve

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris's eyes never left Braze. He was relying on feints now, wasn't he? Trying to manipulate the fight to his advantage. It was a smart thing to do given Aris's overwhelming strength, but if strength was the only thing Aris had he would never survive as a Jedi. Without the Force to truly rely on he needed something more. A quick wit, and quicker reactions.

He spun with Braze, bringing his blade around to keep the white haired boy's blade at bay. They were, for the moment, at a stale mate.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble

Realizing the stalemate could not last, Braze shifted his tactics. His mind raced, calculating the various possibilities, each movement of Aris analyzed for the slightest opening. The dance of their blades, was nearing its climax.

In a sudden shift, Braze retracted his feints, pulling back just enough to try and lure Aris into advancing. This was retreat but a deliberate gambit, a vacuum created to attempt to draw Aris forward, off-balance and eager. Braze's eyes, alight with the fire, locked onto Aris's with intense focus. He had discerned a pattern in Aris's movements, a reliance on brute force that, while formidable, lent predictability to his strikes.