Duel Jutrand Academy - Duel Trial - The Grand Stand

[Thelnic Vath]

Objective: Show off self-taught lightsaber prowess
Location: The Royal Academy of Jutrand
Equipment:

• Lightsaber
• Academy Uniform

Tags: Soldane Talon

Thelnic has made it through the first two trials. The first on his own and with little effort, the second as part of a team that required Thelnic to dig down a bit more. Not only were the challenges stepped up, but also the young Arkanian was not used to working as part of a team. In the end Nevheda of Tsis'Raki and Sage Lumiya were good matches and they covered each other’s weak spots and they made it through.

The third trial for the potential students was a duel. Thelnic had his nerves about this, but also knew that it would be a chance for him to show off the lightsaber he’d built solely on his engineering prowess. And maybe the fighting that he had discovered while working on his own would be something that would make an impression on the Academy's Masters. He knew that what he would display was at best a bastardization of whatever true lightsaber combat Thelnic vid Thelnic could find on the holonet, plus a few general fencing skills and just plain instinct. But these duels were just tests, so only the true failures were risking death right?

Thelnic’s match was against Riven Dreadmoor. The young Arkanian prospect was not keen on following the official rankings, so he had no clue where Riven sat. The fact that Riven came at Thelnic pretty aggressively put Thelnic on his heels. He wondered why Riven would be so confident. Was there a file on Thelnic somewhere that if read would suggest he’d be an easy mark? Was it just bravado because the duel pairings were random and Riven knew that making the first move would give him an advantage? It didn’t matter now. What mattered now was putting their best foot forward and hopefully both of them would prove worthy of acceptance into the academy.

Now they stood face to face in front of everyone. Thelnic grabbed his lightsaber and ignited the red blade. ”In the spirit of the Sith, the weapon has no training setting. I will do my best to win without death or maiming.” The statement didn’t have the bragging tone that Thelnic intended, but he hoped it would not be noticed or seen as a weakness. Pure white eyes locked with those of the younger Echani hybrid, Thelnic nodded his head and took up a defensive fencing stance ready for the fight to begin. ”Let’s get to it.”

 

[Soldane Talon]

Riven had been surprised by the appearence of the lightsaber. He had expected a blade, some manner of weapon, but a saber at a young age was... dangerous. Especially since Thelnic Vath had just admitted it was set to a level that would permanently maim him. Like his father before him, he briefly imagined, allowing a single thought of the corpse his father had become to pass over his mind's eye.​

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A crowd had formed around them, and above them stood two Sepulchral Priests, watching over the public challenge. Many had tried to fight by surprise, and it had worked for many of them. Riven had heard who had won amongst them through the holonet, as each student became a small celebrity in themselves throughout the Empire. It also meant that this fight would be recorded - and Soldane needed to put on a show.​

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At the very least, he couldn't afford to be maimed to a live stream of millions.​

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Slowly, he lowered himself into a form of Echani martial arts. It was a form meant to counter knife fighters, and could be easily adapted to a sword. With some hesitation, Soldane cut out the techniques that involved grabbing the blade, then brought back in the additions and modifications the techniques required when utilized by a Force User. He couldn't over due this, but he could not allow Thelnic to harm him.​

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"Lets.", he said before moving forward in an even tempered step. They were silent as they almost slid across the marble floor, boots in spite of their friction soles treading water on stone. When he was in range, he would feign a strike to the upper right, only to twist back and slide himself forward using the Force as his propulsion.​

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With a careful accuracy, he would strike directly at the side of Thelnic's sword hand shoulder, hoping to avoid the blade as much as possible as he twisted forward to strike in a quick flurry to the same spot. It was a strike meant to disable the joint, break the nerve connections through pure hammering force, but it was quick and short - he had to break free of Thelnic's range just as quickly.​

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He just had to avoid that blade.​