Kenobi Padawan Tournament: Round 2 - Uri Aureleos versus Solia Tala

[Kian Karr]

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Description of the room: The room is a large, round training room. In the center of that room is a small pool of shallow water. Along the outer perimeter of the room there is a second level, though structural damage has occurred, causing several pieces to have fallen and leaving holes in the platforms. There are also large platforms and statues. Unknown to the participants is the fact that there are several panels in the floor and wall that allow the room to be shifted at the control of the judge. ​

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ROUND 2: [member="Uri Aureleos"] versus [member="Solia Tala"], judged by Kian Karr

"Greetings contestants." Kian said walking to the center of the room and glancing at Uri and Solia. "This is the second round of the Kenobi Padawan Tournament and I hope you have learned a great deal about lightsaber combat in your first round."

"Let's have an innovative, enjoyable fight!" Kian said clapping his hands together. "Shake hands, make introductions, and lets begin!"

 

[Uri Aureleos]

Uri didn't do much light saber play in the first round. He blamed it on the way he was taught in the monastery. Defend and subdue. A fight can be ended in the first five seconds if you react right. Uri was taught how to react. How to move and bring the assailant to the ground if you can catch them the right way. Defend. He wasn't a fighter. He was a pacifist. He questioned even being in the tournament. It wasn't his place to be. He wasn't a soldier or swordsman. Subdue. End the fight before it begins. This is what he was taught... This isn't what they were looking for however. This was a duel of two padawans in lightsaber combat. It was about the show or at least that's what Uri assumed. No subduing to his opponent's relief. Striking? His face scrunched at the thought of consciously attacking his opponent. He looked angry now.

She's small... Uri was small once. He knew that such a difference in size could be an advantage. Her arms won't be as long as Uri's so he regained some of the lost reach there. He examined every inch of his opponent already calculating steps by the tiles on the floor. Get in close. Shouldn't be as hard as his last opponent.

He reached his hand out to her and smiled, Uri Aureleos. Good luck."

[member="Solia Tala"]

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="Kian Karr"] [member="Uri Aureleos"] ((Sorry for delay, very stressful events recently))

How had she even made it pass the first round? In all truthfulness Solia was surprised it had ended in a draw. It had been the most she had ever really opened up with her training. Fighting against Ardeo had actually been kind of fun, but to have passed that round without either of them losing was just so amazing she had really been at a loss at the time. Now they were being watched in Round two by Master Karr instead of Master Raaf it seemed, and the environment had changed greatly. Now there was a second level to the arena in which the padawans would fight it appeared, and not only that but the shape of the room differed and the small pool of water in the center was really giving the impression the area seemed more like a place of meditation.

The white haired padawan almost wanted to crouch down by the pool and relax. She still felt so nervous participating considering she wasn't all too confident about her position even if she was satisfied with her efforts from before. It was clear her abilities with the force and her lightsaber skills needed improvement. Her technique seemed fine but she wasn't as fast as she wanted to be and her skills were very limited when it came to the force. Hopefully the tournament would continue to show her more of what she needed to work on. So with that in mind when Uri Aureleos offered his hand and good fortune, Solia was quick to smile as she returned them with her own. "Solia Tala, good luck to you too Uri."

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian glanced at the two padawans and smiled broadly beneath his mask as they made introductions and wished the other good luck.

"Very well." Kian said folding his arms behind his back. "As with the first round, the focus is on lightsaber combat, though you may still use the force." Kian said stepping back and out of the way. "I would also suggest using the environment to your advantage."

"You may begin!"

[member="Solia Tala"] | [member="Uri Aureleos"]​

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="Uri Aureleos"] [member="Kian Karr"] ((Finals finally over yay! Also Hurray I wasn't holding you guys up! ; w ; ))

Well if he was encouraging Lightsaber combat, then maybe Master Karr would still pass in her favor even if she lost to Uri if he was more adept with force abilities. Solia knew she was really lacking there, but she hoped that in what she did know and the technique she trained to hone her body to maintain for her blade wielding skills made up for it. The young padawan also noted to take his advice in using the environment to heart. The upper level, pillars, and pool could all be used maybe, but for now she still had no idea what type of combatant the other padawan was, so for the time being the white haired girl only had one concern on her mind, and that was beginning with a simple direct attack to begin to understand how Uri fought compared to herself.

So with that decided, once they had backed off from each other's greeting and activated their lightsabers, Solia moved forward, pressing off the ground and dashing the short distance between them. She made sure to hold her lightsaber in a mid-guard range. If he did something fast enough she wanted to be able to stop it before it got too close to be deflected, while also making sure she didn't take too long either in case he was aiming for her core. Otherwise she held her blade upright, slanted towards her opponent a little, for quick flicks around his guard should an opening present itself in her strike.

 

[Uri Aureleos]

Spoiler

Yay for finals finally over!

Uri stepped away from her. His mind trying to decide how he wanted to take her. For Elizie, he decided to use both of his sai. For her however, he didn't know if he needed both or not. He guessed he would find out soon enough and simply went with one. He spun it in his hand real quick then ignited the blades. First the two prongs then the long center blade shot to life. The short blades dancing as their orange hues. The center blade not even reaching the average size of most shoto. He took the same stance. Right leg forward, sai pointed down just in front of his toe. His left hand sat in defense just in front of his right shoulder. His low guard seemed silly compared to her mid guard but most misunderstood his stance. It wasn't meant as a guard but a taunt. He wanted his opponent to come for him. His weapon currently guarded his thigh after all any one with any common sense would at least guard their body or head.

She played right to him with her forward advance. Not that it mattered his patience matched that of his master's. He would have stood there until she made the first strike. She wasn't in range to attack him yet however, but as soon as she was close enough that was the only way she would force him to move.

[member="Solia Tala"]

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="Kian Karr"] [member="Uri Aureleos"]

Solia appreciated the choice of the other Padawan's low guard. It was easier to bring a weapon up or across to intercept an attack rather than trying to bring your weapon down. The problem was though was that Uri's lightsaber was incredibly short, much shorter in comparison to her own blade. He wouldn't bring able to bring the brunt of his momentum on her with so little surface area to his weapon, and since lightsaber's were inherently weightless as it was he wasn't going to be any faster than her in making attacks with the Jedi's renown tool. However, its style did make her think that he had to be proficient in at least some form of martial arts or close combat technique. The hilt guards on the shoto were designed to catch an enemy's weapon so long as its user's arm wasn't overpowered and could hold back the attack, which meant if he could stop her she would imagine his next move would be to use his forward foot to offbalance her as he used his free hand to land a blow or grab her.

Attempting to be wary of it, Solia shifted her feet as she closed close enough to strike at her opponent, pressing off for a slight boost forward and to his left, on the side whose hand did not hold a weapon, and which was hovering his over shoulder for whatever reason she had not determined yet. As she passed him like this she would flick her blade to strike his side, and then hopefully step off the floor quickly to bounce away.

 

[Uri Aureleos]

She was quick Uri gave her that at least. Smart as well deciding to go to the side that didn't have the weapon. Some would go for the side with the light sai if they wanted that challenge. Uri would then attempt to disarm them and draw his other sai if need be. She probably expected this. It wasn't that hard to tell that Uri's weapon was designed to hook and grab. Unfortunately for her, Uri was smart and quick as well despite being raised on Agamar and most assuming he was this slow and stupid farmer. He had planned for her to chose which ever side she wanted, but going for the left meant she stepped into Uri's trap.

He remembered the monks when they trained him to first use the sai how they asked him where his weapon was. He held up the metal sai, and then they took it and tossed it out of Uri's reach. They asked again where his weapon was. Uri was but a boy so he didn't understand the purpose of the exercise, but he pointed to the sai. The monk shook his head then held up Uri's hands telling him these were weapons as well.

Uri noticed in different spars and velocities that most forgot or didn't even know this truth. Blade knock out of their hands, and they scrambled for it instead of guarding themselves. What does this have to do with Uri and Solia's match? Uri had an open hand. A second weapon. As Solia bounce to his left and pulled her blade across to slash, Uri shot hot himself toward her just as quickly. His left hand striking down across his torso and into her wrist of her left hand as soon as it made impact it turned to grab and hold her at bay. Any attack made would have to come across her body. In the same instance he raised his sai and using his thumb as a pivot flipped it in his hand to a reverse grip. It was a flawless movement that he had great amounts of practice in. It didn't require great effort and he wondered if she even saw him do it. With the sai flip, he aimed the end of the hilt for her open ribs. He didn't wish to strike hard enough to break them, but she would definitely feel the metal in her side. This was also Uri showing mercy since he didn't wish to burn her with the blades of his sai.

[member="Solia Tala"]

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="Uri Aureleos"] [member="Kian Karr"]

Well Solia for one wasn't assuming that Uri was just a slow, stupid, farmer at all. After all, it wasn't as if she had done any research on him prior to the fight. Considering how contained these fights were, something like that seemed unfair, even if it was a smart and undoubtedly useful tactic she would like to think she remember to attempt in a more realistic scenario someday. Regardless, right now Solia wasn't underestimating her opponent for anything other than what he was, and that was a fellow Padawan of the Jedi Order of the Galactic Republic, in a tournament specifically for those especially gifted in martial skills with a blade, wielding a lightsaber that was unusual and made her wary and concerned for its close ranged proximity techniques.

Uri made a mistake in his motions then, she wasn't making an exaggerated swing against his person just yet. There was no wind up, no pulling of her blade, as planned and run over through her own mind before, she was merely going to flick her blade, a small movement of her wrists to graze him, to inflict minor damage. Something she had done before in her last fight, a strategy she had employed against Ardeo, and which she was reusing now once more. She had intended to merely brush his side, to show him that she could touch him, and then back away. To gauge him, to see where she might press for a true swing like he anticipated, later.

Seeing his aggressiver motion to block though, Solia backed off her approach. He had expected something much more solid from her, but she wasn't going to commit to an attack that would involve more serious consequences if she messed up this early. As such as she was glad she simply stepped away when her foot landed, not wanting to know what else his counter might have entailed if she had been in a position to fall into it. Now though she wasn't sure how to begin, so as a precaution as she back away she tried to place the pool in the room between herself and her opponent. If he went through it to reach her quickly instead of going around as she was then he would give her a slightly elevated position at the edge of it, not to mention if his feet became wet they would be more slippery, and if he came around as she was then he was giving her time to think over a more thorough attack.

One thing was certain though, she wasn't letting him out of her sight for now, and she wasn't going to use a wide high guard with his weapon choice practically meant for slipping through big openings. She might even have to forego the mid-guard and close up into a close-guard to keep that small shoto from dancing around her if he got up in her face.

 

[Uri Aureleos]

Uri watched as she drew back and created distance. It was interesting what she was doing to say the least. He considered using a force leap to land on the other side of the pool in her path but he wasn't the one to pursue a fight. Instead he took the spare time in her retreat to set and plant himself. He turned his body to where his left side faced her across the pool then took a wide horse stance with his footing. His sai he held at his belt blades pointed across the pool and his left hand he held open palm in front of him lined up level with his shoulder with his elbow loose and bent. The stance was a bait. He wanted to see if she would attack him for being in what some might assume as a difficult and too low stance. On the contrary, in Uri's training this stance was way more then just a way to stand. It was equally offensive or defensive - an advance or retreat - depending on which he needed.

Uri was patient. He would sit and wait for her to make another move although he assumed she might realize this and try to test his patience. It didn't matter to him. He balanced himself in a strong stance keeping his body still and steady as he immersed himself in the force drawing it's strength to him and also making note of her force signature and his own. He let his mind enter a brief meditative state. His eyes remaining focused on Solia as he waited. If she moved in, he would be ready. If he need to move in, he would be ready.

[member="Solia Tala"] [member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="Uri Aureleos"] [member="Kian Karr"]

She was going to test his patience, for now.

Solia was not a fan of how aggressive her opponent's movements were, and to be frank she didn't feel comfortable on the attack or the defense under the circumstances. The short length of Uri's weapon really did make it clear that he relied on technique a lot involving the use of counters that utilized martial forms. However, she really hadn't anticipated it to be so aggressive, it made her worried about its predictability. If she attacked and she couldn't react to his reaction then she would be open, but if she choose the area where they would fight in this arena and merely focused on countering his own offensive so she had less turn for error, then perhaps she would stand a better chance at getting into the flow and rhythm of their exchanging blades. Her attention to the force lightly touched upon them as she tried to rely on it more to feel each of them out in response to their position and what might happen in a sudden burst.

Nothing did happen though, even though the other Padawan took a very interesting stance. It was almost like a crouch in how low Uri bent, but Solia wasn't sure what it entailed. The defense seemed awkward but without really knowing about it for all she knew it was meant to enable him action opposite of what she believed it to at first glance. Nonetheless, since she had no intention of testing it out it wasn't a problem for now. For the moment Solia focused on taking her place on the opposite side of the pool from her opponent, settling into her own stance with a breathe, holding her lightsaber in both hands in front of her, her feet balanced one on the ridge of the pool and the other on the flat floor behind it, ready to jump back if she underestimated his ability to reach her, or lean forward to attack if he rushed through the pool. She kept one hand loosely on the lightsaber, wary of his potential threat. His attack could entail pinning her blade with his own weapon and striking at her with his hand if he did use it for more than countering. If so she didn't want too tight a grip with one hand so she could remove it quickly to try and grab him while also keeping a stronger hold on her weapon in case he tried to overpower it if she were holding it one handed.

 

[Kian Karr]

Spoiler

expect changes in the room to come......MUAHHAHAHAHAH

---deleted---

 

[Uri Aureleos]

Uri kept his eyes focused on her as he sunk a little deeper into the trance not letting them betray his plan. At the moment, an oddly convenient barrier separated them. Going through the water didn't seem to be an option but going over and around might be, but doing so would give her the advantage over him. She would have the spare time to set up a counter or even take another retreat. He decided that he didn't plan to leave his position, nor did he really expect her to attempt another attack like the one she tried before. But that didn't mean he didn't assume she wouldn't be coming to him.

Uri twisted his hand visualizing a grab as he reached out through the force. He give a mental thank you to his last opponent, the Arkanian Padawan, Elizie Adasca. She was the one who showed him how to use telekinesis. He prepped himself for this just incase Solia didn't show any sign of budging. He meditated, he drew in the force to strengthen his connection to it, and then he also looked at her force signature to make note of her location in the force. Just like how Elizie had showed him, he attempted to draw Solia forward with the force pulling her at least into the pool of water in front of him hopefully the whole distance across. He assumed by her body language she expected a physical attack rather than one in the force.

He had 12 years of experience with monks training with them physically. With his time at Ossus Academy, he devoted a good chunk of time to the force focusing on force powers. Thanks to his friend Elizie, telekinesis became his favorite.

[member="Solia Tala"]

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="Uri Aureleos"] [member="Kian Karr"]

Solia had been anticipating a physical attack if one were to come, that was certainly true. This tournament was supposed to emphasize their skills with their lightsabers more than their abilities with the force. That had been what had drawn the white haired girl to the event to begin with. For most of her time growing up with the Jedi Order she had worked hard to hone her skills with a blade and keep herself in good physical shape. Admittedly though it did mean she hadn't put as much time into refining her knowledge of the powers she could wield through the force. So as Uri touched the force and she suddenly felt herself being drawn forward by the invisible hand of the force, Solia was really unhappy. She was constantly hoping in this tournament evaluating their lightsaber skills that less people would try to use the force. Her opponent last round had avoided it for the most part for which she had been thankful, but still. . . . .

At least her position gave her a chance to react. Her footing allowed her to struggle against the pull somewhat, her foot on the slight incline of the pool's edge letting her push back physically if feebly. She didn't intend to fight it though, knowing her tie to the force wasn't intricate enough to try and undo the other padawan's efforts. However, she could do something else. Though probably not on par with people with more focused studies, Solia did know the basic ability of using the force in a wave to push objects, or people, back. Hopefully the force applied against Uri would cause him to stop or at least hamper his focus so his own use of the force weakened on her so she could resist.

 

[Uri Aureleos]

His footing was solid that was the design of the stance. If she had even ran at him and tackled him, the chances of knocking him off balance or to the ground would have been slim. The stance allowed him to stand almost as firmly as a wall. His torso bobbed slightly, but this was the most the push effected him. Mentally, he was still one with the force around him. He assumed her shift in focus from her footing to the push would allow him an opening, so he took it. Gripping tighter with the force, he jerk forward with the force pull instead of his previous attempts to bring her o him gradually. This was more offensive than he originally planned to be, but he took it as something that must be done. If successful, the quick forceful pull would likely just land her in the water instead of across the pool to him like he planned.

[member="Solia Tala"]

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="Uri Aureleos"] [member="Kian Karr"]

It would, if at that point Solia hadn't gone along with it. The young padawan had groaned upon the failure of her own attempt to use the force to deal a blow to her opponent's position, however, she had also felt the surge as Uri gathered upon the force in a sudden manner as he reached for the strength to direct at her all at once. Noticing that, the white haired girl waited until she felt the pull come upon her, and as it drew her forward with a burst of force, she took a step forward to hop off the lip of the pool's edge, so that she was drawn across it entirely, giving her a headstart as she touched down on the other side to launch a new attack on her fellow padawan.

She really hadn't wanted to go on the offensive, but considering what he did with the force to her to get her to move she might as well roll with it so it was somewhat advantageous to her. So as Solia touched down on the ground again, not liking the slight vertigo she felt from the force pull on her, but she didn't let it distract her as she moved forward, holding her weapon carefully. She wasn't sure how to approach Uri's defensive stance, his posture was confusing, but she did recall his reaction last time, and was very aware of how his physical prowess could be utilized through his weapon. She was going to be careful, she was wary of him trying to remove her weapon from her grasp, and she wasn't sure she wanted to turn the fight into a brawl, but she was certain that if she could force an exchange from her maximum range. . . .

As such when Solia drew closer to Uri she kept light on her toes. Coming no further than where the top fifth of her lightsaber would be able to touch the other padawan if she landed a blow on him. She didn't want him within arm's reach where he could grab her wrist, that much she wanted to avoid for now since she hadn't been able to see the extent of his skills earlier. If he came toward her she would still try to keep that specific distance, bouncing back or to the side if she could, and if he moved to intercept her of course as she came to him then she would still aim to stop at that specific distance aforementioned.