Private Krayt Battlecircle

[Mathieu Brion]

Krayt Battlecircle​

A cultural exchange - that was what they called it. It was something to further the relations between the Jedi and the Mandalorians. It was no large scale event, not this time - only a few Jedi visiting a Mandalorian basecamp on Mandalore, very appropriate. For the time being, it seemed to be where Clan Krayt had established themselves with many warriors who seemed utterly capable. It was one of the clans which viewed the Jedi with less fondness - in truth, Mathieu didn't know what it was that made them agree to have a bunch of Jedi walk around in the camp. Maybe the bonds between them were growing so strong that it would be hard to not welcome them to their homes at some point. Or maybe it wasn't by choice - it was fully possible that it wasn't really their camp to decide over. At any rate - there they were, meeting each other.

This was all something which the large Padawan was rather happy about. While he did not know what other Jedi thought, he had always held Mandalorians in high regard - they were renowned warriors and as someone who always appreciated a good story, they always seemed to be featured in them. It was amazing to finally being able to walk among them in a more profound manner than before. He remembered meeting with Zephyr Krayt with fondness, for he had made a friend that day, hopefully, this day would be just as good.

Slowly walking through the camp, wearing all the equipment he usually did, Mathieu didn't feel quite as much as a foreigner as many of his peers. He wore heavy armour and had worked as a rather successful Mercenary before his force sensitivity was discovered. In many ways, he lacked the 'weakness' which some Mandalorians had come to despise about the Jedi. Hopefully, he could be a positive representative and help close whatever gaps existed between them.

Eventually, he arrived by a circle. It was not something which was clearly marked - but it had been used diligently enough that the grass had died, making the solid ground stand in stark contrast to the softer grassy areas around it. Multiple people stood by the circle but only two could be found inside of it. The two habitants of the circle were fighting a fierce battle, they were armoured and their vambraces seemed to be active and their dulled swords were certainly not shy of action - but they had discarded their rifles, allowing their friends to hold their weapons for now. Captivated by their skill, Mathieu kept walking closer to the circle. He noted how the people around it didn't seem to be cheering much, something which could be expected from other orchestrated fights - no, these bystanders didn't watch the fights for their own entertainment, even though that may very well be part of it. Instead, the watched to learn, studying combat as it happened in front of their eyes.

Arriving by the side of a woman, Mathieu asked two simple questions "What this? Can I also have a go at it?"

Raya Krayt

 

[Raya Krayt]

The efforts made to establish a healthier relationship with Force users among the clan were still taking time to take effect. She wanted to leave a legacy where she improved the clan and healed past broken relationships but it was proving difficult. Some of her clan were set in their ways and some were wary of repeating past mistakes. As history told, Mandalorians were safest relying on themselves.

Raya had no issues with Force users herself, as the leader of the initiative behind reinstating them in her clan, though like most Mandalorians she was wary of those who wielded the Dark side of the Force. The Jedi, however, had been of great help to them and could prove themselves to be valuable allies who she would welcome into their home with open arms.

The Mandalorian watched as her brethren duelled in the circle, making mental notes on the style of fighting as she did. However, her attention was drawn to a man at her side who spoke up. She looked up at him and offered a friendly smile, her helmet resting between her arm and hip since she disliked how impersonal it was to meet people with your face concealed.

"It's a Battle Circle." She began to explain. "It's a custom we have where do practice fighting. Non-lethal, of course." His second question immediately earned him some respect from the warrior. It was commendable to see the Jedi immersing themselves into the Mandalorian culture. Especially as such peace lovers. "Of course! Though there are a few rules you need to know. The first being that if you step outside the circle, you lose. Only dictated weapons are allowed, such as dulled swords." She gestured to the pair in the circle. "And the last isn't a standard rule but for the sake of fairness I'd say no use of the Force." She told him. "What's your name?" She asked, extending a hand towards him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Raya."

The battle in front of them reached its conclusion as one of the Mandalorians was violently ejected from the circle and after a moment of glory, the circle was empty again so Raya quickly jumped in before anyone else could. "Wait. The Jedi wants a turn." She told the group, gesturing towards Mathieu. "Who do you want to challenge?" She asked.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Krayt Battlecircle​

A nod. Mathieu gave her several as he listened to her speak of the battlecircle. It sounded like an interesting concept - on the one hand, he felt like Jedi should not revel in a fight, on the other, he knew the realities of the world and how he was likely going to need to conduct more battles in the future. Was it really so bad for him to hone his skills, both in combat and in facing a live opponent and thereby mastering his temper? It felt as if it should be harmless. And her next answer added to it - he was welcome to participate.

The rule about not being allowed to step outside the circle seemed sensible and he liked the idea of using dulled weapons. These Mandalorians obviously concerned themselves with safety and each other's well-being. Something which a number of stories contradicted. Still, the large Padawan was happy to see that they were so caring.

Taking her hand he nodded once more "Mathieu, it's a pleasure to meet you" he said - normally, he would have presented his title as a Jedi Padawan - but seeing as she refrained from doing so, he would too. Before they got to speak much further, the battle seemed to be over. He was eager to try a fight in the battlecircle, but it seemed like Raya was even more eager. However, she did it for him, noting that he wanted a fight. Taking a few timid steps forth, the large Padawan looked out over the Mandalorians who were nearby. A friendly smile formed on his lips - he did not know any of them, but he did know her - his gaze returned to Raya "I would like to challenge you" he said with a non-assuming voice, friendly as ever.

If someone came to take his lightsabres away, he would cooperate and allow them to have his weapons on the ground for now. If not, he would allow them to remain on his belt with the promise "I won't use them" as they prepared.

Raya Krayt

 

[Raya Krayt]

The Jedi tended to be friendly so it was no surprise when this one was the same. Conversely, she wondered what it was like for them to interact with Mandalorians, some of whom were not as well-received as their Jedi friends nor were they as disciplined with their emotions. Stormy tempers were commonplace among such an aggressive people. This aggression could be honed in battle but the Jedi did not use their emotions to their advantage in the same way. Raya wasn't an overly aggressive person herself, with a disposition that leaned more towards that of a typical Jedi.

The Alor was not one to flaunt her title for several reasons but mainly because it placed expectations in people's heads which she didn't feel she lived up to yet. She had been trying to gain her clan's approval since unwillingly becoming Alor - a task that was proving unfruitful thus far.

Raya watched Mathieu's gaze move around the group as he selected someone and her heart sank when it landed on her. The imposing size of the man was enough to put her off but she showed no sign of hesitation in her tone or expression. "I accept." She replied before sliding her helmet back on to conceal the nerves that were beginning to show through the cracks.

With her clan watching, she couldn't turn down an offer to duel. It would lose her even more respect which she didn't have but perhaps if she came out victorious then it would earn her some small morsels of respect. She had been avoiding duels for a long time, knowing that losing one could lose her right to being Alor. While she would be happy to give up the title to someone else, she was not happy to do so through the loss of a duel but as clan customs dictated - that was the way.

The Mandalorian pulled both blasters from her holsters and tossed them out of the circle before pressing a couple of buttons on her vambraces to deactivate the lethal functions within. "Don't worry, you won't get a flamethrower to the face." She joked, trying to convey a confident attitude to her clan watching.

With the pleasantries finished, they were handed their swords from the previous competitors and once in hand Raya assumed a stance ready for battle. Judging by his size, it was safe to assume Mathieu was stronger than her so she hoped she'd have the upper ground on account of her agility. Only time would tell. For now, she needed to test the waters and see what blade skills the Jedi had.

She made a swing towards his midriff, expecting the blade to be met, hoping her speed would allow her to get in some strikes in the match and that his sheer size would make it difficult for him to do so. If the blade was met, she would attack by bringing the blade up in an arc to his shoulder, unless he made an offensive move in response.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Krayt Battlecircle​

It was good to see that she accepted for she was the person whom he had made the most contact with among the ones who were watching so far. To Mathieu, the intricacies of clan politics were completely unknown and the duel seemed to be a friendly one without too much prestige involved. Nobody approached Mathieu to relinquish his arms - but the woman whom he was about to face did it on her own accord, and so, he followed suit, removing the belt and putting it on the ground on the side of the circle where the audience was more scarce.

Soon, they both assumed battle-ready stances. Having worked as a Mercenary, Mathieu recognised hers - or at least, it seemed rather familiar. His was an odd one as he held the blade in the left hand, a far throw away from his usual Soresu stance. The odd stance was not without reason, however - for swordfighting was a very different thing from lightsabre fighting. It meant that the methods applied could also afford to be different. "Thank you and don't worry: I won't use the force"

When the fight started, Raya took to the offensive and swung her blade towards his abdomen. With his one-handed grip, Mathieu raised the pommel up high with the blade directed downwards vertically in order to intercept her attack, showcasing his impressive strength as he was quite capable of holding it there with a single arm at an uncomfortable angle. If she tried to bring her blade upwards, it would travel along his own blade until it met the Padawan's weapon's crossguards. Exploiting the fact that their weapons were locked to his left side, Mathieu then moved fast, on his right side with the intent to tackle the woman and hopefully to send her flying backwards.

Raya Krayt

 

[Raya Krayt]

It was set to be an interesting experience. A Jedi engaged in a Mandalorian custom was certainly unusual but that was the reason for their visit. Both groups needed to understand each other if they were to work together. Historically, they had not gotten on well but in recent times they had established a friendship of sorts due to their common enemy. Both groups likely had preconceived ideas of the other but today was dedicated to laying those rumours to rest. While their culture was based on war and battles, Mandalorians were not heartless.

To fight with a Jedi was ironic, given their history, but Raya wanted to give it all she had to try and prove to her clan that she was worthy of their respect. However, with the Jedi she faced she was nervous. Had they been in a lethal fight then she would've liked her odds better but in a fight such as this, with limited weapons, she was afraid.

His thwarting of her attack was concerning, showcasing his strength. It was beneficial to her, however, as it provided information on his fighting style. She was not expecting his sudden move against her though. She was flung backwards but dug her feet into the ground to prevent herself from being thrown out of the circle. She quickly marched back to the centre of the circle and with both hands she swung the blade towards her opponent's side.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Krayt Battlecircle​

The first attack seemed to be working as he woman whom he was facing was sent back, needing to dig her boots into the ground to prevent being thrown out of the circle entirely. If their strength relations looked things looked promising for him. But then, it was important to not forget that she was a Mandalorian - and he knew that their prowess was impressive overall. This was not a time to relax - no, he had to stay on his toes.

Recovering quickly, she soon marched back towards the centre where Mathieu were. But he would not give her that much time, instead, he met her halfway there, putting her back closer to the edge than when he tackled her last. Upon seeing the two-handed strike, Mathieu braced for the attack by assuming his own two-handed grip of his weapon, allowing him to block the attack with ease. At first, he pushed his weapon against hers, trying to force it back but then, he once more let go of it with his right arm, letting his left keep the equilibrium and move it along with her sword to keep it that way. With his now freed right arm, the large Padawan shot into close range and put his own hand just underneath the crossguard of her weapon, on top of her hands. His iron grip would make it rather painful to hold onto it underneath but that was only part of his objective. What he really wanted was to take her weapon away from her.

Raya Krayt

 

[Raya Krayt]

To lose the battle would be a devastating blow to the young Alor who already had so much to prove but she wasn't without hope. She had trained most of her life for battles like she one she was engaged in now so she ought to be a worthy competitor. However, one disadvantage was that she didn't know her opponent's background, nothing about his training or much about Jedi training at all.

As the stronger of the two, locking blades would likely prove to be her opponent's forte as he would have the opportunity to overpower her. Unfortunately, that was the situation she had gotten herself into. She hoped to spare herself from being forcefully pushed out of the circle but it seemed the Jedi had other ideas. As soon as she felt his hand on hers, she sent a kick towards his abdomen, hoping to at least gain some control back, though she was clutching at straws really, given his size. If unsuccessful, she would loosen her grip on the sword due to the mounting pressure of his hands.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Krayt Battlecircle​

Everything seemed to be going as it should. Raya was struggling to hold on to her dulled sword and little by little, it seemed to be slipping from her grasp. But she was no pushover. The Mandalorian was resourceful and proved as much when she suddenly raised her leg to kick him in the abdomen. It was particularly brave because they stood so close to each other making the impact less pronounced than if they were further apart. It was also brave because he was holding onto her hands by her sword.

With her one leg raised to kick him, Mathieu braced for impact while turning his body to the side and taking a step away from her whilst also holding on to her weapon and her hands. The impact of her kick pained him, causing him to let out a grunt - but built like a tank and clad in heavy armour, it was tolerable. What she would be exposed to, however, would be harder to recover from as he pulled her along before her leg could reestablish itself on the ground again. With enough speed, the hope was that she would trip and fall.

Since he did not back away, Mathieu had continued to try to pull her weapon away from her. If she did indeed let go of it, he would stand tall above her with one sword in each hand whilst she did not seem to be carrying any more weapons. With that, he threw both weapons outside of the battle circle. He had already learned much about their sword fighting capabilities - now, he wanted to learn more through hand-to-hand combat. Once she was on her feet, the large Padawan launched his attack, spinning 150 degrees to kick her and then continuing the spin to slap her with a backhand upon making a full circle.

Raya Krayt

 

[Raya Krayt]

It was a last ditch attempt to gain any sort of control back over her weapon. She knew she was not powerful enough to topple the towering man but she did not predict his following comeback. Her grounded foot was dragged along with her, pulling her off balance so she fell to her knee.

Beneath her helmet, her face began to burn bright red with embarrassment. Had she been an ordinary member of the clan, such an action wouldn't have been as humiliating but as Alor she was expected to be better than that. She knew little about the Force, thanks to being raised in such an ignorant clan, including how users could sense the hidden emotions of others. The Force users among the spectators would be aware of the negative emotions that began to envelop her. She was losing and she knew it.

As the sword was liberated from her grasp, her panicked gaze watched Mathieu to see what he would do next. He had the power to end the battle then. However, it seemed he chose to elongate the battle by reverting to hand-to-hand combat. It was an opportunity to comeback and to prove to her clan that while her swordsmanship skills left something to be desired, she could beat a Jedi in the first form of combat a Mandalorian learns.

Though, she was disheartened. Having already lost the battle in her mind, she was losing hope but would still give her all in an attempt at gaining a favourable outcome. She quickly got back to her feet before he could take advantage of the situation. She was swiftly knocked backwards by the kick and backhand combination, stumbling a few feet backwards but she quickly regained her balance. She had to otherwise she risked being pushed out of the circle.

For both of them, many parts of them were well-protected by their armour and if he tried to swing at her she would attempt to dodge the attack through swift footwork and ducking. Her offensive move would be made with an initial swing towards his face and if she could get close enough without getting grabbed she would attempt to headbutt him from beneath his chin.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Krayt Battlecircle​

So far, so good. It seemed like his initial attack landed and it sent her back. Still, the Mandalorian proved her resilience as she not only managed to prevent herself from being sent out of the circle but also got back up on her feet again.

Mathieu didn't know about her state of mind. While the force sensitives around them might have been able to reach out and get an idea of it, he maintained his discipline. Using the force was not allowed for him, just as she was not allowed to use her tools. And so, he refrained from doing so completely. To him, all he could do was to listen for the sounds she made and observe her posture while the T-visor kept her face well hidden.

The battle continued with Mathieu throwing a few more jabs and swings at his foe. Attacks which she skillfully avoided through quick reflexes and good footwork. While it did work to drain some of his stamina, Mathieu thought of it as an almost purely positive experience, seeing as how he could observe where he was weak - which attacks that were too slow, which were too predictable and where an opponent would go to avoid them. Maybe the Mandalorians were on to something with the battlecircle.

Eventually, his flow would be broken as she quickly moved in with a swing to his head. Mathieu produced a pained grunt as her fist connected with his cheek, scratching it adequately to cause blood to start seeping out from the wound. But the assault was not over there as she charged in to him. At first, the large Padawan tried to grab her arm but narrowly missed it as she kept moving forth. In response, he kept his arm moving in behind her. What would happen was that he would be able to catch her as she jumped up to reach his cheek, effectively pinching her between his torso by her front and arms by her back. The force she came with caused him to stagger back but Mathieu tried to turn it into his own advantage by then turning around and trying to throw her outside of the circle with his arms whilst simultaneously sending a knee up against her torso - she she managed to latch on to him, at least she would be put in a most painful situation.

Raya Krayt

 

[Raya Krayt]

By now, Raya was beginning to get frustrated. She had trained her whole life for battles like this, as much, if not more than the Jedi before her so she was frustrated by her lack of progress and for the first time, she was upset with her mother. She had loved her dearly but when she died, her daughter had been left in charge of a clan she was unprepared and inexperienced for. She wished her mother had appointed someone to take her place rather than leave the responsibility to fall on her only child. Now, she faced losing the respect of her clan and she wasn't sure if she could face it.

She was thankful she could at least get some hits in, though she would need to do a lot more to make a meaningful impact. Raya did not enjoy the pain and suffering of others by any means but in the context of her culture, fights were commonplace and she did not feel bad about inflicting damage on a willing opponent, no matter how friendly they seemed. She was in the battle mindset and would do all she could to turn the odds in her favour.

The Mandalorian grunted as she was pinned against her opponent and tried to pull free from his grasp. She knew she was in a vulnerable position without her feet on the ground and in the arms of a much stronger person. She clung to whatever part of him she could hold onto as she felt his body shift but did only delayed the inevitable as she took the knee to the abdomen and was thrown towards the edge of the circle.

Her resistance at least provided a tiny amount of protection from such a violent toss as she landed and rolled within inches of the edge, grunting on impact. She quickly got back to her feet and approached him, trying to push back to the centre of the circle. Her abdomen ached from the kick but the surge of adrenaline soon quenched all worries of that. When she saw an opportunity to do so, she sent a punch towards his face at least as a distraction before grabbing his arm with both hands to try and twist it painfully.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Krayt Battlecircle​

He failed in throwing her out but at least his knee hit her before she went away. Mathieu did not rush to pursue her, instead he took a few calm steps closer whilst entering a defensive stance. It was not out of mercy - after having been with his friend Zephyr Krayt he knew that it may not be too well appreciated by Mandalorians. The true reason that he didn't pounce on her was that he knew her. She had bounced up with impressive speed before and he was proven right when she did so once more. "You're tougher than most, Raya" he said, knowing that few would have been able to stand after taking the punishment that she had sustained. She was a good warrior and had shown it to him via actions, not words.

While they might have started to circle each other in normal circumstances, seeing as neither of them was in a rush to attack, he did not such thing this time. Instead, he focused on keeping her by the edge of the circle, moving to intercept if she tried to circle around him along the edge of the battle circle.

And then she attacked by throwing a punch at his face. He had not been attacking and was focused on her, allowing him to block the punch by raising his right arm. But that was not all. Continuing, the woman grabbed the blocking arm with both of hers in an attempt to twist it. Mathieu, doing his best to resist, let out a grunt "No" as they struggled. After the initial surprise, he took the initiative by throwing a punch at her abdomen with his free hand. But instead of retracting the hand after impact, he would continue to drive it forth and even grabbed the belt to reduce the risk of her escape. In an impressive display of strength, he would then work to bring her feet off of the ground once more.

It was a risky move, for it exposed him to being kicked - that was something which had to be changed fast and so, he started to move his other arm to either take hold of hers or to take hold of her chest plate, allowing him to hold her horizontally and thereby reducing the risk of being kicked. If he got to the point of holding her in that position, Mathieu would jog over to the edge of the circle and toss her out of it.

Raya Krayt

 

[Raya Krayt]

His words did little to soften the blow of the internal turmoil she felt. They were intended to be kind but they felt like a blow to the face. Being tough wasn't good enough. She wanted to succeed. However, she didn't respond in risk of her tone showing her frustration and her focus was not on formulating an appropriate response but on the battle at hand but it was difficult to concentrate knowing the judgement of her clan rested on her shoulders as dozens of visors watched their Alor intently - waiting for her to make a wrong move that had been a long time coming.

The Mandalorian had unwittingly allowed herself to be herded to the edge of the circle and risked being removed from it. Her following attack was an ambitious one but she was cornered with nowhere else to go. Part of her knew it would end the way it was about to but she was not prepared for the reality of it. She was taken aback, literally and figuratively, by his punch and did not expect a continued hold on her.

With her feet off the ground, she desperately tried to ply herself from her opponent's grasp and failing all else, she used her free legs to try and kick herself away from him but her efforts were not powerful enough and within moments she was on the ground, cleanly outside of the circle.

The lingering pain from the punch was dull compared to the aching in her heart. She didn't want to see the disappointed faces of those around her. Her eyes remained fixed on the ground for a few moments before gathering the courage to look up. Her gaze met a warrior on the other side of the circle who looked at his Alor with an emotionless expression but Raya knew all too well what he felt.

The Mandalorian got back to her feet and none of her allies were too keen on getting back to fighting, though it seemed one was persuaded after Mathieu had sparked other Jedi getting involved. No one would say anything to her now but there would be a clan meeting, even if she wasn't the one to call it. She stood awkwardly as another battle got underway, hoping for an opportunity to escape while wishing she could disappear.

Her opponent was a good fighter, no doubt about it, but she wasn't about to congratulate him on having claim to the Alorship of her clan. She remained silent.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Krayt Battlecircle​

It was a struggle. The Mandalorian was certainly making him fight for each and every step he took, kicking and flailing as they get got closer to the edge. More than once, he had been close to loosing the grip on her but ultimately, they arrived at their destination and with a swift move, he tossed her away. His shadow was cast over her as he stood by the edge of the circle, letting out a heavy breath. In the background, he could hear some disgruntled noises as the Battlemaster announced him as the winner. In truth, it was fading into background noise as his focus was on someone else.

Defeated, Raya laid on the floor. Eventually getting back up to her feet. "That was a good fight. Thank you. I think I learned a lot" he said, displaying how grateful he was both in his mannerisms and his words. But for some reason, she seemed to be less responsive and less talkative than she had been before the fight. Tilting his head to the side, he approached her with his head tilted to the side, carefully asking "Are you alright?" with a somewhat concerned expression on his face.

Unfortunately, he would not be given much of a chance to speak to her further as two fellow Padawans soon approached, seemingly ecstatic as the congratulated him on the win. And soon after, three Mandalorians approached, giving him a few pats on the back before challenging him to a duel. Mathieu looked at Raya hesitantly, worried about leaving her alone. If she had been responsive, he would tear himself away from the others so that he could speak to her as the Battlecircle resumed normal activities behind him. If she had not been responsive, he would eventually allow himself to be pulled back for another fight.

Raya Krayt

/Possibly End Thread