Raise Your Weapon

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Standing in the training courtyards Nikias stood off to the edges of it staring at the other Silver Sanctum members that practiced everything from their use of the force to their lightsaber techniques. Truthfully Nikias yearned for a good fight, it had been so long since he had last met a true opponent in combat. The last time that had happened had been one of the last missions he had led on his homeplanet Hora... It was kind of ironic how him and the man Aris ended up apart of the same group considering how they'd once been enemies on the battlefield. On Nikias' hip sat his lightsaber and his foot tapped impatiently as he watched the others fight. How they remained calm in such things was beyond him, he felt excited when entering combat, on edge and that fueled him to continue it. Though moderation was the most important thing with that due to the poison that flowed in his veins. If he gave in to any emotion to much it could send him into a wild frenzy.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Hence why he had issued a challenge to some of the more skilled apprentices of the Silver Sanctum so if the poison did consume them they'd be able to put him down if need be and defend themselves. Hopefully it didn't come to such a thing. The one who had accepted his challenge had been a women by the name of [member="Joza Perl"] . Nikias didn't know much about her besides her being one of the upper tier padawans. It would be a true test of his skills and would help him expand on his lightsaber knowledge as while his people had been using lightsabers in battle for centuries they did not use the forms the same as the jedi and Sith did. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]

 

[Joza Perl]

It had been a good amount of time since Joza chose to continue her Jedi training on Voss rather than Sullust, enough for the young woman to settle and set her sights on earning the rank of Knight. She was a little overeager to prove herself as most teenagers were wont to do, and part of her training was to consciously reign her feelings in. Naturally emotional, the young Zeltron found that keeping track of her head in a battle helped tremendously. It was a lesson she’d unfortunately began to learn at the hands of the Sith—though she was able to further her teachings under her own Master with the aid of many meditation sessions.

In fact, the pink toned woman was just coming out of another meditative state. It helped to clear her mind before a fight, allowing her to remain centered. Letting fear and anger take over may work for some, but for her it usually resulted in a battered, bloody defeat. Rising softly, the lithe dancer stretched for a few moments before turning on her heel and heading for the training grounds. One of the new Padawans had issued a challenge, and Joza was always up for a spar. Anything to gain experience and further her skills.

Ah. That must be him. He was the only one she didn’t recognize on the training field, but that wasn’t the only reason he stuck out to her. White hair? He looks young. And those eyes… She’d never seen someone with black sclera and bright yellow irises, but she supposed that there were many things she hadn’t seen in this galaxy yet. A hard look crossed her face as she examined him silently for a few moments. She hadn’t sensed any ill intent, nor a heavy dark side presence.

Moving closer, the Padawan made herself known as she approached him. “You must be Padawan [member=Nikias]. Welcome to Voss, I’m Joza.” She gave him a friendly nod, a light smile curling the edges of her lips for a moment. He was tall and built, a rather imposing fellow. It made her wonder what sort of fighter he was based on how his body was muscled. Though she’d learned not to judge other combatants based on appearance, there were some things one could glean from examining their opponents. Of course, one could still be proven wrong from visual cues. She herself was naturally delicate boned, though the Jedi training had allowed her to develop a more toned body. Regardless, her more feminine attributes were hidden beneath the layers of the standard issue Padawan robes she wore.

“Am I wrong to guess that you are no stranger to combat?” She folded her arms over her chest and shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she eyed the saber hilt at his hip. Her tone was light and curious, never accusatory or overly judgmental. She studied him with a hint of intrigue, interested to see how he would respond. Did he take well to pleasantries, or would he prefer to dive into the battle?

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Nikias had been watching a sparring match between two of the padawans noting their moves and the way they struck at each other and how quickly the other would parry. Nikias wasn't even able to sense the zeltron sneaking up on him, though that wasn't that big a feat for anyone. Nikias was lacking in most areas of the force, his ability to sense the presence of others was one of them. Even his precognition was spotty at times. Spinning to look at the women Nikias was caught off guard by how young she was. He had heard about the women being on her way to knighthood but to be so young was incredibly impressive. Nikias was out of his depth and would have a lot of catching up to do it seemed. Smiling at the women Nikias bowed entering the more cordial form that as a prince he often took when greeting and meeting others. While he may be a prince on his planet that did not mean he was better than anyone off his planet, in his eyes he was equal to those that he met in every way. So he bowed to Joza in greeting, though as he did so the scars upon his back where the flesh had once been flayed were visible.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"I thank you for the welcome madam Joza, it is a pleasure to be here among you and the rest of the Silver Sanctum. This temple is quite something else, and the courtyards are almost as big as on my homeworld." He said turning back to cast a glance at the padawans sparring session to see it had ended to his dismay. Just as he'd been learning more. Nikias examined the women, while she was shorter than him it wasn't so much that he towered over her and her skin was an odd pink. Due to not being well traveled he had no clue what species she was from but he did note her attractiveness. He noticed the robes that she wore and realized that it was the same as most of the others had been wearing and was incredibly modest. While Nikias on the other hand wasn't, though he couldn't imagine having to wear those things. "No... I am no stranger to combat sadly. I led many battles back on my homeworld, and fought in many of them as well." Nikias said feeling a pang in his chest remembering those that had been cut down by his saber or that had faced their deaths by his orders. It tore at his insides every waking moment. "Can I assume the same about you?" [/SIZE]

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza waved her hand dismissively as Nikias called her madam. That was certainly one she hadn’t heard before. “Please, there’s no need for formalities. Joza is fine. What should I call you?” Perhaps it was something she’d picked up from her Master, seeing as how the Bith chided her for using any sort of title outside of formal situations. Sometimes she still called him Master, if only to tease him. As much as the Zeltron held back her natural hedonistic tendencies, she couldn’t quite curb the sass from her persona. She feared she’d go insane if she did.

A light smile came to her face, glad to see that he was fairly friendly. So far, she hadn’t a clue where he was from or if he was human or some sort of near-human like herself. “Might I ask where you’re from?” She cocked a brow, eyes unabashedly raking over his toned physique as he bowed. The scars littering his body only furthered her suspicion that he was an experienced combatant, and his words soon confirmed it. Her own facial scar was concealed under a layer of makeup, something she still preferred to do even now.

She cocked her head in curiosity as he answered, green eyes appraising him as she attempted to get a read on his emotions. Unfortunately, she found that she could not easily get a read on his feelings with her natural abilities. A mental barrier, perhaps? He must have Force training. Briefly she wondered if her pheromones would work on him, seeing as how they worked their magic through biology, rather than tricking the mind.

But that was something she’d leave for later, and likely inappropriate for battle. Humming softly, she brought her thumb to her chin, index finger brushing against her lips in thought. “I guess you could say that.” She laughed lightly, reminiscing on the events that had brought her here. The past few years of her apprenticeship had been a whirlwind, and she likely only took to the blade so well because she feared for her life. Her first few skirmishes with the Sith left her panicked with fear, but she’d worked past it. Still, there was much for her to learn.

“Go easy on me, alright?” She flashed him a grin and gave him a subtle wink, her expression suggesting just the opposite of what she’d said. Perhaps she’d taken it a bit too far, but it had been a while since the Zeltron had let herself have a bit of fun. She’d been wide-eyed and serious in the beginning of her training, but certain facets of her true personality had begun to leak through her more Jedi-like demeanor.

Figuring there’d be time to chat more later, the pink-skinned woman activated her lightsaber, the blue blade springing to life. Bringing the saber up over her head and thrusting one hand out in a traditional Soresu stance, she tilted her head towards [member="Nikias"]. “I’ll give you the first move.”

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Hmm and she was humble, it was a trait that Nikias had noticed about the other members of the Silver Sanctum that he'd met. "If we're disposing of the formalities you can call me either Nikias or Nik." Nikias offered as personally being called prince would seem to conceited for his personal taste, plus it would just remind him of his failure to protect his older brother who would've been the next in line. Suffice to say it was good to have already started making acquaintances with other members of the Silver Sanctum, especially one that was in line to be a Knight. Maybe she'd even offer assistance to Nik in the future. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"Aw... My homeworld goes by the name of Hora. I'd say it’s a troubled one, or at least it currently is due to the fighting among the City-States. Though do not judge the rest of my people off your impression of me. I look nothing like the rest, my appearance is due to... Best not to say. Though after our match I'd like to learn more about your homeworld." Nikias said deciding it best not to tell Joza everything just yet. They had just met, and he did not want his past to get in the way of their duel. He wanted this to be a true challenge without one taking it easy on him. If the people of the Royal Guard and his father gave no quarter he'd ask no different of others. He deserved no such special treatment in his eyes. Plus, what he said could possibly disturb Joza.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Listening to the women Nikias nodded his head. "It's always good to meet another warrior... Though offering me the first move is your mistake." Nik said a ghost of a smile touching his lips. Moving a bit away so there'd be some distance between him and Joza to start the duel he examined her opening stance. One he had not seen yet, but he noted the way her legs were positioned. Joza was indeed smaller than him and probably weaker physically, but he could not be sure. So clearing the distance between them in two long strides Nikias drew his lightsaber from his left hip mid-stride activating the weapon and as he swung his right arm in a wide attack aimed for the women's core he quickly brought his saber around and thrust it at her head. [/SIZE]

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Nodding, Joza offered him a polite smile after listening to the brief description of his home world. “Of course, Nikias. I’d like to learn more of your home as well. I’m curious as to whether your people customarily wear shirts.” Okay, enough with the sass, she decided. She didn’t intend to be insulting, but she’d never seen a shirtless Padawan before, as built as he was. She had to say something. Maybe it was how they dressed, but to her it was different. Then again, she was different for others as well.

A thin red brow arched as he indicated her giving him the first move as a blunder. This amused the Padawan, but she had already locked herself into combat mode. Her eyes sharpened, watching him carefully as he widened the distance between them before closing in quickly. She’d observed the way he moved, body tensing briefly when the opposing saber swung towards her from the right. It followed a sweeping motion similar to Form I, and thus she angled her own blade down to block.

To her surprise, the saber sudden changed trajectory. A quick lean back was all it took for her to avoid it, albeit narrowly. Such power. She could feel the air current against her face that his blade had kicked up as it passed over her. But it was too early for her to be impressed she figured, spinning tightly in an attempt to get inside his guard while keeping her saber in a low orbit closer to her body in case he went after her again. She’d seen his power and quick reflexes, something she’d have to worry about.

She would send a few rapid jabs at his torso, though if any happened to make contact they would only sting as her saber was on a lower setting. The Sanctum likely frowned upon cutting eachother’s limbs off, she realized before the spar. Regardless of whether they hit or not, Joza would quickly move back and re-assume her defensive posture, on alert. She was naturally light on her feet, years of dancing giving her saber wielding a graceful signature. Though she’d been working on blending offensive and defensive forms together, now she simply wanted to see how her opponent moved.

[member="Nikias"]

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Battle to Nikias was less of throwing blow after blow to try and overwhelm an opponent, it was to size up his opponent. Take in their tactics, their posture, and think of the best way to surprise them. Joza was easily more experienced than him, but was she wilder and as unpredictable was the question. Nikias watched as she blocked his first blow and dodged the second, all without having truly changed position or having to take a step back in retreat. It was impressive and telling about the defense she was using. Though just as fluidly as she had dodged Nikias' attack Joza ducked within his guard throwing her own attacks that forced the large man to backpedal. He felt a sting on the right side of his torso during the retreat and knew he had been nicked by her blade. Looking down at the red welt that rose up on his skin Nikias laughed at it. He'd underestimated Joza so much that she'd landed the first blow.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"Impressive. Cunning and gorgeous. A deadly set of traits." Nikias called out to Joza flashing her a grin letting her know just how much he enjoyed the maneuver. Though this time Nikias knew what to expect and would not use such a maneuver. Once again closing the distance Nikias moved left, then right, went low than high even switching his guards with each movement. It was more of a distraction technique, he wanted to keep Joza guessing to what he'd do next. Than as he finally reached her he entered a high guard bringing the saber down in an overhanded cleave, though with a backstep his blade dipped into a low guard and went straight into an uppercut aimed at Joza's core. Then following through with the motion Nikias ducked low and spun his body and brought his saber around aimed for Joza's knee's. [/SIZE]


[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

A smirk would have found its way to Joza’s lips had she not worn a mask of focus, though the compliment certainly registered in her head. It fed the young Zeltron’s vanity, and while she was careful not to underestimate [member="Nikias"], she was beginning to overestimate herself. As skilled as a duelist she was shaping up to be, Joza still had a way’s to go in certain areas. Keep steady. Just because you landed one hit means nothing. A smart fighter typically didn’t rush forward with all of his or her strength, preferring to feel out their opponents before deciding on how to handle them. It appeared that both Joza and Nikias were doing just that.

The large man upped his erratic movements, and Joza watched him with a cautious eye, still on the defensive for now. Her saber was held diagonally, pointing downward in front of her torso as he approached. With an arcing motion she moved her blade to intercept his own, putting a bit of pressure behind it—not enough to begin a parry—but enough to try and drain some of his momentum. It didn’t seem to have much effect as his blade flowed seamlessly into another attack. She was able to follow his movement, side stepping the uppercut with a half-spin but underestimated his reach. The Padawan attempted to dodge the low blade but wasn’t able to move out of range in time, the opposing lightsaber making contact with her knee.

A brief grimace of pain flashed across her face as the saber hissed against the cloth of her robes. It stung like a Bith and she was used to the feeling, but her frustration was beginning to flare already. This was yet another thing she needed to work on—the Zeltron got worked up too easily, especially when she made a mistake. Stumbling as she’d been knocked off balance, Joza allowed herself to fall into a roll towards Nikias, springing upwards and delivering a wide slash aimed from his right hip up to his left shoulder. Whether it hit or miss, she would fall back into her standard defensive posture as before.

Relax. He’s not a Sith, he’s not going to cut your head off. Centering herself once more, Joza’s eyes caught the red welt from where she’d landed a hit on the man’s bare chest. Hm. He seems to handle pain better than I.

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Nikias felt the sweet taste of victory as he saw the hit land, and while it was a small one it was at least something to be proud of. He wasn't trained at all in the force, what combat he knew had been learned on the battlefield, and was for more of battlefield engagements allowing one to strike down one target and move directly to another. While facing one in single combat of course was a part of the strategy, facing one with more experience than you wasn’t. At least Nikias thought the Zeltron had more experience than him, and more knowledge on the force. Now Nikias saw just how flexible and spry Joza really was as she rolled right beneath his guard and came up with a slash. Eyes widening for a split second Nikias jumped back to try and dodge it. While the blow didn't hit his hips nor abs it clipped the upper part of his chest and shoulders. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]A primal growl escaped Nikias' lips as the stinging blade carved across his chest and shoulder. A brief flare could be seen in Nikias' eyes but was quickly drawn back in as he calmed himself. Just a friendly match. Nikias reminded himself as he landed on the ground another welt beginning to rise on his skin. Not spending any time distancing himself again Nikias pounced forward putting some of his weight into a quick strike coming from the right. He hoped Joza moved to block it as the moment she did he'd aim to reach and grab her robes. The best part about not wearing robes was that one couldn't reach out and grab Nikias by it. Which he planned to do to Joza. He aimed to grab her robes and pulled her to him before pushing her back to make her loose her balance immediately following up with a slash aimed for her waist. [/SIZE]

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

As [member="Nikias"] had planned, Joza moved her saber to block the incoming blow, noting how quickly he recovered. The mark of an experienced warrior, most likely. But she didn’t have long to consciously dwell on his quick movements as he grabbed at her robes. A startled breath left her lips, her visage of concentration breaking for a moment to reflect her momentary surprise. As quickly as it had happened, she found herself shoved back with a lightsaber making its way toward her torso.

...! She brought her blade down as sharp as she could to intercept the slash, teeth gritting as she quickly realized that at the awkward angle her arm was in, she couldn’t supply enough power to deflect him completely. Though she managed to slow a bit of the force from his strike, but it did her little help as Nikias’ blade struck the latter half of her waist causing a few inches of burning pain.

Knocked onto her behind, the Zeltron sneered in pain and irritation once more. The grasping of her robes reminded her of the handsy Sith she’d fought a while back, ironically the same one who taught her the style she was about to employ.

Instead of scrambling to get up, Joza placed her free hand against the ground and thrust out her right leg, sending a wave of Force toward her opponent. In an aim to conserve energy, the push likely wouldn’t be enough to knock him down, but enough to get him off balance and buy her a few seconds. Rising, the pink Padawan would approach swiftly with her saber pointed towards him, shoulders back and…trying to ignore the stinging sensation at her hip.

As experienced of a combatant as he was, he’d likely notice her change in posture. No longer was she on the defensive. Moving quickly, she sent a pair of diagonal strikes at him: from his right shoulder to his left pectoral, followed by a complementary slash to his ribcage. The movements were punctuated by a thrust to his chest, and this time she did not step back. Makashi was considered to be the most graceful of the standard saber forms and was quickly becoming her favorite. Though it was only good against another saber-wielder, the natural fluidity of movement suited her, or so she thought.

Her hand twitched, prepared to attempt to clash with anything he threw at her. He was certainly talented, and she was actually enjoying herself. Except for, you know, the pain.

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]The common man probably would've lightened up or showed mercy giving quarter in such a situation upon seeing a women knocked to the ground. Nikias on the other hand would not deal such an insult to [member="Joza Perl"] . She was beyond such a thing, she was obviously a dangerous women and strong enough to face many challenges on her own. Nikias had been about to move in to strike while she was down again in an attempt to force her to resign though Joza had more tricks up her sleeve. Feeling the invisible pressure on his leg Nikias stumbled forward like a clumsy infant who had barely gotten the hang of walking. Having to regain his balance Nikias soon found himself on the defense. Maybe if he had his shield he would have an easier time dealing with it, but no longer was he sure of himself. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Joza had switched forms and was attacking Nikias with a ferocity that he'd only seen on the battlefield. He was forced into a backpedal with his shoulders tucked in and the saber angled to the right Nikias intercepted the pair of diagonal slashes with slight contortions of his saber. The movements were minimalist in nature allowing Nikias to conserve his energy, but it was obvious he wasn't used to being forced into such a position. Feeling the burning across his ribs Nikias knew he'd been to slow to intercept the blow meant for his ribs. This time his mouth opened in a roar as it hit him in the same spot where he had once taken a saber. It dredged up memories of the battlefields he had served on. Of those that had made him the monster he was. The black Sclera seemed to go almost bloodshot for a bit as the poison pumped rapidly through his veins. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Calm down [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Nikias scolded himself as he leaned backwards trying to dodge the thrust aimed at his chest. Once again he was unsuccessful as the blade crossed his chest leaving a large welt. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Not stepping back Nikias immediately countered, taking a step forward he released one heavy handed saber blow from the right aimed at her ribs, but quickly spun as though aiming for her left. Lashing out with his palm in a strike midspin Nikias aimed to throw Joza off balance as he quickly followed up with a group of savage slashes. A horizontal one from the left, immediately followed by using that same momentum to bring it up into an overhead cleave. [/SIZE]

 

[Joza Perl]

Sinking deeper into the battle, Joza gradually became disaffected from the high her striking blows produced. A majority of her fights had been against opponents that outclassed her, leaving her with a bruised body and the occasional broken bones. But most of that had been under the Alliance, before she’d come to Voss and settled onto a more peaceful path. Her mentor, Dune Rhur had a large impact on her as well. The Bith was stern but fair, and was irritatingly good at exposing her flaws…but like a good teacher, he was guiding her into becoming a more well-rounded Jedi.

It seemed that her sudden offensive riled her sparring partner as well, as the pair of fighters were no longer giving themselves space to work out their movements. The time for testing the waters was over, she figured as her opponent was quick to retaliate. The saber aiming for her ribs was intercepted with her own and pushed back as she leaned her upper body back, avoiding the palm that thrusted outwards. She had no doubt that a man of his strength would likely wind her, perhaps even crack a rib or two. Not something she wanted to repeat.

The intensity of his follow-up slashes caught her off guard, but the Zeltron was determined to not let surprise get the best of her as it had so many times before. Catching his saber with her own, the pair of plasma swords would meet in the middle for a moment. Attempting to gain control of his momentum, Joza would slide her blade down his own and redirect it to the side in a parry. As she did this, she stepped to his left side. Once his blade cleared, she would aim a slash to the side of his torso, taking another step so that she was possibly behind him at this point. A pair of diagonal slashes in the shape of an X would flow from her blade either way, attempting to get something of an upper hand on him.

[member="Nikias"]

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"Now this is a real fight." [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]The voice that Nikias had named Trellos said as it reared its ugly head. "It's been so long since we've had a good fight!" The voice said almost giddy like a child. Nikias himself was even getting caught up in the battle, the stinging pain from his wounds drove him. The excitement of facing a true warrior inspired him, and thoughts of victory gave him strength. So he was not surprised as Joza defended his blows, she had shown her skill earlier and now he somewhat knew what to expect. Though not whether she had shown all her tricks. Nikias himself had tricks up his sleeve but they were more for an actual battlefield than a sparring match. "Use them!" Trellos screamed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]No Nikias shot back. She is not an enemy. he assured himself. That brief moment their sabers locked Nikias stared across into Joza's own eyes, his gold meeting her green. Though this was short lived as Nikias' saber had been shunted off to the side. Once again he felt the bite of the saber against his flesh, teeth gritting he quickly moved brought his blade up and over his shoulder moving to intercept both the slashes aimed for his back. From this view Joza had an even better view of the scars that stood out against his skin showing what he had once suffered. Against his slightly tan skin the dozens of scars easily stood out. Spinning on his heels Nikias swung his blade wide aiming for Joza's neck to either force the women to block or duck as a distraction. While he used the spin to duck low and stick out his leg in an attempt to trip Joza and knock her to the ground. If he succeeded he'd quickly follow up bringing his saber up into a high guard and down in an overhead cleave. [/SIZE]


[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

He’s already this strong for a Padawan. This was no easy fight, but then again the Zeltron had a penchant for pushing herself. She wouldn’t get stronger if she didn’t face off against different opponents, right? Still, she wasn’t too sure if he was holding himself back to some degree or not. Stop overthinking. Just fight. She’d sabotaged herself on more than one occasion with an over-active mind.

She noted, with interest, how easily he absorbed her hits. Even on its lowest setting, a lightsaber strike still stung terribly. Must have taken many more before this. The scars scattered across his back did not go unnoticed by her, and in the back of her mind she wondered how many battles he’d survived.

Eyes flickering, she caught his blade with the tip of her own before it would have left a nasty burn on her neck. A quick side step was all it took to avoid the sweeping kick, but it was a poor choice seeing as how she didn’t have good control of their clash. Had she used a stronger guard, she likely would have been able to parry his blade away—but her hold was weak, and he was physically stronger. In trying to redirect his lightsaber away, she lost control of the parry which lead his saber to strike the side of her face. An angry red welt drew up from her pink skin, a hard look in her eyes as she cringed in pain. Although the mark would fade, it played on her vanity and ignited a spark of aggravation in her chest.

Bursting forward, Joza sent a tight slash toward his chest, bringing the trajectory out further than her body movements suggested to try and clash with his saber. Should the two blades meet, the female Padawan would attempt to gain control and guide his saber in a circle with her own, twisting his wrist in an attempt to disarm him.

[member="Nikias"]

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Nikias was beginning to tire and quickly, he could feel his muscles screaming out as he pushed them and his stomach seemed to almost be eating itself. Going all out and taking those lightsaber blows had taken their toll on his body, and it could be seen from the sweat that glistened on his torso. This fight would have to end soon as either Nikias would begin growing slower and Joza would be able to take advantage of it, or he'd start to loose the strength behind his blows making him even easier to deal with. She'd be the one to win if it turned into a battle of attrition. As no matter how strong one was, it mattered little when they were putting lots of energy behind their blows. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]This time when the blow landed Nikias did not smile, nor feel his hopes sore with the possibility of victory. A part of him felt bad for striking Joza across the face. While it was a sparring match he felt pain from the stings and he didn't know how much it hurt to get hit by one in the face. This distraction mixed with his exhaustion led to Nikias' defeat. He saw the slash and moved to dodge it thinking it aimed for it's chest, and in a heartbeat found his wrist twisting as his saber was cast from his hands to fly across the arena and clatter to the ground. Taking a step back and raising both hands to the side of his head in defeat Nikias could be seen breathing heavily. His white hair was now plastered to his head and the abundance of red marks Joza had left on him were becoming even more apparent. "You... Win." He got out through his breaths. Looking Joza in her eyes. "If you wish to return the favor you can." Nikias said turning his head and offering her the chance to hit him as well. It wasn't a gesture made of pity, nor for him feeling of being superior to her. It was him showing that he had lost and letting her get the final blow. "You have to strike down your enemy as well in combat." He said leaning his neck to the side so she could deal the blow. [/SIZE]


[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

As the weapon flew from Nikias’ hand, the battle came to an abrupt halt. Joza was still on guard, saber held in front of her and pointed at her opponent. A few moments passed as she watched the man with a curious gaze. Breaking her focused facade, her eyes widened a notch when he offered his neck to her. A couple more seconds passed, giving her time to purse her lips in thought. Finally she thumbed off her saber, holding her hand out to draw his own disengaged weapon towards her.

“If you were a Sith, you’d find your head cleaved from your shoulders.” Holding out his own saber hilt to him, she tilted her head as she took in the various burn marks across his body, somewhat taken aback that she had caused them. “You are no enemy, Nikias. The spar is over; I will not strike at you again.” Rolling the tension from her shoulders, she let out a grand sigh while clipping her saber to her waist. “You’re talented. If you had training in saber forms, I’d likely find myself in your position.” She offered a small smile, though genuine. She didn't know if it would be considering insulting to not strike him, but it was not the Jedi way.

The fight had taken its toll on her body as well, now that it was over she was keenly aware of how her body began to ache. She brushed a few stray flyaways back, her hairline matted with sweat. No matter how hard she tried, her hair would never stay perfectly and neatly in a bun.

Joza gave him a nod that looked more like a subtle bow, her eyes once more finding the red welts on his body as she rose. Striding over to him, she muttered. “Hold still.” Placing a gentle hand over what looked to be the most irritated wound, she closed her eyes and concentrated, attempting to use the Force to help accelerate the healing. After a few moments, she lifted her hand and stared at the wound with a scrutinizing gaze. “Did it work?” She said this more to herself than him. This was actually the first time she’d attempted to heal via the Force.

[member="Nikias"]

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt][member="Joza Perl"][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"Well I was just offering for you to give me a mark signifying my defeat..." Nikias said stopping then looking down at all the red welts that had risen up on his body. "Though on second thought I may have enough already." Taking his weapon Nikias clipped it to his own belt. Now that he was beginning to calm down and the adrenaline leaving his system the stinging had returned with avengance. He'd definitely been going against someone who was much more talented and better trained in the use of a lightsaber. Joza had almost made Nikias feel as though he was a teenage again training with the royal guards and his uncle. Though hearing Joza's praise did make Nikias feel a bit better about his defeat. "Oh I doubt that. By the time I reach your point you'll probably be far ahead of me." [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Seeing Joza move towards him Nikias was tempted to take a step back, though soon enough he realized what she was doing as soon as he saw her hand go over one of the welts. He felt the soothing feeling of it as the lightside of the force soothed the stinging from the area. It felt almost as though a cold compress had been pressed against it, and the red welt had receded even turning back to its regular skin color. Along with the wound healing Nikias felt the effects of the poison retreating as well as his head swam. Slightly disappointed when Joza removed her hand Nikias examined the wound to see it almost completely healed. His uncle had showed such talents in healing abilities but Nikias had never tried them himself. "Thank you for the assistance, but you can focus on yourself. I am used to such wounds, at least these aren't fatal." Nikias offered with a chuckle. "... You spoke of wanting to learn more about my homeworld earlier, and I asked the same of you. How about we go get a drink and discuss it? My treat." [/SIZE]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza shook her head wordlessly, figuring that a mark of defeat had something to do with cultural differences. She’d been taught to only fight when necessary and was loathe to strike an opponent who was down. Perhaps she would have thought differently had [member="Nikias"] been a dark sided threat, but he was an ally—a fellow Sanctum Jedi.

“You had me on my toes. This “win” certainly did not come easily to me.” Joza fought the urge to punctuate her words with a wink, settling on a soft smile instead. Pulling her hand away, she was surprised to see that her attempt at healing actually had positive results. “Of course. I’d like to learn more about you and your homeworld, Nikias.” Smoothing back her hair, she pulled at a few pins at the back of her head to tighten her bun. “There’s a few pubs in Voss-ka not far from here. Shall we go?” She tilted her head in the proper direction, a hand coming up to the wound on her face. A sigh escaped her lips at the cooling menthol-like sensation, some of the sting ebbing from the mark. She couldn’t fault him for the damage; she was aware enough to know that a spar could result in such things. Still, she made a mental note to pick up some more concealer on the way back.

 

[Akhilleus]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"To know I pressured a warrior such as yourself, is a good sign. Not many on my world fight like you. One day you'll have to show me those forms you used and how you flowed so easily into them." Nikias had been examining her every move during the fight to see what he could find out about her style, but all he had truly learned that while Joza was great on offense her defense and counters were her bread and butter. Part of it had been himself leaving wide spots for her to attack, though most of it had been from her own skill and speed allowing her to overwhelm him. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Noticing Joza moving to the wound on her face Nikias winced now that the battle was over and realizing just what he had done. "I am sorry for that. I did not mean to strike your face." He said but did not bow nor add pity to his voice as it would be a disservice to her. Joza was just as lethal as any other in combat and had they been on opposing sides of the battlefield he would not have offered an apology. "Yes I wish to learn the same about you and your people. Especially your vibrant skin. I have not seen such things before." Nikias said stepping to the left and waving an arm for Joza to lead the way. "I am still learning my way around this world so if you would lead the way." [/SIZE]

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“Look, it’s getting better. See?” Joza tapped the welt on her face, now reduced to a faint red mark. Joza flashed him a smile, only perturbed on an aesthetic level. “You don’t need to apologize, it was a spar. As delicate as I am, I can take a few hits.” A playful wink accompanied her words, the Zeltron quickly becoming more relaxed as the minutes went by. In was in her nature to avoid tense situations, and with a second thought she released some of her pheromones, curious to see if they would have an effect on the large warrior. “Had you taken my eye instead, then I would be upset.”

As they made their way into the town, Joza decided to go first in her explanation. “I’m a Zeltron.” She answered simply. “Every one of my race has pink skin, and hair ranging from dark violet to red.” Patting her own hair for emphasis, she continued. “On Zeltros, the lifestyle is more…hedonistic compared to others. Zeltrons are driven by the pursuit of pleasure, so there are many facilities dedicated to such things. Spas, clubs, brothels and whatnot. There are resorts as well. Really, it’s a popular place for vacation.”

Clearing her throat, she weighed her next words about her life carefully. Some looked down upon her for her heritage, and she wasn’t sure how [member="Nikias"] would take it. To her, there was no shame in working in adult entertainment and it wasn’t as if she was revealing some intimate secret. “I grew up with my mother, who worked as a prostitute in the entertainment district. When I was old enough I began waitressing and dancing. Hence being as quick on my feet as I am.” She laughed lightly, recalling the nights she spent serving cocktails and dancing on stage. How she missed the tight, flashy outfits she was used to—but ultimately she figured she preferred the more structured lifestyle of a Jedi.