Location: Korriban's Surface -> Valley of the Dark Lords.
Objective: Defy the Darkness.
Allies: The New Jedi Order, sworn to the Galactic Alliance.
Enemies: The Sith Order, and their Insidious Empire.
Equipment: Simple Clothing, and the Force.
Currently Engaging: Ulrich - the Dragon of Korriban.
Objective: Defy the Darkness.
Allies: The New Jedi Order, sworn to the Galactic Alliance.
Enemies: The Sith Order, and their Insidious Empire.
Equipment: Simple Clothing, and the Force.
Currently Engaging: Ulrich - the Dragon of Korriban.
Even when Shrouded in Darkness, the Light shines true.
Despite the darkness and seemingly self-contained madness that saturated the cinnamon-dusted soil of Korriban, Aramis's mind was eerily serene. He refused to let the evils that clawed at the soles of his feet garner corporeal purchase, banishing their partially-formed intentions away with an unseen telekinetic pulse. They were nothing more than the ghostly memories of those souls who died upon this benighted world's surface - either in ages past or within the present era. Their presence reminded the Jedi of a malformed and faceless cohort of shades as they attempted to grasp at his feet. Doubtlessly seeking the second chance at life that was denied to them in death. As the pulse tore through their incorporeal forms, the Jedi's eyes flicked back towards the horizon- where the towering figure of the Dragon loomed.
When the Jedi was a younger man, his imagination was weaned on fanciful stories - which more often than not - pertained to such noble and ferocious creatures. However, from everything that Aramis could remember, Dragons didn't concern themselves with the troubles of lesser mortals. Instead, they seemingly favoured the notion of hoarding their rightfully-earned spoils and raising their respective clutches in relative peace. However, this towering being whose distant carapace was apparently forged from hewn obsidian wasn't anything like his youthful mind could've imagined. Instead, this creature willingly bought into the Sith's corrupted notions and ideals of their crumbling Empire. Suffice to say, there was a flicker of disappointment that raced through the Jedi's mind.
With his expectations quashed in the face of a despoiled reality, Aramis fell inwards in preparation for the coming inevitability. There was no path forward that the Jedi could see where the Dragon saw reason. The beast not only proved that it was more than just another of the Sith Empire's alchemical abominations but willingly admitted to the alignment of their respective causes. His duty, and assigned purpose, was to defend the Valley of the Dark Lords from those who would seek to defy the history that saturated the landscape. Words wouldn't be enough to dissuade the creature from its misguided path. The only route left to the Jedi was to embrace the physicality of his corporeal being - and beat some sense into the towering creature.
His fibrous muscles began to shift and tighten as the draconic creature roused itself from its roost and began to approach. The landscape, scoured as it was by the swirling tempest that bathed everything within sight, shuddered with their thunderous approach. There would've been plenty of mortal beings who fearfully recoiled at the sight of a dragon charging their location. Yet, Aramis stood his ground. He felt that primal instinct - of flight or fight - rear its ugly head but was disciplined enough to funnel it's paralyzing energies elsewhere. He wouldn't back down from this fight, nor would the man embrace the more feral aspects of his genetic lineage. So, as each shuddering step drew closer, the Jedi began to adjust his footing. Knowing full well that the creature would use whatever means necessary to claim victory over their newfound foe.
There were multiple avenues that the future could take, as there were a plethora of weapons organically built into a Dragon's predatory form. With its sinuous wings, the beast could either take flight and swoop down at the Jedi from above. Or, the creature would force them together repeatedly - buffeting the stationary and barely-clothed Jedi with gusts of evil-enriched sand. Then there were the claws and fangs that the Jedi would likely have to contend with. All of which were doubtlessly capable of pulping bones and crushing nano-welded battle tanks with relative ease. That wasn't even mentioning the immense potential that each curved enamel protrusion held for slashing flesh into ribbons. Then there was the hardened carapace and the dangers presented by the creature's whipping tail. Everything that Aramis's eyes bore witness to seemingly held the promise of his demise, that he would become just another shrieking echo to saturate the sands of Korriban.
But, despite the odds being stacked against him, Aramis didn't falter. For the Force was his ally, and it was a mighty one at that. With the power of the Force at his side, the Jedi could potentially balance the scales - maybe even going so far as tipping them in his favour. Yet, like all things in life, the tides of the future were uncertain and ever-changing. In falling inwards, there existed the danger of losing himself to his environment's ebb and flow. That was an outcome that'd doubtlessly expedite his demise, especially with the Dragon storming ever closer. Thus, the Jedi restrained himself from embracing the onrushing tide of sensory input - effectively dipping his toes in both the stream of reality and the rushing aetheric energies. It ground him, in a way, and kept his mind balanced.
Through this balanced sense of harmony, the Jedi's eyes would dance across the looming Dragon's chitinous form. He saw the plate-bound muscles of its neck stretch and contort as the creature's head drew back. Such movements seemed odd, as the creature's momentum and potential course of action didn't seem to mesh together. That alluded towards a feint - as Aramis doubted that the beast would endanger its thunderous momentum, nor sinuous neck, to strike at a smaller foe that could be easily trampled underfoot. They would've crashed into the sand-scoured surface of the planet and likely hurt themselves in the process, but would've had the chance to devour their opponent and escort them to the Gates of Hell.
That was when the muscle group in the Dragon's enormous shoulder began to slither beneath its chitinous flesh. With the feint confirmed, Aramis leaned forward. He placed more and more weight upon his dominant leg, only to pour a measure of borrowed power into the woven strands of musculature. Everything that transpired from that moment onwards was in preparation for what was to come. Through the telegraphed feint, the Jedi was able to anticipate the actions of the Dragon as their talons sought to tear into his ungarbed flesh. As being torn apart by rending claws wasn't in the cards for the foreseeable future, Aramis pushed himself forwards to proverbially throw himself out of harm's way.
Naturally, in hindsight, throwing himself towards the draconic creature wasn't the best idea ever conceived. However, it exploited a distinct advantage that Aramis had over his newly engaged opponent. With his stature being significantly smaller than that of the Dragon, the Jedi could go where the beast's chitin-bound muscle couldn't. In dodging the raking strike and throwing himself beneath the Dragon's armoured hide - all the creature would have to do was slam themselves down, and the fight would be over. But, thankfully, the Jedi's enhanced momentum threw his body into a partially-controlled roll. An act that saw the man safely remove himself from harm's way and promptly place him in front of another danger.
He was now beneath the Dragon's retracted wing and nearly face-to-face with one of its hind legs. All this beast had to do was strike out with his splayed foot, and Aramis would be thrown from his feet. But, there was an unspoken hope that underwrote the Jedi's actions. He dodge-rolled the sweeping talons and rolled beneath the creature's immense bulk - if it snapped forward at that moment? Well, the Dragon's shifted weight and unstable nature would see the beast topple to the ground. That would make striking the beast's exposed and defenceless spine considerably easier, rather than trying to forcibly clasp onto its scaly hide in an attempt to disable them. But, that future would only come to pass if the creature struck out with their foot before planting their splayed talons down to redistribute their weight.
If it didn't? Aramis would be ready for whatever happened next.
TL;DR? He dodged-rolled.
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