Private Second Rate Blood

[Ellissanthia]

Location: Dojo, Training Center - Malsheem
Objective: Purge Weakness
Tag: Nova Ka

Ellissanthia was not a fighter. Not in terms of hand-to-hand or lightsaber combat. And yet, the Undine increasingly found herself locked in such undesirable engagements anyway. Even with her abilities, her swiftness, and her power, a number of the crafty, dangerous enemies that she had fought since becoming an Adept had drawn her into close-quarters, knowing through some subconscious sense that it was there where she was weak.

And weakness demanded cleansing.

It was why Ellissanthia was in the dojo. Fighting. Training. And ultimately, making her body stronger. She had spent the last hour engaged in strenuous warm up exercises, stretches, and cardio workouts, to prepare herself for what was to come.

A fight against an unknown warrior.

Dressed in scanty attire, Ellissanthia’s blue-hued skin glistened with moisture as she went through the graceful, choreographed steps of the Echani movement forms. Each one was almost a dance, a meditation in movement designed to build muscle memory, fluidity, and foundational knowledge. In doing so, the Undine watched herself in the mirror, correcting missteps or errors as they arose.

After a few minutes, Ellissanthia moved to the bench to spritz herself down with water, in order to keep her skin (and body) hydrated. In doing so, she casted a brief glance towards her datapad, her gaze lighting up as she checked the time.

They were late.

 

[Nova Ka]

TAG: Ellissanthia

Nova Ka did not do patience. She knew the word, of course, but...what it actually was? Aside from use in combat, she found little use for it.

She was a creature of action, of movement, of battle—not one to sit idly and wait for an opponent to arrive at their own leisure. Her mother had taught her that warriors did not wait for fights to begin; they seized them. Controlled them. Dominated them. Of course, that took a degree of patience. Did Nova have it? In one metric, yes, but the applications of said patience, were rather trite to put it mildly.

So when Nova finally strode into the dojo, she took note of those gathered about. The doors slid open with a hiss, as she stepped inside with the weight of someone who had already decided the outcome of this match. Nova had brought very little, though her appearance was hardly one to be ignored. Her armor was minimal—form-fitting combat suit that allowed for full range of motion, save for the protective gauntlets encasing her forearms. Her vibrosword was absent, because this was not a fight of blades. It was a fight of will.

Golden eyes locked onto Ellissanthia immediately. The Undine sat on the bench, sleek and glistening with sweat from her warm-ups, the delicate movements of her Echani training fresh in her limbs. A fighter honing her craft. A warrior still finding the edges of her strength. Nova towered over the smaller woman, moving over to her, a mountain of a Selphi if there was one.

Nova tilted her head. Was she late? Maybe. But she had no intention of giving an apology. "In combat, it is the victory that decides the time and place of a battle, and I have already decided the time.

Instead, she smirked, rolling her shoulders as she stepped onto the mat. "If you wish to submit now, I can understood.."

Her voice was deep, yet there was an unmistakable feminine tone to it. Without further preamble, Nova settled into a stance—balanced, predatory, dangerous. Her muscles coiled with anticipation, her mind already running through a dozen different ways this fight could unfold. She seemed to almost double in size as she tensed her body, natural and artificial parts flexed, and blossomed outwards, giving the stature of a pure designed warrior.

"Come, little dancer. Show me what you've learned."

 

[Ellissanthia]

Location: Dojo, Training Center - Malsheem
Objective: Purge Weakness
Tag: Nova Ka

Ellissanthia heard the woman before she saw her. Her webbed ears gave a faint twitch with the pounding of heavy boots striking the floor, at which point she casted her gaze in the direction of the door, which slid open to reveal the form of a towering female Sephi clad in sleek, yet robust armor. In doing so, the Undine was forced to look up, finding herself quite thoroughly dwarfed by the Sephi’s imposing figure and the overwhelming physical power it implied.

As Nova tilted her head down towards Ellissathia, the Undine’s eyes went wide and unblinking, the veins pulsing visibly on her slender neck.

"In combat, it is the victory that decides the time and place of a battle, and I have already decided the time."

“I care not for the time or place.” Ellissanthia responded, after a pause. “Only for our fight.” She continued. “A fight for which...” The Undine glanced up, then down, her violet-hued gaze taking in the Sephi’s form. “You have arrived clad in armor.” She commented, a faint frown forming across her features.

Nevertheless, Ellissanthia took a sharp breath and made her way to the center of the mat, her small, scantily-clad form a stark contrast to the imposing armored might that was her Sephi partner. Then, settling into a low stance, the Undine positioned her feet at a 45-degree angle, her torso turned sideways with one shoulder positioned forward and the other back as she raised her hands in a guarded posture.

After briefly sizing up her opponent by taking in the gaps in her armor and the balance of her stance, Ellissanthia attacked. Shifting into motion with all of the explosive speed and power she could harness from her lower body, the Undine leveled a spinning aerial kick towards Nova at blinding speed, intending to strike the Sephi in her unprotected head!

 

[Nova Ka]

TAG: Ellissanthia
Gear:

Nova didn't move. For as Ellissanthia spoke, she realized, that the smaller woman had a point.

She saw the kick coming. Saw the power behind it. And still, she chose to take it.

Ellissanthia's shin slammed into the side of her head with a sharp, ringing impact. Nova's skull snapped to the side, her body shifting from the force of the blow—but she did not fall. She exhaled sharply, rolling her jaw as she turned back to face the Undine, golden eyes gleaming with something almost amused. The flicker of pain flared across the side of her head. She felt that.

"Not bad."

And then, she shrugged off her pauldron.

Metal clattered against the mat as Nova reached for the clasps of her armor, the thin metal plates falling away one by one. She moved with deliberate ease, stripping herself down until only a form-fitting underlayer remained—the Sephi was still towering, yet her form hardly changed much from shedding the materials. Now, she matched Ellissanthia in vulnerability, removing the armor from the mat.

She gave a small bow to Ellissanthia, feeling that while her tardiness was not a slightly, perhaps her choice of attire, was.

"Now," she rumbled, rolling her shoulders, "We resume."

If allowed, Nova would step forward fast—brutally fast— as she put herself behind her motions. She came at Ellissanthia with a striker's fury, testing her with a lightning-fast elbow strike toward the Undine's ribs, followed by a sharp heel kick aimed at sweeping her leg out from under her.

No armor. No hesitation.

Though this fight still felt, uneven.

If nothing else, perhaps it could serve them both well.

 

[Ellissanthia]

Location: Dojo, Training Center - Malsheem
Objective: Purge Weakness
Tag: Nova Ka

Even with her novice Echani skills, the unnaturally enhanced strength in Ellissanthia’s lower body would have made her strike a concussion-inducing knockout blow had it been leveled against any other opponent. However, in this case, the Undine’s shin merely bounced off Nova’s temple, causing the Sephi to briefly shift before she recovered her position and let out a sharp exhale.

Then, a casual compliment.

Ellissanthia’s gaze widened as Nova removed her armor plates one by one until she was clad in little more than her form-fitting undersuit, better exposing the lean, brawny musculature of her towering frame. The revelation further displayed the contrast between the Undine’s buxom, shuura-shaped build and the sinewy lethality that was the Sephi’s physique, creating a striking visual distinction between the pair of female fighters.

Ellissanthia offered only a nod of acknowledgment, though her eyes remained wide with a mix of excitement and barely restrained fear.

Then, as Nova attacked, Ellissanthia reacted in turn. The Undine shifted her body to the side, sidestepping laterally to avoid the incoming elbow aimed at her ribs. The maneuver carried her onto the Sephi’s left flank with casual swiftness, but she still caught the tail end of Nova’s sweeping heel kick, which pounded against her left calf hard in spite of it. She staggered, but quickly regained her balance, gritting her teeth in the process.

Unleashing a sharp cry, Ellissanthia dipped low to the ground, pivoting on a single foot as she did. Then, her non-pivoting foot exploded upward in a vertical kick, the strike aimed for the area just underneath the towering Sephi’s ribs!

 

[Nova Ka]

TAG: Ellissanthia
Gear:

The kick landed.

Nova Ka could take worse—as the blow to her head made clear. Her smaller foe side stepped her unarmed strike, and countered. She struck firmly, and received a response. Not of strength, nor of technique. No, it was something far more damning.

Because the moment Ellissanthia's foot struck beneath her ribs, Nova jerked.

A sharp inhale. A twitch of her shoulders. A barely restrained shudder that sent the smallest quiver through her imposing frame. It was the most unpleasant, ungodly, tickling sensation she had thus far in her life.

She felt the urge to get angry.

She recovered instantly, stepping back into her stance, her expression carved from stone. But that moment—that instant of uncontrolled reaction—lingered in her mind.

Her body had moved without her command.

She rolled her shoulders, adjusting her stance, resetting herself.

A misplaced reaction. A fault in her control.

Something to correct.

Something to bury.

Her grip tightened. Her jaw set. Nova Ka had taken blows meant to kill. She had withstood agony without flinching. And yet-

She exhaled sharply, dismissing the thought, and stepped forward again. Harder. Faster. More precise. This was training. Only training…..

Nova's mind refocused. The unexpected twitch had been a flaw—a distraction. And she wasn't about to let it define her. With an almost deliberate calmness, she shifted into motion, the fluidity of her steps taking on a new purpose.

With an almost eerie calm, Nova surged forward, her hand reaching for Ellissanthia's leg as she tried to regain her stance. In one smooth motion, she would reach to seize the Undine's ankle, her fingers locking tightly around it if able.

The Selphi would twist, aiming to use the momentum to drag Ellissanthia's leg out from under her. With a sharp pull, Nova would try to send her opponent tumbling down toward the ground, the Undine's back would hit the mat with a thud ideally.

Nova's weight followed seamlessly, her body already positioning itself above the downed fighter. She would crouch low, her muscles coiled in preparation for whatever Ellissanthia would do next, but her grip remained steady. There was no hesitation, no wasted energy.

If it went as planned, her opponent would be right where she wanted. And Nova had no intention of letting her recover quickly.

 

[Ellissanthia]

Location: Dojo, Training Center - Malsheem
Objective: Purge Weakness
Tag: Nova Ka

Another blow struck its mark, only to have little notable effect on Nova, who merely jerked in response. Then, the Sephi recovered—instantly—before rushing forward. Although Ellissanthia was slower than her opponent in general terms, she was not so slow that she would regain her balance after the one she had struck. Thus, the Undine had recovered her stance by the time her opponent reached out to seize her leg.

And given the marked disparity in their heights, Nova was forced to stoop quite low in order to grab Ellissanthia.

Low enough that it was almost a trivial matter for Ellissanthia to launch her right thigh forward, driving her knee towards Nova’s face!

Ellissanthia knew she was outmatched, both physically and in terms of raw experience. Thus, she had no expectation of victory. But perhaps, she could get lucky!

 

[Nova Ka]

TAG: Ellissanthia
Gear:

Nova's face was struck with brutal force, the knee making contact with her cheek. For a brief moment, a flicker of surprise crossed her expression as the impact reverberated through her skull, but the shock didn't last. In the blink of an eye, her glowing eyes narrowed, a dangerous fire igniting within them. A small trickle of blood started from the corner of her mouth, but her stance remained unwavering. She grinned, sharp teeth catching the light in a way that may have made Ellissanthia's stomach churn if she witnessed it.

Nova's voice was low, like a growl, a promise of retribution. She didn't waste a moment. Ideally, before Ellissanthia could react, Nova surged forward, her movements lightning-quick despite the hit she had taken.

Regardless, she was less than pleased now. Her temper got the better of her.

Her long, brutal arm shot out, seeking to take Ellissanthia's neck in a vice-like grip, lifting her off the ground with ease. Nova's strength was an overwhelming force, her enhanced physique easily compensating for any blow that might have slowed a lesser fighter. The Undine would be a mere puppet in Nova's grasp, completely at her mercy.

With a feral snarl, Nova would throw her knee into Ellissanthia's stomach, the blow would send a shockwave of pain through her opponent's body if struck. The momentum of the strike left no room for retaliation, and before Ellissanthia could even comprehend what had just happened, Nova would release her hold, sending Ellissanthia crashing to the ground if her attack had been successful.

Nova would stand tall over her, her tongue collecting the small trickle that spilt across her lips, her smile twisted in a look of dark satisfaction.

 

[Ellissanthia]

Location: Dojo, Training Center - Malsheem
Objective: Purge Weakness
Tag: Nova Ka

Ellissanthia caught sight of the trickle of blood. Although its crimson hue was distinct from the color of her own blood, the implication of its shedding did not escape her awareness. The Undine had drawn first blood, and in doing so, she had proven her will to fight.

She might have been confident then, were it not for the predatory growl which emerged after Nova’s smile. The expression precipitated the Sephi’s forward lunge, her long, muscled arm lashing out and seizing the small-statured Undine by her slender neck, thereby drawing a choked gasp from her constricted throat. Her body was pulled up from the ground with contemptuous ease in the process, leaving her defenseless to the ensuing knee driven into her stomach.

Pain consumed her senses. Ellissanthia tried to draw breath, but the blow had seized the air from her lungs as well, so that all she could manage was a series of wheezing gasps. From there, the Undine was sent sprawling to the floor, her features flushed of color as her heart pounded hard inside her chest.

Though Ellissanthia had suffered being shot, broken ribs, vibroblade strikes, and even explosions, the Undine could not will herself to her feet or even to draw breath. It was all she could do to achieve the latter after a time, by focusing directly on her breathing.

“I surr...” Ellissanthia gasped, her lungs burning inside her chest. “Surrender.” She wheezed, before collapsing to the floor, her chest rising and falling at frantic pace.

 

[Nova Ka]

TAG: Ellissanthia
Gear: TBA

Nova exhaled slowly, shaking the tension from her fingers. The fight was over. She had won.

She stared down at Ellissanthia's heaving form, watching as the Undine's chest rose and fell in frantic, shallow breaths. Her surrender had been gasped, barely more than a whisper, but Nova had heard it.

Instinct told her to walk away. The lesson had been given, the fight settled. But something—restraint, perhaps—kept her rooted in place.

Without a word, Nova crouched beside Ellissanthia, her massive frame still imposing but now absent the aggression from moments before. Instead of another strike, she extended a gloved hand.

"You fought well," She said simply, her voice lacking mockery or cruelty. "You just pushed too far."

There was no taunt, no smug satisfaction in her tone. Just an observation. A fact.

"Rest. It'll pass."

She remained still, waiting to see if the Undine would accept the hand—or reject it. Nova would not force her to take it. But if Ellissanthia still had fight left in her, if she wanted to stand, Nova would help her do it.