You call that a Sith? (TSA raid of Dominion Vjun)

[Kaden]

LOCATION: Castle Bast Courtyard
OBJECTIVE: Defeat the Ascendancy
ALLIES: [member="Yuroic Xeraic"] | [member="Vitha Sat-thuron"] | [member="Arisa Yune"] | [member="Jairdain"]
ENEMIES: [member="Krest"] | [member="Bjorn Heartholm"]

As carnage unfolded before amber eyes, a new combatant entered the fray. A body pale and wiry, taller than the Sith but also thinner. A ridged eyebrow ascended into an arch at the sight of the man, who had determination and rage seeping out of his blue eyes in spades. Kaden turned to face the newcomer, who was quite obviously intent on engaging him, and flourished his saberstaff smartly. Kaden then spread his booted feet into a balanced stance, neither aggressive nor defensive.

Adaptable.

Then, lightsabers clashed in a spectacle of sparks and buzzes. Kaden harboured a similar philosophy of battle and so, boasted equal strength and cunning. Theirs was an evenly matched flurry of attacks and blocks, slashes and dodges, locks and disengagements. Kaden's amber gaze was narrowed in its focus as they dueled -- watching and assessing Bjorn's every movement, every twitch of the eyes.

The pureblood had been trained in swordplay from the age of thirteen and his skills were returning as the adverse effects of extended cryosleep wore away. He sought to match Bjorn's onslaught in a way that would tire the man out while reserving energy for the Sith's own use. And so, he battled; mostly on the backfoot, but competent in his defense.

 

[Darth Sibilus]

The grip on Cairyn's unconscious form was unceremoniously lost, and the Teevan tumbled to the ground with a small bang as his body crumbled against the stone. The Epicanthix had not foreseen another engagement after he had disposed of the Sith, but the Jedi's appearance was not unwelcome. The defeat of Cairyn had only served to make him stronger in the Dark Side, and the defeat of this new Jedi would make elevate his power further. Anyway, the Epicanthix was not ready to return to Bastion, and he could still hear the screaming of blades from the courtyard.

Slowly, he turned himself around, crimson blade still humming contently in his palm. He studied the Jedi for a few moments, and decided to employ a different tactic to the one he had used with his last opponent. Perhaps this one could be convinced to join Drios, and if that failed she would end up in the same situation as the smaller acolyte a few meters from him, or worse, dead.

"I will be, once you're out of my way." he countered, and adjusted his body into the traditional Makashi opening stance; lightsaber held out to his side and his feet angled perfectly, this was his favoured and most trained form. During his time on Panatha, in Vain Hollow, he had grasped a basic understanding of the form, but it was on Bastion where, under the all-seeing gaze of the Lords, he had become a true practitioner of the graceful form. "I must admit, though, Jedi, that I am surprised to see you of all people run to the aid of a Sith?"

[member="Cairyn Midore"]
[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Cairyn Midore"] @Drios Rapux

​

-Engaging Drios-​

​

It stung Jade that he brought up a valid point like that. Despite her strict adherent to the Code, she was also a creature of logic, and this seemed....off. Still the Sith that was knocked out was the weaker, unable to defend himself. She seethed at the contradiction, trying to keep back the sharp bite of anger she felt.

"Your assessment is correct. However this particular Sith is a servant of the Dominion, and thus by definition, my ally."

She let those words fly and then her blade sprang to life, hissing into a brilliant blue. Her eyes tracked everything Drios did. Hip placement, footing, and of course the angle he held his saber. She smirked and bowed once, in true swordsman tradition.

Then her right foot slid back, she bladed her hips to face her attackers and growled, spinning her saber twice before settling it in a diagonal cross-guard. Her breathing became rhythmic, letting the Force flow in and grounding her. She imagined herself a fish, swimming in the ocean of the light.

She recognized his form, Makashi. Her's was not elaborate, it was simple, but she would wait for him to strike first...

 

[Jairdain]

Being granted vision by Lykos, Jairdain could see clearly what he looked like physically. Even in his mind, he could not bear to alter his real form and only one eye returned her stubborn and fierce gaze. Her normally friendly and smiling face, now held the firm look of determination. She was a lovely young woman by almost any standard and the power she currently wielded...even if it was fading practically made her glow. He would not feel any strong emotion from the Jedi only her personal belief she would not fail or fall. Her training allowed her to keep her personal emotions separate from battle and any that had been brought up before were locked away in a little box in her mind.

As they gazed upon one another for the first time, Jairdain could feel his immense power that was greater than hers alone. His strengths were different than hers, but even if she was trained as a mental fighter, his knowledge made him stronger. His life experience gave him more strength. While she had been through her own trials, he had lived longer and had more within him making him who he was and that was a powerful entity standing in front of her.

In that moment, he would see within her, her strengths and weaknesses. Those two men she loved in different ways. One of them already consummated and filled with passion, the other not yet even given voice, slowly growing to fruition. Would feel that little box of emotions she kept locked up in moments like this. He may even pick up on her personal unspoken code she believed in and followed that was not what the Jedi preached about.

As Lykos moved in for what inevitably would be his last attack of this battle, Jairdain's protective bubble shattered into countless pieces. His darkness was able to mitigate much of the damage her light inflicted, but not all of it. As pieces of her sphere impacted and wounded him further. Just the moment, she was about to fail totally, the light whisper of whoever had the hand on her back came through to her.

It offered help and she could clearly tell and feel the darkness within it. Somehow, she knew who it was that offered this as they had met in silence once before. Jairdain knew she had lost her battle with Lykos, he knew had won. Accepting the help of [member="Soeht"], Jairdain gathered new strength within her, but did not reform her protective barrier. With this new, alien and dark power within her, marking and tainting her slightly, she found the ability to send one final push against the sith lord and away from him.

In that brief moment that lasted not even a heartbeat, that box of emotions she kept firmly locked up released. They all spilled out, flaring up and she would for once feel everything all at the same time. Jairdain lost her control of them and they overwhelmed her. A new form might be seen by Lykos if he could see past his own injuries to the quickly fading one of the Knight. One while still firmly in the light was a little less so now to have been touched by the darkness, her own passions and of her released and uncontrolled emotions from their little prison of a box.

[member="Darth Lykos"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

Adron watched as his enemy was stunned by a statue connecting with his spine. Even Adron was forced to wince at the display, though he felt the grip the man had on his weapon diminish. As the lightsaber flew towards him he breathed a sigh of relief. His weapon returned to his grip Adron's grim outlook on the fight had turned slightly more hopeful, yet he was running low on energy and the kinetic push to his enemy had drained him more than he expected.

Nevertheless he took to his feet, bringing his white blade to life as his opponent made his advance. The man's words were met with a weak chuckle escaping Adron. "You know....I really don't care at this point." He breathed, however as his opponent took an offensive position Adron had an idea come into his mind.

The young Count glanced behind him, stepping back away from the Sith. Adron focused on the Force, glancing at a crate that was set down behind the Sith. Slowly the crate began to levitate in the air, yet after only a few moments it slammed back into the ground. Adron was too weak to call on The Force right now, he knew he'd need time to recover. But for some reason he didn't believe the Sith would give him that.

Adron raised his lightsaber, taking the same defensive stance he had in the beginning of the fight. "Just attack me, Sith."

[member="Orion Darkstar"]

 

[Darth Sibilus]

The Sith could feel her anger, and he could feel her trying to suppress it. Anger was a difficult emotion to halt, it ate away at you like an acid, and took advantage of even the tiniest fissures in her mental defence to seep through. "You fool. No Sith is an ally of a Jedi. That is why we are here, ransacking their precious temple. If you want to stop us, so be it. But you will pay the price of your error with your head." with that, he began to advance, circling her like a dangerous predator, desperately trying to identify any weakness before a plan began to formulate in his head.

The Epicanthix sped up, reverting from his circling and heading toward the Jedi in a b-line. Once he came in range, his blade and body still appearing as if they were about to perform the precise, deadly attacks of Makashi, suddenly changed into the fiery assault of Djem So, and his blade cut through the air and toward it's target; the head of his opponent in an attack known as 'Falling Avalanche'.

The power behind his strike was uncanny, fuelled by his physical and Force enhanced strength. Through gritted teeth, he hissed "If you embrace the Dark Side, one day you will be able to match me!"

[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Drios Rapux"]

​

"For every action an equal an opposite reaction."​

He spoke and then he struck. Jade smirked, keeping herself level headed and calm with the aid of the Force. Even a task like that proved to be daunting with so much of the darkside in this place. Her aggression had to be tempered, restrained, so as not to be come naked passion.

When he stepped she stepped, keeping her foot work in unison with his, eyes darting between his shoulder and feet. Footing and watching a shoulder could tell you a lot about where the opponent planned to strike next. His form shifted, from Makashi to Ataru. Her's remained the same.

As he swung she stepped backwards left and the forwards, crossing his body and facing herself to his bare right side. Her blade struck now, but not with the violence of abandon. It was a quick precise flick of the wrist, snapping the blazing blue lightsaber down and right to try and connect with his hamstring, and then back to her natural diagonal guard...

 

[Darth Sibilus]

Annoyed that his opening attack was so easily avoided, Drios whipped around with surprising agility and parried Jade's blade away, quickly striking out at her guard, eager to break it and expose her midriff to attack. The Epicanthix's assaults were fury filled, and hateful; quickly enhancing his reactions, power and skill.

"You could achieve great things with me, with the Sith! I can feel recklessness, hate, anger in you. Stop suppressing your feelings! They will make you stronger, give you focus." he spoke, his voice reverberating around the hallway, echoing down into the darkness.

There was no denying the girl was skilled, but would she be able to prevail over an older, bigger and more powerful foe?

[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Drios Rapux"]

"I am the eye in the Center of the storm."​

Jade watched his parry connect and sabers clashed with that familiar hiss. Sparks flew, her face illuminated by both red and blue, split in half. Yes within her a battle had always raged, a tempest if you will. She felt the aggression in her cheeks, flushing her red and rosy. The Sith was a talker, which was all the better.

Talking distracted, and his own attack would be distracted by the volley off words sliding of his snake tongue.

​

"I am a Jedi. I cannot bow to the Darkness. This is my creed, my life, my purpose."​

That was all she would say, brown eyes darting back to his shoulder as he moved. His fury paid off, snapping her blade out of it's guard and sending her arm just outside her hip with the saber running parallel. Now she closed the distance, on instinct alone. Her master had taught her more than just to work with a blade. The blade was an extension of the body.

The body was a weapon.

She charged, rushing in close, pressing her hips right up into his, face to face, chin to chin. At this range his saber couldn't swing so easily at her. It robbed him of his advantage which was his power blows. Her saber hand snapped up and behind her, angling the blade along her back to protect her spine, whilst her right hand snapped into a hook.

She reached up and tried to hang that hook around the back of his neck, to force his head down and destroy his posture. At the same time her foot came down hard towards the spot where his foot connected to his ankle. If she was successful the next thing he would see would be her knee rushing towards his face as his nose was slammed down into it...

​

"And at the same time, I am the storm."​

 

[Darth Sibilus]

"We will see." Drios snarled, his eyes continuing to be tainted with the sulphuric glow of the Dark Side. The Sith would not strike as the Jedi skillfully twisted away from danger, and opening up an opportunity for herself. Rapux was impressed, yet she still had much to learn and he would quickly overpower her in the scenario she was swaying towards.

As she moved towards him, he took her initial hit, tensing every muscle in his body to absorb the collision with as little damage as possible. The Epicanthix had almost a foot on her, and had been brawling almost as long as he was walking. This would not be a battle she would win.

As she moved in with the hook, Drios' own arm was sent up to deflect the shot and leaving himself less vulnerable. At the same time, he brought his elbow round to connect with her jaw with such a force the contact would be audible from down the hallway. Suddenly, he felt her foot dig into his ankle and immediately the sharp pain registered within his mind. Regardless of whether or not the elbow had hit, he quickly pushed her backwards, and then launched her with a powerful telekinetic push to allow his ankle some time to regain a little strength.

It was obvious that Djem So was not working. The acolyte adjusted himself back into the trademark Form II position.

[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Drios Rapux"]

​

"Reset, and go Jade. Don't wallow in your misery. Only death can slow us down."​

The elbow did indeed connect and Jade blinked as it twisted her head to the side. The crack to the jaw had enough force to cause blood to fly from her lips in flecks of crimson. She was unprepared for his push, dazed by the elbow and felt herself hurled back. The air left Jade's lungs. She wheezed as if she'd been hit by a brick wall.

But the force sustained her. She tumbled, then rolled and pushed off to her feet.

One hand stretched out and recovered her saber, setting it ablaze in a brilliant flash of sapphire once more. She turned her head, spit a huge gob of blood and grinned. Her dancing partner has some skill with countering, which was good. It'd make it a challenge, which she liked.

Again her right foot slid back, and her hips faced her attacker. Jade whirled her Saber twice, feeling the thrum of the blade cutting the air elate her. Her blood pumped with endorphins from her injury and her body crackled with force energy. The lightsaber settled back into her diagonal guard.

​

"Good, but not good enough."​

 

[Darth Sibilus]

The pain in his foot would quickly fade as adrenaline the adrenaline coursing through his veins eliminated it quickly. Drios continued to be impressed by her stamina, but was quickly growing tired of fighting and felt it was time to vacate and return to the shuttle. But he couldn't do that until she was dead.

He brought his left hand up, and focused on the air before him, using the Force to vibrate it at a molecular level until a large fireball formed in the air before his palm, and as soon as it had appeared it was hurtling towards the Jedi. It would be easy to dodge, but would allow some more precious moments of respite from the arduous duel he had found himself in.

"Back down, little girl." he warned in a belittling voice. Drios had no expectation that she would flee upon his words, in fact he hoped that it would trigger her into an anger, and make her attack before he did. An angered Jedi is an unstable one, and unstable Jedi are easier to slay.

[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Drios Rapux"]

"Each step is measured, precise. Each strike lands both swift. But take care not to overextend, or strike to hard, lest you compromise your guard."​

The fireball spit at her came fast and furious. Jade stepped forwards to the left, and then pivoted on the ball of her foot. As her body whirled it passed by, nicking her back and setting it ablaze. She roared in agony as the flesh and cloth burned to each other. Her only respite was to continue the pivot and rip off her robes with one hand.

"Arrrrghhh!​

Back smouldering with wispy smoke she clenched her jaw as she felt tears well in her eyes. Still the force kept her centred. Her blind rage from the pain was threatening to breakthrough. She dropped the cloak, now revealing her tan tunic and trousers, and her tight bun.

Then she charged, coming at Drios from the side. Her saber buzzed as she closed the distance, still in quick precise movements. She lashed out, striking an X pattern. She took care not to cross her center line too much, and reset her guard as her left hand extended, palm flat behind it.

A crushing wall of air would smash towards him, propelled by the force.

The initiative was the key to any battle, and Jade was now seizing it.

 

[Darth Sibilus]

Delight danced across Drios' abhorrent eyes as she writhed in pain from the artificial flames he had projected to her, and a crude laugh escaped from his lips. The Epicanthix could sense her anger, and he knew she was still trying to hold it back, however fruitless it was. His blade danced around him as he prepared for an attack once she had stopped combustion, and successfully parried the two strikes she threw at him with ease.

He wasn't, however, prepared for the telekinetic blow that sent him soaring across the room like a bat, his quickly lightsaber deactivated to prevent any accidental decapitations. He collided with a mighty stone wall with a horrific sound as his body slid to the floor, his brain desperately trying to comprehend what had just happened to him. Every muscle in his back ached, and cried out in protest as he began to stir, causing Drios to wince in terrible pain.

Stand up, Drios! You can't let this Jedi beat you. You are stronger than her. came a small voice in his head, providing him with the motivation to rise to his feet and bring his lightsaber into life once more. Epicanthix were made out of tougher stuff than Humans, but nevertheless he could still feel the impact shaking him to his very bones, rattling his brain within his thick cranium. "Come and get me." the acolyte snarled, stalking forwards for a few steps before bringing his left hand up once more, and grasping her with the Force. With a grunt of effort, he pulled her towards him, and charged forwards with the ferocity of a Reek, intent on skewering her body with his crimson blade whilst she travelled towards him.

[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Drios Rapux"]

The force pull ripped her from her footing, and Jade found herself in a position she did not like at all. She was a footwork specialist, using her body and positioning to help her. No ground was bad, very bad. And now that his saber had extend even worse.

Reflexes slowed by the pain she bared her teeth and squinted her eyes. Every muscle tensed as she tried to resist flying through the air. The force surged in her like a waterfall crashing on rocks. When she came to the point of his glowing crimson blade her right hand raised high and she flourished, rotating at the wrist and completing a crescent strike that swatted his blade wide.

It still hit her, grazing her side, drawing more molten lava like pain.

"OOooF!"​

That still didn't save her from the pull, the unintended consequence of which was that she crashed into him. As her feet hit the ground and her weight went forwards she pressed hard, flipping her Saber with a lithe hand into reverse grip. Her left hand cupped, crossing to the right side of his neck, trying to establish a hook there.

"YahhhH!​

Then her right hand plunged the sapphire blade towards his back, close range...

 

[Darth Sibilus]

Drios realised that this was a mistake the moment the Jedi crashed into him, the momentum she had gained was not halted by his blade, and instead his body served as the stopping point for the woman. Whilst he was wobbled by the blow, he would not fall down, his grand stature enabling him to keep his footing and try and fight her away. He could not use his blade, for he could not twist his wrist enough to deal any great damage.

The Epicanthix cried out in pain as her brilliant blue blade began to cut the surface of his back, thankfully angled away from dealing any major damage. Despite the agony he was in, he would not let this stop him.

She would be dragged down with him.

Drios' vermilion blade would be pushed towards her thigh, eager to burn into her flesh like her saber had done to his.

[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Drios Rapux"]

At such close range, the thigh strike was unavoidable. Her error in judgement had prevented her from seeing it coming. Crimson blade struck flesh and pierced through her quad muscle. The blade thankfully cauterized the flesh, but the smell of burning skin and tunic wafted into her nostrils. She knew it was time to go hard. End the conflict, or get enough time to escape. Depending on what happened next, she'd have her answer.

That gave her an advantage of a split second, during which she landed her left hand hook on the right side of his neck. Howling in pain she backed up a little, setting up a frame with her elbow at a ninety degree angle. She pushed off of him, kept the clamp in place and shoved hard to the left, trying to wrench his neck and head left.

​

"Where the head goes, the body goes."​

Her lightsaber reversed it's grip, hilt flipping end over end until it came down back in her normal grip. She slid it parallel into the gap she'd made between them, and struck down with a flick of her wrist, towards Drios exposed Saber hand, trying to cut it off. She bladed her hips, facing them to his right side, stepped off with her right foot and pivoted, pushing even more strength into her hook on the neck.

If her tactic worked the way she hoped, his neck and head would slam left, and he'd be toppled to the ground.

 

[Orion Darkstar]

​

Current Foe: [member="Adron Malvern"]​

​

Orion's wait came with banter from the Jedi. Clearly the young duelist wasn't in the mood for talk. This was fine, considering Orion preferred to have his actions speak for him. A flash of yellow sparked in the slits of his chrome mask. Orion would no longer allow the Jedi to rest, but as he went to step forward, the Jedi reached out to something. A large box lifting to the air. Orion receded back, ready for the useless attempt to come at him. Instead the box slammed back down. The Jedi was weak, exerted to the point of exhaustion. ​

​

"You know....I really don't care at this point."​

​

Orion smiled. The young boy had no idea what was about to strike at him. The inner rage of Orion's soul swelling with pressure. Along with it, the dark side flooded him. The pain that tingled through his back slightly easing. He darted forward, the force guiding his body. He was light, but his strikes would be heavy. Almost like a drifting phantom, Orion reached the Jedi. His red saber slashed at the neck of his adversary. ​

​

"I'll tell you the answer..." Orion said as the saber went to connect with unrelenting force. There was nothing that could stop the inner pain from exerting from the tainted acolyte. He was an exceptional Juyo practitioner, a lion among sheep. With a quick retraction he violently swung again again. His composure showed grace and calm, but what came after was pure strength and pain. With another violent strike hissing for the Jedi's head, he screamed the answer. A bright malevolent yellow fully taking over his irises. ​

​

"Fear!"​

​

[member="Rainer Altman"] | [member="Vrruk"] | [member="Krest"] | [member="Bjorg The Traitor"] | [member="Satia the Cruel"] | [member="Darth Mara"] | [member='Bjorn Heartholm"] | [member="Cairyn Midore"] | [member="Rakkus"] | [member="Vengeance"] | [member="Judas Foster"] | [member="The Slave"] | ​

 

[Darth Sibilus]

Confidence began to return to Drios as his attack made contact with her thigh, burning flesh and tunic alike, sewing them together like some unnatural upholstery. However, he could not devote the time to linger on such trivial thoughts as he still tussled with the Jedi in close quarters, and that was not his forte.

He needed to get away, and the injury he had suffered to his back was beginning to bother him. A lot. As she hooked onto his neck, he would close his eyes and allow her to manipulate his body without a struggle. Concentrate, Drios.

Suddenly, the air audibly shifted, and the Jedi would feel pressure begin to accumulate around her trachea, as if an invisible hand were slowly choking her.

Hopefully the telekinetic attack would halt her strike, leaving Drios' hand firmly attached to his body and in a more desirable position over his last one.

[member="Jade Whisperwind"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Drios Rapux"]

Her strike did halt, but her hook continued and the momentum could not be stopped now. Drios body would be flung to the dirt and she would quickly retreat a step, sliding her right foot back. His hand was saved, but only just. She grasped at her throat, choking and sputtering. He was stronger than she gave him credit for, and for that she was at fault.

There was only one way to break a force choke. She had to break his concentration. With but a minute left of air, she calmed herself, again centring herself in the force. For a second, she paused, face beginning to turn blue and then sprang. With him still on the ground, she jumped and came down on him.

Her leg's went to try and hook his body in a full mount, and then scoot up into his armpits, Her saber buzzed as it deactivated and her fists went high. If she met her mark, her next move was to pummel him. To smash his face with her fists until his focus was broken, if it wasn't already from trying to dodge her full mount....