Private A Clash of Sabers

[Sars Sarad]

Borosk
Outer Rim Territories
Diarch Reign

---

Ion Mines floated listlessly in space, some of them so old they bordered inoperative. There had been a Planetary Defense Shield but fluctuations in the power grid had made it unreliable. Turbolaser and Ion Canon batteries dotted the surface like pox marks. Fortresses, many built ages ago by an Imperial Remnant and manned by soldiers of the now defunct Dark Empire loomed imperiously across the landscape. Borosk was in chaos, as were many worlds that the Dark Empire once claimed and regimental Officers who once reported to a High Command now vied for power with one another creating a precarious power structure of alliances and betrayals.

Among those that the force touched there was a presence that stood apart, it had drawn Sarad to the world. He'd made planetside a day before in a Shuttle that entered orbit during a power flux in the defense shield, landing underneath radar before it became active again while attention was on restoring the power grid. The Shuttle set down in rocky terrain, easy to miss unless someone was flying directly over it and without a second thought as to his purpose here Sarad left his craft, setting out on a trek towards the unknown.

The Imperial Fortress he'd approached was large, planetary defense batteries stretched menacingly in the background aimed towards the heavens while ramparts of duracrete built to soak fire from artillery and siege engines imposed themselves on anyone approaching. Disguised as one of the local population and aided by the force Sarad had slipped inside, a pulse felt in the back of his mind growing stronger as he'd moved towards its source. No one looked twice at him, dressed in a duster, his features weathered from the long walk he'd taken to come here; the implanting of a simple thought or idea into their minds ensuring Sarad seemed familiar to any Troopers that would have questioned him.

On the inside it was similarly easy for him to enter the fortress itself. Relying on the force it seemed as though Sarad knew when and how to step, moving behind patrols and underneath the arc of cameras as they passed over him. Regardless the fortress itself was surprisingly understaffed, many had doubtless abandoned this place rather than fight or die for a faction that appeared to have collapsed. When Sarad moved towards the source of the presence he felt he discovered a command post bristling with computers and analytics beyond a set of doors that 'hissed', opening wide as he stepped past them yet he no sign of life.

Looking, inspecting his surroundings his eyes narrowed as he finally made out a silhouette that had seemed inconspicuous, almost hidden initially causing him to shift towards the form before saying...

"My name is Sars Sarad."

...his right hand opened his duster, pressing it back behind his hip to reveal the lightsaber clipped to his person which his palm began to hover closer to...

"Tell me---"

...he began...

"---who are you?"

...his introduction was often the same, he did not know many of the faces or people that the force had led him to only that it had brought him to them. His senses heightened, there may have been a hope that the force had brought him to Valery Noble again, the Sword of the Jedi and he had unfinished business as far as he was concerned. Curiously he could not deny an attraction to her as well though. Whomever this was they were knew though; if he was disappointed Sarad hid it behind a grim smile that touched the corners of his mouth.

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Borosk
Tags: Sars Sarad

---

His tour of former Dark Imperial worlds had proven quite fruitful. His most recent excursion to the world of Borosk had shown him warlords still clinging to power yet dangerous enough to hamper his plans.

He was on his way out, clinging to the shadows so as not to be seen when a voice pulled him away from his task.

He turned at the sound of the voice, a man in a duster standing similarly to a gunslinger.. yet upon his hip was not a blaster but a lightsaber.

Pulling back the hood of his cape, The Diarch turned fully to the man, standing to his full height.

“I am Reign, Lord of the Diarchy. And you.. Sars are not meant to have seen me. I’m sorry to have to do this my new friend”

With that he unclasped his cape letting it fall to the floor as he unclipped his lightsaber from his belt.

 

[Sars Sarad]

Borosk
Diarch Reign

A sense of satisfaction washed over Sarad as the Diarch turned, pulled back the hood of his cloak and revealed himself. As he introduced himself, apologizing to Sarad before unclasping his cloak and letting it fall to the floor a thin smile, an expression of content touched the corners of Sarad's mouth before he answered...

"If I was not meant to find you the force would not have shown me the way."

...it seemed, in his opinion that this meeting was a fated one. There were no mistakes.

His hand continued to hover over the lightsaber, suddenly it would fly into his grasp and his fingers would tighten around the hilt before the phosphorescent blade ignited. He raised the lightsaber, angling it around horizontally at shoulder height so that it stretched from his right to left. Heatwaves from the crackling blade caused distortion in the air, making it appear to waver and dissipate in the wake of the lightsaber.

Looking beyond the crackling blade of his saber which seemed barely contained Sarad had adopted a bladed stance, his left foot sliding backwards and turning that side away while presenting his right at the fore where he stood motionless.

After standing motionless a brief moment Sarad began moving ahead. Footfalls came measured, almost sliding across the floor before a flourish of the lightsaber turned it towards the Diarch and aimed it level with his sternum. Unopposed the lightsaber would surely press itself into him...

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Borosk
Tags: Sars Sarad

---

"So Be it"

Was all the Diarch said, his own Blood-Orange colored blade springing to life as he assumed his form V stance. Blade angled above his head in a high guard. He did not know the man before him, but he would not be felled by a chance encounter.

Reign waited, determined not to make the first move, he was all anger and aggression, but it was not the unchecked chaos of the Sith, but the controlled fury of the Brotherhood. He would channel his hate and rage to become a weapon, yet not lose himself in it.

As the other man came forward, blade pointed towards his sternum, Reign would sweep his saber down with his right hand, the arc of his blade pushing the other away before turning suddenly in a horizontal slash aimed for his opponent's head. Looking to end the battle in a decisive stroke.

 

[Sars Sarad]

Borosk
Diarch Reign

The Diarch was skilled, Sarad was pleased. To be felled by a mere probing technique would have been an embarrassment.

Nonetheless the tactic had served its purpose.

As the Diarch swung his saber from the high guard Sarad, shifting his weight onto his back foot would have pivoted away and drawn himself into lead with his left side angled at the fore. Simultaneously his lightsaber arced outwards away from the parrying blow of the Diarch, he cocked his elbow upwards and fanned it back to his left so that he could catch what would have been a decisive blow on the inside. An inwards roll of the wrist meant his lightsaber was pointed down, vertically between them.

The Lightsabers crackled, Sarad wore a small smile of satisfaction knowing that his opponent was skilled and the heat of the phosphorescent blade would waft between the two men. Some found it uncomfortable but Sarad had grown accustomed to the heat. He acted without hesitation.

Snapping his lightsaber upwards, arcing it towards the Diarch he'd hoped to exploit what could be an opening as he aimed to strike beneath the underside of the right arm of his opponent. Answering a blow with a blow, not as decisive as the Diarch's but capable of incapacitating or even severing the arm if it struck cleanly…

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Borosk
Tags: Sars Sarad

---

As the sabers locked, Reign felt the anticipation of battle swell in him, it was good that his opponent was not just some upstart looking for glory. As such, he began focusing inward, utilizing his rage to begin to augment his already formidable strength and speed. So focused on this was he, that he almost missed the strike heading for his arm.

He dropped his blade to his other hand and moved his arm, but not quick enough to avoid a graze by his opponents blade. The smell of burnt cloth and skin filling his nostrils and pushing his rage even further.

With his saber in his off hand, the Diarch swung low in a circle near his opponents feet, while coming around with his right elbow in an attempt to catch the other man alongside his head when he leapt out of the way of the blade.

 

[Sars Sarad]

Borosk
Diarch Reign

The momentum of his lightsaber carried it high, up over his head until it was pointed vertically at the ceiling after the grazing blow to the Diarch.

Next came a flurry of motion.

As the Diarch swung low Sarad, his right foot planted at the fore would press backwards while turning his left foot outward at forty-five degrees so that he could slide backwards and create distance between himself and his opponent. During the backwards momentum, maintaining balance with his left foot Sarad could also pick his right foot up off the ground so that the Dirach's saber passed beneath it. Nonetheless there was contact, the sole of his boot sizzling as the lightsaber passed beneath it.

Disengaging as he did also meant that Sarad would have opened distance between the two men, ensuring that the elbow thrown by the Diarch met no resistance only contacted air.

When his right foot planted again Sarad adjusted, noting that his balance was slightly disheveled thanks to glancing blow that had caught the underside of his boot. He could feel the rage brewing in the Diarch yet for all purposes Sarad appeared outward calm, even like he was enjoying himself. He began to sink into a sort of battle meditation, a trance where there was only the here and now.

His lightsaber snapping low from its elevated position coming down at a diagonal angle so that it could crush overtop the Diarch's saber, locking them in another crackle of energy at a lower zenith. In a concordant move Sarad had shuffled forward to close distance. As he came closer his left arm jabbed, well overtop the lock of the sabers; he struck with the base of his palm, thumb tucked in and fingers curled backwards as he sought to drive it into the sternum of the Diarch....

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Tags: Sars Sarad

---

His opponent was quick, quicker than Reign had first given him credit for. As his elbow flew through empty air he realized it would take more to defeat this adversary.

He could feel the calm of the other man, this was what he lived for. Then Reign would give him the fight of his life.

As the sabers locked again, Reign attempted to force the control of the sabers into his possession, leaning on his immense strength. He was so focused on this task that he missed the blow coming to his sternum.

With the impact, the Diarch shot back putting distance between them as he caught his breath.

He eyed his opponent then, a flicker of respect growing within him.

And then he moved, using the force to amplify his speed and strength, he came down like a crushing avalanche on the other man. Heavy vertical strikes followed by lightning fast horizontal attacks.

 

[Sars Sarad]

Diarch Reign

A momentary uncoupling of the duelists allowed Sarad to reset his lightsaber.

In a sense the men were contrasts; the Diarch drew strength from his anger, his rage whereas Sarad was composed, calm. During the brief separation he centered himself, entering a trance like state. Gazing back at the Diarch the nod of recognition registered but Sarad was momentarily gone. There was only himself, the Diarch and their sabers.

Battle Meditation as it was called by some. No Mind as it was known to others, like Sarad.

When the Diarch came forward Sarad raised his lightsaber, almost instinctively turning it horizontal to meet the downwards blows of his opponent. As one lightsaber hammered down into the other sparks flew between the men, energy crackled with the impacts. The Diarch was strong, his blows were powerful and he drove Sarad to a knee....

"Such rage."

...Sarad had grit his teeth behind the hammering vertical strikes but his composure had not broken...

"Are you a Sith?"

...when the attack shifted and the Diarch shifted his blows from hammering vertical attacks to lightning fast horizontal ones Sarad whipped away. Spinning off his back foot during the momentary opening he'd wheel from the Diarch, away from the angle of his lightsaber while bringing his own down from its horizontal defense to deflect the blows of his opponent as he went. He'd spun at a wide arc, wanting to bring himself around the Diarch so that as he come out of his momentum he could flourish his saber in its backswing and attempt to land a crippling blow across the back of his opponents legs while repositioning to flank him. Naturally the duster he wore swept around him as well during his movements.

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Tags: Sars Sarad

---

For a moment, it appeared Reign would claim victory, he had driven his opponent to one knee, but the question had caught him momentarily off guard.

"I am no Sith. I'm something more"

His opponent would soon see that while the Diarch called upon his rage and anger for strength, it did not control him like it did the Sith. However, he was not here to debate philosophy with his new adversary.

The other man utilized his momentum as well as the Diarch's to spin away and behind, a move so quick that Reign barely had any time to leap out of the way of the strike that would have taken him out at the knees. Leaving his trousers singed and the smell of burnt flesh behind him, Reign noticed tenderness on his back right leg and an uneven distribution of weight due to the injury.

He tamped down on the pain, using it to fuel himself more, but, as with all members of the Brotherhood, he controlled his rage and pain, not succumbing to the Dark Side, but mastering it.

In the force he would feel like a controlled tempest, the only lightning bolts of the storm showing themselves during his attacks.

He steeled himself and reassumed his form V stance, waiting for the other man to make his move.

 

[Sars Sarad]

Diarch Reign

Not a Sith, interesting.

After they'd separated Sarad would flourish his lightsaber in a display of technique that saw him rolling his wrist to accommodate the momentum of the blade before it came out of the movements at shoulder height, aimed towards the Diarch again.

Tipping his head towards his opponent behind the crackling luminescence of the blade Sarad observed the Diarch as undertook a Djem So stance. Nodding his head once it appeared as though Sarad was appraising the mans technique, it made sense to him considering the heavy blows and transition to swifter attacks the Diarch had used. As for himself, it could be noted that Sarad used a somewhat rudimentary style which he complimented with more advanced maneuvers befitting various engagements.

Approaching the Diarch he remained an omnipresent picture of calm, deep in the trance that cleansing his mind of distraction afforded him...

"Help me to remember, what is the Diarchy?'

...a verbal barb, possibly meant to elicit response though there was a time when Sarad would have expected to hear his opponents affiliate themselves with such factions as the Brotherhood of the Maw, the New Order, the Republic, even the Mandalorian Enclave. At least there was still a Republic.

His lightsaber was aimed towards the Diarch, as it had been in the beginning. A snap of the wrist was made, meant to make contact with the Dairch's lightsaber on the inside amidst a crackling of energy as the blades made contact. He'd follow through with a jab, his swordarm extended while his saber maintained contact with his opponents. An in and out, the natural recoil of the arm letting it make a quick stab at the Diarch's left shoulder without ever breaking contact between the two sabers as one rode against the other.