A Fist of Blood [TSE V. Sochi Ru]

[Mother Askani]

Chandrilla
Crystal Canyon

Spoiler

[youtube]https://youtu.be/kJHpmSIZjNk[/youtube]

A color akin to rust, a mere distant glare of red throughout a silent hue of blue the color of stars. The stone beneath the soles of her feet rustles and hummed with a silent power, enough that it would catch the Jedi Lady's gaze. The image, clear, reflected perfectly in her pitch black irises. A few feet off to both sides would be a barreling hellmouth of black...something that seemed endless.

It was the guttering growls that soon followed that caught her attention. She'd turn to, resting on the visage of one of her Felucian Shamans. She'd plant a hand, and move into his guard with relative ease; it was a sense of loyalty and trust. "Make no mistake, they will come. I assure you." Prior to this...the Togrutan had all but fell from the workings of the Galaxy, and she had few enemies that would see her dead; one, was the most infamous of all. She leaked her own location in the hopes of drawing him out. It would be now known to the Emperor himself that she'd taken up residence on Chandrilla and had taken students of her own...or believe it so.

This all came in the wake of the destruction of the League of Voss. She failed to reach them before the fire came.

"We'll make a stand...here." She turned back, "Everything must be in order...and know the outcome has been predetermined. Go..."

A series of mild barks, and low growls befell the canyon. However, silence was soon to come. The Kure'aii would follow her till the end.

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The rust in her skin shone with reflected highlights, magnified by the exotic pigment elsewhere. The gentle give of each step added to her grace as she descended into the tombs below. Ahead was the source of stray barks and low growls; she understood them better than most. They were her people. However, in place of boisterous barks came a repetitive chant; and in place of the determined shuffling of bare feet came the cadence of sandaled troops, and those Voss leading them.

Stopping just at front of the gapping opening, she remained in silence. She could feel and trace each individual in the room with her...unaided by any spiritual need. She became pleasantly consumed in the all bearing cadence of heart beats to engulf the room; this was a primal awareness of her own. It took one hand...and a spare finger; silence befell the group and she'd quiet the beating into background noise.

"It's time...get in positions." She beckoned for one of her leaders to follow through with the order.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

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Spoiler

1. No specific objectives, but label your location, current allies/enemies, and current mission or goal so everyone can keep track. Do whatever you feel is necessary to attack the Crystal Canyon, including going after Sochi herself, but Kaine is supposed to be taking her on a special date so keep that in mind *sultry smirk*

2. The Kure'aii are NPCs and can be controlled etc by all players. They are a decently sized faction comprised of: Jungle Felucians (some of the most powerful natural force users in the galaxy), Voss Commandos, and some Jedi (of any species etc you want)

3. Feel free to post how frequently you want Take your time with it.

4. I won't be DM'ing this thread entirely, but every now and then I will be including some stuff in my post that will move the story along.

Useful Links:​

Crystal Canyon | Jungle Felucians | Voss Commandos​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

​

Chandrila had suffered much as of late.

Ever since the Galactic Alliance was made to kneel before the might of the Sith, the planet had suffered no less than two attacks by the Sith themselves over the course of several weeks. That didn't even account for the innumerable routine raids made by Sith-aligned slavers who plucked Chandrilan citizens out of their homes in the dead of night and made them subservient to the Outer Rim slavery market.

But as the skies darkened and the high-pitched whine of Imperial strike-fighters filled the air, it was apparent that this was not to be like the incursions the surviving people of Chandrila had experienced prior.

A monstrous ship, the shape of a wide dagger, meandered through the planet's thermosphere surrounded by a veritable ocean of smaller vessels that surrounded it like a murder of carrion crows. It was the Behemoth, the personal flagship of the Sith Emperor and the ultimate symbol of his terror, and where its mighty bulk cast its shadow death was soon to follow. On the bridge of the titanic warship stood the Dark Lord himself, his two-point-five meter stature towering over everything else. At his side were several underlings, most of them not worth mention save for one; a female Togrutan swaddled in battle-damaged robes that tightly hugged her muscular body.

And her eyes burned with hatred, for she fully understood why she had been brought along with a sidelong glance at the Emperor speaking volumes. "You are certain she is down there, milord? If could be a ruse..."

"It is not a ruse, servant. I can sense her presence... She is waiting for us below." His eyes turned upon her, cold and hard as the void outside, "You will accompany me into the depths to confront her, and you will fulfill the destiny of which you have been painstakingly crafted for."

A muscle twitched in her face, but her mouth set into a grimace of resignation. "As you decree, master and creator, so I will serve you in all things."

Shortly after that exchange, a single shuttle emerged from the vast underbelly of the Star Dreadnought, the small craft dipping down through the atmosphere on a trajectory with the Crystal Caves to fulfill a long-standing destiny.

[member="Sochi Ru"]​

 

[Mother Askani]

Chandrilla
Crystal Canyon

Spoiler

[youtube]https://youtu.be/kJHpmSIZjNk[/youtube]

Her last step was cool to the touch; she felt it more this time than the last. From the center, the stones chilling touch spread throughout the soles of her feet and then it was nothing. Her sphere sense perception touched the lay of the canyon surrounding her. Soon though, she was looking towards the sky...piercing the canyons crack sharply through to the colored beyond, whatever was to be considered the atmosphere.

Deep within the crevice of her chest, she could feel the very fabric around them twisting and contorting in ways akin to something sinister. She could feel him...if anything at all. The stone bridge itself had been dusted over and over again by time and many occupations before it...with enough force it could give. She widened her stance took her place towards it center. She'd await them here...this was the main intersection that connected both sides of the caverns on both sides.

There was even subtle grace in the gentle give that allowed her to sit, "I'll give the signal when the time comes...heed my call. Until then...be on mark." She reassured her detail with a slow nod, signaling the time had come.

She'd foreseen this...well it's many outcomes. And whenever it came to Kaine...it was hard to gauge the probability.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Dust was blown aside as the Emperor's shuttle came to idle above the canyon's mouth, the low-pitched rumble of its engines echoing through the crystalline maze. From the bottom of the vessel extended a single gangplank, a partition opening in the hull wide enough for a monstrous man to emerge from. Dark armor clung to his wide muscular body, a cloak of deep vermillion billowing from his shoulders as hateful eyes gazed down into the gloomy abyss.

"Remain here until I call for you, this will not take long."

With battle helmet cradled in the crook of one arm, the Emperor stepped off of the platform and plummeted down into the darkness. The wind whipped past his features as the solid ground rose up to meet him, the air around his body shifting ever so slightly as to cushion the impact of his feet on the aged ornate stone plateau. Whatever ancient mosaic had resided beneath his feet was smashed into oblivion, cracks shooting along fault lines as each step brought him closer to the cliff's edge. The crystal caverns stretched out before him, dozens of bridges connecting both sides of the canyon's walls with each other that led into long-lost tombs and crypts.

But he paid none of these locations any heed, for his mind fixated on the lone individual who stood against him on a bridge not too far from his position. Without donning his helmet he called out to her, "Sochi Ru! You were a fool to let yourself be found so easily, for this time you will not escape me again."

[member="Sochi Ru"]​

 

[Mother Askani]

She could hear the wind breaking in the wake of his drop. Her view fixated on the night figure as it plummeted from the sky and crashed into the stone just a way from her. She paid no heed to the display; it sowed no fear in her. And then it hit her, the booming voice from this tower phases through her being. She broke away from the ground, slowly standing to face the challenge presented before her.

"Am I?" She retorted, "It would seem you're still akin to a pack animal, clawing after bait without any sense..." She stepped into her stance; unbothered.

She allowed for the silent moment of contemplation on her part, calm and composed as she always was. Widening her stance, and raising her own unlit saber to her side, the Togruta takes a deep breath. She'd open herself to the very fabric of the Force permeating through the cavernous location. Drawing it close, she adorns this invisible cloak well. The current of power rose and fell around her as if it were a rippling wave.

Slowly, her eyes lowered into a squint; frowning with an exotic feralness only she could muster.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Is that so?" replied the Sith Emperor with a dark chuckle.

Both hands grasped either side of his helmet, lifting it over his head and sliding it down into place. Pressurized air hissed out as the connection was sealed, fully encasing the Dark Lord in his protective armor. With his hands now free he summoned one of his lightsabers to his outstretched palm, the weapon sliding easily between coiling fingers as a blade of pure fire ignited from one end.

"Then I will have to show you just what an animal can do, Huntress."

The Force swelled around him, his knees bending momentarily before he jettisoned off into the air in an arc towards Sochi Ru. His trajectory brought him to her left, his armored feet connecting within the weathered stone precipice with tremendous kinetic energy being released in all directions. Flourishing his weapon, the gargantuan Epicanthix advanced on his smaller foe and began swiping and slashing at her being, wide swings bearing incredible strength lashing out to cut through stone.

"You have chosen the location of your tomb well! I commend you on your foresight."

[member="Sochi Ru"]​

 

[Mother Askani]

In her minds eye she could see Kaine absorbing the very fabric of life energy around them; he tore it from the world like a powerful leech, if only to project himself forward like a jagged spear in the dark. And there he was...a resounding entrance amplified by the stone quaking beneath their feet. The sheer swell of power rising between them both left the air thick and burdensome. However, the Togrutan steadied her sense as her sites shifted, with inert sense that sought out every inch of their surroundings.

Here was the Emperor of the Sith, bearing down on her with his crimson blade. Her exotic pigmentation was further amplified by the shower of sparks to rain down upon them both. His hammer blows came down on his opponents cerulean blade like the crack of thunder. Though, Sochi had fought many battles as this one, and was well too experienced to give into his rage at all; he knew it as well. His last stroke would be met with a graceful parry, and with the momentum she allowed herself to float a few steps backward; calm.

"I commend you on your foresight."

"Do you?" She widened her stance, opening herself to the ebb and flow of the world power beyond her. Her obsidian eyes reflected the titan that was Kaine.

"After all these years...you still cling to life. Your skills are fading...your empire is growing...Your time is coming. If not here...I'd suspect one of your own will betray you soon enough."

She made no sudden moves to reengage. "Do you still commend my foresight? Butcher King."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Koda Fett]

CHANDRILLA​

CRYSTAL CANYON​

​

It had certainly seemed as if the light hadn't shined as bright and proud as it once had. The Sith were responsible for that, truly; Carnifex and his dreaded Empire, expanding across the stars and extinguishing the hopeful dreams of a galaxy bathed in the purity of innocence. They had surely been perceived as monsters, but it were the monsters that desired order and unity amidst a time so divided. The Galaxy, for better or worse, needed them as much as they resented them. Yet, to see the galaxy so devoid of the idealistic notions that sparked rebellion and ignited the pyres of dreams hadn't been too unfamiliar. Instead, it had been rather reminiscent of another life that he lead, and since abandoned. Now, he endured the aftermath of such chaotic destruction but not apart of the marching legions that trampled across star systems and snuffed out the inklings of light that dwelled within as he had been once expected to. The Bounty Hunter pursued the remnant Jedi of the Galactic Alliance across the stars with brutal relentlessness, and whilst he previously hoped to be reaping the benefits of locating Sochi Ru, it was not he who found her.

The Bounty Hunter had approached an edge that seemed to present nothing more than an abyss beneath, if not for the sounds of sabers clashing that radiated outwards. Koda had shifted his gaze towards the Togruta that remained surface-side at the Emperor's request, and they had shared a look- a knowing look. His question had been answered, and thus he would make his descent. Fett briefly cycled through several vision modes that his helmet had to offer, finally settling on the one most preferable for delving into legitimate darkness. His jetpack roared as flames spat, allowing himself to land upon a ledge within. Alone.

Fett stood in silence as he often had. He watched, and he waited.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Do not be too sure of yourself, Master Jedi. The future, like the Force, is ever-shifting in its balance... But your fate is more than certain!"

An upward swing from down low, the blade's tip raking across the stone foundation they stood on, sent a shower of sparks and super-heated stone particles flying at the Togrutan Jedi before the Emperor's blade came in close. Power flowed through the Emperor's veins, his weapon an extension of that power as he swung it around and around to attack Sochi at a different angle each time. The embodiment of Strong Style, each blow from the Emperor's weapon was powerful enough to fracture the bones of the arm that held the weapon that was forced to hold back the brunt of his attacks.

But the Emperor did not attack with just his blade.

The Force hummed in response to his will.

Stone fragments, debris from bygone battles and decay, rose a meter into the air behind Sochi Ru. A twitch of his muscles belied his intent, the stone missiles careening through the air towards Sochi Ru's flank. Distraction, misdirection, an attack from two fronts was the Emperor's preferred tactic to overwhelm a single opponent in battle.

He relied on his physical strength and his strength in the Force to win him the day, focusing on nothing else.

[member="Sochi Ru"] | [member="Koda Fett"]​

 

[Mother Askani]

Her initial reaction was a normal one, she beckoned back throwing both her sword arm and free hand out to shield her face. Of course she could take a few bricks...she'd taken worse. A small smirk creased along her face, before she put herself back into the fray of combat against the darkness itself. Without any initial momentum, she went to parry his attack but her arm gave under the pressure of his hammer blow; the palm of her hand stung a bit. Two...she deftly ducked underneath the crimson blade, feeling the wind give to his power. Three...with a subtle bend of her waist, she would twist her body and hop over the second, though as she spun upward she brought her cerulean blade around in a lightning flash sweep akin to a viper. She had no direct intention as she swung for it, so the chances of her connecting were 50/50...but that would depend on his reaction in those spare seconds.

Her sphere sense perception allowed her to monitor the environment around her, and when the balls of her feet landed against the chilled stone she contorted her body to avoid two projectiles, while keeping the line of motion moving back. Then there was more, with the humming blurr of her weapon she carved a path through, while spinning and catching his next attack. She cut into the trajectory of his blade instead, taking advantage of his momentum and strength and knocking him into an over extension.

There would be a momentary break in live combat, and both combatants had it in them to seize the opportunity. Who would be quicker?

[member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Koda Fett"]