Between Rivals

[Cortana Jade]

Felucia; a planet with constant shifting balance in the force. With a diversity of bizarre plants, fungi, and animals which were almost rubber-like and translucent. When the sun shone, the environment glittered like multicolored glass. Most of Felucia was entirely covered by a humid, fetid landscape of huge fungal forests. Felucia had strong ties to the Living Force, and as such the world's flora and fauna could be influenced by a presence of a strong Force-user, both light and dark. Most plants and animals of Felucia had adapted special defenses to protect them from each other, which made them particularly hostile to the off-worlders. Felucia was known to radiate a sort of life force that the native Jungle Felucians were capable of feeling.

In the past this planet was home to multiple battles, and has hat bored dark memories, and presences. That has begun to take a toll on the planet and its flora and fauna. It being in Imperial space doesn't help the fact that's its inhabitants are easily influenced by the presence of light or dark. Now it would seem many people have found a solace here. Some seeking isolation, so that they can regroup, so that they could make decisions they couldn't before. Possibly events that have rendered them scarred. Others seeking a place to hone their skills, hoping to face the harshness of this planet by themselves. There are many answers in this vast, translucent, jungle. One would have to go through the dark to find the light. To make sure they don't lose themselves in the forever shifting balance of the force, or to the inhabitants of the jungle. One would need to be mindful, while Felucia was beautiful on the outside, this jungle is one of the worst enemies to face alone.

Someone strong enough in the force would be able to tell that there was a strong force user on the planet. The balance shifted more towards the light side than dark. The appearance had taken on a not so much twisted appearance. What was causing this?

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

Darth Naefas's ship visibly flew just above the plants that grew out from the planet. He did so for longer than was necessary. He was announcing his presence by doing so. And the person he was announcing it for must have known. He felt her presence on the planet, and he was followed her to this planet...To kill her? To turn her? She was a worthy opponent, she should join the dark side.

The ramp of his ship closed as he walked out of it, garbed in his armoured form, and his black robes concealing the armour. His lightsaber was within his sleeve, while his other one was located on his belt, concealed by the black robes as well. His amphistaff was on his back, and he was prepared to kill the Jedi Knight. Sochi Ru would die.

He expanded his force presence out ni the dark side as he walked through the 'forest' on Felucia. He was simply following the ashla aura that he sensed, he would find her. And give her options.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

Sochi was stationary on a cliff that made that area of the sky visible. She saw the ship flying overhead, and she could sense a shift in the balance of the force. She looked up, while in the corner of her eyes two shamans approached her on both sides. The three of them following the ships flying pattern with their heads. Seeing that it went to land far off into the distance, Sochi lowered her head. She knew the peace would last much longer; she knew in the back of her head that confrontation was inevitable. With her head lowered, and her eyes closed she began to speak.

"We must prepare for a confrontation with the sith. We cannot allow this dark influence to corrupt your people again. This is what we've trained for." She said softly, yet sternly. She found herself in the same position as the legendary Togruta Master Shaak Ti. Some might even say Sochi was following in her footsteps.

Sochi remained stationary, as the tribe began to mobilize itself. Small groups of warriors and scouts would attack the sith. They're abilities twice a strong with them being under the guidance of Sochi. Their skills more refined, yet not polished enough for taking on a sith such as the one they would face. There advantage was their sheer numbers.

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

As he neared the presence of the light side that he had waited too long to strike down and put out, he felt the presence of more force users and beings around him. It was going to be a pain to get to her but that wouldn't matter. He was a Sith Lord.

He was Darth Naefas. And in his language that meant Dread, and yes...Darth Naefas would show the people of this planet the dread that he promised to deliver with his presence on their planet. He saw one of the warriors jump out at him, and Naefas swayed around their swing before bringing his fist out to jab into their ribs with the Force augmenting his strength.

When the being fell to the ground with most definitely a few broken ribs, he started to walk over the body and one boot crushed the beings head on his way. He smiled to himself with his first death, he had felt the pain and fear of the death that the being had felt just before they were struck down. He fed himself on it, and he continued to the cliff side that he felt the presence of the Jedi.

His lightsaber slid from his sleeve and he continued to walk, he wouldn't rush. He would show her she was going to die at the end of his few detours.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

Surely, one could tell that the primal Jungle Felucians had now became more organized. Sochi had made her way to a large grove that she found a good place to meditate. The dark soil filled an large open area, which at the end of it was a large pond. When one looked into it all they would see was darkness. It seemed as though it was never ending. On the far side to the west was a cliff, that had beneath it the large translucent flowers native to the planet. It wasn't a large drop, but if thrown with enough force could severely injure someone or something.

This was the place that Sochi wanted her fellow tribesmen to lead this force user. This was the place where battle could be done. She lied in meditation with the pond right in front of her. It let off a cool breeze that cut through her body. She was adorned in a cream backless top with a deep V-front (that shows her both bare back and shoulders) and brown straps around her midriff that seem to accentuate her chest and bellybutton. She has a light brown loincloth and homemade bikini bottom. She also sports a bit of gray cloth wrapped around her feet (that shows both her bare toes and heels) and most of it around both leg calves (that shows her right knee) and left forearm (with a couple silver spikes on it). Brown straps she's tied around her lekku and montrals that are now long enough that they almost reach the ground behind her.


@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

He continued to move through the forest. He had already struck down several groups of Felucia's natives, or inhabitants. He felt good about it, they attacked him, he was the victim here. Despite him coming to kill a Jedi. But nobody else had to know that, for none but him were going to survive this battle.

He smiled to himself, continuing to walk through the forest his danger sense tingled and e saw another gorup of felucians come out of the sides of the path to attack him. Raising up his free hand, the lightning flew from his fingertips and turned the first one to a husk after the first few seconds. He was still training that ability, soon he would be as powerful as Palpatine with that ability.

Once he finished the first man, he leaped into the air, and force repulsed the other two away from him. One of them went flying, the other one had resisted enough of the attack to continue slowing him. It was impressive, though their attempt was futile when he swayed, and then riposted when he was parried.

He felt the Jedi's presence growing stronger, Sochi Ru. She was going to die today, he felt he saw the clearing or area that she was in. He knew they were close now.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

Making use of Meditation of Emptiness to purge the negative she was feeling. From the grove she could sense the deaths of her fellow tribesmen. This dark presence growing stronger as they got closer and closer. Then she came to the revelation that she recognized this force signature. A presence she has come into contact with on more than one occasion.

She was sitting with her legs crossed, and her hands resting on them. Not only was she purging the negative emotions, she was centering herself. Preparing for the confrontation that the dark sider longed for. When she felt him appear at the opening leading out towards the grove she still remained stationary.

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

He struck down the last two guards who were blocking his path to the Jedi. He saw her now, as the azure lightsaber beam cleaved the two in front of him in half. He force energies were barely dented while he had fought with the distractions. He felt the power of the light side growing a little, and he walked further into the clearing.

"Sochi Ru." He said and he pointed the lightsaber at her. "Now is the day you die." He wasn't going to strike her down while she sat, no. He was going to wait for her to stand so that he may kill her when they were both on their feet.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

She remained stationary when he called for her name. Her demeanor was calm, and patient, not becoming stressed now that confrontation found its way to her. After a moment of silence, she slowly stood up to her feet, still facing the opposite direction. She began to speak, "Welcome assassin, you've come such a long way to kill me." Sochi turned around to face the sith, now noticing who it was. She had come into contact on multiple occasions with this dark sider; some might say they were rivals.

Solemnly standing to confront the man, Sochi became slightly saddened by the influence the dark side had over this man. "You don't have to do this, there's still a chance at redemption. You could be so much more." She said calmly. Sochi wanted to try and reason with the sith, hopefully she could sway the battle into parlay, so they wouldn't have to cross blades. Jedi are not supposed to jump into battle and conflict.

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

He looked at her with a question in his eyes. His purpose wavered at her greeting. Assassin? He was no assassin. Was she trying to put him off? Throw him off? It wouldn't work.

"I would have figured you would have known my presence by now Sochi Ru." He said in a mocking voice as if he were actually wounded by her. "I would appreciate it however if you didn't proceed to give me these silly speeches. I can't go to the Jedi even if I wanted to. I am a Sith Pureblood. It is my blood, the Sith Empire." It was a shame. She was a good combatant, it was a sad thing that she had to die on this day.

"It is a shame I must kill you. You were quite the worthy adversary." He re-ignited the azure lightsaber in his hand, and he performed the makashi salute while looking at her. And then he pointed the blue beam at her, "now yo die, Jidai." And he started to run at her, with the Force augmenting his speed and he blurred at her, crossing the distance quickly.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

She squinted her eyes as he spoke in respond to her previous comments. It would seem parlay wasn't going to be today's battle, they would need to draw their blades. Sochi lowered her head, and shook it from side to side slowly. No Jedi liked to kill, and it was saddening that she would even have to draw her blade to combat another. She looked back up and placed her hand over the ignition button of her lightsaber after he spoke about him being a pureblood Sochi got one more comment in,

"Naefas, are you prepared to meet your fate?" She said igniting her cerulean blade, the tip of it pointing towards the ground. Then he spoke of how much it was a shame that he had to kill her. The he ignited his blade and performed a Makashi salute. The battle started, when he darted for her. She brought up her blade, holding it in a two handed grip, the blue bleak positioned horizontally across her upper body. She waited for him to close in the minor gap that separated them both.

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

At one point just before he was about to swing at her, he brought his lightsaber to her right shoulder, before feinting to the side, and throwing out his free hand to her he sent a force push at her. He wanted to keep her unbalanced, he didn't want her to think There was no thinking in lightsaber combat. Just movement. "You won't be alive to see the Jedi Order burn." He said, and he stepped back away from her to size her up.

He wasn't going to let her escape. He couldn't. He was a Sith Lord, and she was a Jedi Knight and she had to die in this confrontation.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

She saw through his feint, herself, being a skilled Makashi practitioner. Sochi had initiated a force barrier around herself to block his telekinetic attack. Since it was put up at the last minute she did catch some of the impact, sliding back acouple of feet. She stood back up and began to imbue her weapon with the force, it would have more powerful strikes behind it, but that's not what she was going for. "Just surrender, there is no need for confrontation and hostility. Seek redemption." She said softly, responding right after he made is comment about the order burning.

Sochi caused plants to quickly grow, and protrude from the ground directly beneathe her. They grew at a quick pace, and she used that to help her rise into the air, then performing a acrobatic feet allowing her to flip over him and land a distance away, "Even if you kill me, you'll gain nothing." She said turning to face him,

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

He watched as she blocked the feint and formed a force barrier over herself. He nodded and he turned around to see her flipping behind him. Always with the redemption talk. That alone was just enough to urge him to kill her, forgetting the fact that she was a Jedi.

"In the end it will be one more Jidai in my way." He stepped forwards and sent another force push to her. And behind that, he was running straight at her, bringing the azure blade to bear, and leaping up only to come down and strike at her front with a completely vertical slash.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

It seemed that he was consistently trying to keep her off balance with the force, but as long as she had more time on the duration of her force barrier force based attacks, would prove too useful, though she would still be affected. She slid back a foot or two, sliding on the soles of her feet. Once she came to a stop she brought her blade up in a reverse grip across her chest, blocking his attack. With her force imbued blade she pushed, and broke the clash between them. Once she did that, she plunged her lightsaber into the ground between them, sending tremors through the soil towards him. The attack wasn't one of the physical but it was more used for throwing her opponent off balance. While she had initiated that attack she leaped into the air, performing an acrobatic flip, and came down hard right out if her flip, with a vertical attack, right after she did another flip and landed behind him. Within her touched position she twisted her wrist to push her saber through her under arm, plunging it towards his back,

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

As if he was going to be fooled. He parried her vertical attack, and when she flipped over him he watched her and turned with her. And then she turned her back to him, big mistake. He parried the blade around to the side to knock her off balance, and fell backwards to lead up into a roll and away from her.

Throwing his free hand out, he wrapped the Force around her, he knew the force barrier was there and he was crushing it through the Force so that it would just eventually dissipate from the constant Force usage upon it. To prevent her from stopping him, he moved forwards and diagonally across her chest.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

She reached out withy he force when he began approaching. Causing roots to appear beneath him she caught him before he could move any closer towards her. Close enough for her to generate enough energy to repulse him back for their be a gain in space. Being held in the air she, she began to focus her energy. Utilizing the Force Form of Channel she strengthen her connection to the force and generated a force repulse strong enough to break his grip and push him back so that he was no longer near her. The roots would surely rip from the ground from the strength of it,

She landed on the ground, and closed in the gap between them aided by her montrals and the force her speed wa is creased drastically. Once close enough she began a sequence of attacks, utilizing Makashi this time instead of Ataru, she moved around making use of the footwork. Her attacks were fluid and followed one another. First, she lunged forward, and quickly turned around to perform a horizontal slash from the right, but her move would be a feint, the real attack coming her the left. The last, was a diagonal slash at his legs, not meant to physically harm him, but to throw him off balance, and loosen his focus.

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

His blade met her lunge and batted it away to the side, and then he moved to the right so that by the time she feinted he was already there and he simply batted it towards the ground as if it was nothing. When the diagonal slash came along to his legs, he stepped back to avoid the swing before lunging forwards to her, while his always empty free hand continued to crush the barrier around her. "Time to die, Jidai." He said and the Force suddenly boomed from his body and he stepped back from her.

Digging his feet into the ground, he spun on his heels kicking and sending up some of the mud into the air. It was more of a distraction if anything, before he turned around and sent some of the mud to the Jedi Knight's general face region. They were random strikes and he simply grinned.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]

 

[Cortana Jade]

He managed to block her sequence of attacks, hmm. She quickly maneuvered her body so that she could get away from his lunge. when he launched mud at her, she demonstrated her surperior felxibilty and performed a back bend to dodge his attack, quickly pulling her lower body over, she landed back on her feet, and stood straight up. She ended the duration of her force barrier, wanting to conserve more energy for her strategies to come. While she stood in front of him she used her Consitor Sato ability to cause flora to grow. The soil beneathe them rose, as plants grew under their feet. She cemented her feet in the ground as she assumed her Niman low guard stance.

"You don't stand a chance sith! Surrender." She said softly, yet sternly.

@[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

He swung at the ground at their feet as he backed away from her. He would need to make a clearing in the air, this area was a trap. She was too powerful here and he couldn't let himself be struck down on his own mission. "You can't kill me." He said with a taunting voice, while continuing to back up out of the radius of the growing flora. "I have committed no crimes. " He said with a grin, until he stopped backing up. "You'll have to arrest me." He chuckled and he brought the lightsaber up to his head, before he pointed it straight at her.

@[member="Sochi Ru"]