Judgement Day

[Crystal]

As the sun was rising, Crystal stood in a clearing outside of the temple awaiting three other women, her apprentices. Today would be the first time that they would see what their competition was capable of. And today, they'd be sparring with each other. But that may not be for some time yet, as she hadn't exactly specified a time for the training session to begin.

When the sun had risen over the horizon, she closed her eyes and stretched out her presence in the Force. The Sith Princess could easily locate her apprentices, as well as others that she was familiar with inside of the Temple. She brushed against each of their minds as a gentle reminder that she was awaiting their presence. Already she could feel the sun's warmth on her face. It was going to be a hot one in a matter of a few hours.

[member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Aerin Firebrand"]

 

[Ashra'syle'nuruodo]

First to step out on the field the Chiss woman had been meditating for hours this morning already, preparing herself for more training. [member="Crystal"] had left instructions Ashra’syle’nuruodo should join her in the clearing outside the temple and as she stepped into range of seeing the Sith woman she felt the touch of her presence gently. She was armed with her training sabers, she had been training with two recently as it felt more natural to her.

She looked up at the sun as she crossed the open field to Crystal, Asylen stopped in front of the other woman. It could be rather hot on Exocron compared to home but she was adjusting. “Fine day for some training, what will we be doing today master?”

[member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Ærin Firebrand"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Crystal"]

Of all the filthy days to train in, it had to be today .. a hot day. Aerin knew this would test her more then the training. She had felt the summon from the woman she had met in the mess hall, and soon readied herself of it. No furs adorned her body, only the bear minimum of clothing, not even her leathers. She wore a thin linen white shirt and trousers to match and no shoes, her waist long red hair secured in a plait which rested down the center of her back. On her hip fastened with a brown leather belt her sword and scabbard, along with a lightsaber she had found on the body of man left outside her door back home on Midvinter. Her sword however, held in the hilt a focusing crystal.

Aerin walked outside and into the heat, her head lifted to the skies and saw no cloud and she sighed. Already the toll began to take, and her body reacted to the rising heat. Tears of sweat formed on her brow and her shirt began to cling to her back. She made her way to the tree line and skirted the clearing within the shade of them. She had brought ice cold water, but not for drinking.

"I have arrived Master Crystal", she said.

 

[Azlyn Ike]

[member="Ærin Firebrand"] [member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Crystal"]

Azlyn was surprised at the sight, she arrived last but stood allowing the white bangs of her hair to obscure her face and skin. She was mentally preparing and going over her lessons while thinking of what would come. She had a suit of armor though instead, her old armor from her clan. The white light beskar'gam that provided her more protection. "Hello master." She let her eyes flick back and forth between the other woman and offered a tight lipped smile while thinking of a joke. An albino a redhead and a brunette... Crystal's angels.

 

[Crystal]

[member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Ærin Firebrand"] [member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"]

Crystal smirked at Asylen. "Sparring," she answered simply. "It should be fun indeed."

Shortly there after, Aerin arrived. The Sith Princess nodded in greeting to the red haired woman. And then to the albino Zeltron.

"Excellent, you've all arrived. Surely you've been eager to see what your competition can do. Well, this is your chance. Today, you're going to take each other on. I will offer suggestions and critiques as you go."

The Sith Princess smiled. "Go nuts."

 

[Ashra'syle'nuruodo]

Grinning at the response Ashra’syle’nuruodo was eager to test her skills against a live opponent, she had sparred with bladed weapons before but nothing like the lightsabers she now carried. She watched as the other two arrived after her she had seen [member="Azlyn Ike"] before but this new apprentice was a total unknown she would have find both their weaknesses on the fly.

Turning her attention to [member="Crystal"] she listened to the instructions and as soon as the go ahead was given the lightsaber came off her belt into her hand activating. She smirked at the other two apprentices launching herself aided by the force. She swung her lightsaber at [member="Ærin Firebrand"] quickly, ready to go on the defensive depending on the response, for now she would leave the other weapon on her hip. She extended her senses outwards on the off chance the other apprentice tried to take advantage.

 

[Azlyn Ike]

[member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Crystal"] [member="Ærin Firebrand"]

Azlyn looked at the two with a flick of her eyes when she got the order from her master. A hand drifting down to the training blade and her senses in the forc flaring out. She saw in slow motions Asylen start the attack and moved. Not towards her but into a side step as the snap hiss of the blade came. A white blade spilling forth while she used every advantage she had. Her armor was bulkier and more protective then most... usually. There was still plenty that could damage it but for surprise purposes she kept looking fro behind her white bangs and reached out with the force towards [member="Ærin Firebrand"]'s leg to pull the heel and try to twist her ankle.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Crystal"]

The weapon she wished to learn to use, in their forms is the one clipped to her leather belt. Aerin ignited the red blade of the dead Sith. Whether this blade possess the ability to be lowered in strength she had no idea, nor did she know it was possible so the red blade is at it’s full strength.

Many years spent in the forest hunting and unwittingly using the force, Aerin has the ability to sense her prey, connect to it through the force and know the movement. Innate talent of stealth developed the foot work of an feline, swift and deliberate and so the high arching swing of the saber from the first woman easily dodge as she pivoted to the back to the right. The women had left her left side and back unguarded with the momentum and Aerin was about to strike with her live blade.

However, she felt a strange grip on her foot near the heel, it pulled at her and made her stride falter. It did not twist her foot as such, but unbalanced Aerin momentarily. She turned to face both of them with a double handed grip on the hilt. Not a hold she normally uses, but she is her to learn.

But old habit die hard, as Aerin moved forward her left hand came off the hilt, a twirl of the wrist sent the red blade in a circle as she raised her arm palm outward and sent a force push directly to the white haired woman. In the same motion her blade held in the right hand, twisted with her wrist in an up and down strike to the dark haired woman. Just like she would do fighting two opponents armed with her sword and shield.

 

[Ashra'syle'nuruodo]

Having left her back exposed the Chiss woman was preparing for the retaliation from the red haired woman but it never came the white haired woman had caught the other woman off guard after she had managed to dodge the first strike. Asylen regained her balance and fell into a defensive stance expecting an attack in response to her own her hands holding the hilt in a high guard. Her red eyes focused intently on [member="Ærin Firebrand"] she was ready for a swift response.

Sensing the response from the other woman Ashra’syle’nuruodo drove her saber down to intercept the sweeping attack by sweeping her blade down to catch it. She was surprised by the strength of the other woman, even with a single handed grip she was able to drive the Chiss woman’s defense away almost driving her own blade into her side. She was forced to respond by flipping sideways up and over the attack. Both women would be unbalanced now but the strength of the other woman would be a problem for the Chiss, she didn’t have enough power to go toe to toe with this woman. She launched herself backwards just as she landed to put some distance between them reformulating her strategy

As her eyes flicked to the white haired woman and back to the red haired woman she wondered if the other apprentice had seen what she had just felt. As she got ready to drive in another she finally became aware of a cut on her leg, it wasn’t deep but it didn’t feel like a burn that she would expect from a training saber, it was a shallow cauterized wound. Enough to be painful and enough that would have to be treated with a bacta bath but not enough that it would impede this training session. Surprised by the wound Asylen’s inner rage grew the pain becoming a source of power more than a weakness, her red eyes burned intensely at the woman who had caused her pain she would get her revenge.

As the force screamed at her to attack with everything she had the Chiss woman forced herself to relax, she knew the darkness inside didn’t always direct her well, the force was hers to command not the other way around. She may be a weapon of the Gods but it was up to her how she was wielded.

[member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Crystal"]

 

[Azlyn Ike]

[member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Ærin Firebrand"]

Azlyn watch and move, once [member="Ærin Firebrand"] ignited a blade she held hers at the ready with one hand and her eyes continued to watch gaze focused and precise. The wound she delivered was... not a contact burn like a training saber delivered that was dangerous and something that should have been addressed while she finally moved. using her flexibility and riding the push from Ærin into a flip while she came low to the ground. Her saber touching the earth to make a small line and just like the training remotes Azlyn focused on priority. Her blade leaving her hand low to the ground and on training levels of low power, her other hand reaching out with the force and pulling at Ærin's red blade. Disrupting the power could be dangerous but a real saber for trainign purposes was suicide.

 

[Crystal]

Crystal was not surprised to see them team up on each other. That would change soon enough she felt, and frequently as they tested each other's abilities. The Sith Princess narrowed her eyes as Aerin ignited a red blade. It was not the training saber that she'd given the apprentice. And it was unlikely that the red haired woman knew how to adjust to a training mode, so that she wouldn't slice off the limbs of others, or herself.

She would quickly find out. Asylen was the first casualty. When Crystal spotted her wound, she yelled. "STOP. NOW." With the Force, she deactivated Aerin's lightsaber, then the training sabers of the other two. The Sith approached the three apprentices and held out her hand for the Lightsaber. "This is not the lightsaber that I provided you for training. Give it to me now."

When she had it in her hand, she tucked it at the small of her back with her own lightsaber hilt. "We are training. We train with lightsabers at a reduced strength so that we don't lose limbs while we're learning." She had thought that would be clear, given that she'd given the red haired woman a training blade.

She called a training lightsaber to her hand and tossed it to Aerin. Then she briefly checked Asylen's wound. It was closed. For now, it would be fine. She walked to her previous position. "Begin again," she instructed.

[member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Ærin Firebrand"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Crystal"] [member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"]

As her blade deactivated, Aerin stood up tall and backed away from the small group. “Training blades are for children”, she muttered under her breath. The Children of Midvinter give wooden swords to begin their craft, adults however, spar with swords.

Nothing like the ‘real’ thing to give one focus and concentration. “As you wish Master Crystal”, was her only response to the chastisement. The training blade ignited and Aerin readied herself again .. no doubt the attack would come from them both.

 

[Ashra'syle'nuruodo]

Smirking as someone else was chastised for a change Asylen, the pain in her leg radiated up but she hardly noticed it now. She focused her rage kept it contained behind a wall only letting it strengthen her, if she let it loose it would consume her, she would be strong but she wouldn't be in control. That was her experience with the force so far a lot of her learning had been driven by her emotions so far, her discovery of the gift of the gods had come from fear. The completion of her initial lessons had been driven by anger and a sense of entitlement it had led to quick discovery of the skills but they were wild and uncontrolled use of the force and they always burned her out quickly.

That wasn’t the case when training with her lightsaber in fact it calmed her, brought a focus that meditation rarely brought. Ashra’syle’nuruodo narrowed her eyes on the strong woman again now that she was armed with a less dangerous weapon. She approached slowly this time, she had a little limp playing a part of a wounded animal, and she broadcast her pain into the force trying to encourage the other women to strike first. She had reformulated her plan, she didn’t have a hope of beating this woman’s strength by matching it with her own even bolstered by her rage and the force she may be able to match the other woman but if the other woman did the same she would be overpowered again easily.

Dragging her lightsaber along the ground as she approached it sparked against the soft blades of grass that burned and withered behind her in a small trail. Asylen stopped ten feet from the red haired woman and raised her lightsaber from the ground bring it up in a high guard again slow and deliberately. With a glance at [member="Azlyn Ike"] she nodded her head towards [member="Ærin Firebrand"] indicating she should take the lead on this strike. She couldn’t trust that the white haired woman would comply because they were realistically all rivals and she could very well decide to attack what she perceived to be a weakened opponent but she was ready for that possibility.

[member="Crystal"]

 

[Azlyn Ike]

[member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Ærin Firebrand"] [member="Crystal"]

Azlyn had gone back to watching the blade deactivated in her hands and listened to her master. She stood there more like a statue with the hair moving as the only indication she wasn't a statue. When [member="Ærin Firebrand"] reactivated the training blade Azlyn did the same getting the snap hiss of the white blade to match the rest of her outfit. She didn't have to move forward quickly it was all about the anticipation and where she could feel [member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] using rage that burned like fire Azlyn focused on her own hatred. It was cold hate, deadly and precise while allowing much to come and she moved after a moment of Asylen indicating they work together. She moved her hands while standing in place in small semi circles and brought energies to pool in her chest before expanding them outwards, before letting the length of the blade crackle where small sparks came off then arced lightly like a static shock towards [member="Ærin Firebrand"].

 

[Crystal]

Crystal heard Aerin muttering, but didn't care. It was for her own safety more than the others. The last thing she needed was for one of them to decapitate themselves or lose a limb. She also noted Asylen's pleasure at Aerin's scolding. And, she was projecting her pain. Interesting approach to training. She would soon see how that worked out for her.

As the three engaged once again, she stood amused at how quickly they drew on the Force and the dark side. That wasn't exactly something she could teach them, but she could put them in situations to encourage it.

The Sith Princess merely stood and enjoyed the dark energies that flowed as her apprentices battled it out.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Crystal"] [member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"]

She had seen a many wounded animals in her time, hunting on Midvinter to feed her belly made her formidable in the hunt, she grinned as the dark haired woman walked toward her limping, Aerin did not buy it. Both women oozed hatred which amused her greatly. Deliberate in their actions and although they had teamed up on her that did not worry Aerin.

They stood apart in what was a semi-circle of sorts and before either of them was set in position, Aerin drew the force to her arms and legs and moved with rapid pace toward them. Long legs able to cover ground quickly normally but with the force she was on them, the white haired woman’s crackling blade, the static stock missed it mark, as Aerin was no longer in her target area.

One handed grip on her training saber allow the left hand free, strong enough to be able to block any strike from either of them. However, Aerin did not strike .. with the blade. Now between the two, Aerin’s foot lashed out toward the dark haired woman’s leg the side kick aimed for the knee nearest to Aerin. Her free arm raised palm flat and directed to the white woman, who had seemed unaffected by her initial force push, now at close range Aerin would try again. A wall of the force raced toward her, in a hope to send the white haired woman to the flying to the ground. Regaining centred balance, Aerin pivoted and readied herself for their next move.

 

[Ashra'syle'nuruodo]

Asylen had hoped that encouraging [member="Azlyn Ike"] to attack would have opened the white haired woman up to a surprise attack but [member="Ærin Firebrand"] jumping into the middle of them to play the hero again had delayed that for now. The Chiss had to respond to the threat in front of her first, fortunately the other woman’s attention was divided between the two of them so chances of a distraction to allow her to get an upper hand were higher.

Just as she was getting ready to move the force warned her of the incoming attack, the intention obvious all over the red haired woman. She was certainly strong but everything she did was clearly broadcast before the attack came. Ashra’syle’nuruodo had years of practise in close combat so even with a stronger opponent she was confident she could find an opening. As the other woman kicked at her knee the Chiss kicked at the other woman’s ankle to deflect what would have likely been a devastating blow to her knee.

Just as the pressure of her kick came to its maximum pressure Asylen launched herself backwards into a flip off the kick assisted by the force. She wanted to open up some distance from the other two women so she let one hand come off her saber and sent a strong force push towards both women hoping to get them both fighting each other so she could reposition herself.

[member="Crystal"]

 

[Azlyn Ike]

[member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] [member="Ærin Firebrand"] [member="Crystal"]

Azlyn remained stoic, her hatred seething and brimming up but it was fridged and cold whole Asylen was hot. Ærin charging into the middle of them had her focusing and opening herself to the force, had her vision double as she crouched low and jumped up to ride the push both telegraphed and with the force seen like a ghost image. Her body tucking with the knees up as she landed on the ground and hoplding the blade crouched low with her hand acting like a third leg. Whait hair obscuring her face before she moved using the hand for balance while she swung for Ærin's feet to try anf trip her up while using more agility and her smaller frame to try and on the carry through spin kick her under the chin.

 

[Crystal]

[member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"]'s tactic hadn't been very effective, but it didn't seem to matter. It seemed to be getting very competitive, which didn't bother Crystal any, so long as things didn't get out of hand. Dead apprentices weren't of any use to her or the Crusade, so she'd intervene when and if the situation called for it. For now, it didn't.

[member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Ærin Firebrand"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Crystal"] [member="Azlyn Ike"] [member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"]

The Force push from [member="Ashra'syle'nuruodo"] toward Aerin and [member="Azlyn Ike"] had the desired effect. Aerin landed squarely on her rump a few meters back from her position. This at least pushed her out of the way of the flying kick to the chin from the white haired woman. A wide smile crossed Aerin's face. She jumped back up into position and readies herself again.

Well blondie seems to like her hair, Aerin's hand raised and using the force she whipped the long white locks around the woman's face, the 'attack' came quickly, lashing at her obscuring vision at least momentarily.

She set her eyes hard on Ashra trying to catch the woman's attention, a quick flick of the eyes toward the white haired woman, indicating her intentions they should team up on her. Whether she would agree? .. well, lets see. Aerin waited for the next move reguardless.