Faction King of the Spar || Knights Obsidian

[Ascendant Resolve]

P R E P A R E
​

The Knights could not have asked for a better day. The sun was shining through the occasional cloud, the birds were singing, and below the great bastion the river still flowed. The sonic dampeners prevented the full force of the waterfall from drowning out all other sound, yet a distant rumble could still be heard. It was on this day that the courtyard had been cleared of the normal decorations, and set up for the tournament that would soon be under way. Lord Fohr paced about the edge of the courtyard, supervising the workers, offering the occasional direction when they set something up in a way that did not please him. He had traveled to Arx Obsidia to conduct this tournament, leaving his normal duties at the academy behind.

One by one, the members of the Obsidian body began to filter in to the courtyard. Students from across the Confederacy were here. Some to participate, and some to observe. Those wishing to test themselves moved into the stronghold so as to store their possessions that had been brought with them, and prepare for the coming trial. Those who were just to observe began filling the benches and bleachers around the arena, all gossiping among themselves. For today, there were a number of Knights of great renown expected to step into one of the arenas.

Rann Thress , son of Metus, for instance. Son of the man who had founded their very nation. Expectations were high for him. His father, after all, was a galaxy-renowned commander and warrior. Had the son of the former Vicelord inherited his father's skill? It promised to be a worthy match against the likes of Felix Aquila , the young noble from Ryloth. The young man had been summoned for his Reaving, the results of which he now eagerly awaited. Was he to be named an Obsidian Lord? His skill with a light foil certainly spoke to that possibility.

Yet others promised a show: Dreidi Xeraic , daughter of one of the more influential Jedi in recent history. Though she was young, she promised an excellent scrap, if her temperament was anything to go by. But the crowd favorite, by far, was the wintered woman herself. Not officially part of the Knights Obsidian herself, rumors had spread that one of the participants had personally issued a challenge to Srina Talon . If the right hand of Darth Metus himself appeared, it was sure to be a show.

Lord Fohr let the crowd mill about for a while, it was not yet time for the event to begin. Observers had been invited to attend, provided the held proper standing within the Confederacy, or were on personal invitation from one of the attendees. An eye was turned to the terrace overlooking the arena, and the small tent that had been constructed there. A box reserved for the Queen of Naboo, a beloved figurehead of their capital planet. Fohr still wasn't sure if she planned to be in attendance, that was a matter for the Lord Commander to see to. When the appointed time arrived, Fohr raised his hands to silence the crowd, and called out with a voice booming in the Force.

"My friends! If I may have your attention." Fohr held his posture until the courtyard had quieted. When it did, his hands dropped to clasp in front of his stomach. "I wish to thank you all for coming. For those of you who do not know me, I am Lord Fohr, instructor of combat and swordsmanship at Talon Academy. I would like to tell you all that this event today is a product of my genius, but it would be a disservice to all the members of the Knighthood that worked to make this day a reality. In a few moments, Knights from across our nation will enter these arenas, and spar for glory. For the glory of knowing that they may be selected to run the infamous Fohr's Gauntlet. For the glory of knowing that they have withstood the trials of their fellows, and emerged unscathed. For the glory of knowing that there can be only one king of the hill."

Fohr spread his arms to gesture to the Knights standing alongside him. "These fine Knights have agreed to moderate these matches, and it is by their help that we have decided upon a set of rules that each combatant shall follow. While each of the combatants have been informed of, and agree to follow these rules, we will share them with you for the benefit of the students among the audience. They are as follows:

1. Combatants may use any form of weaponry they see fit, provided that it is non-lethal. Unapproved weapons will result in immediate dismissal from the event.​
2. All fights are scored upon 4 aspects: Successful use of a Melee attack, Successful block of a Melee attack, Successful block or redirection of a ranged or Force attack, and Successful use of a ranged or Force attack. ​
3. Points are awarded as follows: Successfully performing one of the aforementioned actions shall earn you Three points against a Knight of equal rank. Four against a Knight of one higher rank, be it Apprentice against a Knight, or a Knight against a Lord. Five points if an apprentice performs one of the actions against a Lord. For those sparring a lesser rank than your own, the points are reduced. Two for a Lord against a Knight, or a Knight against an apprentice, and One for a Lord against an Apprentice.​
4. All fights shall last for a duration of five minutes. There shall be no interruptions to this save for injury of a combatant. The Judges shall make note of the points as they occur, and the winner shall be announced at the conclusion of the time.​

Now, with the rules laid out, it is time to begin. Please welcome the combatants to the arena. May the best combatant win."

Spoiler: Tag List

Kurenai Yumi
Rayne Centaris
Asaraa Vaashe
Taramaz Arcturus
Rylan Kordel
Gerwald Lechner
@Áine
Lunara Azure
Lucianus Adair
Rience
Hisashi
Ashelia Solidor
Beric Layne
Shalita Verd
Zlova Rue
L Luca Ionești
Zlova Rue
Nine Lives
Zoe Rosella
@Darth Ivum
Aries Creed
Eli-Mae Forrest
Asher Mossa
Veronika Fleischer
@Kalanda Tishire
Vyse de Valorous
Aadya Volke
@Isalor Grathan
Millu Lee
@Danielle Mueller
Teyla Sal-Soren
Arro Peradun
Eline Djo
Shiraine Bennet
@Yo'tek the Wanderer
Vanir Eris
Redd
Taiia Locke
Julra Repraj
Shamira Karuto
@Kobi Fesser
Jalan Riyadosh
Laneya Wexler
Talak Jenste
Ticca
Krystal
@Morrigan Vale
Dispara
Xevnlie BrightScorch
Miyako Saki
Shalita Verd
Lavria Xedrim
Cord Starfall
Siyndacha Aerin
Pyeth Raffinki
Dreidi Xeraic
Serena Denko
Ora Haskarr
Kyyrk

 

[Felix Aquila]

C O N Q U E R​

Tag: Quinn Varanin
Equipment:

• Light-saber
• Personal Shield

As Felix found himself entering the clandestine arena grounds he would take in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the anxious excitement of a tournament. Of all the things he could experience... this was familiar. A crowd chattering at the prospect of speculating the hopeful winner of it all, the shoe in winners likely to appear in the form of Lady Talon, but with the up and coming underdogs like himself and Rann Thress hoping to challenge the distant throne... if all hype was to be believed. He could remember attending events like these as a child, privileged with tutelage as his parents would have him enter with the nobles from the northern continent of Ryloth in contests that would last for days resulting in inevitable winners. elix had come away with some glorious wins in those days, as well as a few bruises on his ego to better beat in some humility to an otherwise confident child.

It was a shame that it was all a farce, leading toward the blood sports of Ryloths internal politics, legalized honor duels where nobles would puppet seconds against one another like pawns to fight to blood or even death at the slightest of imagined offenses that would turn the eye. Felix since his upstarts began had painted a target on his back due to his associations, seen vulnerable as he was the sole inheritor of his families fortune... and all their debts be they moral or fiscal. They'd forged the kid into a duelist, and crystalized a thousand bad habits preventing him from ever being anything more than a passable soldier... But this... battles waged in controlled conditions where one person could face of another uninterrupted with absolute focus. This, he could do.

The buzz was almost audible within the room as he would enter to hear the opening speech given by a man who appeared to be their organizer. The ever-stout Lord Fohr, inspiring to hear as he greeted them all as he would lay out the rules of engagement for them all... They seemed simple enough.

Felix would feel that those intending to play a ranged game were inherently advantaged with these point based rules, but he was intrigued by points gained through successful defense and deflection. New and challenging strategies flooded his mind as he would ensure that his foil as well as his gauntlet were well-known and registered as well as their full capabilities to one of the judges.

Moving to the first of his arenas as a competitor, he would feel the sunlight beaming down upon his face, the radiant heat soaking into the man's dusty olive skin, opening his eyes to see the full spectrum of the suns' light cascading down into the earth, filtering through the layers of Ozone above him. Through the force, Felix's world was basked in multicolored light, able to see the aurora at all times deflected by the natural planets barrier holding the majority of harmful rays at bay.

No cold light to be found here, he felt good about his chances in a point based match up. It would be intriguing to see who would be first to challenge him.
​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Dreidi was stepping into a sparring tournament, she thought it would be a good way to see how others in the Knights Obsidian fought and it would be ideal for the young Padawan to ask around if any members of the Lotus could help her in learning Light Side Force powers in combat. Dreidi was looking to fight with a healthy mix of both sides of the Force, especially since her most powerful attack currently was a Dark Side power. Her eagerness to learn and watch was apparently when the young Jedi almost missed the adjudicator for her weapon of choice, she was going with her basic Lightsaber, it was her staple and she figured that they would only be allowed to bring one weapon with them so she decided to use the weapon she had the most experience with. Handing it over, they adjusted the saber so that it would give non-lethal damage in the match and instructed Dreidi not to adjust the weapon when she was in the fight. Something she would never do, cheaters gained nothing was what her father would always say when she would try winning through cheating.

Looking around, there was excitement within the crowds, whispers of some Srina Talon presumably appearing at the event. Dreidi didn't really have an idea of who that was. She had heard that Srina was an Exarch but what that meant and whether Srina would be any good in this tournament was beyond Dreidi. Though she might keep an eye out to see if Srina does appear to see what an Exarch is like. Dreidi tugged on her top, it was a little tighter than she liked but that was just better for fighting, same went with the leggings, they were not the usual thing Dreidi would wear but she knew that they would be a solid pick for the fight. She was guided to the arena that she had been told to stand, she could see Felix Aquila elsewhere, she gave a wave and was thankful that she didn't have to spar with him again, at least didn't have to start her sparring with him. After last time, she felt sure that she would end up losing points instead of gaining them.

Standing in place, Dreidi breathed in deeply, feeling the Force around her. Her connection with the Force had been growing and she was adamant to train to be the best in combat using both the Force and Lightsaber in equal measure. However, that was a far off dream and currently, Dreidi was just hoping that she didn't get beaten too badly. She could remember that her father was never really one for tournaments, he had to fight enough wars without adding sparring matches to the mix. Dreidi felt the room to be electric and the excitement only caused her to start bouncing a little on the spot. Nerves were part of the reason, what if she ended up facing a Master in combat and the match ended before she could make a move? Or she just tripped and knocked herself out by taking a single step?!

Dreidi took a step and reassured herself that the floor was smooth so she wouldn't trip and harm herself. Now it was just finding out who her opponent would be...

Kyyrk

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

O B S E R V A T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Wolfsbane | Ferrum Solis | Stormafbryder
TAG: Dreidi Xeraic | Open

The wolf found himself to be an observer for the show of combat which would take place in the courtyard of the Arx Obsidia. In truth, he loathed these displays. Tournaments did nothing more than to tire and bring injury to great warriors which needed to be fit. It was also a weighted judging metric. Gerwald disapproved of it greatly. If a Knight could win against a Lord, then it needed to be based on skill, not because a lucky shot granted them a higher point tally. He would not interfere with the tournament or the outcomes, but he would address the point system later. If the organizer was that concerned about a level playing field then he should have organized by rank.

It was all moot, however. As much as Gerwald would have done things differently, he was not here to make his sentiments known. His eye was looking for those with the potential to lead. Combat was one way to test that. Those participating would be placed under pressure, and how they behaved in the face of that would test their capabilities. How they approached the fight would tell Gerwald what he needed to know as well. Were they strategic, brash, confident, indecisive? Today would put those answers on display.

Blue eyes looked up toward the shelter which had been erected for the Queen of Naboo. Gerwald smirked. If she attended the fanfare would be one more element which would serve to test the participants.

Distraction.

Her personal contingent would see to her security. The days of Gerwald playing diplomat were reserved for affairs that were not internal to the Confederacy. His last venture saw him at the table with representatives from the New Imperial Order and the Galactic Alliance. Before that the wolf found himself among those from the Eternal Empire. It was interesting to the lupine to see how everyone seemed to paint themselves as “good.” It was a relative term, but less so when each compared themselves to the likes of the Bryn’adul and the Maw. It made Gerwald question if anyone was truly “good,” if there was such a thing.

Gerwald watched as Felix Aquila and Dreidi Xeraic entered the arena. This would be interesting. Felix was far too skilled a combatant for this to remotely be fair. Yet, there was one weakness the man had which the girl could possibly exploit.

He was overconfident.

Was she confident enough?

Perhaps the structure was fine. Gerwald could admit that his way of things was not the only way, nor was any one way the right way. If the next five minutes told him what he needed to know about the girl he had only met on a couple of occasions, then the fight served its purpose.

That was if they even fought. Perhaps they should, or maybe they needed to avoid each other.

Gerwald crossed his arms as he sat back in his chair. Others would arrive, and he would look each of them over one by one as they did. The Lord Commander pondered reserving the right to step into the ring himself, however, today was not a day for him to take the spotlight. Others would have it. Hopefully the young girl he decided to root for. Of all the contestants, she had the most to prove, and the most potential for growth.

His mind slipped to hers.

< “The brave shall fight and win, even if their blade is dull. Good luck young one!” >
​

 

[Kyyrk]

T O U R N A M E N T
​

Kyyrk was no stranger to events such as this. In fact, this was tame compared to most of his arena experience. No comment on what he'd done while in the company of the Hutts. And so, he stood in the courtyard adorned in his new armor, lightsaber resting upon his shoulder blade. Srina had made it clear to him that she expected his participation. It was one of the few times that he could test what remained of his prowess unhindered and unblemished. Outwardly, the man was calm. Collected. Stoic.

But as his gaze turned skyward towards Gerwald Lechner , a certain pit took hold at the center of his being. He was an outcast. He was only here because Srina had taken a liking to him. Gerwald despised him, and this sentiment was echoed by the other knights. Kyyrk knew the road he chose to walk was a lonely one. And yet he wondered why it was that in his efforts to do what was best for the Confederacy, he was vilified and rejected. He'd sacrificed his very being to ensure their safety. And in return, he'd been faced with nothing but hatred and contempt.

The next time Ektheros, who or whatever it was, came knocking? The Knights could handle it themselves. It had been made clear to Kyyrk that he was only as valuable as his skills allowed him to be. The nation he'd tired of serving so long ago now expected him to earn the right to exist within its borders. And so he'd accepted Srina's request. He would travel to the tournament. He did not care if he won. He only cared that people talked. That the Knights understood that he was no mere apprentice. It was likely that he would never again become the Lord Commander, even if offered the chance. But he wanted them to know just who they were dealing with.

As the call to take their positions came, Voph checked his datapad. Arena two. He stowed it, and stepped forward towards the arena. Taking his appointed place at one side of the temporary ring, he drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Much was riding on his performance today. And though it may not seem like it, Kyyrk knew that the outcome could very well chance his history with the Knights Obsidian irreversibly...

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Dreidi stretched her body and released the tensions that came with the build up to a fight, trying to relax her mind and focus on the upcoming match, figure out how she wanted to approach things and make sure that she didn't cause any serious errors. Her hands immediately started putting her hair into a tight messy bun to avoid it getting in the way of her vision or just irritate her as the match went on with her getting potentially sweaty. Chewing on her bottom lip, she felt a presence entering her mind and it immediately put her on edge, was it a trick? Was she fighting a mental battle with Felix? Before she could start working on her mental barriers, she heard the message and felt her cheeks redden, it was a message of support! But who would send such a message to her, it didn't sound like Felix at all so she doubted it was him but looking around, only other person she had recognised was the leader of the Knights Obsidian, Gerwald Lechner but it couldn't have been him right? Though, if she thought about it, the voice was similar to how he sounded when she attended the meeting about the hypergates.

Oh no! Was the Lord Commander, the person in charge of all the Knights Obsidians, backing Dreidi to win?! Noooooo, that would be insane, she was currently and very probably the youngest person in this tournament. Plenty of others had years of experience, possibly decades, over Dreidi. Backing Dreidi was crazy talk. She looked at the Lord Commander, wondering if the man was truly insane, she was competitive and refusing to lose was very core tenet in the young Padawan's fighting style. If the Lord Commander caught her eyes as she was looking at him, he would see her mouthing You must be INSANE! The Padawan then turned back to the arena, waiting for her opponent. She was now even more nervous, fearing that she would humiliate or embarrass herself in front of the Lord Commander, Dreidi didn't want that at all and was wiping her sweaty palms down her leggings. Can't have sweaty palms and drop the Lightsaber, can't do that, nope. Not with Lord Commander Lechner watching and supporting me. Gotta show him that Xeraic's can still fight!

As she watched her opponent walked over, she was really doubting her chances in winning. The guy looked tough and very skilled, the way he held himself and the fact he was wearing armour, wait. Why was he wearing armour? Could they have worn armour? Should she have asked before hand and gotten her own armour? Why didn't she think about wearing armour?! The start of this fight was looking very one sided and she hadn't even ignited her Lightsaber yet. Snapping to a sharp attention, Dreidi gave a respectful bow to the man. She had no idea who it was and what their history was but she knew the importance of showing your enemy respect no matter what.

"I'm Dreidi Xeraic, Jedi Padawan." Dreidi introduced herself before taking fighting stance, "lets have a good fight!" A smile played on her lips as she activated the dark orange Lightsaber in a reverse grip.

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

T O U R N A M E N T
​

Kyyrk watched stoically as the girl he was to face off against stepped forward. He remembered seeing her around on the odd occasion. But her name brought even more recognition to his mind. Yuroic's daughter. His eyes narrowed the slightest bit. There was another connection that seemed familiar. But one that reached into the lost and formless parts of his mind. But a word did linger in his mind. Commenor. Why did that damn planet keep showing up?

Kyyrk offered the girl a bow in return. "Kyyrk Verros. Knight Obsidian." He was first and foremost, a Knight Obsidian. But Jedi would forever be in his heritage. But that didn't matter now. He reached over his shoulder, and drew his own blade, thumbing the ignition button. A pure white blade sprang to life, and Kyyrk stepped back into an Ataru ready stance.

"May the Force guide your blade, young one."

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Dreidi gave no reaction to when Kyyrk revealed his identity, the Padawan had no clue on the past or that Kyyrk had once been Lord Commander. All that Dreidi knew was that this was her point and she was adamant to give this battle her all. Holding her saber in reverse Shien, she was certain that this stance would not be ideal in the current situation since Shien was not built for one on one fighting. Especially with a skilled opponent, and Dreidi could tell that Kyyrk was someone skilled in combat. She was going to have to use Makashi mixed with Shien in order to survive this fight, Makashi wasn't something Dreidi was skilled in, it was a newer Form that she had been learning due to recent sparring matches and thought it would be a good balance with her current primary fighting style in reverse Shien.

There was also the Force, she had that and seeing Kyyrk adopted a Ataru stance, she could tell that he would be using the Force to keep himself mobile and to enhance his movements. It was something that concerned Dreidi since she wasn't too skilled in fighting opponents who used the very mobile Form. Dreidi was thinking hard about how to approach the duel, her mind whirling with different approaches, different combat forms and different initial combats that would lead to counter strikes and such. She was trying to plan several steps ahead but she wasn't sure how to do so correctly. What if Kyyrk didn't react the way that she predicted and what if he reacted an entirely another way.

Shifting around, Dreidi held her Lightsaber tightly and kept her eyes on the opponent. She breathed out slowly as she thought about the best way to approach the fight, an idea light up in her mind but she wasn't feeling too confident in the plan. Doubt had snuck in, she wasn't truly prepared for a sparring match especially since she was learning new ways to fight and attempting to learn in how to use the Force while in combat. Shifting in closer, using the techniques that her master taught her, circles of combat. Building the Force in her hand, she released a Force Push to Kyyrk's left leg in order to disbalance her opponent while she rushed forward and began to press the attack with her Lightsaber. She slashed at Kyyrk with a long slice to his chest.

Kyyrk

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Felix Aquila //:

Quinn never thought she would find herself in Confederate space. For so long, the confederacy was on the other side of the galaxy. It felt like a universe away. Quinn had always been curious about the faction, she knew very little about them, and most of her knowledge came from her Godmother, Srina Talon. The woman was one of her favorite people in the galaxy; it was only a matter of time till she found her way to the Echani's home.

After the fall of the Sith Empire, Quinn knew she needed a place away from Eshan. Duty and family came first before anything in the galaxy for the young Princess. The moment she could peel herself away from Eshan, she took the chance and decided to invade her favorite Godmother's territory. While her mother tended heavily to Noelle, Quinn would easily be spotted following Srina's coat-tails. The woman was strong and someone that her mother would praise as if she was her own daughter. In a sense, Spencer's pride for Srina was the driving factor for Quinn to want to impress Srina.

A hand waved her over, showing her through towards the arena she would be fighting in. There was no announcement of her opponent until she walked onto the field and saw the man glancing towards the light. Felix was a curious man; so much responsibility rested on his shoulders, and yet at this moment, he seemed so serene.

"Did not expect to see you, Mr. Noble." Quinn laughed as her lyrical voice carried across the area. No, she didn't expect to see a noble or lordling to be on the battlefield. Still, it would be fun to rough the man up a bit; his face was pretty.

"Didn't expect this to be our first dance."​

 

[Felix Aquila]

C O N Q U E R​

Tag: Quinn Varanin
Equipment:

• Light-saber
• Personal Shield

It'd seemed that one fight had gotten underway already, Felix would watch as Kyyrk and Dreidi, someone he had trained personally at the opening maw of a void to another world began to spar. Dreidi was a persistent creature, Stubborn and reckless, Felix had no doubt she was more than likely to land a couple of blows on the enigmatic agent of Srina Talon by virtue of brutality alone. Secretly hoping that with the advantage of the rules on their side that she would somehow win... while another side of Felix saw in Kyyrks appearance, the very same target that he had hoped to engage with on his home planet... Felix had all but recovered his strength from the wounds he'd sustained during his trial feeling stronger for them.

However, as his focus appeared to be on the burgeoning duel occurring upon another clandestine arena, a familiar sirens song hung softly basking in the midsummer sun. The young man would whirl to the side to see Quinn Varanin, and it seemed that yet again they had managed to run into one another. The steely silver of his eyes of the Aquilan son would begin to cloud with the sovereign blue of the cloudless sky, the peaceful but subtle smile and the softening of his features little more than a hidden micro-expression of the fact that she seemed to make him just that little bit happier whenever he saw her.

"You're not stalking me now are you?" He'd begin, allowing the dry smile to creep that little bit wider across his face. "You know you should be careful, I might get the radical idea that you like my company or something... Think of the children!" He'd let out a light chuckle, feigning outrage and stepping forward on the dueling mat as it seemed as though the organizers and judges of the match were ready and waiting for the two of them to finish exchanging their pleasantries. A woman approaching and asking the two of them if they were ready, Felix would nod, twirling his saber by one of the filigrees curves of its basket hilt as he would take a side on stance, minimizing his profile to his opponent, placing his left arm, clad in gauntleted claw behind his back.

"It's nice to see you again Quinn..." He'd speak, once again in a low, sincere tone setting it apart from his humor. As the man's focus would begin to melt the world away, everything except Quin and he would fade from his myriad perceptions. The faces of the crowd, the sounds around him would begin to blur and mingle together as little more than a bizarre white noise. All the while the slightest of breaths that Quinn Exhaled he could hear as sharply as a billowing hurricane. The slightest of muscle twitching, micro-expressions were amplified to boldness as to him, the two of them stood in a sensory void, free from distraction. As Felix focused, the world too would begin to find itself a little hotter around the arena, the sun feeling like it was shining a little brighter as Felixs focus would draw upon the force. Glimmering steel would catch the light a little easier, gleam as if it were a little cleaner and colours would pop, just that little bolder than they were before. It was subtle, but noticeable to the keen eye.

"As far as first dances go... I'm not disappointed..." Felix's Light-foil Saber would spark to life with a flourish, the thin blade of the cylindrical saber coming to what would almost be a defined point at its tip as he would flourish the marmalade gold blade to his side before whipping it up in parallel with his body in a fencer's salute in a single swift movement. In the mans mind he knew it would be near fatal to hold back, a princess of one of the two greatest martial cultures of the world in a duelist ring with him wasn't something to take lightly. The Echani had practiced combat and war to the point it had become an art-form. A dance...

He would wait for her to be ready, pointing his weapon at full length directly at her chest, and allowing his wrist to relax, the blade angling down to be pointing towards her knee or hip as one of his legs would slide back into a more fitting front facing stance. "ɑ̃ ɡard!" Spoke a judge, after awaiting a reply and with that, Felix would take the lead! Lunging forward with a standard outstretched strike for her chest, the length of his blade flourishing upwards towards her as the length of his arm and spring in his step would hope to see the feint connect. Expecting the forward thrust to be side-stepped or parried he'd take a step to his right, feinting with his blow to bring his weapon down to the outside of his opponent's knee, striking at her mobility with the intentions of slowing her down.

Felix moved as a dust devil, wind across the ground as the force empowered his speed to preternatural levels of dexterity as the blade would flow as an elegant wave carried across the grounds. Movements swift, precise and targeted as their battle began.

This would be one to remember.
​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

O B S E R V A T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Wolfsbane | Ferrum Solis | Stormafbryder
TAG: Dreidi Xeraic | Kyyrk | Felix Aquila | Quinn Varanin

Gerwald quirked his brow with interest as he watched the other combatants enter. There was one whom he was not familiar with. Quinn Varanin , an echani who bore similar features to Srina Talon . It was the way with Echani, the wolf supposed, though it would make for interesting complications in the gene pool. Could she fight as well as the Dread Queen herself? The answer would come with time.

The other his eyes met with was none other than the former Lord Commander himself. Kyyrk was decent combatant, though he seemed to no longer retain the skill his former self had before travelling to the Netherworld. They did not get along. The other despised Gerwald. He did not trust him, challenged him at every turn, forgetting Gerwald was doing exactly what he had been tasked to do, rebuild. That took time. His duties also required him to ensure any force related threats were contained.

Gerwald also found Kyyrk to be brash and far too sure of himself. He gave off the attitude that he should still be in charge many times. Did he belong among the Knights Obsidian? There was no doubt he did. His attitude, however, did not. After all, he was not the only one who remained in the order because of Srina Talon’s will. Gerwald was one of many among that number.

Of all the contestants, Dreidi Xeraic was still the one who questioned themselves the most. She did not need to, nor should she. The lupine would press his thoughts to her mind once more.

< “Confidence and calm.” >

It was the only advice he would give before the tournament began. He was there to observe, and he had it within him to be impartial. Even so, the Lord Commander could hope that the young one made it past her first round.

The wolf did not know what to think of the other contest. Quinn was an outlier, unknown. He nodded to the pair hoping that Felix would find the match challenging at least. There was nothing else to be said, nor any other thoughts on the matter.

It was time for them to begin.
​

 

[Kyyrk]

T O U R N A M E N T
​

Kyyrk sprang into action the moment his opponent did. But she was quicker than he was. More agile. His left leg was sliding out from under him before he knew what was happening. Sithspit. He pivoted, funneling all his weight into the foot that was still planted. His lightsaber came down to meet the blade that the younger Jedi threatened him with. The blades locked for just a moment, then Kyyrk pushed the girl's blade away from him, stepping back as he did so. She continued the flurry, leaving the man on the defensive. Till his foot reached the edge of the arena. He stopped, sinking all his weight into his front leg and bringing a powerful blow against the girl's attempt to slice into his chest.

The force of this alone could have been enough to knock the smaller being away. His eyes flashed under the call of the Force, and his lightsaber disengaged. He now pressed forward, seeking to invade the girl's personal space. His lightsaber was held tight to his chest, spinning around in a shallow arc, like a hand on a VERY broken clock. Left leg, Right leg, left leg again. He was driving her back, but not giving her room to maneuver, and threatening her legs every step of the way. His goal was not to strike her, just to harass her until he could escape the corner...

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Taiia Locke]

She had arrived later than she would have liked but it is what it is. She was informed of who she would face on the way into the arena somebody by the name of Allyson Locke , it was a name she was unfamiliar with though it did remind her of John Locke the immediate assumption would be they were related somehow but who is to say for certain. Regardless they were meant to test each other so it mattered little to her who she faced. She took ahold of the two training sabers from her waist, feeling out the weight of them. The downside of a custom saber is that everything else feels wrong afterward.

Adapt to your circumstance, she told herself and spun the training blades getting used to the flow, and walked herself through some simple forms before moving back into a ready stance. She had the feel now, she scanned the various other matches that were going on nearby. Some faces she recognized, some she did not the nights had changed in such a short time, it seemed much had changed in a short time.

Her eyes wandered over to Kyyrk and took a special interest in what he was doing, he had been her mentor and friend under another name though she much expected he would take issue with the word 'friend'. Regardless his return to the Knights was welcome, at least to her. The redhead closed her eyes for a moment and just listened to the world around her letting her mind clear as she gradually tuned out the distractions. She felt somebody new approach and turned to glance in that direction.

TAG: Allyson Locke

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Hearing Gerwald Lechner tell Dreidi that she just had to have confidence and calm, it made her feel unconfident and not calm at all. How she was meant to keep it together when the guy in charge of her Order was watching and expecting her to win. I mean, this guy was wearing body armour and she was just in some casual clothing. There had been no expectations that she would have to fight in armour or that others were taking this seriously. Though she had been told time and time again that sparring matches and tournaments should always be taken seriously. Dreidi just felt a little unsure of herself, after the fiasco that had been the match with Felix Aquila when she had been in the Netherworld, she wasn't sure that going all out in this match would do her any good. Or if she would be judged because she went too far, took things too seriously. It was a lot that she was trying to balance and it didn't help that she wasn't initially putting her all into the fight. Part of her was holding back, for fear of being called out or judged as not a real Jedi.

So, while her flurry of blows had pushed him back, she wasn't going for her usual areas of attacks and instead was making things much too obvious. This didn't help when he was placed in the corner and she couldn't force him out with her attacks. Dreidi knew better, she knew that there was no way she could push him out since he was physically much stronger than she was but Dreidi didn't want to seem aggressive. When Kyyrk started taking the offensive, there was a clear look of relief on Dreidi's face as she started quickly and adeptly blocking his strikes. There were a couple of times she had to move her legs back which opened up from but she was demonstrating more skill in her blocks than she had been in her attacks. A clear sign that the Padawan was holding something back.

Dreidi shook her head, she had to get herself back into the match. Ignore the fears and the actions of the previous sparring match she had, just letting herself sink back into this moment. Precision, that was what she needed to use, precision to ensure that her hits were solid. Her Lightsaber moved with her strikes slowly getting better, the aim shifting from her being defensive to countering and sending sharp jabs at his biceps and calf. Stun, weaken and keeping light on her feet. That was what she needed to be, a dancer on the field of battle.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Taiia Locke //:

"Hahaha - what?" Allyson looked over her shoulder at the guard who was pushing her forward. "You've been volunteered to spar with one of the Lords." His deep voice muffled under the heavy helmet, but Allyson understood him easily. What she didn't understand was why and who would have volunteered her for this. "I can walk, you know." She quipped as she pulled away from him and jogged a few steps to remain ahead of him. The more she thought, she remembered the invitation that was given to her by her cousin.

Frowning, she assumed this was revenge for last year's Life Day events. Doors open, and she stepped through into the arena. "Oh." her words were drowned out by the sound of the fighting and cheering echoing through the arena. Allyson took in the sights, finally settling on the woman who was seemingly her opponent. On queue, the Corellian's lips curled into a cheshire grin.
​

//: I just wanna tell you that you're really pretty girl //:​

"Well, hello there." Instantly Allyson wondered if John was trying to play matchmaker, the woman before her was definitely in the category of yes my type for the Spy, but this was an exciting way to speed date. Especially since the woman was holding two sabers. "Name's Allyson, Allyson Locke - you might know my cousin - John Locke." A rack behind her caught her attention which had a bow in the assorted weapons and a matching quiver. She wandered over, still speaking to the woman.

"He's like uh-" She paused, trying to remember John's rank. He had to be someone important, especially since he always showed up in those tailored suits. "Vice uh...Lord or was it, uh something something Lord." she felt her mind blank as she went through the thousands of titles someone could have as a head of government. "Er, or whatever you call your government heads or something." Allyson knew she should know what John's title was, but it was hard to see past her memory of the nerdy, messy-haired boy she grew up with.

She tightened the belt that held the quiver at her side, "So how about we just skip the fight to get to know ya, and instead grab dinner, a drink and head back to my place?" Allyson's smirk widened as she lifted a brow in Taiia's direction.​

 

[Taiia Locke]

TAG: Allyson Locke

Taiia watched Allyson as she was ushered into the arena, rather forcefully by a guard it seemed. It was rather unusual but she put it out of her mind for now. She studied her for a moment trying to get the measure of her as she was taking in the sights and sounds of the arena. An amused smiled touched her lips as Allyson finally turned her eyes toward her, she seemed taken aback slightly. She gave a gentle nod of her head to Allyson, while strands of red hair fell out of place from the movement she shifted one of the sabers to the other hand and brushed the hair back into place. Perhaps she should have put her hair up for this after all.

"Well, hello there."
"Name's Allyson, Allyson Locke - you might know my cousin - John Locke."
"He's like uh-"
"Vice uh...Lord or was it, uh something something Lord."
"Er, or whatever you call your government heads or something."​

She inclined her head slightly and a small laugh escaped her, she quickly silenced it and gave a broad smile. "Taiia Mataan, pleased to make your acquaintance Allyson. For the record your cousin's title is Exarch. We only have one Vicelord." She watched with interest as Allyson selected her weapon, it happened to be a bow. Curious indeed but who was she to judge. She too could be unorthodox.

"So how about we just skip the fight to get to know ya, and instead grab dinner, a drink and head back to my place?​

This time she laughed and shook her head before making eye contact with Allyson again. "As lovely as that may sound I'll have to decline" she took a more serious expression and shifted one of the other training sabers back into her empty hand. "Boldness is a good trait at times, but so is temperance" she stepped into a ready stance. "How about this, win and we'll go for drinks. Just drinks, then we'll see about dinner." an uncharacteristic grin broke out on her face. She wasn't sure if it was a tactic or she was interested, either way it wouldn't be that easy for Allyson.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Taiia Locke //:
//: Pretty Girl //:

“Well, hope you have a good bar in mind - because I don’t lose.”

The Corellian flicked her head back, knocking back a loose strand of her chestnut hair from her face. It fell, framing her slender face as she feigned a pout. “Oh, but Taiia - things can be so much fun if you just let it happen.” to add emphasis to her statement, Allyson winked as she faded from sight. She wondered how much John had spoken about her abilities to his government’s military. For all, she knew they could know how to counter her and catch her ill-prepared.

There was a chance that John kept quiet or forgot and didn’t see her as a threat. Government relations were beyond her; she was a good soldier. Allyson went where she was told to go and infiltrate what she was told to infiltrate. If she strayed - the thought made a cold chill crawl down her back.

While protected by the Force Cloak, Allyson removed the eye patch that covered the cybernetic eye. The internal HUD flashed for a moment, giving her a distance from where she was moving and where Taiia stood. Flanking the Obsidian Lord, Allyson raised the drawn arrow, her fingers holding fast the taut string - waiting for the perfect opportunity.

As the tip of the arrow became imbued with the Force, it glowed for a split second before cutting through the air towards the woman’s upper body. The cloak faded from around the Corellian, revealing her location and the second arrow that flew aimed for Taiia’s thigh.​

 

[Taiia Locke]

TAG: Allyson Locke

“Oh, but Taiia - things can be so much fun if you just let it happen.”​

She rolled her eyes "I wonder, how many times has that line actually worked for you?" she didn't even bother to look for her when she wrapped herself in a force cloak, she wasn't surprised by it. Closing her eyes she eached out through the force letting her other senses and the force detect Allyson. She simply waited and listened and was careful not to move too quickly or too late. She could feel the moment the force was imbued into the arrow, she could feel the threat of the arrow being knocked and she felt the moment that it was loosedl.​

As the arrow was sailed toward her she smiled before she too disappeared but unlike Allyson, she was wrapped in the familiar green mist of the Nightsisters allowing the arrow to harmlessly glide through the mist. It was not invisibility but rather a short-range teleport placing her immediately behind Allyson as the green mist began to spill out behind the brunette Taiia simply cleared her throat and flashed a bit of a devious smirk. "You are not the only one with tricks." she quickly spun one of the training sabers to strike at Allyson's lower back to take full advantage of the teleport.

Regardless of a successful strike or not she letp back several steps to create space between the two of them and awaited her next move, spinning the training sabers in each hand as if daring her to make the next move.

 

[Kyyrk]

T O U R N A M E N T
​

Kyyrk paused as the girl began to counter his strikes. His saber was brought up, blocking one of the counters with a speed that seemed almost unnatural for a man of his size. But then again, he'd never been the brute he appeared to be. All of his training was to push his body far enough to move in armor as though he wore none. His footing faltered as he tried to regain the upper hand. Focus. The voice of Thalak echoed in his mind. His once sword-master. Kyyrk gritted his teeth, and pushed himself back while pushing his saber forward. He wanted to create distance between the two of them.

Kyyrk's hand came free of his blade and his palm thrust forward in a mighty Force Push. The girl was not the only one who could utilize such a trick. Fighting is not a show, nor a dance. It is a task. Finish it, do so quickly, and do not tarry. Kyyrk growled quickly to himself, attempting to shrug off the voice. He was beginning to overthink this. And he couldn't afford to think like that. Not with the Wolf watching their match so intently. The wolf already saw him as a problem. Dead weight to be cut loose. He couldn't afford that. Not if Ektheros was to be stopped. Kyyrk hated to admit it, but he needed the Wolf more than the wolf needed him. Kyyrk pushed forward bringing his lightsaber overhead in a slamming attack. As he did so, he turned, allowing his right hand to carry the blade downwards, while his left arced across to follow the same path. A Force Push began to well up in his clawed fingers, ready to slam his distracted opponent into the floor...

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

He was fast. That was something important for Dreidi to note, he was fast. It made sense that he would be fast, Ataru was a form build on being nimble, quick and movement, if you were too slow then you were just going to be telegraphing your movements to your opponents. However, that didn't mean that Dreidi was able to adapt to his speed. She was still too much into her own head to strategize or out-manoeuvre the skilled opponent, all she could do was rely on her instincts to kick in and keep her safe. Luckily, they were doing a solid job for now but she knew that at some point her instincts would fail and she would lose this fight, if she hadn't already lost it. Gripping her weapon tightly in her hand, Dreidi breathed in deeply and tried to calm the thoughts in her head. She knew that she needed to let go of what happened when she last sparred, it had ended weirdly but she demonstrated that she had not been a pushover.

She didn't see the Force Push coming, too distracted in her own thoughts and attempting to push aside her anxieties, her mind had not accounted for Kyyrk to use the same attack against her. His blast hit her square on, luckily her instincts kicked into overdrive and the Padawan was able to maintain her footing without falling victim to the attack. It was impressive how quick her body reacted to the attack, but the blow had knocked her confidence, she wasn't being aware of her surroundings and allowing herself to take hits that should be easily avoided. Dreidi was cursing herself and thankful that Asaraa wasn't in the stands to watch her Padawan fail at her teachings. Dreidi breathing shuddered as the anxiety started to build up inside her, attempting to tell herself that she needed to push past it and go on the offensive.

The slamming strike came at Dreidi and she was able to deftly move aside and block it firmly. The power behind the strike had been too much for her to use as a parry or prep a counter but she was able to avoid taking a strike from it. Seizing the opportunity to start attacking back, Dreidi didn't realise that he was building up another Force Push in his hand. She started using Force Speed to enhance her movements and add more energy to her strikes as went on the offensive. Her strikes were aimed at his arms, her intention was to weaken them so he would struggle to attack her. However, this meant that Dreidi was committing herself to these attacks, possibly leaving herself vulnerable.

Kyyrk