Private Overconfidence Killed the Loth-Cat

[Shasill Kaarte]

Shasill felt great. And it was reflected in his facial expression. Even though he wore a mask, his eyes glimmered with joy, confidence, and ever-present anger. It may have taken a while for him to get in a hit, but from here on out, he would steamroll the Thyrsian.

Suddenly, the smile was wiped off his face. Boy?! No. Shasill wouldn't be disrespected in that way.

“Use it! That pain! And that anger!”

Oh, he would use his anger alright. Shasill growled and pounced on Drane, lightsaber already swinging at his head. His movements were lightning-fast, aided by the rage coursing through his veins, empowering his muscles and preventing fatigue.

Whoever was watching through that camera would be amazed.

OOC: Sorry for the late response, I saw that you went on LOA and decided to take a break from this thread.

Drane T'keen

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

One hit. Two hit. A hit could be a bit different depending on perspective. There’s a lightsaber strike.
The kind that took off the leg from the thigh, the head from the neck, and then more like a bullet graze.
If a bullet nicks your skin or singes your garment, what’s the point of it? Well, it ain’t Drane’s argument.
Sometimes the opponent just needed to relish in the moment of burned flesh. And so Shasill was given it.

The boy, the man, whoever was behind the mask, advanced. He came at his opponent. Come!
Frankly, Drane was a tad surprised his enemy had even allowed him the moment to talk smack.
There was, of course, the swordsman’s form of an ‘interruption’. Yet, the Knight’s words are done.
Ready to receive the other combatant, given hardly a moment, studying, though no talking back.

Force Rage was indeed a great weapon to use against your adversary, but how long will it last?
Shasill came at Drane, swinging his blade for the Knight’s head. Shasill was moving quite fast.
Yet, a swing’s a swing, and Drane had enough of a fraction of a second to glimpse the attack.
As the blade came high, likely for his head all right, Drane went low, ducking beneath the blow.

Concurrently, he swung his own saber, swinging horizontally.
His blade would connect with Shasill’s legs, right at the knees.
Generally to sever them in two if this was that kind of combat.
Maybe it would just stun. Whatever the case, this duel was fun.

Shasill Kaarte

 

[Shasill Kaarte]

Shasill watched, seemingly through a lens that warped reality (but truly it was just his anger) as Drane ducked underneath the apprentice's slash to the head. Run all you want, Knight! I'll get in so many hits on you nonetheless!

The apprentice looked back, at Drane's blade swinging through the air at the back of Shasill's knees. He jumped up to dodge, flipping backwards as he did so. When he landed in a crouch, he felt...something. His Force Rage was deteriorating. The apprentice clenched his teeth tightly, his eyes a burning inferno that was simmering down slowly. No need for this slow decrease in quality. I'll give it all I've got, right now!

Shasill poured all of his anger into this next series of attacks. It would leave him dried out, but that was fine as long as Drane forfeited quickly. The apprentice leapt forward with blinding speed, the fire storm in his eyes burning with renewed passion. They reflected his weapon's light, making it seem like his eyes were making a glow all on their own. His lightsaber was thrust forward, towards Drane's chest.

No, he would not kill this Knight. But Shasill wanted to see him lose very badly.

Drane T'keen

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Drane had expected nothing less of his opponent. Shasill had jumped up, flipping backwards.
Had Drane a Force Rage of his own, with amplified strength and speed, he’d swing forwards.
Catch opponent at his back as he flipped backwards, but his opponent's pace isn’t matched.
Yet, that Knight’s foe had yet presented a distance between both opponents as they stand.

In moments like these, where speed was of the essence, every minute, second, instant counts.
In the sense that Shasill would first have to rebound from his crouch while Drane stands, waits.
His is a worthy opponent, one who had anger and showed it, exploding forth, thrusting blade.
Stab, slash, it didn’t matter to Drane. He was outmatched in speed but had a smiling eyebrow.

Outmatched by Force Rage, Drane maintained distance, stepping diagonally forward to his left.
Concurrently, as Shasill’s blade came in its thrust, Drane swung his lightsaber from right to left.
He arced the blade downward, first to land on said opponent’s forearm and sword-arm again.
Swinging semi-circle, Drane’s blade would swing onward either way to land on his foe’s chest.

By stepping diagonally forward and to his left Drane would evade the thrust.
It was an explosive performance, though Shasill had leapt to from a distance.
It wasn’t much of one, granted, but enough for Drane to gauge the movements.
Again, whatever his foe intended, Drane relied on footwork, and his blade’s buzz.

Shasill Kaarte

 

[Shasill Kaarte]

Shasill barely registered the fact that his opponent had stepped away from his thrust, and was now counterattacking his vulnerable extended arm. He was already adjusting, swinging his lightsaber left to right, on the path of Drane's own weapon. If left unchecked, it would connect with the Thyrsian's right shoulder.

A good move. Drane's lightsaber was too far away to beat Shasill's saber to the hit, and the teenager's arm was moving the same speed as Drane's, so he couldn't get hit before he hit Drane. So the Knight would have to evade again. And once Shasill landed, he would pivot to face his enemy, wherever he dodged.

The power that came with the Force Rage was great, but Shasill was wearing quickly. He could only hope that Drane would either tire before him, or forfeit. Both chances looked slim.

Drane T'keen

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

Drane was fast. The fact was, however, that his opponent was faster. That did matter.
Yet, as Shasill shifted his wrist, and Drane’s blade came down, it had to hit something.
It will either connect with Shasill’s arm as intended or on his blade swinging rightward.
That was when both blades connected in each other’s paths. -kkzzzZZSSHH!- Crackling.

The connection is just as much an interruption of Drane’s attack at his enemy’s chest.
With his plan out of commission, Shasill having halted his blade, Drane kept a defense.
His enemy’s blade swinging in at his right, the Knight’s own protected his right shoulder.
Guarding against that other saber. Shasill moved on, and he landed, and then he turned.

There is definitely no threat of tiring out and no desire to quit.
There were non-Jedi and non-Sith at the gym longer than this.
Time is fluid. Seemed like these Sith were fighting for months.
All in all they’d exchanged a small number of actions and such.

Stepping away from a thrust was basics 101. This was different.
Here were two Sith going at it, whether a Knight or Apprentice.
This was not a gym. This was the arena. This was no teenager.
Drane’s opponent is a man at this moment. They both were.

“What does your anger burn for, sir?”
Was Drane delaying? Taunting, maybe?
“What does it look like behind your eyes?”
Drane’s blade was down. “In that firelight?”

Shasill Kaarte

 

[Shasill Kaarte]

As Shasill pivoted and stood there, seething, his opponent began to speak.

“What does your anger burn for, sir?”
Was Drane delaying? Taunting, maybe?
“What does it look like behind your eyes?”
Drane’s blade was down. “In that firelight?”

"My anger? It only burns out of necessity. It is necessary to defeat you, and to secure my future," Shasill responded. He didn't provide any more context or answers before he was swinging again, this time from below. His lightsaber would connect with Drane's inner right thigh if left unchallenged. And it was looking like that would be the outcome, as Drane's blade was lowered. The lack of defense, coupled with Shasill's speed, would prove for a tough time for the Knight.

But he didn't see a Thyrsian. He saw the Bith who had slain his family that one fateful afternoon. The only thing keeping Shasill from reliving his family's demise was the pain he felt in his back from Drane's earlier hit. Because when he took vengeance on his family's murderer, the Sith didn't have a chance to hit the Kaarte survivor back.

Drane T'keen

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC

“Good goooooooooood!” came Drane’s answer regarding his opponent’s anger.
Drane’s blade was down, but the blade wasn’t out. Rather, it was simply lowered.
Which meant it was already in a pretty good position to in turn protect its wielder.
Shashill was still ever faster but that didn’t matter in the moment of his lightsaber.

Even if it is just a flash of light coming in toward his right thigh, Drane didn’t wait.
He swung his blade into Shasill’s while sidestepping to his right in order to evade.
It was a quick block meant to stop the hit on his leg as his right foot found ground.
At that point, Drane pivoted on it, bringing his left side back while he also attacked.

Drane swung his saber upward from his left to right for the center of Shasill’s chest.
It would connect with his collarbone, to be specific, striking him just beneath his neck.
Drane’s new position would pit him at Shasill’s left, Drane’s front facing him in his pivot.
Shasill had increased speed and strength. While Drane was fast, he wasn’t as fast as him.

Shasill Kaarte

 

[Shasill Kaarte]

Shasill scowled as Drane blocked his attack. The Bith was fast. Though he should've expected that, going up against a Sith Knight. As his lightsaber was batted aside, Shasill saw his opponent step backwards and swing his blade towards the apprentice's neck. No, below his neck.

For a split second, Shasill thought about bringing his lightsaber up to block. But that was boring. Instead, the teenager stepped to the right and crouched down low, ducking under the humming red light, and swung his lightsaber back in towards him. If it connected with the Knight, it would hit in the man's lower right leg. Perhaps repetitive attacks on a single limb would get the Knight used to those attacks, so when Shasill switched his target, his opponent would be at least partially surprised.

His vision faltered suddenly. The Knight was a Thyrsian again. His Force Rage was dimming down into simple annoyance. This wasn't good. If he was left drained after his Rage, then Drane would surely take advantage of it and pummel the apprentice to a pulp.

Shasill gulped. Maybe he had been a bit cocky trying to take on a Sith Knight.

Drane T'keen

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

It wasn’t that the Sith or the Bith was fast so much as he blocked his opponent’s immediate attack.
Consider a batter in a baseball game: That baseball was flying at a speed faster than a batting swing.
Timing, however, was everything—as were congruent movements. His opponent’s opening is one thing.
Step backward? Not quite. The Knight stepped sideward to his right and his opponent’s left, but not back.

In his pivot, Drane’s position put him at Shasill’s left, which meant yet more distance with Shasill’s step.
Shasill stepped to his right, effectively bringing him out of lightsaber range from his opponent, Drane.
Drane’s saber had missed its target while Shasill ducked and swung. Should have targeted the left leg.
That would have put Shasill in a better position for a connection as both opponents distanced away.

Speed's one thing, it meant everything, but also nothing if you're too far away to hit.
Whatever the case, as both Sith settled into position, both had in turn also missed.
Well, now would be the time for Drane to attack yet again, but he was not an idiot.
He was at the disadvantage so his opponent would have to once again close in.

“Let’s finish this,” Drane beckoned.
“My young apprentice.” He taunted.
“And then we shall dine on raw fish!”
A grin. “Sushi! Oh BOY is it delicious!”

Shasill Kaarte

 

[Shasill Kaarte]

Shasill was panting now, sweat dripping down his brow and falling to the mat below. The two Sith were now facing each other, and Drane was taunting him. The moody teenager tried to summon any ounce of rage, but he couldn't. So he staggered forward and offered a weak and sloppy swing to Drane's left ribcage.

He knew the swing would do him more harm than good. There were dozens, maybe hundreds of ways a Sith Knight could counter a goofy swing such as this. Shasill knew he was defeated, but at least he'd put on a show.

And Shasill had never been a fan of sushi. But at this moment...he'd eat anything. All of a sudden, he became aware. Aware of every ache and pain in his body. The agonizing stinging of the burnt skin on his back; a pounding headache; a rumbling stomach. Usually that pain would be welcome to help him feed his power. However, Drane had drained him. Drane...drain. Shasill scoffed. Funny.

Great. He was delirious too. If he'd known the aftereffects of a Force Rage, he probably would've been more conservative with his energy and anger.

Drane T'keen

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Sushi? Sashimi? What is a fish on a dish if not delicious? Then again, what is a sloppy slippery fish?
A flapping fish. If this kid was anyone then at least he wasn’t some mindless fish within this moment.
He was a proven opponent even without his Force Rage and all that came with it in its crazed emotion.
To think, if those burns on his body had been more serious, those were hits he’d wished were not taken.

It happens. Drane T’keen had been rewarded with his own pain and damage at taking a hit.
Now it was time to end it. FINISH THIS! Drane’s own master may say. And then…FATALITY...
Granted, this scenario wasn’t so cheesy; more meaty, more fishy, and there’s a sloppy swing.
Toward Drane’s ribcage, of which he quickly batted to one side while he sidestepped opposite.

Was it the moment for Shasill to surrender? Or was Drane’s opponent a conjurer of cheap tricks?
It didn’t matter much to Drane anyway. He would take his chances. He would maintain his distance.
“Very good,” the Knight offered simply, swiping his weapon left to right, with a bit of a whip in wind.
A salute, and not an attack, before he would return the blade to its hilt as long as his foe permitted it.

“I am famished.” He cracked his neck.
“How do you like the sound of fish?”
He could go for it. “Chicken breast?”
Dusted his shoulder. “You name it.”

Shasill Kaarte