Duel Galactic Kaggath Quarterfinals: Allyson Locke vs Arris Windrun

[Mauve]

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The boiling lava forming the surface of the arena began to hiss and steam.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ARE YOU READY TO BEGIN THE THIRD ROUND?”

The hissing grew louder, the steam now rising in voluminous clouds, concealing the entire surface of the arena behind a condensation layer so thick it appeared like a sauna.

A sudden geyser of water burst from the midst of the arena and the sound of rushing water became overpowering. As the steam dissipated, it revealed that the lava had cooled and hardened, but was swiftly disappearing beneath a lake of water.

“What you are seeing is four MILLION gallons of salt water pumped into the arena. And those cages being lowered in… Yes those are in fact mutated firaxan sharks!”

The beasts thrashed wildly before they were let loose from cages and splashed into the water.

Hoverfreighters lowered huge platforms onto the surface of the water, which floated placidly.

“BEHOLD! THE GREAT PLANET OF MANAAN AND ITS FLOATING CITIES!”

The not-Marka Ragnos announcer zoomed around on a hover pod, holding something aloft in his hands.

“AND ITS SEAS….” He snapped the vial and tossed it down into the water far below. A thick, pungent green ichor spilled out from the vial and began to pollute the surface of the arena lake. “POISONED!”

“YES, THAT’S RIGHT, THIS ROUND REPRESENTS THE BATTLE OF MANAAN AND ALL THOSE WHO FOUGHT AND DIED THERE SO LONG AGO!”

Smaller buoys bobbed in the midst of the lake, strange bundles attached to them.

“EVEN A SMALL DIP IN THE LAKE MEANS CERTAIN DEATH… BUT THERE ARE SOME ANTIDOTES, CONVENIENTLY BUOYED ACROSS THE ARENA! USE RESPONSIBLY, THERE’S ONLY FOUR!.”

Of course, the contestants could also use abilities to purge the toxins from their system too, but where was the fun in announcing that to the audience?

"FACING OFF ACROSS THE PLATFORMS, THE ARCHER EXTRAORDINAIRE VERSUS THE CYBERNETIC WONDER, ALLLYYYYSSOOOON LOCKE AGAIIIINST ARRIS! WINDRUN!

“LET THE QUARTER FINALS OF THE GALACTIC KAGGATH, BEGIN!”

Allyson Locke | Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

From molten lava to poisoned sea, but at least this time it wasn't that damned burning tree. Somehow, that had been the worst of 'em for Arris, but thankfully, her cybernetics could handle intoxication from multiple sources. Though she did have to be careful, as her liver was damaged in her fight with Vagabond , and the scoundrel now relied on a co-implant to help remove toxins from her blood.

She eyed the antitodes on the other side, making a mental note in case it came down to it.

The cyborg had taken a lot of damage in her last fight, too. She chose to have her subdermal armor repaired rather than the toxic splinters surgically removed from her soft tissue. She also lost an Ambassador that Tai Corde gave her. One of the two holsters was noticeably empty, causing the other to sink asymmetrically from the weight of its iron.

Seeva, her Herglic friend, remained a steadfast ally in all of her fights so far. The experienced slicer had gotten away with more than his share of antics, and even now, Arris' co-processor remained linked into three of the many camera droids hovering around them.

Arris marched across the dueling platform, soaking in cheers and jeers alike, and inhaled the toxic air with a steeled grimace as finally, her eyes fell upon her opponent.

"If you're not first, you're last." She took her fighting stance. "Bespin Gas!" Thunderous cheers.

Allyson Locke