SO Tournament Round 1: Talis Jzora vs. Eldaah Aderyn

[Darth Ophidia]

Telti, Abandoned Droid workshop.

The competitors would be transported to the barren moon individually. The crew-members were silent, somber, even a little stand-offish. However, they efficiently lead each contender through their own set of corridors and left them in each their little, dull, waiting room. The doors were sealed, and for some time, all either of you hear is your breath and the ticking of a clock on the southern walls.

Then, a klaxon; blast doors opened into a larger chamber, brightly lit chamber.

The artificial lights flickered and a thick layer of dust lined every surface, giving the large, square chamber a rather musty smell. Decorations were largely nonexistent, the furniture was spartan at best and mostly broken; the walls were of simple, slightly corroded, durasteel. Every nook and corner was lined with boxes, some were crushed, some torn open; others were stacked neatly still. The floor was littered with partially (dis-)assembled droids and the forgotten bones of what poor scuttas had been left during the evacuation.

Outside, the inhospitable surface of the moon waited to swallow up anyone foolish or unfortunate enough to exit the safe confines of the structure.

This was no sacred ground; these competitors had yet to win such honour. No, this was the kill-box where weakness was to be purged.


Welcome to the tournament.
[member="Talis Jzora"] vs. [member="Eldaah Aderyn"]

 

[Talis Jzora]

Talis Jzora walked into the chamber a sense of swagger and confidence. He quickly took a brief glance of the battleground and it's conditions. It was rather large but very well lit and barren. This eliminated any stealth attacks rather well making this a relatively fair duel. Mobility would be a great asset in this environment for both conteststents. So this battle would rather boil down to individual skills rather than luck of the situation. Unlike his previous encounter with [member="Krest"], Talis was much better prepared and equipped. He had honed his lightsaber skills on his way to this pitiful moon. His attacks were much more refined rather than the sloppiness due to his complacent behavior in the past. His duel with the sith had taught him that. With his eclectic memory, Talis was able to reconstruct parts of their duel and was able to add in part of his Master's fighting style into his.

Talis this time brought more than just his lightsaber, he had also hidden a sith sword and the "bag of tricks" which contained a small variety of unknown objects. Talis chuckled beneath his mask and slipped his hand into his cloak, firmly grasping his lightsaber. HE would then turn to look at his victim opponent. He had already formulated a battle plan but the analysis of his enemy would be crucial in her inevitable defeat. Talis decided to rather play a more reserved and defensive role by baiting her into making the opening move.

Arrogance usually drives opponents into sloppy attacks in which Talis would attempt to create. He quickly looked down and made himself look as weak and pitiful as possible. Something that an overconfident Sith can never resist, with his right hand on the lightsaber and his left ready to counter any moves that his opponent can make. Talis could already smell the scent of victory in the air. Talis quickly secured his mask and took a rather subtle defensive stance that would simulate a show of cowardice and defeat.



​[member="Eldaah Aderyn"]

 

[Eldaah Aderyn]

[member="Talis Jzora"]

Equipment: Lightsaber, Armor

Slowly walking into the arena, she took in her surroundings and opponent. Eyes moved behind her mask, registering different pieces of debris that could potentially be used in the coming bout. Her opponent was an interesting study. When he walked in, he was projecting some swagger and arrogance. Now, he was projecting weakness in his stance. There was a smile behind her mask as she continued her observation of the arena. Well lit... boxes stuffed with old components... bones from when the attack of the One Sith had killed these beings.

Unfortunately for her opponent, she was not about to leap into combat. She was one to appraise and watch, analyze and study. She lazily unclipped her crescent shaped saber, not bothering to ignite the blade yet. He was an interesting study so far, even masked as he was. While he his body was trying to project weakness and nervousness, his presence before suggested an arrogance and swagger that he couldn't readily get rid of.

She wouldn't move from where she stood near the entrance she had walked through, a fair distance away so either would have to move to attack the other. There was a sense of something else wafting from her opponent... another dark signature...

"Weaknesses isn't really becoming of you," she said, her voice modulated behind her mask to a feminine monotone.

 

[Talis Jzora]

Talis raised hs eyebrows in slight admiration, so his opponent apparently wasn't just all that stupid after all. This battle would be much more interesting then he had expected and his plan would have to adjust accordingly. Talis mockingly bowed, "I look forward to this battle...shame that I don't know your name", he would simultaneously ignite and hold his Lightsaber in front of him, the saber raised just above the shoulders and the blade tipped towards his oppoent.

Talis quickly used a force enhanced lunge to close the gap between them at the fastest speed possible. Talis would make the opening move with a stab forward into the chest of [member="Eldaah Aderyn"]​. A strike in an attempt to impale her through the heart before the duel had even truly began. The strike would not be too hard to counter which Talis had kept in mind. Hopefully his attempted conversation would slow her down and his sudden lunge would take her by surprise. As he lunged towards his opponent, he would reserve the left hand in an attempt to counter the opponents moves if need be. This attack however, was a part of a greater plan and strategy then her opponent had in mind.

 

[Eldaah Aderyn]

[member="Talis Jzora"]

Equipment: Lightsaber, Armor

"And I'll be keeping it that way," she replied easily, even as her opponent lunged at her. He was using the Force to fuel his speed and lunge, striking for her heart to attain an early and definitive victory. Impatient were we? Her lightsaber ignited at the last second, deflecting his lunge to her left and away from her body. She circled away to the right, keeping space between them so she could analyzing him. There would be no counterattacks yet, none of the physical sort anyways.

Keeping her saber in a defensive position, she smirked behind her mask. "I don't know your name either, but that must be because you're just another nameless acolyte seeking glory. I prefer to keep my identity obscured."

 

[Talis Jzora]

Talis frowned slightly as [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] hit his blade away with ease. "You do understand the the analysis of an enmy only needs 10-30 seconds right...?" Talis was stating to grow a bit impatient with her constant talking an her rather little action. "I might be some obsure sith looking for glory but what are you? From the way you are acting, I'd suggest you would be part of the Jedi Order. All talk and no action". Talis would notice her subetly backing away and making space between them. Talis quickly converged at her at a light walking pace with his lightsaber at the ready. "Words are important in battles but, you simply cant just win with them". Talis however would not strike but keep a defensive stance as he approached her.

 

[Eldaah Aderyn]

[member="Talis Jzora"]

10 to 30 seconds to analyze an opponent? That was the first she was hearing of that and it... was rather amusing to her. His words suggested a growing impatience to get on with the fighting, but why should she give him the satisfaction? Words could be just as powerful as the strongest Force technique or the mightiest lightsaber attacks. He might believe you can't win a battle with words, but she would have to respectfully disagree on that matter.

She continued to keep distance between them, lightsaber in a defensive position and he continued to follow her. It was another amusing thing when he compared her to a Jedi for being all talk and no action. Clearly, he hadn't met any of the galaxy's current Jedi... or that was really his attempt at getting a rise out of her.

"Then clearly your master skipped a few lessons with you," she continued saying. "Not really surprising, they probably have far more important students to focus on."

 

[Talis Jzora]

Jzora laughed in agreement. "Yes, My master does have a far bit of students to take care of, sometimes it feels like a daycare rather than an actual Sith assassin team. Of course, the weaker of us require more attention than others.....". "If you so wish to have a duel with words then perhaps sit down and we can have a nice long chat." Jzora would remove his mask giving a mockingly cordial smile and revealing his crimson eyes before covering up his face once again. "You know you don't have to be so tense if we wish to continue this lovely conversation". Jzora reached out into his cloak and pulled out a small lamp. "Here....lighten up!". Jzora would then toss the object towards [member="Eldaah Aderyn"]. This batte would be at a stalemate until Jzora was to do something drastic. The Sith Order would be highly unlikely let them decide this battle with some kind of rap battle or roast off....Jzora reasoned sadly. As his lamp would sail through the air, Jzora would quickly leap at the enemy once again, but unlike last time he would not go for her chest but at her legs while simultaneously sending an abandoned crate at her head from the behind. This move would seem to be a repeat of his initial move but the sudden twist would allow at least a second of hesitation allowing Jzora to get a hit in with the box or at least his saber. Jzora would however allow a small window of time for her to counter his move. This was a test of her skills and another piece of his greater strategy. He had seen that she was indeed quite adept at the lightsaber but what of the force?

 

[Eldaah Aderyn]

[member="Talis Jzora"]

She wasn't sure what he accomplished by removing his mask to show his eyes. If it was to unsettle her, she dealt and created monsters with her master, so that wasn't going to do much to unnerve her. If it was to reveal his identity, then he did so fabulously and she would commend him if that was intended goal. As he reached into his cloak though, she fully expected him to throw something lethal. Her senses were on alert, looking for anything and then he was throwing... a dart? a grenade? pocket sand at least? No... it was a lamp... how did he even keep a lamp in his cloak? Better question was why?

He was leaping at her as the lamp sailed at her, everything almost moving in slow motion, his saber aiming for her legs. A prickle of danger raced down her spine as something approached her from behind at velocity. As she ducked to avoid getting pegged by the crate he had summoned forth, she used her own command of the Force to send his lamp right back at him. It wouldn't do any damage, she would imagine, but it would disrupt his lightsaber attack just enough for her to ignite the second blade of her saber to catch his.

"What are you? Some sort of kleptomaniac?" she asked incredulously, that tone clear even through the modulated monotone. "Who keeps a lamp under their cloak?"

 

[Talis Jzora]

"Hey! I am no kleptomaniac......I merely borrow things......... without permission". Jzora would stare at the broken lamp with a tinge of sadness. "I had stolen...I meant borrowed that lamp two years ago for a nice pun moment. Shame it cant be reused anymore......". Jzora would then turn to stare at [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] with slight frustration that might be seen with pouting children. "I am afraid that I can not spare much puns in this duel". Jzora would not be able to retain his control much longer before Talis returned. Time to continue the experimenting of his puzzle of a prospect of a sith. Her lightsaber seemed intricate and would likely have some hidden function. to test his hypothesis, Jzora quickly used the force to crush the lighting on the ceiling. As the darkness settled in and enveloped the once well lit room, Talis would deactivate his light saber and carefully unsheathe his Sith sword. What was one of his master's training lessons again? It was something about stealth, soething which Talis did fairly well in the darkness and in combat situations as these. Talis would quickly but silently hop around waiting for an opportune strike at his opponent.

 

[Eldaah Aderyn]

[member="Talis Jzora"]

Clearly, this acolyte had some issues he needed to work through, in her opinion. Puns? He stole a lamp for pun? What Sith in the entire karking galaxy cared about puns? As he crushed the lighting in the room, deactivating his lightsaber, behind her mask she quirked up an eyebrow. Breaking lights to create darkness was all well and good... but there was a slight problem with his plan. And it was currently in her right hand, two glowing red blades.

Unless he actually could use Force Stealth, she was holding something that threw off the harshest primary color in existence as light. Sighing behind her mask, she activated the spinning mode of her lightsaber, creating a wall of red energy that illuminated quite a bit. He also wasn't hiding himself in the Force, so that was another way she could track him. Her free hand came up, pointing at where he was, and unleashed a short spark of Force Lightning at him. Nothing on the level of a Knight or Master, but a nice Force Shock.

 

[Talis Jzora]

His eyes widen as a his opponents's lightsaber began to spin creating a wall of red light so, his hypothesis was correct after all. Her lightsaber was indeed the intricate weapon but seemed to lack durability. He had the last piece of the puzzle that he needed as he formulated the grand finale. Talis then quickly raised his lightsaber to block the Force lightning. Holding out his left hand he sent a massive Force push to send her crashing into a wall.

He would then propel himself forward at his opponent with his sith sword forward. As he sailed through the air, his sith sword would be aimed at her chest but, knowing her abilities, she would likely block or counter the strike as she has done countess times before. This time his other arm would have his grip on his lightsaber ready to ignite it in a moments notice.

When she would use her blade to block or counter the SIth sword, Talis would then ignite his lightsaber, and swipe not at her chest or body, instead he would swipe at her lightsaber itself. Those previous "failed" attacks would increase her confidence and would lead to a false sense of security. Those constant direct attacks would make her think that he would attempt a direct assault once again. She would likely not anticipate an attack at her weapon, rather expecting a direct attack at her body as before.

If she knew about his "trick", In these 2 seconds she would be forced to choose between a potential but deadly strike at her chest or the absolute and guaranteed destruction of her lightsaber. With [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] disarmed or injured, Talis's chances of victory would be greatly bolstered with the battle closing to a grand finale.

 

[Eldaah Aderyn]

[member="Talis Jzora"]

Seemed he had given up on stealth and was trying to go for the finish in his mind. She would take the Force Push, flying back towards the wall. Even as she neared it though, she would use her own command of the Force to cushion her impact as he leapt at her, sword pointing forward and lightsaber in the other hand. He probably had a plan to attack either her or her weapon, you know the spinning red energy blades that would still be in front of her. But... he had given her an opportunity because a leaping attack in close quarters... opened one up to...

Even as he was in midair, she would wrap the Force around him, more specifically his throat and use a Force Grip to keep him right where he was. Did he really think she wouldn't see another direct attack as a silly move when he had failed twice already? Of course she expected him to switch things up. She would stop her blade from spinning, perfectly content to leave him hanging there for the roughly ten seconds it would take for consciousness to leave him. There was no gloating, no overconfidence. Her master had always said to give into hubris meant inviting disaster, and she had listed just how many Sith had lost when they thought they had won.