SO Tournament: Round 2: Thengil Ri'Shajirr vs. Orion Darkstar

[Lord Ajihad]

The Silent Desert, Tython​

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A large expanse of shifting sands occupied all of the surrounding landscape as far as the eye could see. Tython was not typically known as an arid planet, but this strange natural occurrence certainly made an exception. Those who traversed the barren plains of sand would feel as if though they were trekking across the infinite desiccation of Tatooine's deserts.​

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What was unique about this location was that it absorbed all the sound of the surrounding atmosphere. If someone screamed as loud as their lungs would allow, their partner several feet away would hear nothing. Some attributed this to the ever-shifting sands, others blamed the strange monoliths that frequented the landscape. Either way, it made for an eerie environment.​

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The two combatants were positioned at opposite ends of a large valley. There was not much cover, save the occasional monolith here and there. A small oasis sat in the center of the valley, its crystal-clear waters seeming rather inviting to any passerby.​

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[member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"] [member="Orion Darkstar"]​

 

[TB-705]

His feet padded softly on the withered sands. The braids of his mane hung lank in the dry heat of the silent desert. Oppressive rays of light shone down, searing all beneath their sight.

Ri'shajirr stalked steadily toward the center of the valley, where the oasis lay. If this were to be a fight, he would rather do it beneath palm shade.

[member="Orion Darkstar"] | [member="Lord Ajihad"]

 

[Orion Darkstar]

Of course...it had to be a desert. ​

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The thought irritated him, more than that, the facts were he was now standing on the hot burning sands of Tython's scarce desert. The heat was gingerly causing Orion to grin. The last thing he enjoyed was a desert. Thankfully, the heat was manageable in his light attire. He didn't usually show with his accoutrement left on his ship, but a duel in the desecration of Tython's own silent desert would be just the thing to force him to. Loose black pants and a cut-off tank top was his attire. His arms were toned, honed through the rigorous training sessions with [member="Krest"] and other proficient teachers throughout the order.​

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At his waist rested the necessary tools to deal with the lingering adversary by the distant oasis. The bright sun provided him with clarity. The shade that hung over the silhouette in the center of the sandy floor was a perfect place to fight. It wouldn't only allow the both of them an advantage, but the surrounding monoliths that were close by could be used for cover. The battleground was set and Orion approached, his long, thick hair whipping to the side as the windy current of dry air hit it.​

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A light smile reached him as he looked over the competition.​

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Let's see what this kitty cat can do...​

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Orion shifted his stance as he readied himself, his mind clear of distraction as he patiently waited for his foe to press forward.​

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[member="Lord Ajihad"] | [member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"]​

 

[TB-705]

Over yonder stood a lean-figured humanoid in dark clothes, scantly clad. Ri'shajirr's lips peeled back to expose off-white fangs. Just another whelp baying for blood. He would see how loud the bark rang before testing the bite.

Thengil approached, servos in his exosuit whirring softly with each step. He slowed to a stop at ten meters distance from the male human. Darkstar, a neophyte to the Order. Thengil had never met the cub, or if he did he could not remember. Even so, they both had something to prove on these sands. RI'shajirr came to prove that his years spent in a Republic prison, cut off from the Force, had not emaciated his prowess. Orion came to show that his sun rose. Thengil came to show that his had not yet begun to wane.

The harsh light glinted off of the Cathar's two gauntlets as he raised them at his side, as if to embrace Orion.

When he spoke, his voice was like the rumble of high plains thunder.

"Are you a coward, cub? I have no time for cowards."

Ri'shajirr's paw shot forward and lightning erupted from his splayed fingers. The blue tendrils of energy hissed and crackled toward Orion's feet.

[member="Orion Darkstar"] | [member="Lord Ajihad"]

 

[Orion Darkstar]

A coward?​

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Orion questioned the thought. If he showed up, clearly he was ready to get the duel over with. Insults were a child's game and Orion refused to play. He watched intently, ready for any movement from the Cathar to be analyzed and countered. He could feel the current of the force change. A wave of pure energy alerting him of what was to come.​

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Orion stepped back on his right heel and watched as a bright, vibrant tendril of blue spewed from his foes paws. There was no time for a counter, worse the silent lightning was harder to predict in the thick sandy wind, muffling the zapping tendrils that darted for his feet. There was an obvious approach, but how much thought went into the attack that now desired to roast his feet. Not that it mattered thanks to the scorching hot sands below.​

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Jump. ​

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It was a simple thought, but Orion knew if that;s what the Cathar wanted it would be more difficult to counter whatever came next. Regaurdless, he acted. His thick black boots dug into the sand, knees bending from the quick action. The lightning mere inches from his feet before he lifted into the air. His eyes shifted to the burning sand below only for a moment . The blue sparks of electricity contorted the grainy sand into sharp twisting glass.​

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Orion knew science well, when lightning met sand it formed thick, sharp glass. This was an advantage, a swift kick into the glass would shatter tiny specks of crystals at his, clearly capable opponent. The momentum from his jump gave him just enough time before landing out of the way to shift his hips, mid air and slam his thick boot into the spire of glass.​

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Perfect. ​

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The small specks of glistening sharpness exploded churning towards the Cathar. This gave Orion a moment of reprieve before evaluating his next move. As he landed his right leg swept across the mounds of sand, kicking it into the air. Immediately following his landing, Orion stretched his arm out, palm held vertically and force pushed the glass with a whistling fury. A whistle that would never be heard as the forceful wave of air skipped across the sleek edges of the broken glass. It was at this moment that the tiny shards became a torrent of vicious knives.​

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[member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"] | [member="Lord Ajihad"]​

 

[TB-705]

The foe leaped up, agile as a young panther. The lightning struck the sand just beneath his feet. Coruscating threads of blue sizzled into the ground. The sand fused together around the hot bolts, millions of joules searing silica and quartz together into tiny hollow tubes of fulgurite. The human came down, boots stomping the ground, crunching fulgurite. He flung out his hands and sent the shards zipping for Thengil.

Ri'shajirr's eyes widened in momentary surprise, taken aback by the swiftness of the counterstrike. He raised both gauntleted paws to shield his snout and eyes. Pieces of glass hit him at gale force speeds. The tiny shards shattered against his gauntlets, pelted his exosuit, and sliced through exposed fur and flesh. A rumble formed in Thengil's chest like a pod racer revving his engine. His cheeks and forehead stung, as if from heavy droplets of rain.

He lowered his paws.

Blood trickled down his face from a dozen cuts. A shard of glass jutted from his cheek, like an odd growth. The ichor stained gold fur red. Thengil bared his fangs.

The cub can fight.

Extending a paw whilst simultaneously reaching out in the Force, Thengil sought to wrap up Darkstar's ankle in a telekinetic grasp. He made a twisting motion with his paw and willed the whelp's ankle to twist sharply. Without waiting to see whether he'd snapped or sprained the joint, the three hundred pound exosuited feline sought to yank the foe toward him through the Force, right into a gauntleted punch aimed for the gut.

[member="Orion Darkstar"]

 

[Orion Darkstar]

CRACK!!​

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​The loud crunch of his ankle spiked through his right leg, the searing burn from the invisible grip of the force taking him by surprise. The Cathar before him had gifts of the force that most acolytes had little business conjuring, this alone would prove a challenging fight, worse a broken ankle. The sensation of the burning pain in his ankle began to throb, but before he could break loose from the forceful grip of the Cathar's gifted force move, Orion was violently thrown forward. Tripped by the vigorous yank, Orion fell backwards and lifted into the air before his head met the sand.​

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Close.​

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Unfortunately, Orion would have preferred to take the fall. What came next was more apparent than ever when another connected assault inflicted the center piece of his stomach. Orion's body arched into a perfect 'C' shape, the impact from the feline sent a ripple of sharp spasms at the core of his body. Bood-filled mucus crept from the deepest part of his acidic stomach. The green sappy, chlorophyll protruding from Orion's mouth. His lips turned purple as he gasped for air with a straining attempt to catch his breath. The air was knocked out of him, but his will to retain consciousness became the ultimate goal.​

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Crap.​

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His body was in limbo, floating in the air like a sponge in water. The Cathar was strong, much like that of a true lion in the wild. He was ferocious and precise. The pain he inflicted proved he was no cub, in fact, Orion quickly realized that such an adversary was a bit out of his league. This mattered little to him. Being the underdog didn't bother him, it excited him. Regardless of the situation, Orion had to gain control of his parlayed body. His bloodshot eyes from the strong punch snapped open as he felt the airways expand once more.​

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His eyes shifted, still slightly blurred from the searing pain flowing throughout his body. Even so, he watched the watery image of the Cathar through his teary eyes. The menacing lion before him seemed to be setting up form another attack. If another punch like that landed, Orion would be done for. Not only did he have to find a way to safety, his ankle might not support his landing. The fight just started and the acolyte was already in the lions den.​

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Finally, Orion flailed his two arms forward, aiming directly for the cloudy image of his foe. Bursts of air shifted his momentum backwards, a force push through both hands at such a close distance could have pushed the Cathar back, but even Orion knew it was unlikely. All that mattered was dodging the next assault and landing to gauge the damage to his ankle. His stomach still hurt and the fact that he was breathing after such a blow was a miracle. The forceful push that erupted from his hands allowed him to twist through the air and land.​

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The right ankle held firm, as he landed safely out of harms way, for now. The landing didn't come without a price, the sudden burn from what seemed like a sprain sent a searing knife up to his knee. It was bad. Still, Orion had to prevail.​

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Definitely not a cub...​

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[member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"] | [member="Lord Ajihad"]​

 

[TB-705]

Powerful bursts of air buffeted the feline warrior. Thengil, though he dug his feet in the sand, skidded backward a full five meters and nearly toppled over unceremoniously. His weight left a furrow in the sand. He could feel granules trapped between fur and exosuit; rough, coarse and irritating. Yet, not nearly as aggravating as the lacerations criss-crossing his muzzle.

Thengil sniffed the dry, desert air, rich in the scent of his own blood and the perspiration of both combatants. His fingers curled, gauntleted paws making fists, metal rasping on metal. He remembered the feeling of his fist hammering into the tyro's soft, unprotected gut; the sensation of hard alloy driven by ripcord sinew meeting nothing but flesh and the distinct give that came with it.

Single combat purged away the outer trappings "civilized" society hid behind and exposed one's true nature. Facing an enemy just as desperate, with no one to rely on but oneself left no room for false faces. Here, the law of the wild reigned supreme. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. In the face of such adversity, weakness perished. Only the strong survived.

He could hear the male's wheezing; labored breathing sawing in and out of a battered body. How much more punishment could the sapling take before it bent? How much more before it broke?

The feline's ears flicked. "Is that all? Is this what passes for a Sith?"

Dun Möch. The only traditional "form" to which Thengil could say he ascribed. He could not say the Sith of today were any better or worse than those ten years ago. When you have been imprisoned for a decade the details of life before the cellblock become hazy and idealized.

Ri'Shajirr advanced toward the quarry in a slow prowl as he spoke.

"What gutter did they drag you mewling from to fill the ranks?"

[member="Orion Darkstar"] | [member="Lord Ajihad"]