The Eighth Battle - Coalition Invasion of Triumvirate Ruusan

[Subject 37]

Olmondo: Inner City
Allies: ST and Saeva
Enemies: [member="Kei Amadis"]

This was it. There was no doubt in his mind. The elbow came crashing down onto his face, an audible snap ringing out almost in exact conjunction with the cracking of his mask. Whether it was the protective plastoid across his face or the bones in his wrist was hard to tell, but Kiran suddenly let go of the tomahawk. He could still feel the mans hands wrapped around his own wrist, the broken appendage now going somewhat limp as a smile curled on the edge of his lips. Blood pooled in his mouth, the man's blow having dazed him, though not having knocked him out completely.

The Jedi had forgotten something, or perhaps he'd never known.

His free hand would come up, the hand that had earlier been pulling Kei down towards him. It's fingers sprawled, and suddenly there would be a powerful press. The Grav-Glove Could not just pull, it emulated the telekinetic aspects of the force almost exactly. It could pull, lift, and push. What did Kiran push? The Tomahawk that was embedded within Kei's leg, the light metal weapon.

The entire weight of him, all of his strength went into the singular push, pressing the weapon forward and seeking to dig it from Kei's flesh without ever touching it. At the same time he pushed himself up, spitting blood into Kei's face and seeking to jostle him if only for a second. That's all he needed, a second.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Location: Inside Olmondo.
Enemies: [member="Dak Canton"], [member="Cameron Centurion"].
Allies: [member="Arisa Yune"], [member="Tempest"], [member="Charlyra Araano"], [member="Audren Sykes"], [member="Boo Chiyo"]
Gear: 1x MKI bolter, 1x sonic blaster, 1x sonic shotgun, wrist-worn flamethrower, vibroknife, grenades, lightsabre, beskar'gam.

Explosions, screams, bloodshed. It was all very familiar to Siobhan as she made her way across the ruins of Olmondo. The place had never been much of a city to begin with, but now it was even more of a wasteland. The bodies of Coalition and Sith soldiers littered the now thoroughly wrecked streets. The familiar scent of death was in the air, accompanied by that of burnt and charred flesh. Undoubtedly, many a carrion animal would be pleased about the prospect of getting an easy feast. Likewise, the Netherworld would receive a fresh delivery of new souls. The gods and goddesses of war and death would be pleased.


Ruined buildings had been dropped and turned into tombs for buried Sith troopers. A most unpleasant way to die. Finally she heard the Dahomian amazon's voice again. "Tempest, good to hear you're up. Sensors have picked up enemy aerial forces heading our way. I want the troops to take cover. Get over here. We can try and mitigate the attack." The other Jedi, Coalition soldiers and Coalition affiliated persons in the city would have received the same alert.


Already Coalition soldiers were falling back and trying to seek cover from the impending bombing run. In that regard all the rubble and ruins, along with the deep craters the artillery had blown into the town worked to their advantage. However, many would probably still die and it was obviously not possible to protect the vehicles and walkers that way. Charlyra was up ahead, cutting down Sith minions like a vengeful fury. Her onslaught was ferocious and beautiful...almost like a dance.


Siobhan called upon her own power to grip Sith soldiers in front of her apprentice and fling them through the air like ragdolls with bone-crushing force to make sure they could not corner Charlyra. Her bolter roared, spitting out APEB rounds to mow down enemies. Rocks were lifted into the air and turned into improvised projectiles to be hurled at Sith with almost blinding speed. Thus, tiny fragments of rock were turned into hypervelocity missiles. When she finally caught up with her apprentice, she gripped her by the shoulder to get her attention. "Come. We need to find cover. An air strike's incoming," without waiting for a response she pulled the younger woman beneath some debris. "Stay here. I'll shield you." Her voice was firm, determined and tolerated no contradiction.

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Location: Valley of the Jedi (Netherworld)
People: @Loray Trayes, [member="Darth Orcus"], [member="Jericho"], [member="Joza Perl"], [member="Solan Charr"].

The Sith Knight clenched the saberstaff in his fist. He would fight the Lorridian if he insisted in closing in on him, but on the edge of his senses he could feel presences closing in. Frowning, his gaze was forced away to look in the direction of closing in presences. The one he immediately recognized was Darth Orcus's, his Master's, but he seemed different. He was no longer the calm, cordial Sith Lord that he had come to know. Unbridled rage rolled through his person as he began to suck the very life from the Jedi around his apprentice.

...

Where...?

Looks of confusion spread across his face. His gaze set on what must've been the form of Loray Trayes, but he had never met the being before. Behind him came an army of fallen Sith Lords. Haytham took a half step backwards. Were they meant to help him? They certainly didn't look the sort that would help.

Turning his head to look back to Joza, she was being tugged away from the fray by Solan Charr and he cast something behind him which triggered a rise of some form of wall.

He heard the mental message that his lover sent to him. He had seen the look of concern in her eyes and it must've flipped a switch within him.

For this, he didn't even need to look at the person he directed the message to as he started towards the wall, reaching to the small of his back to grasp the disruptor pistol there, firing off a shot in the seed wall, spinning his saberstaff through it roughly, as he leapt through it and after them.

We won't be able to reclaim the worlds of the Sith from here.

...

I'm leaving.

From Citadel, to Valley of the Jedi to some unknown world... Haytham wasn't intent on remaining behind. For as long as he could remember he was of the mind to bring peace to the Galaxy. Following along the path of the Dark Side was necessary. That much had been made clear to him after the Silver Coalition had attacked the planet of Ruusan. In one breath they would condemn the Sith and those that use the Dark Side of the Force, and in the next they would employ the Dark Side to destroy those that employed it.

They were corrupted.

They weren't Jedi.

They were unfit of the title.

He couldn't let them have her.

 

[Ria Misrani]

Location: Inside Olmondo
Allies: [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] || [member="Tempest"], [member="Audren Sykes"], [member="Boo Chiyo"], @Arisa Yune
Enemies: [member="Dak Canton"], [member="Cameron Centurion"]
Objective: Eliminate All Hostiles

Dust billowed around her, the heat of the desert beat down on her. Nothing she hadn't experienced before, and it seemed as if all she had experienced before was coming together. Still holding one sabre, the second one hung from her belt. Her hair was dishevelled and messy from battle. She takes a moment to wrap it back up, she's still for the moment and senses the blaster bolts taking her sabre she deflects two shots before taking the third slug to her shoulder. It doesn't hurt but the shrapnel does, her tongue licks the blood from around her face off. She takes her second lightsabre, it hisses as she gets it ready while simultaneously throwing her second sabre toward the infantryman.

A second opponent tries to get the drop on her but he's in close enough range, perhaps thirty feet or less. She can sense him and turns on a dime. Her hand outstretched she uses force disarm to send his weapon out of his hand. Catching the other sabre in her hand she makes a charge for him. She slices him in an instant and doesn't even care to look as his head rolls around, his body falls to the ground. She force leaps for an oncoming squadron of five the sheer kinetic energy from her landing sends three of them to the sand.

Debris around them, between them even as she blocks more blaster bolts with her lightsabres, she throws her lightsabre again and uses that time to cast force stun which locks two of them in place, one standing the other on his way to stand, which provoked another attack of opportunity as she catches her lightsabre and then lands a strike against one of the two stunned men in the chest. Her lightsabre still in his chest she pivots just enough, flipping the lightsabre around so she can strike his friend.

Two down, the other three whip out their swords and she begins to parry with one of them. Blocking the occasional strikes from his friend. She hadn't noticed where they had gone, or that they had the upper hand she'd been focused on dueling with one of three, sometimes two that she really just wasn't paying any attention. In an instant, they were down all three of them, one by an all too familiar boltgun ammunition. The other two from, rocks? Well, rocks turned into improvised weapons which certainly struck the others dead. "I had that." Charlyra comments, now that she's got some time to catch her breath properly wiping the sweat from her brow. "I- what?" She can barely hear Siobhan, which might be because of all the artillery fire. "Did you say Shriek?" Charlyra sticks her fingers in her ears, she was going to have to get this checked out. She couldn't hear a blasted thing.

Next thing she knew she was pulled down into debris, which was shady - so she appreciated that and the view. "If you wanted to do something, I don't think now's the appropriate time Master." Charlyra was flirting, she was flirting with her master of all women. Gods, the heat really was getting to her. She flipped the flask off of Siobhan's belt and took a sip. "I had them you know, I really did." The dark Jedi padawan was certain of that. In her own mind at least. "How's Tempest?" She inquired now that they had a break, "wait did you say an air strike?"

She wondered if that Jedi man knew about that. "Where, and do the others in the city know?"

Wiping the sweat from her brow with her robe she patted herself down for her - oh wait, she didn't get one of those. So, she really hoped the others knew about the airstrike. She stuck her fingers in her ears again, fishing out sand and debris. "When this is over I am taking a long," Charlyra checks her wounds, some deep lacerations from the shrapnel along her face but they were starting to get gooey now. "... Long vacation somewhere nice, with a beach."

 

[Zak Dymo]

Location: Approaching Olmondo
Allies: [member=Tempest] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Charlyra Araano"] | [member="Audren Sykes"] | [member=Cathbodua] | [member="Arisa Yune"] | @SSC
Down With The Sithness: [member="Laguz Vald"] | @ST
Arms & Equipment: Robes (Mask), XJ9 (left forearm), Sniper Rifle (Scope) (Ammo 1) (Ammo 2), Amphistaff, Hold-Out Blaster
NPCs for Story Fluff: Coalition Infantry (1 Company or x150 NPCs, 5 platoons divided into 30 squads of 10)

Was killing civilians supposed to be the unforgivable sin?

On a personal level, the boy was a thief and assassin. Laguz touted the number of people massacred by the Jedi as more than the Triumverate since its conception. But, if they were talking numbers, the young Pantoran had probably killed more people in his youth than the Jedi and Triumverate combined. Whether it was the messy elimination of pirates out in Chiloon Rift, the public execution of a captive Silver Jedi padawan on Bastion, or quiet removal of a terrorist threat on Lorrd... the boy's hands were covered in blood.

Not to mention the incident at Ord Janon.

And that was without regard to his time with the First Order and the subjugation of several worlds in the name of the Supreme Leader. During which time the Pantoran had been called upon for the murder of any number of undesirable elements within local populations.

If anything, the boy gave a grunt of approval at the data feed that Laguz supplied him. That was a little dark coming from the Jedi. Had that Kerrigan person approved this? Boo hadn't met this person but... he already liked them. "Impressive," the boy murmured, with a low whistle of approval.

So, it seemed the two had arrived at an impasse. Both doing the work of the Primeval, just going about through different ways. Or, really, the same way. Just with different friends. But, if they could spread the faith in this way then it was a victory for Sargon. And those were the only victories that mattered. "We are where Halrormalenth needs us," the boy offered finally, giving a final shrug.

"Be the voice of Balagoth to the Sith," the boy said. "And I shall be the same to the Jedi."

In this way, who won -- Jedi or Sith -- did not matter.

The seeds of the Primeval would forever be among them. And it was the Host Lord who would have the final victory when all was done.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Location: Vallley of the Jedi
Objective: Fight Darth Vornskr
Friends: SSC and Allies
Foe: ST and Allies

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Darth Vornskr"]

Once the dust and dirt had settled leaving behind more destruction of the surrounding area, Coci looked upon a field of bodies from both sides littered across the scene. However, the 'pause' in the fight had allowed her time to recover and regroup and to access the current situation. There seemed to be some form of a rift on the location of the Citadel, far enough away to have not effected Thurion and herself although the pull of it could be felt and it appeared that some of the Sith and Jedi had not escaped. But in this moment, there was nothing either Thurion or Coci could do to go to their aid, having their hands full with the Sith Lord before them.

Two Coalition troopers advanced toward her and for a split second, Coci thought them moving to reform up behind her and engage in the fight on Vornskr, but the force told her different. The stain of the darkside now blotted their hearts and minds, twisted by Vornskr in a few moments and their rifle now raised aimed at her to fire. Bolts from their rifles fizzed toward her, each one aimed to hit but there was a lacking in intent to kill her, as if their minds still clung to the flicking sense of good within them. Each bolt deflected with swift application of her saber, but she would not kill the troopers, and in time their minds might be returned to them, instead Coci focused on their minds, the darkness churning their thoughts almost making them incoherent and irrational but their minds ease enough to manipulate in this state and so the two troopers collapsed on the ground only meters away from her, as she had squeezed their minds and shut them down, unconsciousness engulfing them.

She looked for her husband, he had dispatched the large feline for now, and the two master Jedi now stood ready to fight Vornskr who seemed to be watching his 'charges' do his bidding. The time for that was over.

"My love, lets rid the galaxy of this monster together .. once and for all". Her voice would find his mind.

 

[Kei Amadis]

Location: Olomondo Inside the Ruined City facing [member="Kiran Vess"]
Allies: SSC in the City
Enemies: ST in the City
Specific Opponent: [member="Kiran Vess"]

Gone in one push. Pools below him. Blood splattering against his face was nothing new. Losing a leg however was. At the Thigh. One small glimmer of hope was that Kiran got up, he raised to his feet, rather than finish him to the dirt.

Consciousness fading. There was no pain to be had, there was just bleeding out to die now.

Ha! As if Kei Amadis of all Jedi was going quietly into the night!

That rifle he thought he’d never get to use. About the time Kiran was chopping his left leg clean off, the ion rifle against his shoulder, was turned up to face Kiran’s stomach area. Firing not one, not two, not three, but continually firing into the already hit stomach area in bloody defiance. This was ion, it wasn’t going to kill Kiran, and at best it’d only send both men off to sleep quicker this close, but it’d probably sting like hell as those shocks hit any wound. At least those hostages might get their justice when another found the bodies. Keeping the promise to not kill, though here it had likely cost him his life.

“Well fought.” The dying warrior born Epicanthix said. Looking up to face that death the same way he came into this Jedi life on Tython, many years ago. Then back to his separated leg underneath him, eyes whitening, and color draining from his face.

Life force ebbing away faster than you could count down to ten, which was how many times he’d try to keep pressing the trigger until his head hit the deck, and his arms gave way. ~Sorry Elara~, sent through the force to his love, he felt for the ring beneath the glove. Symbol of his wife, feeling for the bond beneath the ruined and bloodied armored fist. They'd had too few days together, but every one of them worth a thousand others. That log cabin they never got to see... that's where his mind was, and that was sent to her. Them by a fire, his arm around his love to give her one final kiss. [member="Elara Wahia"]. ~I love you.~

...

Fin for Kei?

Gear
Tempest Jedi Armor | Power Blade Mii Knife (Hip) | Lightsaber (Dropped) | MCR Rifle Ion Ammo Only (Hands) | 2x Stun Grenades | Basic Field Medical Kit (Pouch) | Grappling Hook/Tie/Field Rations (Belt)

 

[Subject 37]

Olmondo: Inner City
Allies: ST and Saeva, [member="Laguz Vald"]
Enemies: [member="Kei Amadis"]

To say that there was pain would be an understatement. Ion rounds didn't really hurt Organics, not in the way that most would think. They were designed to shut down electrical impulses, to break down certain mechanics within droids and machines. Against someone like Kiran, against flesh and blood, they normally just...tickled. The sensation was an odd one, really kind of indescribable, and more often then not it wasn't even worth mentioning, but when someone loaded you up with ion shot after ion shot? When more then a dozen of those rounds struck you in the same place over and over again? There was pain there.

Kiran's own body seized up on itself, the muscles of his stomach tightening, the skin stretching across his stomach suddenly seizing, his entire body involuntarily breaking into a spasm as the rifle was shot into him over and over again. His one savior? The thing that kept his body from breaking itself? The creature that was wrapped around his body. The Vonduun Skerr Karramic, the odd Yuuzhan Vong Biot that dug deep into Kiran's nervous system, the thing that made him force dead and had given him an advantage in this fight. It now bit into him. It shrieked and thrashed, expanding and contracting, moving over Kiran and pinning him in place as the last of the Ion rounds rang out and pressed into his broken armor. The creature let out a harrowed and haggard shriek, Kiran's fingers involuntarily closing as he slowly rolled to his side.

"Ka-" Words failed him, blood spewed from his mouth and onto the ground.

He sucked in a breath, air hissing between his teeth as his unbroken hand came up and tore the mask from his face. His entire body shook and shuddered, his form shaking as he tried to gain control of his faculties. He felt an unpleasant warmth upon his leg, though if it was his own mess, or Kei's blood spilling onto him was difficult to tell.

Slowly the Mercenary pushed himself up, slowly, he stumbled forward, crashing into the ground as every nerve in his body screamed for him to go back down. The ion rounds had ravaged his nervous system, control of his arms, his legs, everything seemed so much harder now. The Zeltron caught himself, crashing against a nearby pillar and slowly crawling up it to support himself. He turned upon it, facing the dying Jedi as every appendage slowly began to tingle, any sense barely returning to him as he watched the blood on the ground.

"You could've ran." Kiran said to the man. "I offered you that."

The grizzled old man spat on the ground, turning upon the pillar and half falling to scoop up the tomahawk as he wandered through the nearby door, his walk more of a limp then anything else.

He would have to find Laguz, or join the Jedi on the ground.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Olmondo
Allies: [member="Ameli Trahir"] | [member="Dak Canton"] | [member="Lassiter"] | [member="Kiran Vess"] | [member="Laguz Vald"]
Enemies: [member="Tempest"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Kei Amadis"] | [member="Charlyra Araano"] | [member="Audren Sykes"] | [member="Cathbodua"] | [member="Arisa Yune"]

Even as orders were disseminated, unit commanders were perfectly well aware that above ground, the city of Olmondo offered little and less protection from any potential air strike. There wasn't really any cover in a city that, a ruined city at that courtesy of the Coalition, would provide much in the way of protection from high-yield incendiaries and other devices. However, the Triumvirate Troopers that were not directly engaged with the enemy used the opportunity provided by their brethren to mark positions of hostiles. For the moment, however, Triumvirate units held off, waiting for the command that would be relayed from their air support through the JTAC on the ground.

The two interceptors that had been detached on a recon run had flown low and fast over the horizon. It was not exactly likely they would be detected until it was too late. There were still a number of Republic vessels loitering in the area, presumably for close air support as necessary. Engaging those forces directly had not been the tasking for Hades 4 and 9. Even as the nimble interceptors slowed abruptly and flew a tight arc over the city and surrounding area, they were tragically aware of the exposure they risked. Working quickly, the two pilots worked to transmit reports directly back to the mission commander.

-----
Less than a minute after he'd disappeared from view outside the entrance to the access building which eventually lead to the subterranean command center, Cameron emerged out of distorted air and violent ripples of blue light. Silver-green gaze immediately swept the area, realizing that he stood just outside the entrance to Olmondo, one hundred meters to the east of the main road. For the time being, his gaze focused beyond to the Coalition forces that had yet to reach the city. A small, gradual smile spread across the Sith Lord's lips just as an...expected sensation drifted up his spine.
------
It happened quickly, interceptors opening fire on suitable strafing targets leading up to the city as they rocketed overhead. It was all mostly a distractionary tactic as the Hades-class Gunships of Nomad Flight pulled up from their nap-of-the-earth approach to roughly two thousand meters above the deck. The moment each vessel was within five hundred meters of their target, they executed a steep dive towards the ground. Each gunship carried two proton bombs, much more devestating that torpedos and rockets of similar design. Unfortunately, the proton bombs relied heavily on inertia of the spacecraft deploying them.

The mission commander had set the parameters of the assault such that four gunships would deploy one proton bomb in two second intervals. In the end, four proton bombs would have been dropped on specific concentrations of Coalition troops and armor inside the city while a separate four gunships would do the same to Coalition forces outside the walls of the city, amassing on the barren plains of Ruusan. At one time, Ruusan had been a lush world full of forests, but that was a very long time ago. Now the planet was as unforgiving and harsh as the masters of its very existence could often be.

Red smoke began rising from the city as troopers began marking targets on command from their respective JTACs. It was only seconds before the first brilliant flash of blue illuminated the sky and the ground beneath the ruins of Olmondo began quaking violently. An immensely strong wave of over-pressure ripped through much of the city, continuing for several hundred meters past the point of impact. Though no Sith troops had been targeted, they were far from safe.

Within six seconds, three more blasts had joined the first, compounding on the sheer force of the assault. Cameron himself was thrown several feet forward and he remained outside the city. It was all he could do to stabilize himself with the Force to mitigate the potential of crashing head first into the ground. Hard.

Spoiler

NPC Forces Attacking

12 x Hades-class Gunships (4 Launching 1 Proton Bomb each in 2 second intervals at Coalition positions in Olmondo, 4 Launching 1 Proton Bomb each in 2 second intervals at Coalition armor positions outside the city, 4 Orbiting Nearby on Standby)
24 x Diathim-class Interceptors (2 Providing Air Support and conducting strafing runs with assigned Hades Gunship)

 

[Connor Harrison]

Objective 1
Location: Valley of the Jedi
Mission: Advance to the Citadel
Allies Near: ?? SSC
Enemies Near ?? ST

The kick from the soldier wasn't enough to even tickle the armoured Jedi; he countered with a swift stomach punch and a deft throw thorough a pillar of rock. The Sith were certainly not giving up without a fight.

"Hold positions as best you can in the Valley," he shouted to the pocket of Rangers and Jedi around him. "Watch out for portal tears and let's hold the line!"

Connor ducked a barrage of laser fire and ignited his blade, sending it careering outwards from his palm to impale a heavy blaster gunner in the chest. It seemed the Sith were laying down cover fire to keep the Jedi and Rangers busy, and it was working. Connor took cover and glanced up, activating his night vision lenses on the helmet to see the fleet up above taking care of things.

OOC:Rubbish post due to LOA but wanting to keep active for anyone

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Location: Valley of the Jedi
Objective: Break Kaine's other knee
Allies: SSC | [member="Coci Heavenshield"]
Enemies: ST | [member="Darth Vornskr"]
Equipment: Lightsaber

​

While the feline war mount struggled to get back on its feet, Thurion made sure it would not hinder them further by using the Force to manipulate the debris it landed in to imprison the vicious beast behind metal rebar and various rubble. At the very least it should slow it down long enough for them to deal with its master.

He then rushed to Coci's side, darting through blaster fire and jumping over bodies only to reach her as the two Coalition soldiers fell to the ground, unconscious. He placed a hand upon his wife's shoulder for reassurance, before the two would face Vornskr together. His lightsaber activated once more, they approached the Sith Lord. "Haven't you realised by now, Kaine?" he spoke over the chaos surrounding them, lightsaber now pointed towards his foe. "When you mess with one Heavenshield, you mess with all of us. No more minions or pets - face us yourself!"

Thurion would be the first to leap into the fray, closely followed by Coci, as the three would engage in a battle as ancient as time itself: light versus darkness, good versus evil. While the Sith Lord was occupied, Coalition forces would move up towards the Citadel, moving from cover to cover while laying down a constant barrage on the defenders, withering them down little by little.

Husband and wife had fought alongside one another for so long that they knew the other's thoughts before they themselves did, further aided by their incredibly strong Force bond. Their attacks would be coordinated, continuous and come in quick succession. Of course, Kaine Zambrano was a beast of a man and able to withstand the most brutal assaults. It remained to see whether he possessed the stamina for a seemingly constant onslaught.

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

Location: Netherworld, Field of Blades
[member="Joza Perl"] | [member="Haytham Kaze"] | [member="Jericho"] | [member="Solan Charr"] | [member="Loray Tares"] [member="Alkor Centaris"]
Equipment: Koodan battle armor | Sith Aspis | Grabthar-class Breaching Hammer

A wall? They sought to hold him with a wall and a few thorny brambles? A winter storm of laughter rolled from him, dark and terrible; peals of thunder that shook hearts and softened spines.

He hefted the beskar hammer and with one swing smote the barrier unto ruin. The wall exploded into a hundred chunks of flying earth that sprayed out across the Field of Blades.

“Ah, so you flee before me and mine,” he rumbled, striding through the hole Haytham’s blades had made in the brambles, heedless as the thorns tugged on his armor, left scratches on face and hands. “Do you not understand? The fields are those of the damned and they are endless. The rifts that once stood open are closed. You cannot escape!”

Black eyes swiveled to the side, noting the black knight and the army of the dead. They paused upon the one small figure, a sight from days gone by, when the Sith had truly been One.

The gaze swept toward the blade wielded by the erstwhile ally and froze. Pursuit of the petty Jedi suddenly forgotten in an eruption of palpable rage and greed. A violet blade flecked with red specks along the length, projecting from the mouth of a roaring dragon.

The oppressive heat of the Field of Blades stoked animosity, as did the undulating miasma of energy that hung above them all like storm clouds, compelling even the most peaceful of hearts to fight, to turn on one another.

A Dark Rage suffused the Sith Lord’s being, hazing vision to a tunnel of red. He saw not the ghosts, not the woman he’d sought to turn, not even the apprentice who he thought of as a son. Nothing remained but him, the blade, and the pretender who sought to use it.

Orcus pointed his hammer at Loray, “That blade. It is not yours to wield. Give it to me. GIVE IT TO ME!”

Great lumbering strides carried the Herglic across the hot sand. Unspent lightning from the faux-Jedi’s blast still crackled along the surface of his golden aspis, pent up and waiting for release. Darth Orcus slammed the rim of his shield forward, razor’s edge seeking the pretender’s throat.

 

[Eugen Aker]

Location: Olmondo
Objective: Spoil the Fringe reunion
Allies: SSC and Friends
Enemies: ST and Friends
((I'll tag everyone in an edit. I just want to get this out now before more posts are made.))

General Howle frowned as she analyzed the latest developments from the surface. Somehow, the Triumvirate had managed to slip a whole mechanized battalion and air group behind Coalition forces advancing towards Olmondo. Now they were caught in a nasty combined arms assault. They soon joined by another air group to hit Coalition forces in an around the city. Fortunately, Republic forces had been spared as she had yet to commit Kojima battalion to assault on the west side of the city.

Other information made her leery about even entering Olmondo. The Triumvirate seemed to be doing more to ruin the city than they as the invaders, setting off conveniently placed explosives and now leveling sections of the city just to get at Coalition forces. The cold-blooded murder of non-combatants by cowardly Sith. Disturbing reports of paranormal activity. It was becoming increasingly evident that the Sith had little intention of holding Olmondo intact. The Sith’s low regard for just about everything in life was what made them so difficult to fight. It was a wonder how they had still had soldiers left to field with all the intentional fratricide going on.

SSC reinforcements were on deck, but in the meantime, she would give her beleaguered allies on the ground some immediate relief to tide them over.

She got on laser line to speak with the top commanders of Coalition forces, as well as Colonel Lupin, the commander directly responsible for Republic forces planeside.

“Commanders, a change of plans. It looks as though the Sith are eager to bury us here, along with their own people inside Olmondo. I don’t see much point in taking this dump now, so I will move to cover you all as you regroup. Please keep the fighters on the outskirts busy as we act.”

Reserve units were being prepped for launch, but she would hold them back just a little longer until she saw how Sith reacted.

-------------------​

Command had given the escort squadron and Dragoons fair warning about the enemy air groups and mechanized battalion. However, they were ignored as the enemy fighters began to make runs against ground targets.

The sky above Olmondo would fill with lances of emerald particle beams and missiles as LA-ATs attacked both enemy fighters and ground forces within the city. On the ground, surface emplacements and Sith troop concentrations were targeted with droid busters, missiles armed with EMP warheads designed for frying electronics. LA-AT gunners were careful about deploying their busters, relying on input from forward air controllers on the ground to avoid hitting friendlies.

Dragoons were finally deployed, literally bailing from the open doors of the LA-ATs as they sped toward Olmondo at high speed, but they were soon righted as their flutter packs kicked into action. One of the benefits of using flight capable troops was the ability to make quick dropoffs without the need to touch down.

Hundreds of Dragoons descended upon Olmondo as LA-AT gunners completed their missile strike, punishing exposed Sith ground forces with a combination of launchers, flechette guns, and directed energy weapons. The Sith seemed keen on suicide at this point, so the Dragoons of Kojima battalion were only more than happy to help with an explosive farewell.

Arisa’s squadron entered the fray as they had looped back to offer air support, but now they were focused on establishing air supremacy against the enemy air groups. On ingress back to Olmondo, the squadron broke off into six pairs to tango with the fighters closest to the city. Together, they unleashed a volley of ion missiles as their opening move against the enemy fighters.

As General Howle had finished her briefing with Colonel Lupin, he would order about half his Dragoon in the air to assault the mechanized units moving against the Coalition forces at the perimeter. The LA-ATs that had yet to deploy their droid forces - useless as the Sith had fallen back on their usual tactic of wanton destruction - were redirected to the outskirts to lead the charge. The enemy forces were so close that it would be a very short trip of a few seconds for everyone, LA-ATs firing into the enemy concentrations with hundreds of mass driver missiles along the way. Aerial targets closest to the perimeter were also being hit with beam fire and anti-air rockets as they came into range.

----------------​

While this particular LAAT crew had been tasked with medivac duties, they were still swerving around with the rest of the Republic gunships and fighters in combat maneuvers against enemy aircraft and ground forces. After they stunt the Sith had just pull executing their hostages, the crew didn't feel like the Sith would be much for respecting their intended role as medics.

"I can't land this bird right now," the LAAT main pilot reported to the Coalition healers. "Not while the Sith are blasting Olmondo to smithereens."

"We can drop you in with our medics and droids while we cover you overhead. They're small enough avoid notice. You good with that?"

----------------​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2T9CWZBu60​

Summary of Actions:

*LAATs and make a simultaneous attack against Sith troop concentrations and surface emplaces, and Centurion's flights that have entered the airspace directly above Olmondo.
*Dragoons are deployed rapidly mid-air, attacking ground targets within the city.
*Arisa's squadron assists the LAAT crews in shooting down Centurion's flights over the city.
*After a mid-battle briefing with his superior in orbit, Colonel Lupin redirects half his Dragoons and LAATs (12 LAATi, all LAATc) to attack the ground elements of the Sith reinforcements outside Olmondo as their air group is preoccupied with bombing and dogfighting with SSC gunships.
*Along the way, they fire at concentrations of Sith mechanized units with a missile barrage (~300 mass driver missiles in steady succession), and target Centurion's flights operating at the perimeter.
*Republic reinforcements are being prepped as part of the second wave, available on my next post.

((I didn’t care about posting up hard numbers, giving a rough estimate in my initial since invasions are supposed to be story focused now, but I will now to avoid any complaints. Everything listed below was previously referenced and linked in my opening post.))

Order of Battle (First Wave)

Arisa’s Fighter Squadron
1x J-1
9x A-Wing
2x B-Wing

Transports/Gunships
32x LA-ATi
10x LA-ATc

Kojima Battalion
20x Dragoon Squads (480 Dragoons and Harvester droids divided into 120 man companies)
240x YVH-2 Droid (Divided into 120 man companies)
30x E56-C2 Droid
20x Decurion Droid
10x Alaris MBT
4x Oversight Droids
30x Stecher Wasp Droids (Held by Dragoons)

 

[Aithne Charr]

Obj: Time to Run.
Location: The Netherworld, The Field of Blades
Allies: [member="Joza Perl"]
Enemies: [member="Haytham Kaze"] (Feel free to catch up with us man, posting so that its clear we are getting out of there.)
Nearby:
Equipment: 2x Lightsabers, 15x Vibrodaggers, Jung-jii Fiber Armor, belt with number of pouches for seeds


Solan winced, hearing the wall decimated behind him before looking back and checking to see if anyone was following, and to his credit sure enough [member="Haytham Kaze"] was heading this why as Orcus drew his attention elsewhere. Normally, Solan would agree with the Whale, knowing that the portals had closed but there remained a small fact that solan also knew in his studies and that there were still two portals that remained active. The first was the portal that exitted to Corellia, which was a terrible idea to head for because that one meant walking right out into a Sith base that had been there.

The second though, that portal was a bit different from what Solan had learned about from Alex after her return. For a moment he also considered the way that he had originally escaped but he was unsure whether the Ferrymen still had their power to transport those out of the Netherworld. It was worth a try, ubt he didn't put as much faith in it. So there was the options presented to them. "Red, your boyfriend seems to be following. Keep up the pace for another two hours and once we are far enough from the Masters we can stop and find out why he is... Do not do anything risky though. I rather like my head and Jericho or Zef would kill me if they found out you got hurt or even died with me here... ok?"

He was giving her a chance at closure, something that he had not seemed like he would this day but with Orcus stopping his pursuit, this would allow the two former lovers to talk things through if possible. Solan would not rob her of that chance and wanted Joza to be sure of her choice, as well as to get one last chance to change the person that she used to know. Sure it was a bit of a far off idea, but he had come to learn worse and more impossible things have been done. Hell, they were standing in the Netherworld as it was.

His hand touched at one of his sabers though, careful to keep an eye focused behind him and his fingers tight on the hilts that were hidden in his sleeves. One wrong move and he would cleave this kid in half. But he figured that if Haytham was following alone, there was nothing to worry about and he could finally get some closure with Joza... or the other way around. So Solan continued running, dragging the Zeltron if she started to fall behind and making sure they kept up the pace. No breaks, no stopping, just two hours run towards the west.

 

[Laguz Vald]

Olmondo
Inner City
Allies: [member="Kiran Vess"] | [member="Cameron Centurion"] | [member="Lassiter"] | [member="Dak Canton"] | [member="Ameli Trahir"]
Enemies: [member="Kei Amadis"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tempest"] | [member="Charlyra Araano"] | [member="Boo Chiyo"] (Pew pew)

The sniper dipped xir head, acquiescing the boy's decision. “So be it, Chiyo. Balagoth with you.”

With that, xe stopped walking, fading back into the marching ranks of Boo Chiyo's company. Almost. But not quite yet.

As the soldiers subsumed the mercenary, xe tipped up the muzzle of xir rifle, calm-like. D-grade measured xir seconds like syrup, drew out xir breaths into minutes.
Laguz exhaled. Xe didn’t have to aim at this range. A simple brush against the hair trigger was all it took. Without recoil, without sound, without a flash. Straight at the retreating back of the traitor.

Balagoth take you, xe amended as xir figure faded into the background, rifle already wrapped in the fleshy confines of a shifting body. One moment, a soldier; the next, a chunk of roadside ferrocrete.

The Force-dead killer disappeared into the side alleys just as chatter in xir ear got louder, and if xe’d had a face, Laguz would’ve gone pale as snow.

Airstrike.

And then Kiran. Silent curses fell inside xir mind as xe zigzagged through the ruined city, away from the enemy forces marked for imminent destruction.
Aardveren wouldn’t hold her fire anymore, now. A single word made sure of that, uttered with steely determination.

“You look like chit,” xe greeted the limping merc. “Come on, let’s get you patched up.”

As was usual for the shifter, xe kept watch of their surroundings with a few spare pairs of eyes. Just in case someone tried to sneak up on them, you understand. As luck would have it, they weren’t all that far away from the cache they’d buried at the onset of the invasion. Experience dictated that they would need new weapons, new ammo, and medical supplies before the whole affair was over, and so that was exactly what the Saeva soldiers had stored inside.

“Sit. Grab the ammo, I’ll fix your wrist.” Xe glanced up at the sky, scowling. The distant rumble of bombs was getting closer and the foundations of the building they were in didn’t look too sturdy.

“And be quick about it.”

 

[Cathbodua]

Location: Olomondo Ruins
Allies: [member="Kei Amadis"] [member="Arisa Yune"] [member="Thelma"]
Enemies: [member="Kiran Vess"] maybe? (someone might have evaced him by the posting of this post)

There was destruction all around as Cathbodua sat there in the ship, the medivacs in the ships. She was looking at Thelma with her small teams while they were setting the scene to try and help who they could. A lot of dangerous and terrible things going on down there... and somehow [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] wasn't totally to blame smashing things with walkers and tanks. A plus? Maybe she was guessing when something came to her senses and Cathbodua spoke. "That will be fine, this wasn't expected to be easy but we need ones who can work on the ground. Cover my healers where you can and I'll meet up with you later." she said it opening the door while glad for the mask and field rebreather to filter the dust and smoke.

She spotted and felt Kei in the force while moving from the ship when it went with the others. Jumping out while wrapping herself in a cushion of force energy with it to slow her descent when she was jumping towards the ruined city. Activating the optical camo from the bodyarmor as the microcrystal obscured her going through to touch on the ground. Traveling with others made it really hard to get to sneak around in the armor as she headed off towards Kei stopping only to get her bearings when she required it and avoid soldiers. Her medical kit on her side while she moved over towards Kei stopping with a hand going to the hypo field spray in case she needed to fire a microdart and knock someone out.

She was feeling Kei and the others around when finally she stopped standing in the black suit, hood up obscuring the polarizing eyes that went black so she could look down with the harsh light to protect her vision. She knelt down letting letting the energy radiate off of herself when she looked at the armor covered in blood. She brought a hand out as the scanner was going over him. Her other hand moving to his neck as she injected the hypospray. "Jedi Master Kei, if you die under my care it will reflect badly with master [member="Coci Heavenshield"] on me. So I am giving you a small sedative for the pain and to jump start your bodies natural healing processes understood."

She stayed there looking at him after the scan finished and she moved her hand to the crystal. Force energies focused throughout her body and into the bodysuit as it glowed along vein like passages a bright blue. The suit itself was a large healing crystal of fire that allowed her to focus more force energies into the crystal and then into Kei as her saber did much the same. Keeping the focus on him, on the force energies and on beginning to knit his body back together as the healing nysillin worked to start his body healing once again. "Now let us see what we can do and work to put you back together again." She said it calmly with thoughts to the area around them.

She was sensing for danger where it might be needed but was hoping for the medic insignia to at least offer some protection.... while that failing her protective shielding amulet and armor would be able to serve easily enough while she worked. She set about obscuring her presence to make it muddy as blue healing light emanated from her crystal on top of Kei. He seemed to have been thinking of something before she stayed on it and had her fire crystal. Bringing someone back from the brink of death with one of them was easier for jedi healers, three and a high connection tot he force energies there and around her would let her focus on healing the jedi master.

 

[Marcus Tritum]

Location: Outside Olmondo City, the desert
Allies: [member="Cameron Centurion"]
Enemies:
[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tempest"]

In the skies above Ruusan, the gunships danced and whirled. Neither was well suited to dogfighting, but the pilots strained to do their best, pushing the craft to their maximum performance capabilities. Red laser bolts and proton torpedoes criss-crossed through the air, a splash of paint upon the canvas of the blue yonder. Ships exploded into brilliant fireballs, their wreckage falling in scattered pieces like flaming teardrops from the heavens.

The Mantas were faster and more heavily armed, but they lacked two bits of technology that proved disastrous. First, the Pyrrhuses were equipped with anti-blaster aerosol dispensers - almost useless in the skies, but not entirely. The Pyrrhus pilots used them like chaff and flares against any Manta on their six, providing a temporary cloud cover that dissipated the energy of some of the incoming fire. It wasn’t anything like foolproof, but it was better than nothing.

The second advantage of the Pyrrhus’ was their tractor beams. Each came equipped with two and they used them to devastating effect. They weren’t strong enough to completely stop the Mantas, but once locked on they could slow them down significantly. Worse still for the Coalition, the Pyrrhus was - surprisingly - a more maneuverable design than the Manta.

A couple Pyrrhuses went down before the distance closed between the squadrons, but by the time it devolved into an out and out furball the advantage lay with the Triumvirate dropships. Speed and shielding were great, but tighter cornering velocities and tractor beams would win the day.

“Hey Krillo, you see that?”

Two soldiers huddled behind a rock.

“What?”

The Herglic pointed into the skies. Every so often a puff of aerosol smog emanated from the barely visible gunships.

“Looks like bugs.”

“Yeah, fartbugs.”

A nickname was born.

~ ~ ~

Redeemer-class tanks could punch harder than the Lykos, could withstand more punishment than the Lykos, and all around appeared to be the better tank than the Lykos. Save for one small detail. The enormous turrets that wielded the massive 120mm cannon? They could not traverse fast enough to keep pace with the sheer speed of the Lykos, nor the even faster armored personnel carriers.

APCs and MBTs, still split into a two pronged force, whipped straight past the Redeemers, ARGHs and spider walkers. They harried the flanks of the enemy, firing on the Coalition vehicles as they passed, concentrating shots on the treads and legs to render them immobile.

A Vornskr-class was hit with a round from a walker and exploded into flame, the vehicle flipped end over end, completely out of control, and slammed into a second carrier. Both detonated, wreckage spraying across the parched terrain in a hot shower of high-speed shrapnel and licking tongues of fire.

The mechanized battalion sped on and straight into the enemy infantry, where the Lykos design could make full use of the four dual repeating blaster cannons on swivel mounts. Each Lykos activated its short range universal communications jammer, rendering missile lock impossible. Dumb fire rockets could still hit them, provided there was anyone lucky or skilled enough to hit an object moving at that speed. The APCs pulsed their shields intermittently in five second intervals to ward off incoming fire.

Neither the tanks nor the carriers slowed down. The end result would hopefully be a bit like driving a speeder car through a swarm of bees. Splat, splat against the windshield.

The goal was simple. Once the Triumvirate battalion was in and among the infantry brigade, the enemy armor would risk hitting their own soldiers in order to take down the Triumvirate vehicles. In particular, it meant that the walkers would have to turn around.

With discord sown in the enemy lines, let us now return the story to the Triumvirate infantry.

The Typhoons employed by the Coalition had a minimum range of about two kilometers, which meant when they fired on the Triumvirate infantry most overshot. Some managed to hit, spreading a rain of bomblets that sent screams flying into the air along with bodies, but it didn’t slow advancing force.

Commander Mobius D’ik eyed the ARGH platforms from his position behind a craggy outcropping. Those needed to be taken down, along with the remnants of the Coalition mobile AA.

He issued a series of orders to the special weapons squads and soon marines armed with PLX launchers fixed the ARGH mobile platforms and remaining Hydras in their sights, got a lock, and fired. Dozens of guided missiles skimmed across the surface of Ruusan.

“Commander D’ik to Flight Lead Besh. Your path is clear. Bring the rain.”

The twelve Pyrrhus dropships not engaged with the Mantas and fourteen remaining Dreadhawk gunships swooped down upon the Redeemers and walkers. Each Pyrrhus spat out a light torpedo, while the Dreadhawks dropped every seismic charge they had remaining, a deluge of one hundred and twenty six seismic charges in total. Enough to leave the ground a wasteland of craters.

(Lost 20) x700 Herglic Marines in Koodan-class armor.
x4 Myrmidons
(Lost 4) x44 Vornskr-class APC
X15 Lykos-class MBTs
(lost 2) x14 Dreadhawk Gunships
(lost 3) x20 Pyrrhus-class dropships

 

[Thelma]

Location: Olomondo ruins
Allies: [member="Cathbodua"] [member="Arisa Yune"]
Enemy: [member="Kiran Vess"] [member="Dak Canton"]

She arrived in the ruins, she taken directly to med bay outside the ruins. It was utter carnage, people have been dismembered and bleeding out. She had not seen anything like this before. She felt like she need to throw up, she then got push and came to realisation, it was duty to help them. Though her face was pale, well more pale than normal being a redhead. She started to use the force, to try and heal the worse affected. She could not raise the dead, and stop the almost dead from dying. What she could was staunch the wounds, from people bleeding out internally. She was unsure how she did it, she had rudimentary skills, but none the less it was enough. As she went about her work orderlies, brought in the bacta and gave other medical supplies, to the nurse. They started to administer the drugs, and began to make people comfortable. That idea that anyone could be comfortable was strange one, after all they had limbs removed, that could never be comfortable. As she managed to get some one arms to begin bleeding again, she used her lightsaber to cauterize it. As lightsaber to her was tool, and not a weapon, a symbol may be. She knew she would be busy for time being, as more and more people where being brought in. One of the nurses started putting red dots, on the head of some. She gulped she knew what it meant, they where too far gone for help, they where just going to be given drugs ease the pain, and there passing. As she treated her next patient, he suddenly coughed up blood on to her white robes, and began die on her. She closed eyes and said under breath, There is no death, only the force. She knew there was death, but it mattered not as the everyone was bound by the force. She carried on her work, hoping for respite from increasing amount casualties.

 

[Jericho]

Location: The Valley of Jedi/Citadel -> Netherworld
Nearby Allies: None.
Engaging Enemies: [member="Darth Orcus"] / [member="Loray Tares"] / Army of Spirits
Objective: Fight harder.



Jericho closed is eyes for a moment to take everything in the sand splashed on him in a fast motion in reality as he walked in the cold darkness. He was deep in thought his eyes closed, he could feel each drop of grain that hit him, he could picture the dust and the vast variety of blades around him. He could picture the bloodshed that was going to ensue, he came closer and closer to death, he could feel it. He could hear the quiet sand hit the ground, the feeling of fallen warriors squash under his feet, the sound of his breath, the sound of spirit swordsmen marching behind him as well as the fleeing steps of [member="Joza Perl"] @Solan Clarr and Kaze. This was good, his mind was clear, his anger not overwhelming him anymore, at least for now. No regrets, he took the burden of this battle for his padawan and his ally. The sea of warriors was endless and ever going and never changing. Every time he would cut one down it would only rise again to fight. "Hurry up with these Sith, don't need you dead Jericho..." The voice of Solan entered his mind. "Keep her safe. Get out of here. Finish our original objective." Jericho replied through telepathy. His way of telling Solan to stay safe.

"For Them...." He gripped his blades tightly. "For my family, I failed...." The warrior thinking of the padawans that fell and his blood that he knew more than likely was leaving and continued to attract more and more of the spirits to him so they would ignore his fleeing allies. "I need to make up for my all my failures." In a situation where the army was endless, his energy being sapped, it seemed futile and with the two powerful force users, his death was certain after all. Strangely enough, the thought and thrill of this fight were exciting him. The warrior realized he had to give even more than what he was doing now. His eyes worked faster than never before fighting the endless horde analyzing each of their own style of fighting the critiquing them into categories from martial arts. "Harder, faster....Stronger." The warrior thought to himself as he continued to fight harder and harder through the mass of reconjuring spirits.

He saw the armored red lit knight move towards him to strike and be barely countered then stopped in his tracks putting the mighty blades into the hot sands. The unexpected happened the raging monster stopped in its tracks for the moment and spoke out to the warrior saying that he reminded him of someone and stated 'the eye'. The was an opening as a few of the spirits burned under his mighty flames and the berserk spoke instead of attacking. Jericho took, this time, to breathe and recovering energy that was being siphoned by the whale. This world had a power that was boundless able to keep up spirits of the force up and Jericho was going to use this.

"The eye?" The warrior questioned. "Her?" What did the berserker mean by this, what was compelling him to stop his seemingly relentless rage? Was it do to the this world, compelling him to stop? Was it due to the energy siphoning slowing him down? The blade force imbued with something special giving him a bit of sanity? Or could it be he had a level of awe that made him remember something? There were too many variables in question, but one thing was certain, for a being to turn on his allies with spirits to stop in Jericho's wake gave him an opening and he had to somehow maximize on it. He had to take a chance on an assumption that he could maybe use this to make the Berserker fight with against the Orca for now; maybe the being would be attracted to his power and in so turn to be an ally in this world. "I know not of whom or what you speak." The warrior stated. "But I am greater..." Probably not the best thing to say, but Jericho was never one for words just actions. Not too much long after this moment between the two; the great wall he made to slow the sith lord and spirits; completely smashed down with ease. Then another unexpected thing happened, the Whale made the first move against the berserker knight charging him with his mighty shield and hammer.

In terms of weaponry, he was again outmatched at least that is what he assumed, lightsabers were no match in out a right clash against hammers, he would have to use quickly in and out strikes. Though even if he had enhanced his speed with his armor weighing him down and the distance between him and the whale; he would not be able to get in and out quick enough for quick slashes without getting smashed by the shield or hammer. Jericho disengaged his single bladed saber and keep his other out with only one end engaged. He quickly clipped it to his belt and snatched a sturdy shield. "Join me." The warrior calmly stated seeing that the whale wanted to blade so bad made the warrior wonder the value of it but for now, if he could turn the tables and take the whale down first it would make this much easier for him. With the Whale distracted by his own attack; Jericho went low going for the opening made. Jericho used the earth to raise under the whales left foot to in hopes to make him lose his footing with his shield arm and held his shield up expecting a heavy switch of the whales shield and aimed a strike with his saber to the whales ankle through the joint of his armor.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtJm3rXNGXw​

(Because that finale was lit )​

​

Location: Somewhere down on the battlefield stretching out before the Triumvirate Citadel
Allies:

• The Sith Triumvirate
• My boi [member="Darth Adekos"], even if he doesn't like me hanging around

Enemies:

• The Smelly Plebeian Coalition
• [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]
• And his soon to be widowed deceased wife, [member="Coci Heavenshield"]

Gear:

• Laid-back Sith Armor
• Muh Lightsabresaber
• You Know Who's Lightsaber

He snorted derisively, his left hand reaching out as if to grasp the air and from the inert soldiers emerged thin wisps of incandescent light that flowed from their eyes and mouths, delicately twirling through the air before being siphoned through the fingertips of the Sith Lord's out open and outstretched hand. "Such pitiful little marionettes... But such is the fate of all who find themselves caught between the darkness and the light." As the light retreated from their bodies all that was left were horrendously emancipated corpses, their papery skin pulled unbelievably taut over brittle bone; the weight of their own weapons and armor now crushing their bodies to dust. By now the other Heavenshield had joined his mate, both of them standing resolute against the gathering darkness that swirled around the Warrior-King's muscular frame with a mounting pressure that resonated deep within the ear; the same sound as that of the brief interlude between the strike of lightning and the roll of thunder.

But it would not be the Sith who made the first move, rather it was the two Jedi who assumed the role of aggressors as they shattered the building silence with coordinated advances to pincer the Sith Lord between their fury. The darkness now cloaked Vornskr like a physical shroud, shadows dripping off of his form like rain as a second beam of brilliant sunfire was birthed from the hidden confines of his robe to deftly block the initial simultaneous strikes brought on by the Heavenshields. His original curved blade caught Coci's and held firm against her might, scarlet and violet discharges of energy dancing along the beam's body as two opposing wills struggled for dominance. Thurion's blade, however; was caught by one who's design was so familiar, so close to home, that it would've been easily recognizable even with the added cosmetic modifications to the hilt.

It was Asha Seren's lightsaber, looted from her corpse-less robes after Vornskr mercilessly murdered her in single combat on Panatha.

Vornskr turned his gaze to Thurion and cocked his head slightly to the left curiously, and despite the horned helmet that concealed his features there was no doubt in anyone's mind that Vornskr's smile had never been as wide or as malicious as it was at this moment. The psionic imprint of her death was still imbued into the blade itself, and even through the physical contact of Thurion's own weapon against the SIth Lord's was enough to transfer the blurred memories of the atrocity that had occurred and the haggard emotions that was created in response. For a solitary moment they held that stance, blades locked as the cacophony of war faded away to an echo as the Force centralized through each of them, Darkness and Light coalescing as the sky began to bend and right before it broke there was a sudden flood of sound as the rest of the world once again fell into alignment.

And Vornskr retaliated.

The shadows rippled off of him, the air shimmering as the Force reverberated through him before exploding outward with anger at the mere twitch of the Sith Lord's muscles. The ground sundered before his wrath, dirt and stone evaporated as the released energy expanded outward from his body to push against Coci and Thurion's in an effort to throw them back or at least get them out of his reach. And like a coiled viper he struck in the aftermath, turning to face Thurion as both of his sabers flashed to strike against Thurion, licking at his defenses with a ruthless tenacity reminiscent of Djem So and a sequence of unorthodox staccato blows that felt more like Juyo.