Tournament Of The Five Dunes!

[Garza]

I smiled as alkor met me with a parry of my blade. Expected, and countered. Bringing my blade up to my face to let the flat of the blade counter the sharp edge headed for my face, and a slide down to literally place my sword against the left hip/thigh area. Letting the man's slice to my left side slide and glance off with a small shower of sparks. Following up with my strike to the left side, Alkor defended himself rather well. And even stepped back should I release on him. He knew that I could go full blown rage. However, he may not expect me to be rather calculated when not in that state of mind. It was here that I advanced. Taking a step forward at the same moment he took his back.

The follow through of my left sided strike meant my sword was once more on my left. Bringing both hands together, I brought the sword down upon his head. Aiming to cleave his head down the center. The move would look clearly genuine, however, My step forward was with my right foot instead of my left. Thus letting me rear up said foot, and sent a spartan kick towards his chest. To get the right amount of power to do so, I had to yank my sword down between us. One reason was for balance, the other was like all other forms of martial arts, you never over extend yourself. One motion out, deserves another motion in. A kick out, means the other foot has to step back to balance yourself.

Such, not all of my strength was pushed upon the overhand strike. For this reason. My kicking foot would be planted ahead of me, extended out, and thus I must compensate either by pulling back in, or advancing. I chose the second option. THe blade was close enough to me, and with the pull of my arms, the pommel was against my chest as I reared it up to stab at the man. Letting go with my left hand and lunge out with my right.

I expected this man to have a block or parry, and a counter action for every turn of my own. I was prepared to backpedal if necessary, or advanced aggressively. I wanted to push this man. I wanted to see his extent. I wanted to push him. He was strong, but how strong? More so, which of us were stronger?

[member="Alkor Centaris"]

 

[Alkor Centaris]

This man had a proclivity for blending open hand combat with martial weapons. Alkor had seen it in part during their first encounter, and so, he was dimly aware that it might occur in the second. Without fear of a lightsaber- that is, a weapon with instant reaction time and the damage potential to remove a limb with minimal effort- Alkor had no fear of reprisal. Not in the sense that he would if [member="Atheus"] were wielding his blade of contained plasma, as he had on the Omega.

His motion was no longer backward as the other man drew foward, but out to his right. The blade came downward, intended for his head, but was deftly guided harmlessly away from his body by a slapping motion of Alkor's right arm. The sound of Mandalorian Steel as it slammed against the arming sword was less graceful than the previous parries, but the movement was no less effective.

Atheus' kick went wide of its mark due to Alkor's sidestep, and the former Jen'jidai brought his right elbow backward toward the other man's face. In turn, the blade in his left hand remained between them, should his foe have any designs on a stab.

He had.

The thrust slid along the lower portion of the blade, closest to its pommel, and Alkor kept it at bay. He only had to do that much. His own waist twisted in turn, and he sought to push the man through with the force of his elbow strike and the torque from his turn.

He doubted seriously that it would be sufficient to take Atheus to the dirt, but the force of the blow ought to have been enough to break his nose, if it connected.

 

[Garza]

The man was fast, and agile. Even more so being able to think on his feet, and sidestep me. Not once, but twice. Sending an elbow to be headed for my face. I could see it incoming. I dreaded the pain, but almost accepted it. Instead of trying to back track, and get smacked in the nose for it, I pulled my head down to my chest. His elbow slammed right onto the crown of my head. A portion where there is the most bone structure on the forehead area, and prevents me from taking any too much damage.

The powerful blow already sent me down to kneel in the dirt. Making the black clothing I wore dirty. However, I would prefer to have a minor headache, and a bruise, than a broken bone. However, I was in a prime position. Alkor was to my right. Twisting on my heels, and my waist, and sliding back ever so slightly with the twist, I brought the sword round to the back of his kness. I was very much under the area of the man's blade.

Meaning one, it would take much more time and effort to block my sword with his own, and I had less room to move before I could strike him. However, THe follow through of the blade would be taken all the way to my right side, with my left arm coming right in. The twisting all the way from my far left, towards the right, and to the side of the Corellian would mean a much more powerful punch. Even more so with my limb replaced with a metal arm, it would hurt much more than a fleshy counterpart.

The punch was aimed towards the man's thigh. Not at Alkor in the slightest, It was aimed at the blaster. Intending to smash the weapon's frame to be off. Should he fire it, it wouldn't work, or mess up the sights to miss his shots. Even then, it would still hurt him, and not me as my punching arm was the left. A metal one that had been replaced a fleshy counterpart that I had cut off myself.

I was more willing to punch the man with my arm considering we were using swords, as my left arm was metallic in nature. it would resist the physical combat that we were now having between swords, and now that I thought about it, I might put it to more use.

[member="Alkor Centaris"],

 

[Michael Shado]

[member="Acaleus Thorn"]

Each time it seemed like Michael was getting the best of the guy, where was this guy's saber?

This man was resilient, Michael had to give him that, but he was a Jedi none the less, some cheap parlor tricks. When the man got up, and started sprinting at the Mando, his instinct told him not to let him close the gap between them, so he began to spend the last bit of energy the rifle had, only to see it wasted. The man was on him now, and all Michael could do to retaliate was to swing the rifle like a blunt object at him. If he could not shoot him, he would just beat the man down.

If this guy thought he could win with cqc, he had a nothing thing coming his way. This was not Michael's first encounter with a Force user, in fact, it was the reason his arm was missing.

 

[Acaleus Thorn]

He didnt like having scars, it was a reminder of all the mistakes he made over the years. So if he got less than a dozen of them around the body, what does it says about a guy that used a robotic arm? Acaleus smirked for the thought as the image of the stock towards his head put his senses on danger mode. He reacted moving his body down, missing him for a hair.

As practiced thousands of times, he projected his right elbow towards the stomach of his opponent. He didnt used the force to impulse the hit forward, nor he used the last lightsaber. He considered it cheating, if the other opponent didnt had the exact weapon. And almost any force user wielded a freaking lightsaber, so of course, mercenaries started learning how to counter it. Not only jedis or siths, and that really bother him.

[member="Michael Shado"]

 

[Michael Shado]

[member="Acaleus Thorn"]

His swing missed as the man ducked down, and slammed his elbow into his stomach, pushing air out of his lungs. It hurt, sure, and it sent a sharp pain into his already wounded shoulder, making him get to his knees. Michael sucked in hair real quick though, trying his best to get his composure back. It was a move at was meant to get your opponent down, and start wailing on them, but for some reason, Michael couldn't get his wind back. His rifle dropped down away from him as he leaned into the man.

"Nice shot, Thorn..."

Michael barely could say to the man. This man was being honorable in his fight, and with that, he had to give the Jedi respect, but he wanted a fight. A real fight.

"But stop holding back..."

With that, Michael slammed his helmeted head into the man's face.

 

[Acaleus Thorn]

The helmet stroke into Acaleus nose, breaking it. He couldnt breath because of the blood, so he retreated, raising his hands. A crack was heard, as Acaleus fixed his nose. It wasnt the first time it was broken, but a helmet to the face was effective to almost any species.

"I will slap you with that robotic arm of yours" shouted, turning his wrist lightsaber. It was white. Acaleus jumped forward for a diagonal slash. The lightsaber would cut the body but he knew that Shado would evade it. If not, Acaleus would be landing in front of a mutilated corpse

[member="Michael Shado"]

 

[Michael Shado]

[member="Acaleus Thorn"]

The sound of a cracking nose, and the sight of blood got Michael's heart pumping harder. This was the thrill of combat, the fun of battling a opponent who only wanted to test your skills, to size you up, and make you give your best if you want their best. This man, Thorn, was worthy of being called vod in Michael's opinion.

When the man broke it back into place, and came at him with his little lightsaber, it was time to get real. Nothing Michael had could block that energy blade, other than those daggers, and even then, he knew it would be a hard time fighting against the lightsaber. He had only a split second to think about what to do with the danger coming at him.

Being threatened to be whacked around with his own arm didn't seem pleasing at all, but he had to ponder what would be an acceptable loss here, his robotic arm? There would be no pain, but it was stronger than his other arm. The pain he would receive from that loss would be both physical and emotional. Quick thinking made the choice obvious.

His metal arm came up to block the attack, accept the loss of a appendage, and watched as energy meshed with steel. Sparks flew everywhere as Michael side stepped to pull out the little ball he had grabbed, turned it on, and slid it into the man's hood. Rolling away, his metal arm was gone, left behind in his escape. Whatever that little ball did, he was about to find out.

 

[Acaleus Thorn]

His lightsaber made a cut from up and down, splitting the arm, but that created a small space between them. Shado got close and left something in his hood, and whatever it was, could mean dead. He didnt knew how to cut cloth with the force, and even a force ball around it wouldnt be effective if it was a grenade. The thing he left was dangerously close to the spine, and Acaleus wouldnt wait for it to explode.

Although he knew it wouldnt work that well, he took off the jacket before it exploded and waited for the worst. If he survived, he may had to throw the towel and surrender. It depended on the type of grenade it was, and how resistant Acaleus would be.

[member="Michael Shado"]

 

[Michael Shado]

[member="Acaleus Thorn"]

As Michael got back on his feet with scrapes, and bruises from the cqc, he turned to look at the man who had quickly tried to get the ball out of his shirt. The Mando didn't want to kill the man, but sometimes it came down to it, you did what you had to win. That was the name of this game. Michale was sure Thorn knew, and understood this. His eyes watched the man struggle to get rid of the ball, only to have it drop but a few feet from him, very dangerous.

Suddenly, the damn thing went off. Playing some of the craziest music Michael had ever heard, and it blasted it very loud. So loud, in fact, that it appeared to be connected to the speakers of the arena via wireless. All the Mando could do was do a facepalm in embarrassment of the outcome.

"What the hell is that...?"

Laughter broke out from his helmet as this was the only way he knew to best react to the surprise. Looking at his missing arm, and back at the man, quickly, Michael pulled out of his blasters, firing it over, and over at the man. The distance now again created between the two. It appeared to be some form of heavy blaster, maybe Echani by design. Michael though to himself how good a gun it was.

"You know...I'm glad that wasn't a grenade...I don't wanna kill ya'."

 

[Acaleus Thorn]

The assassin opened his eyes, surprised that he was still alive and without wound "Are you serious?" he was on his knees expecting the worst and his opponent was laughing a few meters away. He was about to insult him when Shado draw a blaster pistol and started shooting at him. Acaleus really loved the force, as the only fuel it had was the will of the user, and Acaleus had plenty. He raised both hands and created a force shield, that redirected the bolts. He started walking again towards Shado

"You never learn! Next time i will cut your head off!" screamed while getting close for the second. He didnt knew where his sub-machine gun went, it didnt matter to him. He wanted Shado unconscious on the floor and when he got an idea on his head, there was nothing that would stop him.

[member="Michael Shado"]

 

[Michael Shado]

[member="Acaleus Thorn"]

The man looked like he accepted death, too bad he didn't receive it, though now he was angry. Very angry, and coming at him again using those cheap tricks. Thorn was beginning to close the gap again, and music blasted all over the arena, now Michael had a real problem. His blaster was doing nothing, and he only had one more left after this one went out.

Michael was now stuck between a rock and a hard place, well between a wall and Force user. The man threatened to cut off his head, and something about not learning. This was class? The Mando was unaware that he was class, else he would have been taking notes.

"Oh come on...can't you be social?! Damn jetii!"

He took another couple of shots at the man as he backed up away from the man till his back was against the wall.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Pivotal to the nature of his elbow strike was the torque he created with by turning his hips with the blow, the same one might use to augment the force of a right cross. This put his body in prime position to react, not simply to the impact, but to what his opponent might do in response. Most people were flighty at best with regard to blows intended to their face- [member="Atheus"] reacted like a man used to abuse. The dull ache in his elbow that followed locked in his trained response.

The opponent lowers their level, and your only rational response is to defend the lower body attack. A grappler would use the opening to tie up the legs and take their opponent to the dirt. With a sword in hand, the possibilities became far more volatile.

Alkor's leg swept round, completing the twisting motion and weighing down his hips as it went. "Sagging the hips," it was called colloquially. His knee bent with the downward pressure and brought his torso low, almost a mirror to Atheus but for several inches of depth the other man committed entirely to.

It was enough. The sagging motion, right-ward as it was, brought his whole form backward from the slash. It still probed for his knee, but Alkor reacted to the extension with a snap of his right hand.

The blade caught the flesh of his palm and blood spewed from the wound. He gripped the blade near its base, and he merely guided it along its previously intended path. Teras Kasi was a Martial Art created to give the Followers of Palawa a means to defend themselves from Force Adepts, both Jedi and Sith alike. It favored a means to deal with many types of weapons, not the least of which were lightsabers.

A small amount of blood loss was negligible in comparison to what a blade could do to a man.

Alkor stepped through with his left leg, cross body, and felt the dampened impact- still quite painful- of the metal appendage against his back. That put all of Atheus' hands in an awkward position to defend against the arm spin.

The blade in his left hand stabbed backward, over his shoulder. He was less interested in drawing blood than locking Atheus' arm in place. The flat of the blade rested against his back, and he crowded into the ferocious fighter as he completed the spin fluidly. His right hand pulled at the blade to jerk Atheus' momentum further forward and into the throw.

If this was successful, the other man would be thrown over Alkor to the dirt, and the fallen Jen'jidai would take control of the blade as Atheus' grip faltered from impact.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay had received a second special invite from the Hutt Cartel in as many weeks. After what Einon had brought back with him from his visit, she just had to see it for herself.

It wasn't long until she found her ship The Free Lady, descending near the White Palace. On her last visit here, she had been captured and turned in for her bounty. And now...now she had to see it all for herself. Instead of wearing a dress like normal, she wore a pant suit instead, with a couple of blasters holstered on her thighs. Kay was expecting trouble. She told no one that she was going, except for Einon who came along with her. [member="Veiere Arenais"] was away teaching his student and she didn't want to disturb him. No doubt he would probably get mad at her for this, but it was her own mistake to make. A message was also prepared for [member="Riven Black"] should she not return to her ship at a designated time. Hopefully she had it all figured out.

Kay and Einon approached the Palace Guards. After showing her invitation, they were promptly led inside where she shrunk down her Force signature to that of a small tree nut, just in case. The sounds of battle could be heard, as well as cheering. She wasn't sure how long it would be before her arrival was announced.

Spoiler

[member="Flannigan Mcnash"] [member="Thraxis"] [member="Cadan Tazi"]

 

[Acaleus Thorn]

Acaleus didnt felt the bolts trying to push him away. Shado started walking away from Acaleus, without letting his finger off the trigger, and stopped when his back touched the wall of the arena. The place where many gladiators stood once. Afraid of death and not seeing their families one more time. The same kind of place Acaleus stood ten years ago, but at the time he asked himself what family he had left. That thought only make him more and more angry.

The assassin had the control in this. Although he knew that a battle against a jedi or a sith, one trained in the force in a deeply way, would be a lose. He was good but that didnt mean that he was the best of all, and he knew that he would have lost a long time ago without his small usage of the force "If both of us survive this, i will pay the tab" said just a meter away from the mando. Acaleus arm felt numb for a second just when he slashed Shado blaster with the lightsaber. His left arm stopped working and was left hanging, as a stream of blood dropped to the floor. It was caused by the impact of the bolts just a few minutes ago. That left Acaleus without anything to defend himself and in serious pain.

[member="Michael Shado"]

 

[Michael Shado]

[member="Acaleus Thorn"]

Something tingled in Michael's own arm as the blaster got heavier, but it was soon relieved from him as it was sliced in two and the tab was expected to be paid by the Force user if they both survived. Michael's own arm slumped next to his waist as he watched the same happen to his opponent. Blood trickled down his arm, and hand till it fell on the ground, making a small puddle. Funny, though he still had fight left in him, he wanted to keep going. Why did his arm have to give out now? Curse it all.

"I'm...not....throwin' in...the towel bud.."

Michael breathed in...the thrill of battle still very fresh in him. Maybe this was how Causstik felt when he went into his pyscho moments. Screaming about the scorekeeper and what not. The Mando found himself many a times around that Trando in his blood lust for killing. What had that dude been through?

The Mando moved forward quickly, his arm tangling beside him as he decided to let it rest, he still had three weapons left, and his legs. Michael jumped forward towards Thorn, aiming to plant his boot right into the man's chest for a drop kick.

 

[Thraxis]

Thraxis eyes darted about, watching the fight unfurl between both Shado and Thorn, Thraxis raising himself from his chair, his microphone in hand as he started to scream through it, "Look at the action we have seen here today! Truly a bloodbath to behold! An epic that only a true connoisseur of the sport could find solace in knowing, that there money was worth it!" he yelled a hand raised as he pumped his fist, his cries for bloody murder echoing through the mic as his adrenaline seeped through his body, he was hoping this was recorded, because they were gonna make a mint of this PPV.

As he started his chants an add popped through the arena, above the heads of the contestants as a large Hutt of a thing cartooned in a vein attempt to mimic cuteness, but somehow mimicked horror, "Its, Jembas, oh its Jembas, its Jembas air, fresh from the Sky!" it said with a pop, the tension in his voice dissipating before he regained control of his Microphone, "Come on boy, cement yourself in the dunes, let your foes Blood seep deep and thoroughly throughout the sands." he cried in a voice trying to invigorate a fire in the boy, goad him into doing what everyone here wanted. Though far and few between a man showing pity was not uncommon, though almost disrespectful to the audience.

His eyes snapped for a second, a cunning matchmaking of blades and motions rushing between each other, "And over here, between Atheus and Centaris the fighting is still very much reaching the penultimate! Swordsmanship exerts a lot folks, and they tend to be quick fights!" he yelled to a roaring crowd, their voice ecstatic and overwhelming, almost evaporating Thraxis own into the turmoil in the crowd, a good sword fight always whisked the crowd, and with Shado and Thorn wrapping up their fight, a solid battle of speed and blade should end with a sating applause.

As he watched the stunning spectacle he got news, a small robot with a long strip of paper covering its face approached, a series of clicks and boops preceding Thraxis removing said paper, looking it over a new surprise had occurred, slowly he stood up, looking towards the directors to aim some spotlights to their special guest. He had no intention of letting her come to the Tournament and slip into a shroud of darkness. "My, my, my, participants, it seems with truly have a special guest today. If you look to the spotlights" he said as they started to motion towards her, a slight frumroll echoing through the crowd as the entire venue became quieter, a near silence of confused mumbling. "All the way from Commenor, we have the lovely Lady Kay gracing us with her presence!" he said before a short pause, the lights were off the combatants for a second, and with no one watching, he couldn't exactly stop anything illegal from going down.
[member="Acaleus Thorn"] [member="Michael Shado"]
[member="Lady Kay"] [member="Flannigan Mcnash"]
[member="Alkor Centaris"] [member="Atheus"]

 

[Jynx]

[member="Xalus"] | [member="Flannigan Mcnash"]

She had her gear. The sounds of the crowd was getting louder as the gate slowly opened. No time for second thoughts.
Or maybe just one more thing...

Jynx quickly issued a command on her remote. Her droid hovering over, knocking over some unlucky guard and sending a string of expletives her way. She bent down rummaging through the mobile inventory for one final piece of protection - just in case. A simple durasteel helmet, it won't stop concussive blows but at least nothing(hopefully) was going through her head - save for the eye holes of course.

Jynx drew her blade glinting against the light, still keeping that metal rod on her belt and stepped onto the sand.

Now where's my opponent

 

[Acaleus Thorn]

A thought flashed through his mind when he saw his left arm bleeding and dropping blood on the floor. Well two thoughts. One was that his left arm would be put of the game for at least a week, praying that the doctor wouldnt have to cut it off. The second thought came with the fact that he wouldnt use it later on a next fight, if they even let him fight in that state.

The foot was directed to the chest, and from that close with the impulse forward that would mean a broken rib. Acaleus used his only good hand to grab the leg, but couldnt stop the impact. It hit directly and a crack was heard. That put Acaleus on his knees, but he smiled trying to resist the pain "The future of you leg is in my hands" the wrist lightsaber pointed dangerously at the middle of it, at it only could be turn on by a movement of the wrist. Black dots started to appear on Acaleus vision, as he was about to faint.

[member="Michael Shado"]

 

[Flannigan Mcnash]

"It only takes one blow to become a killing blow, these two duellists are in the heat of their prime. Now a little history on these two combatants [member="Atheus"], a mystery wrapped in a question, dusted with a light coating of secrets. This man is a ghost, a free lance Jedi, for hire. Following only his code, and that be a bloody one!" The crowd danced up and down roaring curses, throwing junk onto the battlefield, cheering, fighting for their favourites, this was the norm for the arena there would be as many if not more deaths in the stand than the arena floor. "Now his opponent is no less shrouded in history, [member="Alkor Centaris"], a man banished from his homes for crimes so unspeakable, even here in the galaxies bloodiest arena I dare not utter them. This man is a killer!"

The Rodian, shouted to life leaning over the desk slamming his fist on the table with a 'THUD' 'THUD' "Now that's what I call a fight [member="Thraxis"], [member="Michael Shado"], GIVEN it his all. Live by the sword die by the sword, and the one holding that sword seems to be [member="Acaleus Thorn"], this light wielding warrior proving it his all, but its anyone's match when-" a single number lit up on the score board, its bold head standing tall pronouncing itself, it said it was there.

---​

​

He stood meeting [member="Lady Kay"], at the stairs to the booth. The wurr of springs and sprockets, the roar of gears as his form bending at the waist, bowing to the president of Commenor, full honours if a little bit mocking. "So good for you to join us, I feared I wouldn't have the pleasure." He moved into the booth, displaying the room with the three Hutts, and [member="Visser Chernykh"], on full display. "You know the Honourable Chernykh, of the first order." 'SNAP' the index finger ran against his palm moving against the head of the pointer finger, clicking with a dull metallic pinging sound, a slave appeared out behind the cyborg, holding aloft a tray stacked with vice and debauchery, spice, alcohol, and a single remote. "These are my gifts to you, that includes the slave. Give her a good home, I fear this one will grow crowded soon."

He sat down next to [member="Visser Chernykh"], the release of air from the cushioned surface of the lounge sounding like a dying man. "Lets make this interesting." His finger pressed down on his remote, the number lighting up on the screaem. It was time to change channel, would his fellow couch surfers agree?