When Extremes Meet

[Kruel Zing]

Kro Var, a world full of elementalists some would even say the best in the entire galaxy had ever bore witness to. I had been fluent in the arts during my original tenure of using the force when I had been at my mightiest. However, centuries of being imprisoned had slightly dampened my skills. I needed to not only build them back up to their potency they had once achieved but also ensure that I was still a threat in terms of my elemental control. The one problem with many individuals of Kro Var was how they limited themselves to only one or two elements instead of learning the entire spectrum. While ones craft is indeed honed by focusing on fewer it did in fact leave them frail in comparison to someone who had learned the same abilities to a similar magnitude along with others to back it. This had become more apparent the longer the duels went on.

“Is this the best you have?! What happened to the Kro Var’s power?! During my time not even the Sith would dare attack this planet but look at you.” Chastising the two shapers currently on the ground before me their groans slightly annoying. I hadn’t even been going full out on them and here they were groaning. Standing over them the urge to strike the beings down was strong within my heart. The temptations of the dark side telling me they were the weaker and must suffer the consequences for being such. However, that base desire was not what controlled me. I controlled myself. Offering a hand, I helped the two up. “Don’t worry you did better than most of your clan.” Patting them on their backs I sent them away where they joined the other shapers that had gathered to answer my challenge.

“Is there no true shaper that can defeat me?! Anyone?!” I shouted my voice loud and echoing off the large spires of earth that reached high into the sky. Near me was a brook that extended throughout the staging area. The location had been specifically picked to play to the advantages of any shaper that understood how to use their element. The fog grew thicker and with a wave of my hand I dispersed it. I had come looking for a challenge to truly push my skills to their limits. Where I would have to deal with a foe that couldn’t be easily overcome. There had been tales of great shapers leaving this world and becoming Sith but I discounted them till I personally witnessed these beings.

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

A challenger of the elements? Sure. However, the man was dark. His ability to control the elements was powerful. However, he thought highly of farmers. Why? These people didn't like outsiders. Even now, under the rule of the Galactic Alliance, I had tried to make a treaty with the government to keep Kro Var safe from outsiders, and let the Kro Var people come naturally unto the Galaxy. Not be forced into it. Like my brother and myself have been. While the current elder Cabal of the planet is on the other side of the world, Many here knew the Imura family.

We were born and bread for fire. However, both my brother and I learned much more than shaping. I smiled lightly as I stood off to the side behind the man as a crowd had gathered. Watching those who wished to fight this man, and prove they were better. However, the man didn't kill the farmers and laborers of the planet. He let them live, and gave them another day to live. Rather kind of a man who was filled with the Dark side.

"Please tell me yelling isn't your greatest art? Or should I be more worried about your pride?"

Snarky and condescending as always. I had been hiding my force signature. Have been for a long time. I wanted to live as a normal man. Lexa back at home with my child. This fool wanted a fight. So I would give it to him.

"What you see here, stays here. Understood Sith?"

Moving up to the little stage that had been fabricated for any fighter, I currently wore a odd looking long jacket. I stretched my arms a little before I rolled my head with the sounds of my neck popping slightly. Knees bent, hands out wide, and gripping empty air, I kept my head down. Focusing, for it was years since I have used the force. Smirking as I lifted my head, my hands ignited into flames. Unlike most Kro Var farmers, they had yet to master creating flames from the force alone.

I could. In fact, I could alter my flames to burn hot. I could alter the flames to act like plasma. Burning and melting through everything.

"Your move."

[member="Nomar"],

 

[Kruel Zing]

“Well I can’t speak for what you may have heard, but it is one of my greatest arts actually.” I didn’t take what the new arriving Shaper took as an offense nor did I think he’d catch on to the actual meaning of the words. If he did he’d know what to expect if he were to fight me. Of course this man’s true name was not lost to me. I had heard the rumors about others from Kro Var, those that had went off to become powerful Sith that rivaled the best of the Jedi. It had been during my studies of the more recent Galactic Events that I had learned about this figure his appearance having given him away, and he is why I had come to this planet. The one who could offer myself a true challenge had arrived at long last.

“I wouldn’t dream of selling out anyone on this world, I may be of the darkside but it doesn’t mean I don’t have loyalty.” I said making my way to the opposite side of the arena. Between me and Nick Imura was four meters of space. Easily enough for us to fight each other and utilize our abilities. As the other darksider finally revealed his abilities I felt his strength in the force. Now this would be a real challenge, the flames that covered his hands said enough. I was fighting a Shaper of true skill.

“Well then I guess let’s do this.” I was surprised that he hadn’t taken a stance himself, but I did so entering a common Shockboxing stance. My left foot was forward while my right was back the toe aligned with the heel of my left foot. With a slight angle in my stance I had my left arm up to protect my core. Right hand up near my cheek I threw one fast paced jab. From above one of the spires of earth broke free of its perch flying at Nick as though a missile, not stopping there my right foot slid forward my stance switching to the opposite side and from beneath Nick the ground beneath him would shift to trap his leg.

[member="Nick Imura"]

 

[Garza]

My first was a jest at him challenging anyone to face him. He had mopped the floor with all the other contestants who thought about fighting him. Even more so when they were barely reaching an adult life. I remembered then. How I would have challenged anyone in that time. Hell, as an apprentice I fought a Jedi Master. Still remembering that as I had broken my knee, and was asked about my arm. That was the past. Here in the present, I wanted to show this man that not all of us are powerful, nor do we need to use such abilities.

The Kro Var use the powers as a form of employment. They use it to help themselves, to train to protect themselves, and nothing more. They were not powerful. They were not hungry for more strength. They wanted to live. Yet this man didn't understand. I wanted to teach him, that even the most powerful of the Shapers, could live a normal, human life if they choose.

I smirked as the man called for us to do this. His agreement to not release information was the best I could do for now. There was a reason why I stayed here at home. A reason for why I fought so much for Kro Var. My people. They may have resented me, but the respect me for how much I have done to try and right my wrongs. As a pillar shot out towards me, Earth Shaping, I smiled. The flames in my hands dissipating as I flipped backwards away from the smashing pillar. As it broke apart into the ground, I reached forward. Grabbing onto it and throwing it all back towards the man.

Even as the arm of earth began to grab at my leg, I poured flames down my leg. Solid rock dried and began to crumble as it was trying to reach for my leg. My off hand was held out. Fingers wide and trying to grasp for the man, only to close down. The air around the man shifted and started to swirl. It could disorient him, rip his clothing, or even more so rip him from the ground and send him flying. How he dealt with it, I would love to see.

[member="Nomar"],

 

[Kruel Zing]

It was so good to see another competent Shaper, one that could actually fight and predict the moves that were coming or was it just that the man before me just had such fast reflexes? Did he possibly use the environment like myself as an early warning system? Whether or not he did didn’t take away from his skill of dodging my attack. With the pillar of earth shattering on the ground I felt the seismic wave it emitted going through the base of my feet. Welcoming the large chunks of stone my arms spread out to my side. Legs spreading slightly, I begun a graceful spin taking the rocks back under my control.

Influenced by my will the rocks circled around myself compressing together and simultaneously I began to heat them. The temperature would instantly jump too unbearable for one who did not know how to control their own body. It would almost be like swimming through a pool of molten lava. With the heat from the compression of the stones and my own fireshaping what had once been rubble from the pillar was now a thick liquid. Lava, chunks of stone were still apparent in the body of the liquid constantly shifting.

The heat I had used to form the stones to lava had been enough to create something akin to a heat lens. The problem with air and fire is that if the air around one was heated up enough that the air would become thinner. Thus the air that that had been summoned to send me whirling backwards became only enough to push me back a step but I went with it. My movements switching from a boxing stance to more of a dance I controlled the lava with the elegance of a flag twirler. Bringing my right arm down it formed a whip that lashed directly at where [member="Nick Imura"] was standing. With a swing of my left a second whip broke off from the first swinging in a crescent shape to cut off the shapers escape. This is what I had been wanting for so long. A real challenge, to test myself. The creation of lava was an ability I had been forced to learn on my own and often times it was a shocker to most people.

 

[Garza]

I smiled brightly as the man brought the rocks around. Even as they neared him, I could see them slowly melt and come under his control. The air barely buffing him in the slightest extent. As they were coming around, I stood there. No powers visible. Not even straying from my spot. The whips of lava came flicking down at me. Only, I wanted them too.

Reaching out with my right hand, Snatching out to my left side, Catching the whip. The impact from lava hurt my hand, but otherwise, I was fine. My hand ignited into a flame. Holding the whip, I yanked it to my right. Ripping a portion off of the whip to smack into the second one. Fire was my life. Fire was in my blood. Fire was my name. I brought my hands together on the left side, still holding the broken portion of the whip in my hand, It condensed for a moment, and was fired at the man.

As it soared between is in the open air, my right hand whipped behind me for a moment, Grabbing onto the water around me, and sent is spiraling in a spear towards the man. This seemed more like a battle of altering the elements we were throwing at one another. However, that would soon change. I had an idea of what I would for this man, but that would depend on how he would deal with a molten blast of lava followed by a spear of water coming for him.

[member="Nomar"]