Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 11, 2018 18:44:53 GMT -8
Korriban: Eternal Pyre
The opponents find themselves on opposite sides of the Eternal Pyre, a monument that has seen the consumption of hundreds of Dark Lords and thousands of lesser Sith in a a fiery blaze upon its altar. Shaped as a ziggarat with stairs on all four faces leading up to the flat platform at the top, with sharp stone spears raising at the corners and an altar in the center. Fight well, for the loser's corpse is next to be fed to the flames.
Rules: Standard, state weapons in first post.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 13, 2018 8:25:36 GMT -8
Luxeria made her way up the steps of the ziggarat at a casual pace, forest green eyes fixed to the burning flame at the summit. She could not explain the reasons she had come to this place, only knew that she needed to be here. Upon reaching the top, she stopped a few paces in, letting herself lean to her right as she normally did. Her right hand rested on hip, more on her single lightsaber than normal. It was almost as if she would need its aid and wished to be ready. The light of the flames danced in the reflection of the elegant black chrome and crimson hilt. As she shifted her weight, she felt the movement of the orbs divided between the two pouches latched to her legs. One on each side, each held three, two inch purple phrik orbs granting her the total of six, a weapon most never saw coming, nor fully understood how to defend against.
The wind blew from behind her, causing her auburn hair to reach out for the flames, almost seeming to blend in color as the sought to connect with them. She had come to Korriban once before, years ago. After defeating her master, Darth Malvus, she moved about the galaxy in sort of a pilgrimage, seeking out worlds connected to the Dark-Side. She wished to connect to it and become one with it as well as adapt to the overwhelming power it held. All held for the single purpose of being capable of standing before Viox Savage should he ever use the full depth of his power before her. She hoped that by doing so she wouldn't be consumed and collapse under his presence, especially if they ever fought. But in all of this, Korriban had shown her nothing of value, no reason to ever return. So why was she here now? And why was it to this very place, the place where Dark Lords, lesser Sith, even slaves were burned, that she was called? All she could do is wait patiently and hope the answers would be revealed to her.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 14, 2018 4:34:45 GMT -8
Korriban; no matter how hard Andor tried to stay away from his homeworld, the Force always called him back.
The wind blew hot air through his white hair as he climbed stair by stair up the steps to the pinnacle of the Eternal Pyre. Something was here... something that the Force tasked Andor with finding. His black cloak was in a frenzy as it flapped through the air, his footsteps drowned out by the howl of the wind. Andor took a breath, feeling his lungs expanded, his body a constant conduit of the energies of the Dark Side of the Force. He honed his senses on his target, and realized it was not an object he was looking for, but a person... a person that Andor had not seen in years.
"I must admit, I wasn't expecting to find you here." Andor's voice was ice, soudning like a mere whisper, but strikingly resiliant as it cut through the howl of the wind. *
*Luxeria, his former apprentice stood before him as the Dark Lord quickly did a mental check of the equipment he had brought with him. As Andor was a creature of habit, he brought nothing out of the ordinary. His two lightsabers hidden beneath the sleeves of his crimson tunic, his DC-15 blaster pistol strapped to his right hip, and a thermal detonator in a small black pouch strapped to his belt in the small of his back. His stance was relaxed, but his mind ready for anything, processing the situation and knowing that there was only once reason the Force would bring a Sith Master and a Sith Apprentice to this sacred place.*
*He stopped on the opposite side of the altar, its surface stained with the blood of thousands of sarcifices and rituals. It seemed that blood would be spilled on it once again.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 14, 2018 13:35:24 GMT -8
As Luxeria stood there, eyes fixed upon the flames, a sensation began to rise within her mind. Slowly it grew, defining itself as a presence. Another had come to this place as well. Quite a coincidence, if one believed that sort of thing. Closing her eyes, she tried shaping the presence, grasping who and what it was. The first thing that took shape was the darkness. It resided within the Dark-Side comfortably, most likely another Sith. Then came its strength. Powerful, shaped and refined through years of experience and training. It wasn't much longer before familiarity began to set it. It struck her as odd as it seemed to become clearer the closer it came.
~No, it can't be. It's been too long for it to be him. It's not possible.~
But it was. As much as her thoughts tried to tell her otherwise, it was him. It was only further confirmed by the sound of his voice. "Nor did I expect you." Her eyes opened slowly to gaze at Andor through the flames. "It seems fate wasn't done with us."
Memories came rushing back as she looked at the man. It was he who she had run into on Kuat. He was the answer to her questions, to teach her the ways of the Force and the Dark-Side. It took no time before their relationship came to life: master and apprentice. But it was short lived. Only six months or so had she been under his tutelage before departing his presence. He had become focused up the new order he created: the Order of Ruin. With each new Sith that arrived came new resources and new missions. Before long, her training had nearly stopped all together as his attention was always elsewhere. Unable to accept stagnation, she left Thule in search of another master, which she found in Darth Malvus In those few years, she had become a full fledged Sith under his guidance.
She couldn't help but smirk at the thought. If it had been Andor as her master, she'd still be an apprentice, unable to take the new rank until he was dead before her. Those were some of his first words to her. But it had not been the case with her most recent master. With the creation of the Blackguard and a new Sith order focused on unification, killing the master only hindered its growth. So it was through trials and missions, some of the most difficult she ever faced, that she was granted her position. Still, her path had still led her here. Face to face with her first master once more, perhaps the Force wished for the closure of their relationship in the way it was stated years ago. However, she'd wait and see what Andor thought before making a move. Perhaps there would be nothing but words spoken before another parting of ways.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 14, 2018 15:23:34 GMT -8
"So it would seem." The Sith Lord smiled, "You showed power. You showed promise with limitless potential to manipulate the Force and to bend it to your will. Yet, when you confronted it, you backed away from it. You ran away." Andor's voice dripped with malice, infused with the darkside, seeking to stir Luxeria's emotions with his words in a technique known to most as Dun Moch.
"You are a failure."
Andor's right hand, having been innocently at his side, blurred as it removed the DC-15 blaster pistol from it's holster. His finger tensed, pulling the metal trigger three times in rapid succession, sending three crimson bolts screaming for Luxeria's torso. He began to close the distance, keeping the altar between himself and his former apprentice as he fired off another two shots.*
*Andor opened his mind to the darkside, siphoning off the fears, pains, and anger of his past. His breathing became quicker, and more shallow, his pulse rapidly increasing as he succumbed himself to the will of the Darkside, letting his instinct take charge. His empty left hand twitched with anticipation, yearning to call his lightsaber into action...
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 14, 2018 17:54:58 GMT -8
In an instant of words and actions, the answer of what to come was revealed. They would fight it out upon this alter. The circle would be closed this day. A fitting end, to be sure. Defeat to both her masters and prove she herself and superior power. When defeating Malvus, it was about it proving to be equals. For Andor, she’d gladly see herself as the better of the two. He would see just how far she had come since the days with him.
There was no time to truly process and respond to his words. In the blink of an eye, streaks of red came towards her. No time to remove her lightsaber, the only option was to dodge. Letting the Force flow through her, she ran off her instinct. Using the Force, she jumped into a shallow backflip, high enough to evade the bolts from the blaster, yet she only went far enough to land before the edge of the step. As she landed two more streaks of red cane at her. Time still short, she threw her hand out to her side as she redirected the Force in front of her in a shimmering shield, effectively blocking them.
Smirking, she shook her head as the bits of smoke cleared. "Ran away? No, I left a pathetic teacher. In those first days, you showed me what I could be, but you couldn’t deliver. Had to take a second apprentice to train with to cover up what you couldn’t do. But I found a master worthy of their title and power, someone who didn’t just show and talk, but proved their power. Now I stand far above what I could have ever done under you." She let a mock laugh come from her lips. "You are a disgrace to the title of Sith. The Order of Ruin? Ruin is right considering there’s nothing left it. Not even a footnote, soon to completely forgotten to time." Mental games such as these would do nothing to affect her. Then again, she doubted it affect him either. But it never hurt to play the game and see what could happen.
She then let the Force flow forward in a light push that felt more like a heavier wind than an actual Force Push. It blew through the fire, blow up embers at her old master.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 15, 2018 8:17:40 GMT -8
Andor and Luxeria could banter all day, throwing insults uselessly back and forth. Andor knew how to use his anger, and how to harness its power, but he never let it consume him, never let it morph into blind fury.*
"Pathetic indeed, thinking you would actually prove to be useful." He sneered, mimicing Luxeria's mock laugh, his voice unsettleingly high pitched.
There was a shift in the Force and Andor felt a slight pressure push against his chest as the howling wind seemed to suddenly shift direction, fanning the flames in his direction. He halted his approach and raised his left arm, shielding his face with his cloaked sleeve. Glowing embers peppered his cloaked body, causing it to smoke and singe. Small holes in his left sleeve emerged to reveal his prosthetic arm, it's cortosis lined surface unscathed from the heat. The left side of his cloak was smoking, the smoke twirling into the air before dissapating in the strong wind, giving Andor an even more devilish appearance... The man on fire.*
*Andor's hood had fallen off his head in the gust of wind, revealing his skeletal and pale face, with his white hair gently moving in the wind as if it was a creature of its own. He smiled exposing his fang-like teeth.
*Her presence in the Force was strong, and Andor knew she had purposefully held back, only seeking to influence the wind. She was testing the waters, trying to find a way to penetrate her former Master's defenses.*
*Andor, on the other hand, instead of trying to poke around, decided he'd just kick the door down.*
*He lunged forward with his left foot, dropping into a low stance and throwing all his weight forward as he planted himself fimrly into the ground. As he fell into his low stance, his hands also moved forward his palms touching but his fingers pointing apart from each other. The Force push erupted from his body, a massive, invisible wall of energy barrelling towards his opponent. The embers of the fire exploded as they were sent flying towards Luxeria, leaving an orange trail in their wake.*
*Because of her evasive backflip, Andor had noticed Luxeria had positioned herself close to the edge of the ziggarat. Now he intended to capatalize it and knock her over the edge.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 15, 2018 13:42:51 GMT -8
Luxeria gave of a faint, yet agitated scoff as Andor began laughing, making a mockery of her own attempts to insult him. In just a few words, all was said that could remotely be used in driving each other to anger or dissolution of their wills. The end result was wasted breath, both warriors beyond the reach of such petty influences of the mind. There might be a point that either of them could utilize their mind games, but for now, it would be a direct fight.
From where she stood, she saw that the bits of the embers caught Andor's cloak, causing a slight burn marks and holes, but otherwise no damage was bestowed upon him. She knew that the games would have to come to an end if any headway was to be made in this battle, a sentiment Andor seemed to already be feeling. In the blink of an eye, the man made his move, moving a bit forward before returning Luxeria's gesture, a more powerful push of the Force. The embers didn't simply fly at her, but burst into bits of flame as they encroached upon her space. All she could do in the moment was bring her arms up in front of her face to protect her eyes. She felt the burning sensation cover her arms for a split moment before the push hit her, knocking her back and over the edge of the platform.
Her arms moved from her face as she felt the ground disappear behind her as began moving through the air a bit, soon plummeting down to the stairs. Able to twist her body, she landed face down on the stairs, arms providing some defense. The momentum caused her to roll down a few before she was able to catch herself. Letting forth a slightly pained and frustrated breath from her clenched teeth, she looked back up to the top where she once was. She gave a shake of her head as she slowly pushed herself to her feet.
Brushing off any remnant flames, she looked her shirt over, already seeing burnt marks and holes in it and her pants. As simple as it was, she rather like this outfit. Rolling her shoulders, her gazed returned upwards as she let the small amount of pain subside. If there was one thing she gained from Andor's training, it was the beginning stages of how to endure pain. Compared to a barrage of Force Lightning, this little stumble was merely an agitation. Still, the games were over.
Moving back up the steps to the summit, she let the six orbs in her two pouches slip out by aid of the Force. The moved up her back out of sight as she reached the top once again to face her old master. It would be short lived, but with them ready, it was possible to get a surprise attack on him. Through the flames, she looked at Andor, her eyes shifting from the forest green to a burning orange as she let the Dark-Side flow through her. The last he ever knew, her eyes had turned red when she used the power of the darkness. The change in color signified her control over it. "Enough of the bullshit, Andor. Let's get this over with." She wondered if her calling him by name would spur him on, but wasn't going to bank on it as the six orbs shot out from behind her back without any movement from her hands. They came at him from different directions and a swift speeds. Her Telekinesis had improved greatly over the years. The power of her mind could confront the strikes of stronger foes and could be wrestled away like her used to do to her when she used her orbs. And being made of Phrik, he'd find more than few surprises to come from their use.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 15, 2018 17:02:54 GMT -8
Andor smiled as he watched his former apprentice get knocked backwards and disappear over the cliff. Keep his senses honed on Luxeria's presence in the force, he was reward with emotions of pain and frustration. Like a tick, he siphoned off of her pain, letting it fuel his body.
*Andor began to move forward, closing the distance between himself and where Luxeria had fallen, when she appeared once more and tried to coax Andor into a blind fury once again. Andor let the words roll off his shoulder as he began to draw on the Force again. As he did so, he noticed the air around Luxeria briefly shimmered as the sunlight reflected off the phrygia orbs as they began their assault.*
*Andor didn't have time to think, allowing his instincts to fire his blaster at his apprentice yet again, but this time, from a much closer distance... Almost within range of a melee weapon. As the crimson bolt screamed forth, Andor knew it would require the utmost concentration, even for the strongest, most skilled Force-wielder, to maintain a telekinetic attack while attempting to avoid getting shot in the chest.*
*He dove forward into a roll, letting the orbs pass harmlessly above him, yet close enough for Andor to hear the air hiss as they passed by. As Andor began to come out of his roll, he was within striking distance of his opponent. Being a master practitioner of the fourth and most acrobatic form of lightsaber combat, Ataru, Andor used his forward momentum to turn into a counter-clockwise spinning, extending his right leg out in an attempt to sweep his opponent's legs out from underneath her. He pointed his pistol upward at Luxeria, and fired another shot at point blank range, hoping to end the fight before it even truly started.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 15, 2018 17:40:21 GMT -8
Her focus directed upon Andor, she was ready for a coming attack. He had proved his speed and instincts for attacks before, giving her a little bit of insight on how to approach him. While the full extent of what he could still laid outside her knowledge, knowing he’d make an attack simultaneously with her own, if not a moment before.
And he did not disappoint. With her focus upon Andor and it’s tie to her attacks, she had to choose to stay on the offensive or defend herself. It wasn’t a hard decision. Her orbs came to a halt as he made is attack, simply floating where they were. She was more than capable enough to let hang there while dodging attacks.
As the bolt flew at her, she let her body shift, turning so that her right shoulder faced out while leaning to her right. The bolt was close as she could sworn she caught quick faint smell of singed hair. But it wasn’t all Andor had planned for her, just it wasn’t all she could keep up with. As his sweep came, her turning upper body put her in the perfect position to begin tucking herself as she performed an aerial cartwheel over his sweep.
Partially out of instinct led by the Force at his next attack, partially out of the flow of her own movements, she dropped down into nearly a full crouch as her feet touched the ground, letting her spin on her right foot to her left, making her own sweeping kick her left foot only aimed higher for his head.
Coming around to face the man, she brought her right hand down, not in an attack, but a summoning as she shot all six orbs from thier hanging positions to his position on the ground.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 15, 2018 18:02:20 GMT -8
As Luxeria disappeared above him, Andor continued his counter-clockwise spin, turning 180 degrees to once again put his opponent at his 12 o'clock position as her feet touched the ground. Andor planted his feet firmly into the ground, his left foot behind his right, and his right shoulder facing Luxeria. Immediately, Andor's moved to intercept his opponent's kick, his left hand catching her leg in mid-air with the inhuman strength of his prosthetic arm. The sudden jolt from the impact of Luxeria's kick on his hand, activated his neuro-shock hand. If Luxeria was unable to avoid Andor's grab, she would find herself in a precarious situation: one that would render her left leg paralyzed due to that portion of her nervous system being shut down.*
*Andor's right hand shot forward, hoping to press the barrel of his blaster pistol into Luxeria's gut as he pulled the trigger yet again, pressing the offense in an attempt to keep Luxeria from regrouping and using those cursed orbs of hers.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 16, 2018 13:18:44 GMT -8
Despite how fast she had become, no matter how quick her reflexes were, there was no avoiding what came next. Had she stuck to simple evasion, she could have saved herself the coming hindrance. However, she had pushed forward with some offense, hoping to take control of the battle, only to be followed by consequence. But what could be done when every attempt came a risk of failure?
As her kick came around, aiming for where she believed Andor's head to be, her head turned a little behind her rotation, catching too late what her leg was heading towards. She was fully aware of his arm and what it could do. She had seen it before. All she could have done was whatever she could to avoid it while pressing on in the battle. But here at the beginning was her encounter. Unable to stop and redirect her kick, all she could do was slow it down in a feeble attempt to lessen the impact and hope to not set off his arm. Yet, fate was not kind in her hopes as she she made impact with solid force and a quick pain shot up her leg before no longer feeling anything.
The pain of the shock, the realization of what happened, the frustration of her own absentmindedness, and the anger she felt for Andor erupted through her as all her focus shifted to Andor. Her control over her orbs disappeared in this redirection, two falling off the side of the summit and out of sight while the other four remained scattered about, one close to the flames. In that split instant of her impact and surge of emotions, she directed the Force through her, blending these elements together into a powerful Force Push, point blank at him, most of her hand aimed at his head as he pulled up his blaster to fire on her.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 16, 2018 16:47:14 GMT -8
Andor grinned viciously as he felt his former apprentice become blinded by her pain, her frustration, and her anger, lapping it up like a dog drinking out of its water bowl. Her aura in the darkside exploded, as the power surged from her body and Andor felt a sudden pressure against the front of his head, the hairs on the back of his neck standing erect.*
*But the attack was quick, it was strong, and the distance between the two combatants was so minimal, Andor had an insufficient amount of time to react. His head snapped back, as he was clotted by the Force Push. The impact was strong, like taking a frying pan to the face. The Sith Lord's feet left the ground as he was sent backwards... but this was where Luxeria's fury had blinded her.*
*As Andor's body left the ground, his neuro-shock hand still held Luxeria's foot in its grasp. His grip has hard as steel, reinforced by the strength of the robotic hand, Andor pulled at Luxeria's leg as he was sent sprawling backwards, the sheer power of the assault strong enough to hopefully rip Luxeria's leg from her body, infusing the muscles in his arm with darkside to garner more strength. *
*The wind howled in Andor's ears as he tumbled onto the ground, falling head over heals onto the hard surface. His breath escaped him as a sharp pain shot through his head as it knocked against the floor. He lay there, momentarily stunned, his vision clouded.... and hopefully with a severed leg in his hand.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 17, 2018 14:15:11 GMT -8
If there was one thing Andor would never had anticipated from her years of training was who she got it from. She had learned from many, master and fellow apprentices alike. But there was one, who showed her a different way of thinking, a different way of being prepared. Gavin Phoenix had come to Iridonia's academy, teaching the students there in new ways outside the thinking of the Sith. From enhancing their evasive, defensive, and offensive abilities, to refining their control over the Force, his goal had been to shape warriors none had ever seen from the Sith. But it wasn't all. Select few gained even further training of the mind and spirit. One such case was teaching them to be in control of their emotions. For this moment, her anger. He had taught her and others to hold control over their anger by putting them in constant scenarios of unimaginable anger, more than they'd feel in any normal case. Along side overcoming and building a higher tolerance of pain, it made them powerful and nearly unmovable in such cases. The difference here was the sudden shock of pain. She had learned that despite all that training, this was a moment of instinct and was the hardest to fully take control of. But through it, blinded was far from what she was.
Luxeria's position to unleash her push would have turned her to almost completely face Andor, her right foot bent under her as her balance point. As the push was unleashed, she saw his grip to be unwavering, if not increasing. With this, she pushed off with her foot as Andor went flying in order to keep herself intact. It would do little to save her from landing on the ground. She took hold of his clothes just to keep herself close enough to him so not to be thrown and still risk losing her leg. Her focus and faint preparation was all that kept her from being stunned, much less losing consciousness.
There was little time as she pushed herself up to a seated position. With Andor stunned and her on top of him, there was no way she couldn't defeat him. Unleash a barrage of lightning upon him until he fried, unleash a blast from a Force Burst at his chest or head, suffocate him with a Force Choke, or crush his body with Force Crush. So many options right at her fingertips, having more than enough time. But something inside kept her from doing so. A mistake, she knew, that could very well cost her. But she chose to focus on breaking free from Andor's grip and gaining distance to recover as he did so as well. She might have remained upright, but tumbling over the ground with that force was more than enough to scramble the mind and inflict some damage, even for her old master.
Looking at the metal arm, she directed her attention to the fingers, reaching towards them with fingers curled as she manipulated the Force around each digit before prying it open. When she was able to free herself, she drug herself away before pushing herself to her feet and using the Force to aid her jump, though, at best, it gave her about ten feet. Once her good foot touched the ground, her body fell onto itself. She pushed herself up to a half seated position as her breaths slowly started to become heavier. From there, she simply watched and waited for the man to rise.
She cursed herself for not finishing him off. What was it that kept her from it? Was it some sense of honor? No, there was nothing of the sort for him. He wasn't Malvus, who she fought face to face under the guise of killing him only to bring out his full power, though she had no intention of it. Here she held no qualm for taking his life. So why? Taking a deep breath, her mind began to clear as understanding set in. No matter who she faced, she desired to face them out right. While deception and sneak attacks were a part of battle, to kill an unconscious man gave her no sense of advancement or achievement. He was defenseless, just as if he were sleeping. Killing him was easy. To prove to no one but herself she had what it took, she had to end his life with him up, overcome his defenses with her power. Otherwise, it was all for naught, not a warrior but a simple murderer.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 19, 2018 6:54:51 GMT -8
Everything had happened so fast, but as Andor sat up he realized he had time to reflect. Every second Luxeria hesitated to attack, was a mistake.*
*Andor's head throbbed, but with each breath he took, the pain subsided. He had been thrown backwards, and somehow, Luxeria had latched herself onto him and traveled the distance with him. Luxeria hadn't pried Andor's hand open, but Andor had simply let go from being dazed by the impact. His blaster pistol was lost, having skidded over the edge of the ziggarat.*
*As Andor's concentration began to return, and his vision focused, he found Luxeria sitting on the ground about ten feet away, her breathing much heavier than the Dark Lord's. He could sense pain, anger.... and arrogance. Andor couldn't help but chuckle.*
*Only a few seconds had passed before the Dark Lord climbed to his feet, brushing off his smoldering black cloak, letting it fall limply to the ground. Immediately, his body felt lighter, more agile. Even with the heavy cloak on, Andor's speed had nearly overwhelmed the female who sat before him. But now, without it, it had the same results one might find if they trained with ankle weights and then removed them.*
*Andor's right hand twitched, releasing the black hilt of his lightsaber from the brace on his forearm. The cool metallic hilt slide down his skin and underneath his crimson sleeve as it fell into his open palm, igniting with an all-too-familiar snap-hiss. Before the blade had even fully extended, Andor broke into a direct sprint, his steps infused with Force Speed. Andor was almost invisible as he crossed the ten foot span in a matter of four strides, bearing down on Luxeria hopefully before she had the chance to stand up with her single good leg. Andor was on her like a lion on a wounded antelope, his crimson blade coming up in a strong two-handed grip from his right hip to his left shoulder, and then returning in a following downward slash from right shoulder to left hip. If Luxeria was still on the ground, which seemed likely, she would find the blade seeking to slash through her right kidney, up to her left shoulder, before coming diagonally back down on the right side of her neck all the way down to her heart.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 19, 2018 13:51:58 GMT -8
The time Luxeria spent sitting on the ground was split between two things: Focusing herself and channeling, while overcoming, the pain flowing through as well as watching Andor. She knew that once he was up, the chances that he'd come at her full force was an almost certainty. For that, she needed to be ready to move the instant he started to stir. She knew that things were going to get harder now that her left leg was out of commission. There was no telling if she regain control of it or if it was gone for good. However, it was a moot point because right now, it was useless and dead weight. She had half a mind to cut it off herself so that it wouldn't flop around in her movements.
When she saw Andor finally stir, her breathing, while still a bit heavy, had lightened a little bit and her pain was nearly out of mind. She had to use every form of focus and power enhancement she could get out of this battle to ensure she made it out alive. The one time she left her bangle containing a Dantari crystal behind was one of the times she truly needed it. Once again, another moot point in the end. As Andor pushed himself to his feet, she did so as well, shifting all her weight onto her right foot. While Gavin had trained the Blackguard Sith to master their balance and even had them train with particular limbs tied up or immobilized for such occasions as this, being down a foot was still going to be difficult. She cursed under her breath for multiple things, for lacking the foresight to predict the use of his hand, that it wasn't an arm instead, but was thankful it wasn't her right.
As she stood straight, Andor did as well and was already moving in for his next attack, seeking to take hold of his advantages: her lost leg, her suggested level of pain, her seemingly lacking focus. As his saber came to life and made its first strike against her, Luxeria's hand was moving to her hilt at her right side. Pulling up hard, she ignited it, the purple blade emerging to meet and deflect Andor's strike. Its path never changed, merely angled back enough to miss her body due to the impact of the two blades. As her lightsaber moved into the air, it seemed she was in the perfect path for blocking him in his first attempts as she brought the saber back down, turning it almost parallel to the ground, blade pointing over her shoulder. She let her body lean slightly to her right as her left hand took hold of the hilt as well when Andor's blade met her's a second time, now held in a block. She used the lean to compensate for her left leg unable to hold her, letting the pressure direct itself in a single line from the angled strike.
She knew, however, that she couldn't afford to be held in any block for long. She could be easily overpowered in her current state or even tripped up just the same. Both legs allowed her her perfect shifting balance and that was gone. Any block she found herself in needed to be redirected quickly in some way. Truly, she'd being having to use her Makashi form at its highest level of mastery, if not higher. Deflection, balance, grace, and precision would see her through so long as she could keep balanced and moving on her single leg. She had other abilities that could compensate for her loss, but didn't want to use them until absolutely necessary.
Not wasting the seconds to give Andor the chance to stay on the offensive, her left hand slipped off her hilt, sliding underneath both his hands with their two handed grip and unleashed a barrage of magenta colored Force Lightning a few inches from his heart all the while keeping part of her focus on his left hand so as to not be hit with the neuro-shock a second time.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 19, 2018 19:49:10 GMT -8
*As Andor attacked, a smile broke across his thin, red lips. Endgame.*
*Throughout the course of the battle, Andor had easily controlled the pace in which the two combatants had danced. And this was something that he was damn set on continuing... There was no way he'd let Luxeria start taking charge. Even before Andor had begun his attack, he had already mentally prepared a sequence of attacks. Decades of training, honing muscle memory, and memorizing sequences allowed Andor to rely on instinct when dueling an opponent.*
*Andor's blade clashed against and above Luxeria's, about neck height. Luxeria had managed to directly block his strike, which ultimately proved to be advantageous for Andor. As the blades clashed, Andor's feet left the ground. As he jumped, Andor used his weight and the momentum of his strike, to use Luxeria's fixed blade as a focal point, using it to push himself higher into the air, a lot like a gymnast would use a horse. His body front flipped and then twisted over Luxeria, landing at her 6'oclock position, his body already facing her. With only one functional leg, Andor knew Luxeria would be slower in having to turn 180 degrees to meet him.*
*Without giving her the chance to turn and with no hesitation, Andor moved into Luxeria's guard, as he continued to press the offense. His attack relied on speed more than power as his crimson blade (held in his right hand) came across horizontally from his left to right (Luxeria's right to left) in an attempt to bisect the girl at the waist. Andor's left arm shot forward as his right arm passed by, a second black hilt emerging from his sleeve, the blade igniting as the Sith Lord thrust it forward at Luxeria's sternum. Andor lunged forward with his left foot, their two bodies practically touching, knowing the thrust would pierce Luxeria's chest before it was even fully extended, giving her only a microsecond to react.*
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Luxeria
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“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
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Post by Luxeria on May 20, 2018 13:05:56 GMT -8
Once their blades met the second time, they both moved in time with each other, equally as swift in their actions. Due to this, as effective as her attack could have been, it meant nothing if he was keeping as mobile as she wished she could be.
As she stretched her hand out, unleashing her lightning, Andor was already jumping over her, streaks passing inches under his feet. Cursing under her breath, she turned her head to see the coming attack. She could have turned fast enough to met his blade, despite being on one foot. However, be it a small hope or even a pivot, he wouldn't be able to establish enough balance again before his strike. So she did all she could do in the moment: evade. Catching the path of his blade, she leaned forward and crouched down, letting the blade to pass over her. The very moment it passed, she leapt forward with the Force. Having had the moment to focus herself before jumping back into the fight, her mind and strength had returned well enough to make better jumps, even with her single foot. In this, she gained just enough height to avoid the thrust as he stepped out in attempt to keep her from escaping.
She let herself flip, twisting in the air so that she would face Andor again when she landed, her body going down into a full crouch as she did, using her hands to keep herself upright. She had hoped to keep this up for a bit longer before resorting to her next abilities, yet he was utilizing the full depth of his Ataru form. Even with Force Speed, she'd be hard pressed to keep up with movements as he'd move around her in an acrobatic display. On the ground, even using her Makashi form wouldn't grant her enough grace to keep dodging. Further more, her state hindered, if not eliminated, her ability use both the Ataru and Soresu forms. That left Shii Cho, but ran into the same issue of not being capable of keeping up. She had no choice and she need to stop keeping her reserves. As much as she wished to show just how far she had come by beating Andor in a straight fight, the fact as he intended to kill her and wouldn't show her the same concessions. She had to let go of her pride in this fight if she wanted to survive, she had to utilize the full depth of her own power and stop waiting for the opportune moment. She was not in the condition for that.
Taking a breath, something else came to her mind, something that the terrain offered her. She'd attempt it first. Jumping again, she let the flames of the fire separate them again. Here she focused on two of her abilities: Pyrokinesis and Alter Environment. Already having the fire made her work that much easier as she focused on the blaze, letting the Force run through it, causing it to surge. As this was happening, she was manipulating the area around them. Normally, she used Alter Environment to create mist to hide her movements. That technique was useless here, but the wind was plentiful. And with it blowing already, she just had to increase it. She gathered the force in the air, forced it to spin over the flames. She worked further, turning the flames and wind into a flaming tornado that she worked to keep building as she navigated it towards Andor, hoping to catch him inside.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on May 20, 2018 18:31:30 GMT -8
Andor could sense his opponent's desperation, as she hastily evaded his attack, giving ground to increase herself from the Sith's onslaught. It was obvious that she would not be able to defend herself in close combat, and she was smart enough to try to put distance between herself and Andor. But Andor allowed her no such pleasure. As she lept backwards, Andor used his forward momentum to break into a sprint after her, staying within striking distance as she landed. His mind, his body was bristling with the darkside, aroused by the excitement of the hunt, beads of sweat starting to gently form on his brow.*
*Andor detected the darkside gathering in power around his fallen apprentice. The wind's intensity began to increase, as flames from the altar began to flare. But Andor didn't give her the time she needed to fulfill her offensive execution. By the time the flames had moved to separate the two combatants, Andor was already well within Luxeria's defenses. The fingers on Andor's left hand twitched in a small gesture, as if he were indicating for Luxeria to "come and get some". But as his fingers bent towards him, Andor applied a basic use of the Force in a simple Force Pull. The small telekinetic pull would be aimed at Luxeria's functional leg, hoping to knock her off balance. A snarl escaped the Sith Master's throat as his blades became a crimson blur, coming down upon Luxeria in a criss-cross fashion, forming an "X" and seeking to cut her torso into four pieces as she hopefully fell to the ground.*
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 22, 2018 7:24:27 GMT -8
Andor proved himself to be relentless in his attacks, not allowing Luxeria the time or distance she required to utilize some of her greater attacks. While there were a select few she could utilize, she wished not to use them with any kind of distance for one sole reason: Tutaminis. She couldn’t recall if he had used it when she was around but suspected he knew it just as she did. And so she couldn’t risk giving him the few seconds to prepare its use.
The flames and wind barely moved in a spiral as Luxeria made her second jump, trying to keep her distance. But with each movement she made, Andor was on top of her again. She truly had little choice now. When he pulled at her leg, it succeeded in pulling her leg out from under her and sending her to the ground.
But she wasn’t beaten yet. With Andor so close, her focus and instincts were set upon him. And as she fell, her instincts kicked in to form another Force Barrier between them, blocking his sabers. She only needed that moment to hit the ground before making her next move. Using her right hand, followed by her left, she released two Force Pushes on him to break his attack and knock him back a little. If she was lucky, the attack would knock him off balance as she trolled back. Once her foot was solidly planted, she jumped into the air. This time, however, she didn’t move away, but stayed above Andor about fifteen feet away. Force Flight was her answer to they loss of her legs. If she proved unable to maneuver effectively, as was the case here, this was her trump card. This would allow her the mobility to keep up with Andor and attack in close range again. The downside was the concentration needed. She could fight well enough without worry, but to use any other power, she’d have to land completely before using anything else.
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