Darth Xitan
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 177
Affiliation: The Cult of the Eternal
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Post by Darth Xitan on Feb 15, 2023 20:41:26 GMT -8
The duel sure did attract attention as Apprentices, Acolytes, and Sith Masters gathered to watch the encounter between one of the pit's great champions and the newcomer Zabrak. Many anticipated a quick fight, leading to yet another victory for Darth Tormus, one of the Supreme Leader's Favored. After all, a Favored was a rising star, an individual with great potential and ability to be the leaders of their fellow peers. Perhaps even be destined to one day succeed to a seat upon the Dark Council, the Seven that advised the Supreme Leader directly. In the end though, the fight was hardly equal. Even from the start, the Sith Masters, above, watched as Tormus was humiliated, overgunned, and completely overwhelmed.
Among the eyes watching was Sith Lord, Darth Melabor, the one who had gotten Karnac to perform the duty at hand, the trial necessary to join the Sith Eternal. Tormus was patronized by a rival member among the Seven. Seeing this duel proved to the Duros that he was correct in sending this Zabrak against this undesirable member of the Favored. With his death, hopefully, then there would be a spot open for a candidate of himself and Lord Vullorr to join the ranks. The Favored were coveted pets and their status only served to ensure influence and flexibility among the ranks of the Eternal.
All gasped in shock when Tormus was brought to his kneels, humiliated to no end even as Karnac allowed him to live, not out of mercy, but to further drill the humiliation into his person. To make all remember how Tormus was defeated by a newcomer and brought to heel like a dog. Yet, like a dog, Tormus tried to bite back, only to be bisected in twain. His body now lifeless and the victory in the hands of Karnac. Melabor greatly approved at the sight of Tormus defeated and dead.
=Melabor= A victory! A hard fought one! Despite his best, the mighty Tormus was no match for the skill of Darth Karnac!
The Duros descends as there was a bit of silence. Yet, upon coming into the pit, the students had no choice but to cheer. Their favored champion was defeated and dead, no point in mourning his loss. After all, the Sith Eternal taught that the strong would thrive, the weak would serve or die. Tormus chose a fool's death. Melabor approached Karnac, his scheme having been achieved.
=Melabor= Your reward, Karnac, is the rank of Sith Master. With that rank comes many privileges, including the opportunity to live in the Upper Spires of the Nullus Beacon, to take an apprentice or two, and granted command to build a fleet and a legion of fanatical and loyal Stormtroopers. May you serve the Supreme Leader well.
With a raised fist, Melabor shouted.
=Melabor= Long live the Sith Eternal! Long live the Supreme Leader!
The chant invoked by others present as Karnac was given the chance to bask in the glory of his victory and elevation.
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Feb 21, 2023 23:58:33 GMT -8
Karnac simply stood, his eyes shifting amongst the gathered crowd as the suddenly gasp at their champion’s defeat brought a few moments of silence. While he expected a reaction of surprise, such quiet brought with it an unease. There was no telling just what they were all thinking and what their next actions would be. All he could do was be ready for whatever came next.
Before long, though, the silence was broken by Melabor, declaring his victory as the Duros descended into the pit to join him. The Zabrak’s eyes focused upon the headmaster as he approached, his mind taking in the words spoken. He couldn’t explain it, but something told him this was the desired outcome hoped for. So, when in came down to it, he had been used to handle an issue and in the process, was gauged to see his skills and where he stood in the order of they chose to allow him entrance. Two birds with one stone, it seemed. Such was the reality of the Sith. Being used was par for the course somewhere along the line. The real question was where one stood and how much they allowed such a thing to happen. In this case, it was a necessity in order to prove himself. As such, he’d say nothing but always keep his mind alert for such things.
The cheer then came at his victory and with it, his place had been locked in. What surprised him, however, was the rank that he was granted. Was his skills truly that good? He had certainly trained hard but with little to gauge his abilities against except those that had been training alongside him since the start and his master, it was hard to truly tell. But this had revealed where he and even the others stood in the overall scheme of things. Still, he couldn’t let himself fall to ego. He had to keep his focus and continue pressing forward as of an acolyte in training. Only then would he truly keep growing and become strong than he was now.
He then extended his hand towards the saberstaff that once belong to Tormus, the weapon moving up to his hand. A trophy and a reminder of what had to be overcame to reach this point. Crossing the weapon over his chest, he then gave a bow to the headmaster. "To be granted such a rank as a stranger entering the fold, is an honor. I’ll do well to ensure I prove myself worthy of the rank in service to the Sith Eternal." It was certainly a far more humble response than would have been expected from a Sith, but he was certain he proved that he was anything but a typical Sith.
As the chant grew louder, the Zabrak allowed himself a moment to bask in the victory, allowing a moment of pride to exist in what had been achieved. Lifting his newly claimed trophy, he chanted with them. But now, he knew, the real work was about to begin.
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Feb 25, 2023 7:02:49 GMT -8
As the modified Fury-class Interceptor made its way through the skies, Jonas had gotten a lock on the location of the Fortress. Using scans, map data of the area, and Dragus's mention of the environment as what he needed to lock down its location quickly. Once all was set, he set the engines to full burn, pushing the craft along at its quicker speeds. Deep inside, he felt Karnac had already reached this location, though he had no proof that he was or what had been done to gain the attention of the Sith that resided here. But that didn't matter. He wanted to quickly rejoin their master and figure out where things had fallen.
It wasn't long before the Fortress was in range. Open his channels, he gave a final sigh, hoping things went smoothly.
This is the Tûaradi seeking permission to land. I have come seeking the Sith Eternal and have with me a token of Dragus granting me his permission. For now, he left out Karnac as if the Zabrak had yet to figure out what was going on here or simply hadn't gained the attention of the Sith, he wanted to keep that challenge available for all parties. Yet, this did not stop him from reaching out with the Force to see if he could sense his presence. So much power, many of them being Sith that resided inside made it difficult. However, after a pit, he was able to pull apart the threads and cut through that heavy fog of energy and find that the Zabrak had indeed arrived. He only gave a smile, still keeping the idea quiet for the time being.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
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Post by Dragus on May 19, 2023 5:33:21 GMT -8
Monstrous black leathery wings unfurled around fractured volcanic stone as several alchemy altered arkanian dragons that nested in the fiery caldera of the mountain sensed the approach of the Tûaradi, spreading their massive scale covered skeletons to reveal thirty meter wide wingspans, turning their long necked heads to the sulphur clouded sky and shrieking into the the eternal night that shrouded the dark side of Roon. Anti-aircraft guns, essentially quad-laser turrets attached to droid walker legs, swivelled on their gyroscopic mountings set at each corner of the dread fortress' roof. The B1 droid gunners operating the turrets tracked Jonas' ship as it approached, preparing to unleash a lethal barrage of emerald green death.:: Acknowledged, Tûaradi. :: Replied the voice of the Dark Apothecary's precious winter rose, Darth Astera, fellow Council of Seven member and the Sith Eternal's director of advanced technology. Astera had been on the way to her office when she'd passed by the security center and heard the transmission, stepping in for the officer operating the communications array. She held the microphone in a gloved hand, gripping the throat of the device like a vice. Her fellow council member Dragus made a habit of inviting strays where they were most unwelcome. This was perhaps the third vessel this week that arrived at the fort bearing a token bequeathed onto them by the Dark Apothecary. They had started shooting the arriving ships out of the air as a regular practice, such was the frequency with which they appeared.Astera was about to give the order to fire, when a cold whisper invaded her mind, filling her whole universe in that moment in a veil of utter darkness. << Hold, Astera. Let them land. >> As the alien and unknowable presence of the Supreme One briefly made contact with his pawn, viewing the director the same way a spider views a fly, the frigid female scientist Sith obeyed the command of the unquestioned leader of the Sith Eternal. She opened the comlink again, this time provided instructions.:: A beacon has been activated on the landing pad located on the eastern slope. The turbolift there will grant you access to a subterranean tram system connected to the central fortress. :: Ordinarily she would have sent a team to inspect the vehicle, but the Supreme Leader's presence still lingered at the corner of her mind, and she didn't want to risk upsetting them.
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on May 25, 2023 6:50:13 GMT -8
It was a little bit before Jonas received any form of confirmation from the Fortress. But when the pair of words came, he couldn't help but feel as if something was off. His grip tightened on the controls, feeling as if he needed to flee. Was coming here without Karnac a bad idea? It was starting to appear as such.
Yet, it was but a few seconds later that he was given instruction. Taking a deep breath, his grip lessened.
Understood. Making my approach.
It wasn't too long before the ship arrived where the beacon led him and he landed. As was told, he exited the ship and found the turbolift, entering it and proceeding below, curious as to what awaited him. No troops or escorts were there so he could only hope further direction would come when he got to the tram.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
Posts: 1,192
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Dragus on Jun 25, 2023 5:40:03 GMT -8
The underground repulsor tram system was entirely automatic and quickly ferried Jonas from the alternative landing platform to the main fortress. Through transparasteel windows along the sides of the repulsor cart he would have an excellent view of the volcanic stone and glass the former Imperial installation had been carved into. Mt. Tawntoom still rumbled with tectonic moodiness from time to time, loosening rocks along the path that bounced harmlessly off the roof of the armoured cabin. Finally it slid to a stop, its doors parting with a whoosh as a red clad figure appeared from a set of ornate doors that led further into the facility.The member of the Supreme Leader's elite Praetorian Guard was clad in crimson robes and crimson layered armour, holding the haft of a deadly vibro-voulge with red gauntlets that hummed with barely contained fury. Conductive wire-paths projecting a magnetic field caused the armour to slightly growl as the faceless guard stepped in front of Jonas' path, barring the door with his threatening martial presence. Everything about this crimson clad sentinel suggesting a edge of lethality. If Jonas probed at the warrior's mind, he would feel little but cold calculation completely devoid of desire. The vibro-voulge held in the lone guard's hand crackled to life as the ultrasonic vibration generator activated and an electro-plasma filament along its razors edge created a red energized blade. The Praetorian twirled the red and silver polearm in front of him before dropping back into a combat stance with the bladed end of the vibro-voulge pointed towards Jonas.A test first it seemed. Entry was never going to be easy.
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Jun 27, 2023 1:10:38 GMT -8
Jonas stood in silence as his gaze stayed fixed upon the volcanic interior. He couldn’t help but wonder what he was wandering into. He did sense Karnac, so he suspected all was fine, but that was merely a guess. Things could actually be going to hell quickly.
When the team stopped, Jonas exited to see the doors and the lone guard before it. He approached slowly and cautiously, his head dropping a bit as his eyes focused upon the guard. It wasn’t but a few moments later that the red armored guard took a combat stance, causing Jonas to take a single step back. Giving a sigh, he took hold of his lightsaber hilt.
"First a barbarian ray on the sewers, now a fight with the guard. I really hope this trip doesn’t turn out to be a waste of time."
He spun the hilt around in his hand before igniting the orange blade and took a stance. From the moment he first drew his weapon, he had already begun working at manipulating the Force around the guard. For now he waited patiently for the soldier to make the first move. When he did, Jonas would release a Force Whirlwind around him in attempt to lift and spin him. Should it catch, Jonas would push as much power as he could to try and lift the guard high to try and hit the roof before dropping him. If luck played out, the guard would be done, or at the very least, it would greatly disorient him so Jonas could finish the job.
Then again, it could all fail and be a straight fight. The next few moments for dictate that flow.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
Posts: 1,192
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Dragus on Jun 27, 2023 7:36:58 GMT -8
For his part the elite member of the Supreme Leader's Praetorian Guard said nothing, still projecting cold menace as the faceless warrior's muscle fibres bundled in preparation for action. Like the masterfully crafted and expertly honed vibro-voulge gripped in the guard's crimson gauntlets, the red clad figure's entire body had been transformed into a weapon, from the high tech onion skin of laminate he wore to the training in lethal combat forms he had received. Yet it was none of these things that made the lone warrior the pinnacle of martial prowess that he most certainly was. His true strength was hidden away behind the plastoid helmet he wore.
The Praetorian was a Nu-Jake, one of the artfully engineered clones the Dark Apothecary had been producing for the Sith Eternal at their cloning facility on Kamino. This specimen was one of the NJX models, even more dangerous than the garden variety. Faster, stronger, more agile and vastly more intelligent than a standard human, these Nu-Jakes were superior to baseline humanity in every way, and the NJX's were above even those. Infused with a few drops of the Urcinis Helix, the mad alchemists secret mutagenic elixir. The warrior's genome was altered at a cellular level to include tuk'ata DNA, increasing aggression levels and transforming the advanced clone specimen into a deadly lone wolf. They were designed for the purpose of hunting Force users.
Body language betraying nothing, nor did his logical brain that was protected by the equivalent of a mental blast-door, his intention was finally laid bare as the Praetorian twirled the the humming high-tech halberd in his hands faster than the eye could follow. His legs deepened their stance as the air around the crimson sentinel began to turn against him, swirling around like some sort of indoor cyclone. As his graceful feet were lifted off the floor, the guard thrust the crackling blade of his vibro-voulge into the deck, spearing through the grated metal in an eruption of flashing orange sparks. The blade wedged into the deck, arresting the guards flight as he held onto the haft of his polearm as it anchored him in place. As his bearings returned to him, the faceless warrior used his planted weapon to spin in a complete circle around the haft, harnessing the cyclones swirling winds for his own momentum.
After completing two full spins, the guard twisted in the air, wrenching his angry vibro-voulge free from the deck before allowing the winds to spin him around. He was carried around the room by the cyclone, flying towards Jonas as the furious head of his glaive swept towards the lightsaber wielding spectre like a rotary blade.
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Jun 30, 2023 5:51:57 GMT -8
Jonas watched, eyes a bit wide at how quickly the guard caught on to his attack. While it wasn't the most subtle, it still wasn't something easily determined and fought against, especially at this level. What had attempted to be a quick end to the fight was instead used to bolster his opponent. Was this supposed to be a test or a display at the uselessness of those not at pinnacle of power?
Whatever the reason, before the guard came at him with enhanced speed, the burning orange blade came to life as he stepped to the side a bit, his blade reaching out to parry and guide the attack away. Jonas could already tell the power the guard possessed and the speed would only make it that much dangerous. Trying to simply block it head on would have otherwise left him vulnerable in some form or another. He had to play it smart and take his time and try to find a weakness or opening to exploit. Simply trying to brute force his way forward was a death sentence. Patience was key.
Using the Force to aid his step, he gained some distance as he awaited the next attack. He could read nothing from the guard mentally nor through body language. The only information gathered was each attack and movement. While not detailed, it was enough to know this fight was going to be a nightmare.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
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Post by Dragus on Jun 30, 2023 7:56:58 GMT -8
A loud click was followed by a mechanical whir sounding from the far side of the room as the wall panel there retracted from the ceiling into the floor to reveal an elevated platform partitioned from the scene of the duel by the glowing energy barrier of a ray shield. On the platform was a single chair of polished onyx upon which sat a lithe female wearing what appeared to be the combination of the uniform of the Imperial science division and more customary Sith robes. Darth Astera uncrossed the legs of her perfectly pressed grey uniform pants, replete with knee high boots. A half cape of shadowsilk hung from her shoulder, draped over the back of her chair. Held in her black gloved left hand was a crystal goblet containing a healthy volume of Pzobian bloodwine. While the Sith Eternal's Director of Advanced Technology found her scaled fellow Sith on the Council of Seven to be quite repugnant, she had to admit he did possess a superbly stocked cellar of excellent vintages. A charcoal furred night ewok topped off the Dark Lady's drink receptacle from a silver decanter.
Leaning forwards in her seat, Astera watched the fight unfolding with keen interest. While she hardly cared about the new clone warrior her despicable counterpart had created, she did have a desire to see him perform well while armed and armoured in sophisticated gear she had personally produced. Her icily cold features might have been well suited on an umbaran, but Astera was most definitely human, focusing her frigid stare of two glacier blue eyes on the crimson clad guard.
The Praetorian came at Jonas in an unrelenting flourish of strikes. The vibro-voulge twirled in his grip, constantly in motion as the crackling head stabbed up high and swept down low, the faceless guard matching the Spectre step for step. The air around his growling armoured skin distorted as heat bled from between the energized plate, the impregnated wire paths growing hot as its coils continually projected a mag-field, inducing pain in the wearer. All it did was make the guard more persistent, his hands sliding down the grip as he made use of the furious polearms length, thrusting the hissing bladed head towards the spectre's mid-section in a shrieking spear strike.
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Jul 1, 2023 6:58:43 GMT -8
The sound of wall panel vanishing didn't go unnoticed, but all Jonas could give was a quick glance. His opponent was much too dangerous to take his eyes off of, yet he couldn't afford to ignore the sounds. For all he knew, a laser turret was taking aim to finish him off quickly. Yet, despite the quick glance, he was able to gather enough information to see someone on the other side of a barrier, meaning they were just watching how the duel unfolded. Which was good. He couldn't afford to split his attention in multiple directions.
Switching to a Soresu form, Jonas deflected the strikes that the guard made. He didn't want to over extend himself and create and opening for the guard, nor did he want to exhaust himself trying to fully defend the heavy blows. There was no telling if he could exhaust his opponent, but he couldn't let himself fall into that trap. It would also help minimize the parries that the armored warrior could use to build momentum.
Still, form all that he was doing, it felt like it meant nothing. The Praetorian continued to bear down upon him with unrelenting strength and it only seemed to grow strong with each attack. What were they truly testing here? Him? It seemed like overkill. He was but at the level of apprentice, if that. Out of the three that followed Karnac, he was the weakest. That wasn't to say he was capable, but in this case, it meant he had no focus or plan for himself. He could fight and did well in his lessons, but there was nothing that pushed him forward, no sense of self. Lassix was a fast and graceful warrior that desired torment, chaos, and agony in battle. Lyne was a precise hunter and a flaming dancer. They saw what they wanted for themselves and pushed themselves forward. He had nothing. All he had was his love to fly. So when Karnac was looking for someone to pilot his ship and the person he adored, Lyne, joined with him, it was a no brainer that'd he'd join too. His skills as a pilot more than made up for his lack of motivation as a warrior. But he still had to fight, for he never knew when he'd be thrust into battle.
But now that lack of drive would become his downfall against someone at this level, someone who could compete with masters. He was being left behind and at this rate, he'd be forgotten here in this hell. No, he couldn't let himself feel that way. He had to survive, to determine for himself who he wanted to be, to continue walking beside those he considered family. It would not end here, even if it meant him getting beaten to the point of near death, he would survive and beat this test.
For a moment, as the thoughts traversed his head, Jonas's defense began to wane, allowing the Nu-Jake to getting closer with his attacks, to push him back bit by bit. But the moment he locked down his will, her determination to see this through to be able to define himself and not fall behind, the strength of his defense solidified. He leapt over the lower sweep before his opponent drove the blade at his mid-section. There was distance, but Jonas saw an opening. Amplifying his own speed, he pressed into the attack, using his lightsaber to block and slightly push the polearm just passed him so it mostly kept moving forward. He also positioned himself on the outside so that to get a worthwhile strike, they guard would have to spin the other way. Otherwise being up the length of the polearm and so close, a light push would be all the guard could manage.
As Jonas closed the distance, his left hand let go of his hilt and gripped the blaster at his side. With a small quick draw, he unloaded bolts at point blank range into the guard's side and chest from where the armor became exposed from the lifted arm of the attack. Jonas didn't know what the armor was made of and what it could resist. But he needed to try and see what could be done to pierce it and inflict greater damage.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
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Post by Dragus on Jul 2, 2023 6:18:30 GMT -8
It quickly became clear to Darth Astera that these two opponents were poorly matched. One was the physical pinnacle of the human form created through mastery of the cellular genome and magics most unnatural, psycho-conditioned and trained to extremes, armed with some of the most sophisticated examples of Sith science that she had personally created. The other was most definitely a baseline human, possessing some but not nearly the same extent of combat conditioning, with some Force potential. That last part the Director could sense with her own highly focused abilities, sensing the man's defiance despite the odds stacked against him. Her glass of expensive wine was forgotten as she leaned forwards, pupils flitting back and forth between the two opponents.
The Supreme Leader had commanded she allow this man bearing the Dark Apothecary's mark to pass, though he hadn't said anything about leaving them unmolested in the doing of so. Besides, these NJX models her crooked counterpart of the council had cooked up were designed to hunt Force users, there would never be a better opportunity than this. Any accidental decapitations that occurred she could always blame on Dragus.
A blaster bolt struck the ray shield barrier in front of Astera's wintery seated form as Jonas' point blank shots ricocheted off the energized laminate, scattering in all directions as the mag-field deflected each coherent energy round like a magnetised blast shield. One lucky bolt even managed to catch the faceless guard in the arm pit where the layered plate didn't entirely cover, causing the Praetorian to pause ever so briefly as the scent of his own scorched flesh filled the air, before surging back into a blur of crimson motion. That caused the frigid gaze of the High Lord in attendance to widen in intrigue. Either the blow hadn't been as lethal as it appeared, or more likely, the Praetorian was fighting dead on its feet. Remarkable. Even as its lungs smoke and flash boiled blood where the searing bolt had passed from its armpit into its chest, the Nu-Jake fought on, not letting a trivial matter such as its dwindling vitals stand in the way of ultimate victory.
The lone guard came at Jonas with renewed intensity. His leg on the same side he was shot swept out in a spin kick that aimed for the Spectre's hand, a deliberate effort intended to disarm his opponent of his pistol. Whether it worked or not, the Praetorian kept coming, striking on the right before attacking on the left, then back again as the voulge never seemed to cease spinning in his grip. Yet his movements were just a bit slower, his timing just a bit off, the press a little less as certain realities set in. The guard was on borrowed time.
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Jul 5, 2023 13:03:29 GMT -8
It had come entirely unexpected, the bolts he fired actually bouncing off the armor. He knew that some armor to be durable, even capable of reflecting blaster fire, but to this degree, it made the attack just as much a danger to him. In fact, from first glance, it seemed doing so was only a danger to himself.
Dodging a bolt, he fell to the ground to his left away from the guard in a roll. Quickly regaining himself, Jonas was surprised to see the guard having paused, if only for a split second. Why? It wasn't out of any kind of mercy, that was for certain. It was only when the armor-clad man was once again upon him that Jonas could smell the scorched flesh. But, he figured, at best, it was glancing blow. The only thing he could do was that before being put back on the defensive, unaware of the damage that had been caused by the stray ricochet.
He was running out of ideas quickly and waiting the Nu-Jake out, in his mind, would exhaust him before his opponent. There had to be something he could do. Just then, he shook his head and rubbed his eyes as if something was bothering him. His vision had to be affected by the intensity of the fight. Small lines began to appear in his vision. Yet, as he tried to refocus his sight and clean out anything that had gotten in his eyes, the lines only grew, focusing solely around the guard. They moved and grew eventually looking as fractured glass. The lines continued to shift and changed but the patterns seemed mostly spread and minimal. Little did he realize at that second that through this desperate battle, an inner talent for Shatterpoint was rising to the surface. But he learn quickly should the moment come that the fractal point appeared.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
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Post by Dragus on Jul 6, 2023 8:22:57 GMT -8
Unbeknownst to the faceless Praetorian, as he continued to spend the last of his dwindling life force bringing down his opponent in a violent series of twirling flourishes of his wicked vibro-voulge, was that he was quickening the moment of his own demise as he relentlessly pursued victory, one blow bleeding into another as he traded strikes with Jonas' orange lightsaber blade. Almost anyone watching the fight would be within reason to suspect the guard to come out on top in a contest between these two, but Darth Astera could see the shifting lines as well as the Spectre, and she knew this fight was almost over.
A quick exchange of blows saw the two men slide apart. Behind the plastoid helmet that concealed the NJX's features entirely, the amalgamation of science and biomancy was breathing raggedly, face dripping with sweat as it struggled to draw breath into scorched lungs filling with blood. Despite this, the unconquerable will of the red guard caused the elite warrior to twirl his voulge one last time, then hold it diagonally across his body as he prepared to attack again.
Those lines that only Jonas and Astera could see, they formed a fractal point on his chest plate over the left pectoral, just above where his elbow jutted out awkwardly from the wound he had received earlier. The faceless warrior lunged, raising its voulge up over his shoulder as he prepared to swipe it from right to left in a diagonal sweep, creating an opening for the shortest of seconds as he lifted his hissing halberd.
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Jul 6, 2023 12:52:05 GMT -8
Bit by bit, the lines were condensing and converging on a spot. He still couldn't make heads or tails of what he was seeing, but no longer considered it to be a flaw with his vision. Perhaps a power had risen to the surface that he didn't realize existed and through it, the Force was revealing a moment of victory to him. He just had to hold out and wait. The more he gazed upon it, the more it appeared like shattered glass, the point in which they meet seeming to be a spot where it shattered and was its most fragile to break apart.
That thought brought the revelation to his mind: Shatterpoint. He had read of the ability though figured his skill was to low for such a potent technique. Yet, here it was manifesting in him. All he had to do was trust and wait.
And that moment came faster than he realized. As the blows kept coming, the lines shifted faster and faster until, as the guard made his lunge, they came together in nearly an instant. He moved without thinking, pressing in for an attack himself. In his left, his saber push forward towards the center of the fracture as his right charged a ball of energy in the form of a Force Burst. Just barely the size of his palm, he sent it flying shortly after into the back of his lightsaber hilt. He wasn't taking chances against the armor, so the burst was meant to impact the hilt and force it in with greater force as well as the energy that passed it would surge into the area as well to hopefully further weaken the armor and ensure the point remained open.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
Posts: 1,192
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Dragus on Jul 10, 2023 10:26:53 GMT -8
There was a clatter as Darth Astera jumped from her chair, sending the seat toppling over. The SE's director of advanced technology stared daggers at Jonas' back, already knowing what she was going to see as he stepped away from the Praetorian as his hissing orange lightsaber blade slid free from a smoking hole in the guard's red laminate chest piece. The faceless NJX dropped to its knees and toppled over, the Spectre's searing energy blade having punctured and flashed cooked the clone's heart, killing the warrior before his plastoid helm even struck the floor. A click sounded as the glowing energy barrier of the ray shield switched off, allowing the frigid female to approach a heavily breathing Jonas who had earned a bit of respite at this point.
As a member of the Council of Seven, the director was a very powerful Sith, though she didn't flaunt it needlessly. Given the importance of her role for the SE, developing and maintaining much of the technology it uses, practically every member of the organization was forced to deal with her on her terms.
She brought her small gloved hands together, clapping coldly as she approached, her complexion as pale as snow. Two icy blue eyes studied Jonas thoroughly, before staring down at the facedown Praetorian corpse on the floor. She scowled as she looked at it, then returned her attention to Jonas.
"Well done." She remarked, her voice absent any measure of warmth. "It would seem Lord Dragus' new toys are not the invincible force he made them out to be. How sad. Muahahaha." She covered her thin mouth was a gloved hand as she made mockery of the Dark Apothecary's handiwork. Even her laughter was laced with cold venom. The director then lowered her hand and crossed it over her chest as she introduced herself to Jonas. "I am Darth Astera, the SE Director of Science and Advanced Technology. Welcome to the Fortress of Tawntoom and to the Sith Eternal."
On the far side of the room, the doors the Praetorian Guard first appeared out of reopened and stayed open this time. Two Nu-Jakes in utility coveralls with the sanitation logo embossed on the shoulder entered the room and went over to the still smoking corpse. One picked the Praetorian up under the arms and the other took the legs, carrying the cadaver out of the auxiliary entrance. Assuming the ranats or one of Dragus' beasties didn't get to the guards body first, it would likely be disposed of in the volcano the fort was built into the side of. Astera exhaled a minty cool breath as she stepped to the side and motioned to the hall leading further into the fort.
"This facility is open to you now. You are welcome to explore and become acquainted with the grounds at your leisure, as I believe the quarters provided for you are still being prepared." She leaned in close enough for Jonas to feel a rime of frost on his ear as she whispered a bit of parting advice. "You would do well to distance yourself from Lord Dragus. While it is true he sits on the Council beneath the Supreme Leader, he is often ostracized for his buffoonery and lack of caution."
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Jul 10, 2023 12:28:41 GMT -8
As Jonas stepped back, his breath was heavy. He was near his limit. Removing the blade allowed the corpse to fall and it was then that he saw it, the wound from his blaster that led the the guard demise. Despite awakening Shatterpoint, it seemed his victory was one built on luck, less than skill. He would have thought differently if the bolts he fired did their job at first, but it was a lucky ricochet that secure the kill. In the end though, a win was a win. He was still alive to prove himself and grow. He had to be grateful for that.
When the claps came, Jonas turned to look at the woman who approached, his eyes focused in, first wondering what was to happen next. She made a mockery of the soldier that fell before introducing herself. He then turned back to the guard as a pair of clones emerged and carried the body away.
"Perhaps, but then again, nothing is truly invincible. Still, to truly gauge them, maybe facing them against some of the masters here would be a better demonstration. A few different bouts so that the data isn't skewed by random luck."
She then mentioned the facility was now open to him. He was now free to take a place in the Sith Eternal, though for now, finding Karnac would be his concern. Once the others had gathered, they'd know where they all stood. She then leaned in and spoke of caution of Dragus. He then returned his gaze to her, an understanding flickering in his eyes.
"I'll certainly keep that in mind. He did seem a bit...eccentric for my tastes." He then took a step or two before pausing, turning his head back to her. "I am Jonas Harkun, apprentice to Karnac. It is a pleasure." With that statement, he moved forward once more, heading into the facility.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
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Post by Dragus on Jul 11, 2023 8:55:44 GMT -8
Cold and equally cruel eyes watched the Spectre as he headed into the Fort. Darth Astera would be paying special attention to this Jonas Harkun's career. He had every reason to boast or brag about his victory over the marvel of science and alchemy, but instead he offered advice, seeming to take none of it personally. Cool collected personalities like that were in short supply around here. While she couldn't speak for his master, this Karnac she hadn't yet met, she expected great things to come from this warrior. Continued from here.Roughly an hour later, a personal luxury yacht 3000 descended through the sulphur wreathed clouds that hung over the spiteful smoking caldera of Mt. Tawntoom, the active volcano the Sith Eternal facility was built into the wall of. Uvaks and hawk-bats scattered as the Dark Apothecary's personal ranat assistant Squeakers guided the transport down onto the landing pad located atop the dread fortress, right next to wrought iron cage of the massive aviary that dominated most of the roof. On approach the ranat was forced to activate the yacht's windshield wiper blades as fist sized liquid bundles of bird shit struck the transparasteel cockpit view panel. A ray shield flickered to life, forming a transparent blue energy dome over the ship and platform to protect the emerging occupants from falling excrement.Dragus took a deep breath as he emerged from the pleasure craft's interior, inhaling the familiar brimstone flavour as he exhaled spectral wisps of poison that dispersed in front of the flaring nostril slits of his bird skull covered snout, his tail wagging pleasantly behind him as the sinister spike capping its end glinting as it refracted the magma glow. The cloak of dark feathers he put on to replace the one he had lost fit in quite well with his current surroundings, their ears violated by a thousand different squawking voices from the myriad of repto-avians from the nearby beast pens."Well, thiz iz it." Hissed the Hunger One as he gestured towards the roof beneath their feet. "The Fortresss of Tawntoom, thiz iz where it all ssstarted." Well, for him that was actually Pzob, but for the members of the Sith Eternal, it was definitely Roon. It was from this cursed orb that the Supreme Leader had built his wicked fiefdom. Turning to face Lynne and Lassix, the saurian Sith rested his claws on the polished head of a saber-cane he had selected when changing into his latest set of duds. "I can sssmell your comrade from earlier down below, but we should perhapz focuz on locating your massster. Do either of you happen to sssense him?"
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Karnac
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Karnac on Jul 12, 2023 5:55:47 GMT -8
The girls had moved to the cockpit as they made their approach, both wishing to see where this fortress lay. Though Dragus had mentioned the it, it was still hard to believe it existed within a volcano. It certainly made it a great hiding place and possibly great for remaining undetected by sensors. Slowly they descended onto the landing pad, the avian creatures scattering about. They even jumped a bit at the suddenly appearance of excrement plopped onto the vessel's glass.
As they touched down, they departed, following behind Dragus. When he said that he could smell Jonas, Lassix raised an eyebrow. She didn't think anyone's sense of smell could be that good. And even if it was, how could he focus on it when there was some much already around them. Certainly, she felt it would overwhelm the senses.
"Surprising that you could smell him from up here and with so many other scents around. But, yes, Karnac is here."
Lyne gave a nod.
"I believe Jonas has already located him. I can sense both of them together."
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
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Post by Dragus on Jul 14, 2023 9:34:09 GMT -8
"Oh, I can sssmell all sortz of thingz with thiz ol'ssschnauzer of mine." He hissed, tapping a curved index talon against the beak of the skull cap that rested over the end of his toothy snout. "For inssstance, Lasssix, I can tell that Lyne here ate a jogan fruit for lunch three dayz ago, and that your comrade Jonaz waz recently in a fight."
It was true there were a myriad of scents all intermingling at once. From his current perch upon the roof, the most heady of the odors was brimstone and sulphur, and beneath that smoke and oil. As the Blood Wyrm inhaled an acrid breath through nostril slits on either side of is snout, he was rapidly able to discern and itemize the millions of particles in the air. When it came down to it, the mad drake was more blood hound than blood wyrm.
"I should very much like to meet thiz massster of yourz." Rasped the reptilian as he led the two of them through a carbon stained door that hissed apart as they approached, leading into a turbolift that descended into the base. When the lift came to a stop it opened into a long burnished steel hallway with hanging banners emblazed on red backgrounds depicting the emblem of the Sith Eternal. Dragus expanded otherworldly senses as he probed the fort for an unfamiliar darkside presence, but quite frankly there were far too many, so instead he trusted his nose as he had before and led his two companions on a journey throughout the maze like twisting corridors that winded around the fire belching volcano.
As he followed his nose to where he believed Jonas to be, they arrived at the sparring pits where blood and sweat were the prominent scents.
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