Open A Simple Edge & A Dangerous Ring

[Kotii Solus]

Spoiler: Music

PvP enabled, this may lead to more gladiator fights or a slave riot and prison break sort of deal. Death disabled.​

Black hands, that's what Kotii could see. That was all Kotii could see through the darkened visor of his helmet. The fact that they were bound by simple bindings were not the first thing that startled him. Why is it dark? Where's my compass? The readout of his Heads Up Display flickered on. It barely had any battery reserves left. He quickly checked himself for weapons and attire. Where had everything gone. All the Mandalorian had on him was his armor. Even then, his red painted beskar'gam wasn't without its tricks.

The roar of a distant crowd echoed through the stone tunnels and down below the arena. A feminine voice called from somewhere else in the staging area, speaking in Huttese with obvious blood thirst. <"Better get ready Mando. Is that real beskar? Maybe the masters will let me wear it after I peal it off of you. Heeheehee"> A high pitched giggle followed as the source seemed to find something funny. Another deeper one on the opposite side seemed to mutter something in a language the badger couldn't make out. Clearly he wasn't alone.

His holster was empty, his grenade belt gone, he had no weapons except himself. The badger had no way of knowing what the terrain was like. He was in some sort of fighting pit and about to go in. If he could survive, maybe the Mandalorian would be able to fight his way to an escape. The cacophony overhead rose to a howling crescendo before falling silent. The warbling tone of a muffled announcer sounded.

Kotii expected some guards to come and get him, but instead the floor began to rise. The ceiling opened up and the Mandalorian ascended with several others into a sun baked arena. Four salvage drones hung in the center of the arena between the competitors. Black Hand saw he was accompanied by no less than three other gladiators.

The rows upon rows of people watching from theater style seating rose in an amphitheater around the Mandalorian. His helmet tilted up to look and see where he was. The source of the voice also came into view. A tiefling devaronian, if he had to guess. There were others present, some had simplistic armor while others seemed to be coming to the same terms Kotii already had done earlier.

At periodic points around the arena there were tall metallic pillars will arrays likely the cause of the neutralizing affect. It was may as well have ionized the remaining battery in Kotii's helmet. The other two opponents were a large Kel Dor male and a female Mirialan redhead.

“May I have your attention please?” A familiar tone, but this time making clear words, drowned out the noise of the crowd and demanded attention. The holographic projection of the presenter, facilitator and purveyor of the fighting pits was intentionally increased in size to make it so that he was looking down at any and all before him. Of course his boxed seat was similarly right behind the projector and was almost thirty feet high. Even with a jetpack, Kotii would have trouble making that jump in one burst.

“Up next, we have some more experienced fighters. Perhaps they will last longer than the last match. No less than four gladiators will be entering this fight. Perhaps there will be a surprise or two in store for them.”

The crowd seemed pleased to hear this and cheered before the pit master continued. “If you want to take a shot in the arena, all you have to do is sign our waiver, and we remind you to set your bets. As you can see, only primitive weapons will be available for this fight as well. In this corner we have a fighter from the depths of Felvath Kur's fighting pits, in this corner a slayer of men belched from the bowls of Kessel, of course we can't forget about the gun runner Bleepo Dyype and the debt she owes us all, and last but not least, a famed Mandalorian some of you may know Black Hand from his work in the Guild."

Around the floor of the hot fighting arena were implements, various melee weapons but likely none of them to have working power packs. Still, a vibroblade was better than nothing and he didn’t want to use his grapple line just yet if he could help it. Apparently the other three gladiators in view were thinking the same thing and soon it was a mad scramble for who could grab a weapon. An inter electoripper staff and a pair of similarly inactive kyuzo petar were closest. Wrapping his gloved fingers around the kyuzo petar and rolling, the devaronian fighter made a similar move for the staff. The other two had apparently dove for the same weapon and were rolling in the sun baked sand. On either side of them sat a powerless stun baton, that was still a cudgel, and a pair of matukai gauntlets. The two had both dove for the stun baton. Things were off to an exciting start.

"Haha! Yes! that's what I like to see. Let the fight begin!" The announcer's hologram disappeared and in his box he took a seat to watch the events unfold. Pleased with his collection of fighters, he made sure the crisp-e-o droid was stocked with his favorite celebratory party libations.

 

[Bo'roth Nazzat]

Spoiler: Music OOC

It didn’t matter how he got here. Bo’roth had stopped asking that question after waking up. What mattered was that he was, he was here, and he was to soon make ‘here’ a place that was ‘there’ upon butchering whatever dead thing had brought him here.

The Yautkan had signed no waiver. Evidently, his would-be handler had signed it for him. A Trandoshan, and Bo’roth would remember that. The reptile bared his teeth with glee, shaking hands with a fellow Trando, backs patted. While you can, prey. I’ll rip the spine from each one soon enough.

The fools fancied the hunter to be a gladiator. I am Yautkan! They dropped him into the ring right then and there, against his wishes, fundamentally at least; but they knew not that the wishes of a hunter was to hunt, in a ring or elsewhere.

“A new challenger appears!” blared the pit master. There was a pause even as the figure’s holographic projection remained up, clearly turning away to speak to lackeys.

“You know, I woke up this morning thinking of a murderous Mandalorian, but I guess I’ll settle for, uh, hm, um, huehuehue the game of who gets him first, maybe this Yautja, Yautkan, whatever-can. Or I’ll get my melty stick and take care of it my—”

“S-Sir, you’re still on air.”

“—My oh my, what have we here!? Name unknown, let him be known as the Predator! A Yautkan hunter, I am told, and oh my what a surprise! Let the games begin! Er, continue. They already began. My, those two really like that stone baton, huh? Anyway, I’ll shut up now. Enjoy the show! Woot woot!”

In the ring, Bo’roth sized up his opponents. There were four. He was number five. Soon to be number one. The hunter was armored, metal masking his face and all, but he was not armed. His utility belt was empty, his vambraces bereft of faculty, but he had himself. And those.

The pit master had dared to call them ‘primitive’ weapons, but to a Yautkan they were simply weapons. That included the Arg'garok that was the closest. Bo’roth retrieved the axe, cradled it in both hands, flexed his fingers to test the haft, and began to pace around his foes. The hunt was on.


@Darasuum

 

[Xol Zaa Fenn]

Xol had quite the interesting bounty, having to claim the head of some pit master man who enjoyed arena battles almost as much as the old Haxion Brood. However, for the price that was on this guy's head, it was already a pretty easy job. There wasn't a need for covert infiltration because all the Tognath had to do to get close to the guy was to pretend to be apart of the crowd. So, he did just that, and watched the fight below him brew from his seat a couple rows above where the pit master commentated.

A familiar Mandalorian was fighting against a Yautkan and two other gladiators that weren't worth mentioning because the only real challenge the Mandalorian had was probably the Yautkan, who really did seem to be enjoying himself. Xol had met the Predator species, and they were not all as stereotypical as the one in the arena. Maybe it was apart of some act or something the Tognath wasn't aware of.

Black Hand...there was just something off about the red and black Mando that Xol couldn't quite put a finger on. But the roaring crowd cut off the thought as the fight began. All Xol needed to do was wait for something interesting to happen in the arena that would distract everyone long enough and well enough for the Enforcer to smash 'n grab his bounty.

<"My money is on the warrior."> Xol said boringly, earning a confused look from a Cerean sitting next to him. "Which one?"

But Xol only chuckled.

@Die Shize @Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

Spoiler: Persistent Theme

Things were going from bad to worse. Hearing from the pit master he fancied Black Hand particularly karked, the rest of the gladiators seemed to angle their bodies towards the Mandalorian. It looked like he just became the odd man out.

He grunted, growled more like it and rolled his neck muscles. Bring it on then. He was Solus, he was a badger and if they thought they could take him on they would end up learning the hard way. Ever the fast on the uptake and keen to get her slice of beskar, the tiefling dashed to close the distance, swinging the electroripper to disembowl the Mandalorian. Kotii leapt backwards narrowly avoiding the reach of the weapon that could have spilled his guts. His two Kyuzo petar held up and to the side not making contact yet.

The polearm weilding tiefling had expected to make contact with the strong Mandalorian or forced to hit the armor. But no such strike had landed. Kotii stopped as the woman overstepped. The man pushed off and no longer was on the backfoot but pushing his foot into the dirt and lunging forward. One blade met where the electroribbon of his foe's weapon would be. Sparks flew from the metal on metal clash as both weapons lacked their normal energized capabilities. But Kotii had a second one and used it slash across both the tieflings wrists. Neither were completely severed but the tendons were gone leading to the electroripper falling from the limp hands of his attacker.

The melee weapon in the Hunter's left hand transitioned so that both kyuzo petar were losely held in his non dominant hand. As the weapon began to fall he stuck out a boot and caught the center in the middle before kicking it back up. Reaching it's apex just above Kotii's shoulder, the man snapped his cybernetic left hand up to catch it. Realing back on the spear like weapon he threw the unideal polearm at the charging Kel Dor who seemed to have forgotten about the Mirialan and wasn't paying any mind tot he newest arrival to the arena. Once the electroripper left his hand, Kotii returned to carrying both double bladed knives in either hand.

@Charles @Die Shize

 

[Bo'roth Nazzat]

Spoiler: Music OOC

The combat commenced. Bo’roth hung back for a moment to observe, sifting through his prey, when a Mirialan found him first. She looked a tad hesitant about charging a Yautkan, and this one was no less.

His people were hunters and fighters, they no gave illusions to otherwise despite having personality, but the hunt is what this one lived for and he would prove as much in the ring.

The drums were beating, and maybe that was just the blood pumping in his head, but he heard them. The hunt was beginning. THE HUNT.

Knowing there was no choice to do otherwise, the Mirialan elected to charge her opponent. Bo’roth walked toward her, brandishing his axe before himself. She seemed confident but had to be careful with that baton.

Sure enough, the Mirialan closed in, swiped mid, leapt back. It was a promising feint, enough to draw Bo’roth forward and his axe too. It swung downward, missing the spot where a skull had once been. A baton slammed on the haft. Good!

Had not both hands been on it then the Yautkan might just then have lost his grip. No matter, his opponent quickly swung again, slamming the baton into Bo’roth’s arm. He snarled behind his mask. She was too close and would pay for it.

He swept a foot behind her leg. She fell on her back. He loomed over her and so did his axe while she was still falling. She raised her baton but it proved futile. The axe came down. The blade bent past the baton and buried into the Mirialan’s chest. She roared, a gurgled death. The Yautkan roared too, cheering his own kill.


@Darasuum @Charles

 

[Kotii Solus]

Spoiler: Persistent Theme

Kotii witnessed the savage swing of the Yautkan coming down on the Mirialan. It certainly gave him an impression and one which he thought was appropriate. Still, despite his better judgement, Black Hand began to aggresssively walk towards the last remaining opponent.

The roar of the crowd echoed in against the stone. The Mandalorian would stop after reaching the downed Kel Dor. The hurled electroripper was imbeded in the male's chest cavity firmly enough. Placing a foot on the enemy's corpse and once against transitioning the twin Kyuzo Petar to his off hand, the Alor of Clan Solus wrenched the inert weapon further in, confirming the kill before being just as violent as he pull it free which he was rewarded with a spurt of red adding to his armor's paint.

Looking at the weapon he held in his left hand, the polearm's haft was firmly gripped by the cybernetic hand of the Mandalorian. All things considered, perhaps that was the one thing he should be most happy to still possess. His captors hadn't removed his dominant hand, nor had its features been disabled by the ionizing effect while inside the arena. If he made it out of this, he would have to thank @Dr Ilana Morata . What once had been a tattooed and scared limb, now was machine and even so wouldn't yield to his enemies.

Extending the spear between the two of them he held it between him and the Yautkan that remained. Amid the fight a new foe had closed in on the Mandalorian. An X factor that would spice things up or end the display quickly. Just as the gladiators had risen from below the arena floor, now appeared an opening. As quickly as the opening appear, it was filled by the emerging beasts that moved with surprising speed.

Black Hand was quickly dragged along by the large plated animal as his entire left arm was stuck inside the crushing grip of its maw. Kotii still held the two kyuzo petar. A hard thump of the armored man getting bucked against the beast body made him lose one of the two weapons just as he thought of using them on the plated animal. Bringing the weapon to bear with an angry yell, the Mandalorian stabbed into the side of the creature while grooves were made in the dirt by his dragging feet.

He didn't know how many times he had sliced and stabbed into the monster. The man knew his arm was probably done for. Everything had changed so quickly for him and in the middle of an arena no less. But he must of have hit something that finally made it howl because the weight of the armored Hunter was left behind. Landing with a grunt, Kotii barely made an effort to roll or recover.

Looking towards his left appendage, Kotii saw what remained of his left arm didn't extend much past his elbow. Does that even qualify as an elbow anymore? He thought to himself. His mind swiftly purged the unimportant thoughts from his mind. He was going to die. He would die here and Hauron would be without a father. Clan Solus would be led by Nox Solus. His people would be ruled by Sith and Black Hand would just be a fallen fighter in some forgotten arena.

Kotii's last flesh and blood hand balled into a fist around the powerless kyuzo peta, pushing into the now bloodied sand to help him get up. The sands were now stained red from his own blood and the beast he had shived. The Mandalorian had seen better days but he prayed this wouldn't be his last.

@Charles @Die Shize

 

[Bo'roth Nazzat]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Bo’roth stood over his fallen foe the victor, triumphant, and all the arena and its audience heard his roar. However, he was not done, not alone. He was not the last gladiator standing, not the last soul still alive. There was certainly one nother and that one pointed a spear between two.

Very well. Bo’roth turned to square his front up against his next adversary, his next prey. The hunt is still on. The hunt! The hunt! The Hunter wrapped his fingers around his axe’s haft, top and bottom, shifted his feet, tilted his head this way and that way. Come. Come! Come kill me if you can.

The floor gave way just then. A plated beast, it was, and what a beast it was. The ground parted for its arrival, coming out of nowhere, but that much had at least been expected. Maybe if the arena had not since been revealed as to its design, what with arrivals arriving from below, then Bo’roth would have stood no chance.

Mighty, menacing, many teeth chomped toward the Yautkan. He dodged like time around an arrow. Had he not then the beast might just have chomped down on an arm and half a torso.

Instinctively, Bo’roth swiped his axe. It missed. His enemy was far too fast. It recovered from its failure, twice as ferocious, and bound back for him. GOOD! Bo’roth grounded his feet. COME KILL ME!

The creature charged. It leapt. Metal plated its body. But not all of it. As it soared, Bo’roth dropped to the ground, body and all, but his axe was held up. The blade dragged along the beast’s unarmored belly, gushing blood, while it howled toward the audience.

Wasting no time, the Yautkan sprung to his feet and turned to face his foe. The beast, if not dead, was dying. It clung to the floor as though hugging its mother. Bo’roth moved on. There was another beast and a Mandalorian to deal with. To the hunt!


@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

Spoiler: Persistent Theme

Down his dominant hand, knocked about like ragdoll, and outnumbered, Kotii felt like he had never fought against odds like this. His back was quite literally against the wall. But as a member of clan Solus he would continue to fight if not more fiercely than before. Desperation would make the Mandalorian more dangerous.

The Yautkan defeated his plated beast, going for the soft underbelly. But Kotii did not have the energy or speed right now to make that manuever with the monster he faced. Its eyeless head growled and drooled a mixture of blood and saliva onto the ground. It pawed the ground twice before running towards Kotii.

The Hunter took a step away towards the wall, poised and waiting to lunge to his left the side so he could strike with his right hand. His body tensed and moved as quickly as he could all things considered. The quadreped's weight carried it into the wall with a heavy thud. It let out a quickly silenced squeal in surprise at not bitting down on where its prey had been.

In Black Hand's right fist was held the double bladed kyuzo petar which the man brought across the front and back legs of the plated beast. Its unarmored right side would be unable to keep its weight up but the left legs tried to push itself off the ground. Kotii did not wait for it to try and adapt or try to turn and bite him. With the animal hindered in terms of mobility, Kotii closed the distance and plunged the blade as close to the center of the chest before dragging it towards the animals tail like it was a tauntaun to be used as a sleeping bag. Guts and gore spilled out from the animal after it had died.

Thinking he found what was its stomach, the Solus cut the organ and saw the smelly contents spill out onto the arena floor. Covered in mucus and other nasty substances, the limb belonging to the bounty hunter was mutilated. Kotii had no expectation of getting his organic arm back. But the piece of hardware that had been consumed by the animal, he was getting it back.

"Well well well! This sure is getting exciting! I'm pleased by the display..." The crowd roared in reply to the pit master's approval. "The Yautkan hunter seems to be faring better than the Mandalorian. But I'd hate to have either one die from something as boring as bleeding out." The crowd gave some cheers but some sounded curious, waiting to hear what came next from the facilitator of the blood sport. "I declare Bo'roth Nazzat the victor of this fight!" The crowd cheered and plumes of celebratory smoke was blown in puffs by members in the crowd.

Once there was a momentary lull in the audience, the Pit Master spoke again. "Don't worry folks, we will see both of them fight again soon enough. We will have more fights in the future so please return here in a few days. We may not have the Mandalorian fighting again by then but perhaps in a week's time he'll be up to snuff." The last few words were said and perhaps had meaning to goad the Mandalorian. But at the Pit Master had said, bleeding out was a boring way to die but still pretty easy. Medical personnel would enter the arena just before the man's armored body dropped to the ground in a heavy clatter of plates. Consciousness faded and darkness took hold.

@Die Shize * // exit thread?

 

[Bo'roth Nazzat]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Before he would get a chance to fight more foes, to vanquish another beast and demolish a Mandalorian, the latter had finished the former, and that Mandalorian was himself finished. The pit master had announced as much.

‘I declare Bo’roth Nazzat the victor of this fight!’ The words chimed in Bo’roth’s mind like bloody bells. He deserved it. He had won. It was so. So the Yautkan raised his axe to the cheers of the crowd, the plumes of smoke, turned toward every seat, then toward the maimed Mandalorian.

Another time, Bo’roth promised. Another day. We shall fight. We shall bleed. One shall win. One shall lose. One may die. But both will live. He would wait for that time, for that fight, and would meanwhile make sure that those medical personnel restored that Mandalorian back to fighting shape, all in due time.

Bo’roth’s arms were held high, axe brandished between hands, before the audience, the bloodthirsty crowd going wild, wild, wild. Wild. Hunt. The wild hunt, reborn once again. Again! Again! AGAIN!

The Yautkan turned again, faced the pit master, threw his axe. It flipped head over haft, end over end, till its blade kissed a chest and ate a heart.

Bo’roth cheered as the Shistavanen fell, cheering both because of the kill and the beast’s bravery. It had launched itself into the trajectory just in time to save its pit master.

The crowd went wild. “Are you not entertained!?” Bo’roth blared. “Are you not entertained!?” He spread his arms, bereft of axe, but his hands gripped vengeance all the same. “Is this not why you are here!?”

He knew why he was here. From that day forward, Bo’roth Nazzat, the Mad Marauder, would play the gladiator. He would battle the Mandalorian. Then he would strangle the pit master with his own intestines and feed what was left to the audience. This is the way.

[EXIT BO'ROTH NAZZAT]

@Darasuum