Arauk'kesh - Ryeesh Adaar vs Darth Cipher

[Gamov]

______________​

Orange eyes squinted into the dusky twilight of Korriban's sky, the gentle touch of the sun's rays warming her features even as her expression worked into a thin scowl. The past several months had been tumultuous for the Sith, to say the least. Though she had retreated from the public eye and relinquished her status some time ago, she had remained no less informed about events transpiring across Sith space.

Power struggles and the ongoing conflict with the Jedi and Republic were among the most frequent reports her spies had delivered. It seemed the Sith had been content to rip each other apart in her absence. Chaos and doubt were rampant in the ranks, and with the recent loss of Serenno panic was no doubt soon to follow. Panic which would consume the whole of the Sith like wildfire were it not quickly snuffed out.

The servos in her prosthetic armed whirred quietly, fingers flexing around the hilt of her saberstaff, its ebony surface glinting in the waning daylight. At least there was one way to staunch this madness before it had the chance to take root and tear her beloved Sith apart.

Ryeesh breathed out a long sigh. Despite what many would think of her for invoking the Sith's most ancient and time honored ritual, she took no satisfaction in what was to come. As a woman of principles and order, she did not relish the notion of openly challenging the Dark Lord for his title. It was nigh unheard of these days for such things to happen. But given the disorder that had been slowly but surely overtaking the Brotherhood of late, perhaps there was no better time than the present to remind those who had become complacent in their power what it truly meant to be a Sith.

The ornate jewelry and gilded baubles adorning her headdress swayed gently, glittering in the light as she turned her attention towards the gathered Lords seated around the arena. Her eyes slipped over them one by one before coming to rest on the imposing figure of Supreme Leader Thaun.

The Iktotchi appraised him for a moment, a singular thought seething in the back of her mind: a Warlord as the Supreme Leader was unthinkable to her, and signaled how far the Sith had truly fallen. Nevertheless, Ryeesh bit back the sneer threatening to curl her lip, offering the Supreme Leader a respectful bow instead before shifting her gaze towards the far entrance to the arena. A sense of anticipation tickled her spine, blood running hot in her veins as she awaited the arrival of the Dark Lord. She would see to it that he was made to answer for his recent failures.

@Deviant

Spoiler: OOC

Here's the sidelines thread for those interested in having their characters observe and offer their reactions to the duel. Open to Sith and SBZ members only.

 

[Deviant]

The horizon sang with blood. Yearning in complexions of coral and crimson, the wounded hues seeped to the farthest corners of the sky, fading at the mandate of an approaching night. All that was left the final drop of the sun; a beacon of light, retreating against the darkness.

But in the arena, the light would not recede at the call of twilight. Eryn would not shrink away to the end of the horizon.

Golden chest gleaming against sinking daylight, the Dark Lord shaved through rough sand by his every footfall. Qualities shrouded by the full extent of his armor, none could tell of his ire sown resting grimace. Only the subtle aura of loathing radiated from his figure. Yet the scorn he exuded was not for the rhythmic debut of his opponent, who so meticulously roamed the pit with eyes of wanton lust, but rather for the very audience lounged throughout the coliseum.

Was this all but a game to them? A pithy breather, before resuming onward to the futilities of conquest? So be it. He didn't care anymore; he didn't care for the poignant tradition of the Sith. If they desired nothing more than to witness the indulgence of bloodshed, then he would give it to them, whether it be on his own accord, or otherwise.

His left hand moored itself to the slender frame of a dual-phase saberstaff, a replacement to the blade of his deceased wife, which was poached at the shrewd heed of the Republic agent in which defeated him on Serenno. A loss as distressing as his own failure on the world, he knew that one day, the time for retribution would come. That is, if he were to ever leave the arena alive.

In his other grip, laid the protracted breadth of his lance, lithe and polished for the battle to come. Auditory modulators long toning out the greater of frequencies, visor dulled to the lowest of the gloom, and the tip of his boots burnished in gold alongside newfound jumpers, Eryn was more than disposed for combat. He could dare not risk the gripe of defeat, not again, lest the promise to his wife melt into the sand beside his corpse. No, he would prevail— he had to. Yet, all he had now, was hope.

Hope, and the faint hum of the force.

Spoiler: OoC

@Gamov
¹ Not sure if the Lords post here as well, but no problemo.
² I came extra prepared— adult diapers, just in case your latter posts terrify the shit out of me.
³ I lied. I'm not ready. But here goes nothing. (๑و•̀ω•́)و
​

 

[Gamov]

Hands folded neatly across her waist, saberstaff firmly twixt her slender fingers, she watched him enter. It was with no small measure of grandeur that he presented himself to her and the bated crowds viewing through the lenses of the various holorecorder drones flitting about the perimeter of the arena. Palpable tension underscored the foreboding silence they now shared, her lips pressed into a thin line as she contemplated him with an almost melancholic sense of pity. Serenno was his cross to bear - and she did not envy him that burden - but neither could she, nor any who dared call themselves Sith, forgive such an egregious failure either. A moment more of silent rumination and she had decided, she would sling no insults nor derision as many would no doubt expect. The very nature of her challenge spoke in far greater volumes that would wound his pride far deeper than any words ever could.

Instead, she offered the Dark Lord a courteous bow of her head, arms sweeping to her sides in one elegant motion as she gently thumbed the activation switch on her saber. "Lord Cipher," her voice echoed through the arena with a soft evenness that trailed on the arid winds. "By the time honored tradition of the Arauk'kesh, your actions as Dark Lord have been found wanting. As is customary, I will offer you this courtesy only once... relinquish your title, or have it taken from you." She rather doubted he would kowtow so easily. What self respecting Darth would? But she would never have it be said that she pursued her course of action out of lust for something as crude as power or bloodsport. Whatever the outcome here today, she was determined to live - or die - by the same principles she had always lived by.

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

"No."

Singular. Secluded. The lone word was all he could say at the behest of her appeal. Eryn would not slip back into the dark, where nothing but the shame of his defeat would linger at his side. The frustration and resentment that would ensue would be all too much for his already strained conscious. He had ascended to the rank of Dark Lord at his own expense, and in no way would he renounce his prior endeavors for the sake of a zealot.

Seven meters from the silhouette of his foe, the once championed Jedi Knight positioned himself in versatile security, allowing the force to burgeon within. Lance facing into their direction, and the crown of his left hand slanted into a lined horizon, perpendicular over his weapon, Eryn glared upon Ryeesh beneath the cloud of his visor. Boots gnawing further into sand, he glanced over to see Kira reposed among the crowd, twines of her charcoal cloak cascading into the ground.

His thoughts briefly wandered back— to Corellia, to Cara. All of his life, and how it had ebbed and withered down to this sole moment; this gladiator match.

He breathed.

And he readied himself.

Spoiler: OoC

@Gamov
Eryn dramatic af.
Hope you likey.​

 

[Gamov]

And there it was: "No."

Simple, direct... and delivered with such force as if a blade to her heart. She blinked slowly, nodding to herself in silent resignation, bated breath releasing in a soft whisper. "So be it." The shrill hiss of her own sanguine blades punctuated the predatory glare affixed to her opponent, deliberate steps leading her forward. Slowly at first, each motion carefully measured before the balls of her feet dug deep into the loose silica, propelling her along the last few meters in a sudden burst of speed and energy.

Teeth gritted, eyes burning a fiery luminescent orange, grip choking tightly on the fore and mid sections of her saberstaff, Ryeesh aimed to blitz the Dark Lord with a direct assault. Closing in, adrenaline surging warmth through her veins, she leveraged her foremost blade towards Eryn's defenses, slashing towards his right hip in a violent arc that would aim to trace a clean path through his body to his left shoulder.

She doubted this would be an easy fight. Expecting her adversary to fall so easily would be both foolish and disappointing.

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

Eryn watched as she moved. The tips of her boots carving through sand, the heels of her boots grinding into soot. Her own glare shrilled in the lull of a predator; eyes scorching as she clearly inclined herself to an advance. In an expected instant, her figure shot forward with uncanny momentum, driving her forward right into the bulwark of his defense; right into his waiting shadow.

For once, it seemed, his convictions of a Jedi— his restraint, his patience, would lastly prove itself.

As his foe had long indicated her approaching motions¹, alongside body language and his own commonplace expectations, Eryn was more than predisposed to handle an outside attack. Not only to add, but his grip had stayed anchored a little closer to the brink of the handle, allowing him more than enough to time to intercept her accelerated approach. That, and the two meter length of the actual blade gave him more than enough of a distance from her own crimson saberstaff. With his pike also already positioned in her direction, he needed only to drive it ahead with toned thrust.

Aimed at her center mess over her lower torso, her advance, and prospective attacks, would be made inconsequential².

The rest of his bearings remained as they were, and all but the stab of his lance and the moor of his feet into the sand were maneuvered ahead to obstruct his opponent. Given that she had moved with far-reaching speeds, no doubt anticipating she'd make move past his pike, and correlated the onset of his own defensive attack, there'd be little chance for the Sith to adequately thwart the interception³.

Spoiler: OoC

@Gamov
¹ Ryeesh indicated her approach: "predatory glare" and "steps leading her forward." As Eryn also anticipated an attack against him ("positioned himself in versatile security"), I doubt little to the fact that he'd be capable of intercepting a foray.
² Having speared at her mid-approach, it would thus far prevent the prospect of the melee attack indicated in your prior response. I'm just stating the obvious here, so apologies if I'm starting to sound like a condescending asshole.
³ A precedence has been set with this attack, in this thread. Personally, I would expect a legitimate hit, because in that thread, the receiver of the spear attack had actually stopped, and in here, Ryeesh is still moving. However, this isn't an actual battle, and I absolutely detest forcing my own opinion onto a matter, so you do you. I'm good with whatevz.

Feeling like such a dick for using these little OoC notes, but it's just for clarification, and not to press my perception onto your own. So, I apologize if it does seem that way. <_<"
​

 

[Gamov]

Ryeesh was no fool. Every action she took, she did so with the surety of her knowledge and success. More importantly though, she was not above sacrificing of herself for the greater purposes of the Sith.

The gleam of Eryn's saberstaff caught in her eye as she approached. There was a fleeting moment of doubt that fringed along the fore of her thoughts, her approach entirely too swift to outright avoid the onrushing blade. But it was crushed in the next instant as the Iktotchi kept on her course, suddenly forestalling the forward thrust with her own saber as her left arm broke free to intercept Eryn's blade.

With the feint hiss of energy meeting metal, the phrik overlay on the prosthetic held up long enough for her to clench a firm fist around the blade and wrench it an arm's length from her body - but not before it gave her a superficial glance along her left side. Smoke sizzled from the scoring marks, the wound on her side still glowing an angry luminescent orange as she grit her teeth and pushed past the Dark Lord's defenses.

Clearing beyond the most lethal part of the weapon, she would release her hold on Eryn's weapon while a quick flick of her thumb would deactivate the rear blade of her saberstaff. In another fluid motion, she lunged forward with the foremost blade of her saberstaff, aiming towards Eryn's chest with a savage sai tok slash. The servos and motors in her prosthetic arm whined in mock protest as she flexed the fingers into a tight fist, but the appendage was still fairly functional.

Ryeesh knew, however, that it had sustained the only damage it could withstand from direct contact with a lightsaber. A risk to be sure, but a calculated one meant to breach her opponent's defenses.

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

Even as the force burgeoned within him, surprise seared through the corners of his face, enshrouded by the eclipse of his visor. Though it was not out of her maneuver that wrought his wonder, but rather the fashion of it. Seizing the incandescent shaft of his blade was undoubtedly a move he could never have thought to conjure, especially with the ensemble of a single fist. Despite his initial epiphany, he was more than primed at her foremost advance, now recognizing she had plunged deep into the heart of his ploy, intricately stipulated early into the duel.

As she inched ever closer to him, both ends of his saberstaff, which had been held within his left hand since the outset of the battle¹, instantaneously ruptured into an immaculate fervor of violet, trilling with vicious intent. Angled to an orderly slope, he intercepted the crude slash of his foe, which had been aimed upon his right hip. Now that both of their blades were locked together, hence preventing Ryeesh and her incursion from inducing any serious blow, Eryn moved the other end of his saberstaff in the direction of his opponent. The right end of his blade, latched to the other Sith's saber, would slide downward as he angled the left end of his blade forward. This winding yet smooth maneuver would allow him to continue to forestall her slash, and simultaneously strike her at her right arm or shoulder².

In regards to his lance, however, which had only been cast to the side so his foe could deliver such an attack, Eryn began to synchronously bring the pike back. Since his grip had been near the edge of the spear³, it would take only the blink of an eye for him to bring his arm backwards and bisect his opponent by the thigh. This had been his original ploy— to beguile the Sith in between his left blades and his right lance, and to force her to fight against two wholly different fronts. A scissor move. Though in this case, one attack would assail against his foe's right arm, and the other would move on to cleave her thighs in two.

She would have to think fast: either to lose a limb, her lower body, or somehow elude his maneuver; a stunt almost unthought of on his own part. Pressed hard on both sides, there was little leeway for her to escape from left or right, and if she attempted to flee backwards, his nearly two meter long spear would still be more than within hewing distance. Yet, even among his attacks, a flake of hope settled into his mind. A hope that, perhaps, she would not fall into the clutches of death out of her own ambition.

Spoiler: OoC

@Gamov
¹ The saberstaff used was mentioned a number of times in preceding replies. For example, "His left hand moored itself to the slender frame of a dual-phase saberstaff," as well as "his left hand slanted into a lined horizon, perpendicular over his weapon." This weapon being the pike. Thus, the saberstaff and pike would look to be like a cross.
² Probably confusing to analyze through mere words, but this move rather simple when pictured clearly. Since Ryeesh did a sai tok slash, which you had stated was going slash at his right side, all Eryn had to do was angle the saberstaff at a downward slope to his right (and slightly inward) to catch the attack. As one end of the blade moves inward (the side that intercepts the slash), the other moves outward. This outward move would go on to lacerate Ryeesh's right arm/shoulder. Unless caught, of course. If you have trouble with said move or need clarification, don't hesitate to ask meh.
³ In my prior post, I had mentioned that "his grip had stayed anchored a little closer to the brink of the handle." Hence meaning that there would be nearly no safe zone for Ryeesh when she moves to it the side. However, so as to prevent probable disagreement, I just had Eryn shift his right arm a little back while it concurrently moves to cleave her left thigh or wherever.

Hope this clarifies everything. I understand this post may be quite perplexing, despite my attempt to best explain it, but it's 1:30 AM and I'm tired as heck. If you have any issues, please don't hesitate to bring it up w/ me.
​

 

[Gamov]

A sudden flare of iridescent yellow light flashed in the corner of her eye, mere seconds before her own crimson blade came to a screeching halt against the Dark Lord's own saber - effectively stalling her slash towards his chest. Teeth gritted, right hand coiling ever tighter around the hilt of her own saberstaff, Ryeesh brought her prosthetic arm forward to seize the opposite end of Eryn's saber in an overhanded grasp that would stall his downward slash towards her shoulder. With the the sound of creaking servos and fine dust being pulverized underfoot, the Iktotchi locked a steely gaze with her opponent.

Staring through the blinding flare of light and straining hiss of energy, she applied sharp force to the end of Eryn's saberstaff locked in the vice-like grip of her mechanical arm. In a single violent motion, she would attempt to rend the blade counter clockwise (clockwise from Eryn's perspective) straight down onto the man's right arm in an attempt to sever his forearm with his own blade. Given that he was wielding his saberstaff with a single hand, it should be relatively simple to apply sufficient leverage to the weapon - given the length of its hilt - to accomplish her task.

Even as this action would begin to unfold, however, Ryeesh's own blade would remain locked with Eryn's, allowing her to apply some control over where the second blade could go. Having slipped well past the effective range of the most dangerous part of the saberpike though, she felt fairly confident in having managed to overcome and gain leverage over her enemy's defenses.

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

The refulgent luster of his armor mirrored the embers flaring from the two locked blades, streaking into a glaring flash of caustic radiance. But his eclipsed gaze scrutinized her with unparalleled regard, fastened to her every move despite the aurora of light. Visor dimmed and vision impeccable, Eryn watched her prosthetic arm, still seared by his prior attack, shoot forward to grip his saberstaff. Years of training; endless sessions of blade work; he would not go down so easily against some credulous branch of nuts and bolts. However, the confounding weight of her arm pressed upon his own, and there was little reason that he could ever overcome his foe by mere strength.

But, he didn't need strength. Only composure, and a conscience clear of misgivings.

As his left constraint was still tight around the hilt of his saberstaff, fighting off her attempt to cleave his right forearm off, it only took a quiver of his fingertip to deactivate the blade, and thus making the ensemble of her maneuver all to no avail. In addition, as soon as he'd deactivate the staff, he would allow the direction of his hilt, and where the blade had once been, to effortlessly twirl over his forearm¹. His foe would undoubtedly be thrown off balance by his sudden maneuver to simply stop fighting off her mechanical grip. Not to mention, there would be no conceivable way for his opponent to reactivate the blade, and even with the aid of the force, she would be a split second far too late. Eryn held complete assurance that his countermove would prove successful, and hence making his foe's entire foray for naught— all by the flutter of his fingers.

However, his countermove was the least of his assurances. His right arm, which had anchored itself still perfectly with his saber pike, would presumptively slide through the opposing Sith's thigh. As his hand had been near the edge of the lance's hilt for much of the duel (thus meaning that there was no feasible "safe zone" from the blade unless his foe had leapt back two whole meters²), and due to the fact that he had already brought said attack into motion earlier, it would take only another split second for the halcyon blade to sunder off her left leg³.

Spoiler: OoC

@Gamov
¹ He simply deactivated the saberstaff, and aided in moving the hilt in the direction Ryeesh was intending to move it. This would more than likely throw her off balance, since Eryn would have instantly stopped fighting off her attempt to move the blade, and not to mention that he'd be helping her move the hilt the way she desired. Keeping that in mind, the entire blade (which is no longer there) would naturally pass over his right forearm in barely a quarter of a second, too little a time to possible reactivate the blade, even with the force (in my own belief).

² In your post above, you stated that Ryeesh had "slipped well past the effective range of the most dangerous part of the saberpike." However, my own post before that, I clearly asserted that there was no safe zone from his pike, especially as I mentioned that his grip was at the edge of the pike hilt, and that his arm had shifted back.

³ In my prior post, I had also stated that his pike was moving to cleave off her leg. And Ryeesh hath failed to both elude nor intercept the attack. Though I wouldn't call it an auto-hit, I do personally believe there'd be no way around it now. But, 'tis only my perception. You'll probably figure something out, you sleazy bastard.

Anyway, apologies. I get hella tired writing these kind of PvP posts, so I may have missed a detail or two in my clarifications and rationale. Don't hesitate to ask tho.​

 

[Gamov]

Feeling the resistance in her opponent's arm slack off, the blade that would have cleaved his arm in two suddenly blinked out of existence mere inches before it could sever flesh. Yet that hadn't shaken her resolve as she began condensing the Force in her body into a tight coil of energy.

All too aware of the lingering danger of the saberpike still clutched in the man's right hand, the Iktotchi released her grasp on his saber, pivoting away from her hold towards the Dark Lord's left in an effort to avoid the most dangerous length of the pike - though she was aware there would be nowhere near enough space nor time to avoid it outright. As she did so, the blade of her saber (still locked with Eryn's saberstaff) continued to function as a crude lever, the only design of which was to keep her opponent's own saberstaff at bay.

But all her actions were for naught as a searing pain suddenly enveloped her left leg. Eyes wide in shock and disbelief, the sudden loss of her leg sent Ryeesh tumbling to the loose sand below, where she landed with an unceremonious thud. Mind still reeling from the pain coursing through her nerves, her gaze turned skyward into the waning twilight of Korriban's sky.

"This is how it all ends..." The thought came bitterly as she waited what would surely be the death blow...

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

His golden blade stripped through the stiff tendon of her leg. Sinew rifting by the ruthless mandate of the saber cutlass, instantly cauterized by the scalding incandescence of plasma, the limb was torn into a sharp divide. As foe's leg sundered away, Eryn broke off from the anchor of their blades, and retracted to a unpolished step backwards. Boots chewing into the soot beneath his armored frame, he revolved his lustrous pike around with graceful rigor, before imposing it directly over the edge of his opponent's neck. A single inch forward, and the edge of the lance would effortlessly sail into her throat.

However, death was not what he craved, nor to further humiliate his now assailable adversary.

Head twining to a slated angle, glancing over to where the now reigning Supreme Leader stood in solemn regard. Though Eryn's face was screened in an eclipsed visor, his awry glare seemed to seethe through, almost hauntingly, to the colossal poise of Kyuss. There were no words, no pompous roar of his voice, but only the rivet of his head to indicate a single, cadaverous request:

If he was to land the final blow; the final stroke of his blade to bring about an end the Sith that lay before him. A nod, or the mere twitch of Lord Thaun's hand, would be all Eryn needed to end the duel once and for all.

@Relent @Gamov

 

[Logan]

Until this point the Supreme Leader had watched the Arauk'kesh with relative disinterest. Both combatants had a chip on their shoulder and something serious to prove but the ultimate outcome of who won and who died really made no difference to him. Either way, a weak Sith would be culled and a strong one be put in its place; or maintain their position should the unlikely outcome of Cipher's success actually come to fruition. He wasn't aware of Ryeesh until the Arauk'kesh had been called, although clearly the Iktochi had deserved her exiled status as she had proved nothing in this fight but her own failures as a duelist, usurper and a Sith. Despite his tremendous loss on Serenno, Cipher had managed to slightly claw his way back into Kyuss' good graces with his display here. He had made relatively quick work of his opponent - although Kyuss himself had seen more than one opening for the man to end the fight sooner, but such was the habit of a seasoned and battle tested warrior like him.

Cipher would get the most minute nod of the head from Kyuss in response to his unspoken question. There was no room for mercy in his Brotherhood, no place for civility or exile. This fight would be not only a lesson but a showcase to all future Sith who dared think about initiating an Arauk'kesh against a Darth of the Brotherhood. It was not something to be taken lightly, for if you failed there was only one result lying in wait.

A small smile would crease the Supreme Leader's lips. Perhaps there was hope for his Brotherhood yet.

 

[Deviant]

Adumbrated gaze catching Kyuss' vindictive concession, Eryn readied for his final act. His left elbow reclined to his side, predisposed to puncture his foe's throat with the edge of his blade. A single breath slipped through the slender crack of his lips. Then, he made his final move.

The resplendent gold of his lance dissolved and dissipated into empty air. The full measure of his pike retracted back into the repose of a staff, gnawing back into the rugged sand at his feet. Long had he detested the traditions of the Brotherhood; of an Empire that had died a century prior. He would not allow himself to be barred and restricted by petty decrees from men now buried in the scorching tombs of Moraband. If he ever wished to rebuff the very notion of Arauk'kesh, he would do so in flagrant defiance. Naturally, he had also aligned into the Brotherhood not only for the sake of his son's security, but to serve alongside men of recognized honour. And today, with the death of Darth Sigrun, there was no esteem in hearkening to the ruthless regime of Kyuss Thaun.

Eryn would not be chaperoned by a man who had not earned his title, nor by the mandate of those who had failed, and died, at its side. Though his lone feat of defiance was undoubtedly an explicit middle finger straight to the Supreme Leader, the Dark Lord was in no inclination to challenge him. Even in spite of his personal enmity for Kyuss, he would rather wait— wait for the Codru-Ji to prove himself as a leader worth serving.

Turning his back to the vigilant crowd, the force swelled from his fingertips before carrying Ryeesh from the ground, hovering her through the air as Eryn exited the arena with her marred figure.

Spoiler: OoC

lololololol

Though the Arauk'kesh clearly outlines that it must be a deathmatch, Eryn clearly understands that his act of mercy will prove a "weakness" within his stature, and that it may result in his death. I suppose it all depends on whether or not you plan to take it seriously. And if so, good luck.

Cheers, frands.

 

[Logan]

From his observational position Kyuss watched as Darth Cipher - or as his tombstone would soon read, the disgraced and dishonorable mongrel Eryn Callisto - openly and willingly defied the command he had been given. The small, genuine smile that had only just began to crease his lips turned rapidly into a virulent sneer, Kyuss' lower left arm reaching for the helmet to his armor as it had, up until this point, been sitting idly on the ledge that separated the onlookers from the combatants. Although the newly appointed Supreme Leader could appreciate a strong will and the drive to walk your own path in life he could not let Eryn so publicly shirk his authority.

With heavy but determined steps Kyuss had moved from his position as the overseer and down into the battle area, his massive frame slicing through the Korribani sand swiftly and with obvious prejudice. There was no mistaking his intent as he retrieved his lightsabers from his hip and activated their blades, the weapons erupting to violent crimson life with that unmistakable snap-hiss. The remainder of his weaponry, two gutripper carbines and two cerberus scatterguns would remain holsters on their mag plates.

The tendrils of his own mastery of the force would wrap themselves around the floating frame of Ryeesh, ripping her body violently from the invisible grasp of Eryn and bringing her flying towards Kyuss. Her form would be met by two swift strikes from his lightsabers, bisecting her body in both the upper and lower torso.

"You are not done here, Darth Cipher." The words escaped his helmet in a hollow yet venomous tone, the last two coming out mockingly and with a level of condensation reserved normally for insults thrown at your most inferior enemy. Normally of a level head, Kyuss could feel his blood pressure rising by the second as the storm of impending battle swirled once again inside the Arauk'kesh arena. A wall of invisible force energy would block the exit Eryn had intended to take.

His choice was simple, it was singular and it was obvious. He would fight once more to earn his title or he would die, purely and truly, like Kyuss wished the disappointment of a Dark Lord had on Serenno.

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

His head twisted around with consternation, watching as the Kyuss himself emerged from the stands before shredding Ryeesh at the behest of two crimson blades. Dread strewn beneath the visor of his helm, contorting his once triumphant qualities, Eryn glanced to the arena exit and back to the malicious figure of the Supreme Lord. Though only a mere ten meters from the haven of the aperture, he knew there would be no escape waiting for him. Having sensed the tremendous wall of the force blocking his path, and with his newfound opponent only seven meters away, the once championed Knight knew precisely what had to be done.

His saberstaff slipped from the anchor of his left grip and plunged into the sand. The blade would prove impractical against Lord Thaun, chiefly due to its closely melee-based qualities. As the Codru-Ji exhibited four arms, Kyuss naturally held an unprecedented advantage against him. Hence, Eryn would have to withhold a prolonged distance to elude a prospective surprise attack by the other pair of his limbs, and a mere saberstaff would simply not do. Replacing his left hand with his secondary lightsaber— a golden dual phase blade in itself —he ignited it to an astounding length of two meters.

Shifting his right hand several inches down from the edge of his pike, he positioned the lengthened single saber at a thirty degree angle from his right side, and horizontal over the lance. As he situated himself into a state of forbearing defense, Eryn moved several meters away from his original position, hoping to expand the distance between the two. However, given the other man's cogent mastery in the force, he doubted his shuffle backwards would make too great a difference.

Regardless, the Dark Lord could only hope for the opportunity to slip away, as even he of all people knew that given his unprepared standings, there would be little way for him to defeat the Supreme Leader. In that moment, Eryn almost regretted his prior motives, but he knew that as the Lord of the Sith, and as a man of honour, he could never back down from own convictions out of mere cowardice. Breathless lips pursed together, he quipped softly through his visor, just enough for the Supreme Lord to hear.

"I'm not done yet, Lord Thaun."

 

[Logan]

Kyuss watched intently the abandonment of one blade for another, as if something so simple would give the Darth an edge in the combat he had already lost. The sudden extension of the lightsaber blade didn't elicit any form of response from Kyuss outside of a light snicker, a multitude of dick jokes crossing through his mind as he watched it grow from its normal length to that of almost two full meters. It became a grotesque and unwieldy thing in his mind, but the dual-phase nature of the weapon was something he'd seen Sith utilize before with great success. Kyuss made a mental note to perhaps acquire his own, although he wasn't quite sure he could take the weapon seriously. It was a literal walking "So is that a lightsaber in your pants or are you just happy to see me?" joke attached to Cipher's waist, or well now held firmly in his hand. Oh, there was another joke! How fun.

Perhaps just ten meters separated them now, Cipher doing his best to keep the gap between the two as large as possible it seemed; all the while maintaining his guard with the ungainly weapon held firmly in his hand. Holding his own two lightsabers in his upper set of arms, Kyuss began walking - not running, not sprinting, just walking - towards Cipher. He would close the distance to seven meters between them before allowing the force to fuel his body, reaching out with it and finding the now dead Darth Irade's saber staff in the sand. It would spring forth from nestled place near its dead master, the blades erupting violently as it spun like a helicopter blade of death towards Cipher. The weapon would arc out and then back in as to attack from Cipher's right side, nearly level with his waist, while Kyuss himself would continue the advance from dead center.

He would allow his patience to win out in this instance, keen to close the gap entirely but not before the spinning saberstaff reached its mark. Kyuss would wait to see how the Darth reacted before making another move, his wisdom in fighting force users telling him that a distraction was their greatest enemy. The man would more than likely leave himself open as the distance between them grew ever tighter, due to Kyuss not being the only thing the Darth had to pay attention to now.

His lower hands would begin drawing the force into him, Kyuss readying himself for what may come next as he began to sprint.

 

[Deviant]

Eyes tightened, grip stifled. Eryn fixated himself upon the approaching figure of the Supreme Lord. However, his peripheral vision effortlessly caught the distant saberstaff of his fallen foe hover from the sand, and embark upon a perilous approach to attack him. Fortunately for him, the foray would be a little more than a piece of cake. There would be no need for him to twirl around desperately to elude the incursion, or make a frenzied attempt at intercepting the blade. It would take only a sliver of the force; a fragment capable of dismantling the entirety of his foe's barrage, aggression, and advance.

As soon as the saberstaff activated into a pair of crimson blades, Eryn calmly activated a supernova grenade bound to his utility belt, all with the diminutive value of the force. The cacophany of sound, and onslaught of blazing light, would undoubtedly perplex his opponent to the measure of incapacitating his any utilization of the force¹. In other words, the screeching clamor and turbulence of noise would henceforward terminate Kyuss' ploy with the incoming saberstaff, as well as any prospective build-up in energy. Thus, as the saberstaff would no longer have a force acting upon it, the blades would deactivate and fall harmlessly into the sand before it seldom reached his vicinity.

Since Eryn had toned down his visor, and his auditory modulators had been activated to combat such frequencies long before the battle, the supernova grenades would have absolutely no effect on him. His opponent, however, would doubtlessly prove not as lucky as he². So, pleased with his counterattack, and having devoted little concentration to anything other than the approaching Supreme Lord, the Dark Lord prepared for his foe to enter within the general vicinity of his defensive poise, or to intercept any attack by his disparate firearms.

Spoiler: OoC

¹ Activated a supernova grenade, which is tied closely to the side of his waist.

² Neither on in your prior posts, your character profile, or in the armor you are currently using, does it mention anything within the helm to combat external flashes of light and sound (specifically that of a supernova grenade). If I'm proven wrong, then apologies, and I will edit in an adequate intercept to your attack. For now, however, I believe Kyuss in incapable of the force, and thus, making the attack with Ryeesh' saberstaff to no avail.

Also to note again, these OoC notes are simply for clarification. If I sound like a condescending asshole using them (and I have quite a feeling I do), then apologies. I'm just trynna like, not die 'n stuff.

I love how I made over two paragraphs of flowery crap and all I did was activate a grenade. sorry lol

 

[Logan]

The sudden onslaught of bright, strobing lights coupled with the litany of shrieking screams that exploded from the supernova on Cipher's belt took Kyuss by a bit of surprise. He could feel his normal authoritarian grip over the force falter and sputter before dying off, like a speeder that had abruptly run out of fuel. This did not deter him, however. Kyuss did not need the force to fight, he didn't need it to kill, and he sure as shit didn't need it to finish off what he had started here with Cipher. If anything, the man was prolonging the inevitable. Although, the hulking meat mountain that was the Supreme Leader couldn't fault him for the ingenuity. Not that it mattered.

Having his initial course of action disrupted before it ever truly began, Kyuss made the decision to continue his b-line for Cipher. It made no sense to drastically change his plan, the use of the supernova didn't really do much to affect what his overall end goal had been in the first place. Doing his best to keep his eyes from being completely blinded, Kyuss continued to move forward. Given that he had initially slowed up to give the saber staff time to reach Cipher before he did, Kyuss was still more than five meters away from the Darth when the nova went off.

Keeping both sabers in his upper hands, Kyuss still started to run to attempt to close the gap. Although now, his bottom hands reached down to his sides and drew both of his gutripper carbines, Kyuss leveling them in the direction of Cipher and simply pulling the triggers. He would spray a hail of gunfire at him, most of the blasterbolts aimed from anywhere between Cipher's nipples and his knees.

He would continue charging while keeping the triggers pulled down until his weapons expelled their own energy packs. Wouldn't take much more than a few seconds.

What he would do when he reached Cipher, Kyuss was still unsure. He'd play that bit by ear, for now, more curious as to what the barrage of blaster fire would do to the man with the six-foot saber.

 

[Deviant]

The left anchor of his saber tightened. As golden edge receded and tempered to a narrow edge of willing regard. Eryn braced himself for the approaching impulse of his opponent, arms reached out with defensive care. Be that as it may, his zeal ebbed into doubt as Kyuss unveiled a set of gutrippers, taking no time in unleashing an uproar of crossfire to overwhelm him. His blade quivered forward, carving through the air in an intricate constellation of interceptions, followed by persistent maneuvers to dodge each and every bolt. However, the barrage of attacks were quick to deluge his own defensive poise. In an instant, one shot slammed into his armored shoulder blade. His saber continued forward, nevertheless, urged on in stubborn furor.

Then, another two bolts. Yet he marched on, dancing through a tempest of flaming rose; defiant to the very end. It wasn't until the fourth and fifth bolts, the final volley from his foe, that Eryn found himself collapsing into the coarse sand at his feet. The entire vigor of his skill had proven inconsequential. Only then was he delaying the inevitable; an inevitability that had finally reached him.

He had lost, and he had thus far realized the full extent of his aberrations. The Dark Lord knew what was to come. Kneeling into a pensive stature, biting back searing pain throughout his body, he murmured before his approaching end.

"I welcome death with open arms."

Spoiler: OoC

@Relent
Lazy post from a lazy young man. Don't judge.