The Hubris of Men...

[Japkot]

[This Thread is Death Disabled]
Sometimes it was good to get away from places that were too familiar, sometimes it was good to experience places you'd never seen before. And in Jakkar's face, most of the places he'd been in were stained with the blood of the galaxies greatest conquest. Since he had most of the galaxy at his disposal, it was a good chance to go to a place where he could see something new.

Something other then cowering troopers waiting for their death, something other than people dying next to him in the chaos of battle, something other than the whispers he heard in corridors in Sith Homeworlds.

That was the reason a lone Sith was sitting cross-legged during a stormy night in the planet of Ord Mantell, overlooking the sea as lightning's striked the surface of the planet all around him. His red eyes boring into the horizon as he focused on his emotions. Anger and Hate radiating off of him, mostly because he wanted to mediate, and using the chaos of this weather was helping him focus...

Jakkar Rivon, the Sith Warrior, focused on the dark side so much that he forgot his surroundings, forgot the war, he felt only the pain and suffering he inficted, would inflict, wanted to inflict, felt the hate in his past and his present, all emotions that overwhelmed him and gave him clarity. There was anger, but this wasn't blinding like it always was, because it wasn't directed at somone, it wasn't the center of his emotions like it always was.

It was just there, without any purpose...

 

[Clayton]

The Republic had fallen, the willing remnants were absorbed into the Jedi's influence or snapped up by the Mandalorians. It was sad they they -and the Republic- had failed to stop the tide of darkness. It had rolled in and over them despite the resistance put up. The republic had fractured, politics and betrayal pulled on loose threads. The Sith had suffered the same, but it hadn't even slowed them down. The Moff Council had been destroyed, but that didn't stop Malon. Tagg wondered how much additional political power Malon had seized in the immediate vacuum following the bombing.

Somehow it had worked to the Sith's advantage.

Tides, however, had a tendency to recede. Tagg took solace in that fact. He walked the surface of Ord Mantell in quiet contemplation. Lightning flickered in the clouds, momentary glows from within their massive bodies highlighted every bulge and dip in their slate-gray surface. Warm and steady rain fell from the sky. Unlike most sentients, he did not mind being outside in a heavy shower; the benefit of being aquatic, he figured.

A thin layer of dirt had turned to mud beneath his feet. Gritty muck oozed up around the sides of his feet with every step. Below this thin layer was stone, old stone formed millions of years ago and eroded by forces unknown to Tagg. Although it had been abandoned tonight, this particular ridge was a popular hangout for young men and women looking for a secluded area for some romance. A hundred feet down the ridge and a few miles away, blurred city lights were visible through the rain.

Tagg stepped over a discarded can of energy drink. Rain had not been able to clean away the grime that had caked onto the surface. The can had obviously been there for quite some time. He hoped nobody was an asshole enough to discard needles or break glass bottles. That would be an unpleasant discovery. He doubted it; it was difficult to woo a love interest while surrounded by dangerous trash.

A chill crept into his flesh; a chill unrelated to the storm. It was one all too familiar and common these days. Someone else was out and about tonight. A Sith, or darksider (though how many darksiders were independent of the Sith in this day and age?). He frowned, disturbed and saddened that his stroll had ended up this way. He closed his eyes and focused. The emotions were unbridled, bold even. They swirled in an impenetrable haze without check or restraint. He could feel someone there, but that person was concealed from him. Their presence was just a shadowy figure in a thick bank of emotional fog. He could tell what direction this person was in relation to himself, however.

Tagg opened his eyes and changed directions, his leisurely pace unchanged. He would head into that fog.

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

Jakkar wasn't alone...

He felt a presence approaching, one that was aligned with the force, probably because of him, since he was practically shouting his presence to everyone with a sliver of force affinity. A Jedi, he guessed, since he wasn't feeling the intoxicating energy of the dark side, or the feedback of emotions that he would sense if one was just a force-sensitive that didn't know their heritage, just boring blandnes...

It was a perplexing notion for him, a one on one confrontation with a Jedi, (for of course he would not run!) because it was his first, other times it had with soldiers, or watching other, more experienced Sith handle them from the sidelines. It was... an interesting time he would have it seemed, even though it was a shame his meditation was interrupted, he tried to smother his anger at that notion, he didn't need it now...

He rose to his feet, his red eyes looming over the horizon one last time before turning back, facing the way he felt the Jedi's presence, it would be easier to see from his position, since it was overlooking a terrain mostly flat, he narrowed his eyes as to better see and called out, "I know you're there, show your face!" His voice was a shout, barely audible from the storm that ruled the skies...

@Clayton

 

[Clayton]

A figure appeared in the distance and grew larger as Tagg approached. The man stood, outline blurred by rain, and shouted. His words were but a whisper through the wind and storm, but loud enough that Tagg could catch them. Show his face? He figured his mottled skin and smooth outline must be obscured by the heavy rain. Tagg shrugged to himself.

The Sith was atop a rocky outcropping that overlooked the rest of the ridge. Discarded death stick butts littered the ground along with more empty cans, this time of the alcoholic variety. Some enterprising young man had even bolted a couple of bottle openers into a relatively smooth section of rock wall. Give it a hundred years and there might be a small tavern here. A narrow path wound its way up the outcropping, parts had obviously been roughly tooled for easier foot traffic. This was quite the hangout spot, apparently.

Tagg took the path and ascended to the top of the outcrop. He stayed well out of striking range. When he reached the top he looked around. There was enough room for a duel if it came to that -Tagg would prefer if it didn't- but only between two people. It was entirely possible someone might get tossed to the main ridge below. Tagg gazed out past the Sith to see the city lights. "They are a pretty sight, even through all this rain," he said, aware that the Sith may not speak Selkath at all. His hands were folded in front of him at his waits, the tip of his fingers rested lightly along the smooth, unadorned metal of his lightsaber hilt.

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

His mouth curled into a snarl as the Jedi revaled himself to his sight, displaying the signature, irritating calmness that Jedi had made themselves known for, (aside from their knack to pick the losing side, that is) he, (assuming it was a he, it was really hard to tell with it,) was not a pleasent sight to see either, with him looking more fish than man, but he really shouldn't judge, his hatred of the Jedi was clouding his judgement of his race, they could be really pleasent people...

He calmly removed one of his lightsaber's from its strap, leaving the other one still strapped for now as he looked down at the Jedi, there were some mumblings that the Heavy Rain smothered, making it hard for him to even catch a hint of what he was saying.

Which meant that the Jedi wasn't taking this seriously...

Anger bubbled up inside of him as his lightsaber ignited, the orange hue lighting up his features as he looked down upon the Jedi, trying to supress his berserker rage from spilling out and losing control of his temper. He would kill the Jedi, and return to his meditation. It was the least he could do, since Ord Mantell wasn't the best place for a Sith with a captive to be running around...

"Draw your weapon Jedi! This is not the time for talks!" He enjoyed a fight, one of the few things he could these days, why waste time talking?

 

[Clayton]

His mere presence atop the rocky bluff was offensive to the Sith. Anger roiled in the force, but it was held in check. For now. An orange blade erupted and illuminated the human in an eerie glow. It makes him look jaundiced..no, human turn yellow when they're jaundiced he thought. It was an odd thought to be thinking when someone had just ignited a lightsaber.

The Sith shouted for him to draw his weapon, and then a gust of wind howled over the outcropping to steal the rest away. Taggs fingers went from resting on the hilt of his lightsaber to curled around it; the movement was so simple and small it would be easy to miss. Tagg shook his head, an action hard to miss. A direct denial of the Sith's wishes. Tagg wondered how he would take that. Not well, was his guess. What makes you think I have any interest in fighting you? he wondered as he canted his head to one side, fishy eyes studied the human through the rain. "Return to your meditation, I don't mind." he shouted over the storm. An arc of lightning cracked across the sky from cloud to cloud. Deep, rolling thunder followed almost immediately.

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

He was taken aback, although only momentarily, his eyes would narrow soon after, the Jedi was toying with him, thinking it would lead to him unleashing his anger... Yes that must be it, no need to fall for his games, Jakkar would just simply need to get closer. So he did, with steady steps as to not slide down the muddy hillside, he walked around the Selkath Jedi, now able to be distinguishable with both the light emnating from his saber and the distance closing.

His taken abackness was more than likely of his inexperience in one on one situations, he was constantly in battlefields, fighting with people against other people. This would be his downfall in this situation if he didn't react well, what he needed to do was make a direct circle around the Jedi, and change their positions, which he was already doing, if the Jedi would comply, this would be more than just a slaughter.

So he just twirled his lightsaber in a silent challenge, looking for an outlet for his desperate anger, his hand already hovering above his second one.

@Clayton

 

[Clayton]

Tagg's fingers tightened imperceptibly on the hilt of his saber as Jakkar approached him. Classic predator behavior. Circle and wait for the right time to strike. Aware of his surroundings, Tagg moved laterally, away from the path that led him up from the gathering place a short distance below, always turning to face the Sith as Jakkar tried to circle him. He was careful not to position himself between the Sith and a sheer drop. It would be unfortunate to get thrown down a hundred-something foot bluff. Wind sprayed rain in his face, which was oddly comforting. Jakkar spun his lightsaber, one hand hovered over a second hilt. So obvious, Tagg thought to himself, his own lightsaber not even ignited yet. Where is your teacher, young one?

He spoke again. "Don't feel the need to leave because of me," he said as passively as possible. "Come on, I'm not gonna hurt you unless you do something foolish," his tone was soothing, calm, like how an aak dog trainer might speak to a spooked beast. Of course, it might just infuriate the man into attacking.

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

His eyes narrowed further, and his glare became scathing, the Jedi was toying with him, he realized that, and the tone he used was specifically to goad him into doing something that would not be favourable for Jakkar. But he couldn't help it, that tone he used, reminded him to much like a parent scolding a child, something he barely remembered, but after 16 years could still distinguish.

It irked him, how the Jedi, who was still yet to draw his saber, was scolding him like a parent, when it was a Jedi that had taken his from him. There was poetry in there somewhere, he would've stopped time to search it if it wasn't for his anger surfacing, the berserker rage surfacing within him and consuming his thoughts as he thought more and more about the gal of this Jedi. It took all of his will to not lash out.

"No more words Jedi," He growled, "Either you draw your weapon, or this incessant noise ends,"

 

[Clayton]

It seemed that combat was inevitable. Jakkar had offered Tagg an ultimatum, which was only slightly different than the two previous times he'd demanded the Jedi do something. Tagg would have preferred to once again deny Jakkar's demand, but truthfully the Sith was too close for comfort. Tagg was confident he could ignite his saber in time to meet an attack, but he heeded his own guidance of avoiding overconfidence. After all, look what had happened to the galaxy.

So Tagg conceded to Jakkar's request. His feet shifted slightly in the muck and Tagg's knees bent ever so slightly. A long, slow breath left his lips as he found a calm center amidst the storm and troubled emotions of his would-be opponent. He felt the Force ebb around them, an ocean of potential, one comfortingly familiar like an old friend. He was ready to reach into it if need be. A slender green blade erupted from his lightsaber. His lightsaber arm slid out from under his left hand as he uncrossed them from his waist with a calculated casualness. The tip of the blade pointed roughly in Jakkar's direction. As his lightsaber hummed quietly by his right side, Tagg's free hand motioned to the path down as if to say you can leave if you want. He would be wise to take Tagg up on the offer.

This adherence to wisdom was something Tagg doubted Jakkar would follow. He was too troubled. Suspicious enough to not trust that it wasn't a trap. Anger would drive him to strike. He was young and Sith. He'd been flashing his lightsaber and making demands since almost the moment they came into contact. Jakkar would not back down now that Tagg had drawn his blade.

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

A savage grin lit up in Jakkar's features, his eyes lighting up with triumph. A childish joy filling him, because now he'd gotten to show off his strong side. Finally, no more of this useless drivel, the song of the lightsaber was all the sound he needed, and he would only be calm when his enemies were dead... Gods he had missed this, he wished it could last forever, but this was his life, brief but powerful pleasures...

No need to think like that now, he chided himself, as his feet took the position of the oh so familiar Form V, pushing his body forward and embracing the hilt of his lightsaber with his two hands while keeping it close to the left of his hip. It was meant to relay a challenge, and in the off chance the challenge proved too much to deal with, he still had the all-familiar Jar'kai to rely upon, and more if need be.

But that wouldn't be necessary...

He scoffed at his opponent's silent request for him to leave, for he would not do such a thing, as he'd established many times. Instead of choosing to advance with steady steps toward his opponent, regarding his surroundings as to not forget them as he increased his step, finally breaking into a run when he deemed he was close enough to his opponent, as he approached, he swung in an overhead strike, aiming for his opponents head. A common move, one that would be parried, even if it gave some hardship, it was an elaborate ruse however, for if parried, Jakkar would use the leverage to get behind his opponent with his Form IV, even if a little rusty for his tastes, the acrobatics required to do it would be more than enough...

 

[Clayton]

Naturally Jakkar scoffed at him. Tagg regarded the oncoming Sith with sad eyes. The kid was actually running now. Now was not the time for pity or casual observations, however. Jakkar's lightsaber rose for a common, overhead strike. Common despite how inadvisable it was. Wind whipped at Tagg's robes as he calmly but quickly stepped forward and to one side in a manner similar to a crunchball player attempting to juke past an opposing player.

Except Tagg did not juke. Concurrent with his step, Tagg's lightsaber rose to meet Jakkar's, but it was not a steadfast block. The instant their sabers met, Tagg continued to raise his saber arm as he stepped inwards to the attack, forcing the tip of his saber down, and he slid his green blade down the length of Jakkar's to strike at his body. There was no stopping Jakkar's momentum, not in this rain-soaked muck, so his step would effectively bring Tagg past his opponent. Of course, by now Jakkar was entering into a jump, so Tagg flicked his lightsaber up in a circle to chase Jakkar's unguarded rear as Tagg pivoted on his leading leg in the direction away from Jakkar (keeping his saber arm between himself and the Sith), and turned 180 degrees to face his opponent once more. Each motion was a smooth, fluid, unbroken extension of the previous. He had no desire to kill the Sith, so he tried to limit his strikes to inflict a hobbling injury. Of course, battles were not predictable and Jakkar might move in a way that would inflict a worse injury.

Tagg ended facing the opposite direction he had begun, lightsaber tip coming down from its circular motion to rest at just above hip height, once more pointed at the Sith.

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

Thankfully, Jakkar was mindful to keep his upper body angled downward for the inital strike, not only did it serve him to land better as opposed to a full jump, which would have left his entire lower body exposed to the Jedi, which would result in a bad injury, but it also served him as a way to block the incoming strike directed at him, just as he predicted would happen, his opponent had foreseen both of his strikes, clearly more experienced.

His landing was rougher than he'd inteded it to be, thanks to the strike, but he was still able to land on his feet, barely feeling the impact thanks to the force around him. Stopping for a moment to strategize, before he finally gained an idea.

With a savage roar, he threw his sheated lightsaber at the Jedi, the blade opening mid-throw as it spun out of the way and behind the Jedi, pulling with the force, he commanded the blade's arc back, an unstoppable crimson disk heading straight for the Selkath. [OOC: I think that's a FAIL of 12) And as that was going one he would charge at the Jedi, being careful to move the same way in the off-chance that he would duck and he would lose his head as a result. As he charged, he would swing for his opponents lightsaber, making sure he couldn't parry.

 

[Clayton]

Tagg was perfectly fine with the pause in combat. It allowed himself to remain centered, an oasis of calm against the roiling emotions that swirled around Jakkar. He was still ready to use the force if need be, or the right moment arose. And it did. Jakkar's free hand darted down to his second lightsaber, then extended out to throw. Tagg's free arm extended at the same time and the force rippled from his hand. A concussive burst designed to knock Jakkar's legs from under him and send him sprawling face first into the mud (not terribly difficult considering the slick terrain). An act that would certainly shatter his hold over the thrown lightsaber whether he tried to defend or deigned to suffer mild embarrasment.

Jakkar had done the right thing and manually ignited his saber, but with what was going to be an unguided missile, it was not terribly hard to intercept and swat down with his own lightsaber, which he did. Tagg pressed his advantage as Jakkar was now either wiping mud from his eyes, nose, and mouth or just ending his defense of the force attack. Tagg stepped towards the thrown saber (sizzling as it flash-evaporated the surrounding water on the ground) and his green blade darted down to cut the hilt in two and even the odds somewhat.

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

He'd eaten the dirt.

Hard.

And now he was mad...

He let out a roar of unbridled rage as his eyes catched the Jedi moving for his grounded saber, ready to destroy the thing which he'd built himself, his 'elaborate' plan nothing but a blimp on the radar as his anger took over. Before the Selkath's lightsaber could come down and hit the blade, a torrent of lightning shot from his arms, uncontained and wild, heading toward the man who had awakened the beast that Jakkar held within him...

When his roar ended, and his mind became his own again, he didn't check if the Selkath was incapacitated or not, just concerned with getting to the lightsaber that he'd made himself, the reward of his decade of training, often disregarded in favour of the more ancient lightsaber but still holding a dear space in his heart. He quickly grabbed it, conjoining the fibercords of his two lightsabers and sighing with relief as he raised the double-bladed saber overhead, reuniting with his precious weapon, he turned around to face his opponent...

 

[Clayton]

Had it not been for Jakkar's infuriated roar, Tagg might have had no time to react. Sith enjoyed screaming, but once their emotions were louder than the actual scream it was usually followed by something nasty. As he reached the fallen weapon, but before he could sunder it, his gaze snapped back to Jakkar; perhaps he was going to throw his saber out of desperation. Tagg grimaced. Nope. Worse.

Tagg's lightsaber sped up with a flick of the wrist to intercept the lightning. So powerful was the blast that Tagg was forced to take a knee as the violet energies danced along the green blade. Fishy lips pulled back from rows of sharp, tiny teeth as he braced his saber arm against the pressure exerted on his blade. He could see the target hilt, basked in red and dancing violet glow, within reach. His clawed hand reached for the hilt and, as he touched it, the dark side within the crystal felt as cold as ice-water. Holding the weapon was offensive.

He was grateful that it was not "alive" like a sith holocron was. Those were insidiously dangerous. He knew he was the utter, complete opposite of in-tune with the crystal at the heart of Jakkar's blade. Using it in combat could be a liability. No. It was for the best that a weapon born of evil be destroyed. Tagg had not the luxury of reaching for it in a way that he held it in a proper grip. It was inverted, the blade pointed behind him as he held it. No matter. Tagg brought his arm and hand in towards his chest so the sith blade pointed in front of him and the emitter pass just beyond his own lightsaber. Sparks flew to replace the lightning that had just ceased. Tagg stood and dropped the now useless hilt. Once more the point of his green blade aimed at Jakkar who was already headed in his direction.

"You do not deserve to carry such a weapon," he said slowly. "Surrender."

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

It was like time had slowed down...

He was too slow, for once in his lifetime, he'd been too slow, and now it had cost him something dear to him, his eyes burned with hate as they landed on the Selkath. Abruptly stopping as he just watched the spineless Jedi drop his now ruined weapon. The one he'd forged, the one he'd gaiend after years of hard work, the one that connected him with his vision, the almost twin to his current one.

These things kept repeating in his head, almost like a mantra, he didn't even realize that he was murmuring this, the rain kept dropping on face, not helping his already clouded judgement, he saw that his barrage of lightning had left a mark on the Jedi, while he was still free of any bruises, if he pressed the advantage, the Jedi would be dead, and he would avenge his weapon, more valuable to him than any comrade...

He charged again, this time with no stance, just wild swings focusing on the Jedi's weapon, even with his clouded mind, he remembered enough to hit a blade properly, using the momentum of his strikes to knock the blade back and forth in an effort to disarm the Jedi, and if counter-attacked, with the blade out of the way, the Jedi was exposed to unarmed attacks, and most importantly, something creative....

 

[Clayton]

The destruction of Jakkar's lightsaber seemed to be more wounding than a blaster to the gut. Tagg could see the vile hatred spilling from Jakkar's eyes. Tagg's mudstained robes fluttered from a gust of wind and another bolt of lightning arced across the sky. Jakkar charged once more. His movement was not one of purpose or measured skill, but of cruelty and blind rage.

It was there that Tagg had his opponent.

The force rippled from his hand once more, but this time Jakkar was not the target. Well, not the direct target. It was not as focused of a strike as the one against Jakkar's legs earlier. No, this was a simple push, but aimed at an angle to the ground. Mud and loose stone erupted in a wide spray from the ground where the push impacted. It was enough to coat anybody in its path from head to toe, and temporarily blind and distract his opponent. Tagg moved at a measured pace to pass on Jakkar's right side. Tagg's lightsaber moved quickly, first to knock Jakkar's saber towards Jakkar's left (assuming his saber was even by his right), and then to dart down as they passed each other and tear a burning wound along Jakkar's thigh.

Once more he executed a simple turn to face his opponent.

Jakkar, in his clouded mind, had forgotten the terrain. He would not be able to pivot or shift directions in reaction to the attack during a charge without catastrophically wiping out once more.

@Japkot

 

[Japkot]

Seemed like Jakkar was in another bind...

He had forgetten the terrain, that was for sure, but what he hadn't forgetten was to shield his eyes, once more taking his eyes off his opponent in an almost fatal mistake, but this time, his instincts were moving on their own, as he let his lightsaber be slammed to the left and fall off, but shifting his whole body weight to accompany it, he ignored the stinging sensation on his knee joint and let his instincts finally have the playground, (thankfully just a graze, the strike would have knelt him dead otherwise if he hadn't reacted like he did)

As his opponent made to reiterate his attack on his leg, he fell down on his own accord, and rolled to grab his opponent's leg, using to momentum to knock his balance out and latch onto his opponent's saber arm with his legs in an impressing display of agility, pulling on his body to pop the joints out of place.

 

[Clayton]

Tagg's lightsaber had struck away Jakkar's, and even sent it flying. Jakkar seemed to have lost his balance, which saved him from a duel-ending strike. As his saber swept downward to catch a thigh that was no longer there, Tagg observed that Jakkar was contorting in the mud. He watched the sith's hands reach out for Tagg's right leg. Regret formed a knot in his stomach the instant he saw that. Not for being exposed to an unorthodox attack, but for what he had no choice but to do.

Jakkar's hands and arms were close to where his thigh had been before, which also happened to be very close to where Tagg's lightsaber had ended up pointing, since Tagg had initially moved to pass Jakkar in a way that his lightsaber was in between the two of them. Forgive me, he thought as he twisted his arm and wrist to perform a simple sweeping strike even as Jakkar's hands found purchase. The movement brought the tip of his lightsaber sizzling along the mud's surface as the green blade swept through the spaces currently occupied by Jakkar's elbows so fast it was only a green blur. Tagg turned his torso with the strike, free hand wide and ready to catch one of Jakkar's legs if the human somehow avoided becoming an amputee, or to react with the force.

Sorrow filled the Selkath's eyes; he had not wanted to injure Jakkar so grievously. "Surrender...please," he begged.

@Japkot