The Profaned Vanguard

[The Storyteller]

Things were already starting to become hectic, although Aza probably shouldn't have been surprised by that. You don't live to be whatever ancient age Leandros was without having a few tricks up your sleeve and being more wily than people gave you credit for. Unfortunately for the Mand'alor, though, the odds just weren't on his side.

Fighting in the air seemed needlessly messy and offered Leandros too much opportunity to maintain his plan of guerrilla tactics. They needed him on the ground so that by sheer number they could overwhelm him, putting their beskads into his sides and his chest, to rip his old heart from his chest. Aiming her quickdraw, Aza didn't focus on Leandros' body, but his jetpack.

She pulled the trigger twice, sending four bolts screaming for the jetpack. Aza was on the move after her shots, looking for anything that might give her some cover against a retaliatory attack from the Mand'alor.

@Painus @Faster Than Light @Darasaurus @Faded

 

[Leandros Solus]

The Mand’alor watched the flames engulf Orsen Vizsla several meters before their blades could meet, roasting the elderly Alor in short manner. The sounds of skin bubbling and fusing with metal were all that remained as his charred corpse fell from the sky like a lump of coal. It was a disappointing end to the man’s long reign, but he had sealed his fate the moment he drew a blade against his ruler. The Mand’alor would whittle down his opposition one at a time, and he merely needed to keep them apart to do so. They would try to corral and surround him in the hopes of overwhelming whatever defenses he had, so it was imperative to remain mobile.

Without wasting time, he spun around to see Ameryn hot on his heels, using the last bit of his flamethrower’s three-second activation to roast her as well. It would only be for a second or so, but, hopefully, it would be enough to keep her blade away, and, with how close she needed to be, do some serious damage to her upper body. If not, then her blade would make contact with the underside of his arm right as his jetpack took several hits.

Regardless if he mistimed it and her blade found purchase or if his counter worked well enough, Aza’s bolts would sear through his jetpack. It shuddered mid-flight and dropped him to the ground with a tiny burp of flame before becoming totally useless. The Mand’alor landed with a heavy crunch of boots on stone as he dove forward to avoid any incoming shots that awaited him on the ground. He grunted and detached the device from his back, lightening his load and making him just that much more agile on foot. His eyes quickly scanned the battlefield, wary for threats, and he began to back up to keep all of the traitors to his front. He was like a cornered animal, and like any cornered animal, he would lash out until the threat was gone. His free hand reached up to grab another impact-detonated frag grenade and he gripped it tight, watching for whomever advanced first.

@Logan @Darasaurus @Faded @Insalius

 

[The Storyteller]

The A'lor of Clan Wren made a choice between dropping below the few seconds of flames and pushing through to strike and damage Leandros. Even a year ago she would have chosen the former, though right now she knew her time was short and this was a critical fight to win, no matter what. She wasn't alone, so if she fell here then one of the others could finish what she started. So, she burned in her armor as she pressed forward, driving her Beskad deep into Leandros' right armpit. While not dead, the flames heated her armor and burned her torso even for just the three seconds they were in contact with her. She crashed to the ground, the impact giving her another jolt of intense pain as she landed behind the Mad One. She was just a few meters away, though he had moved forward and turned to keep all of them in his view. He had a wild look in his eyes, perhaps knowing that his end was coming. She knew hers was, but until she could no longer draw breath, she wouldn't stop her attacks.

She didn't care if he had a grenade in hand, she didn't care about any of the other weapons he still wielding. With what strength she had she leapt forward, jetpack helping to propel her straight at Leandros. Her last weapon was her wrist flamethrower, the same one the Madman had used on her and Orson. Having still been close and as she was advancing with wild abandon, it would take moments for her to be close enough to activate her flamethrower, which she would do once in range. She would move to keep Leandros in the line of the attack, even if he dodged to one side or another. She wasn't trying to guard at all, almost daring him to use that grenade on her and waste time focusing on a dying target when the others could use the distraction to close in. If she would die, she would die fighting for the future of her people and Clan. Hopefully with her death Leandros would fall, or would fall soon after.

@Painus @Faded @Faster Than Light @Logan @Darasaurus

 

[The Storyteller]

Orsen Vizsla burned to death before his blade could make contact with the Mad Mand'alor. His vibrant armor in the house colors now black and charred. But at least he didn't go down with a wimper and didn't bow down to the mad tyrant. The elder Vizsla just didn't have what it takes to battle. So ends the Vizsla Alor. He went down fighting for the sake of his people and his clan.

The others will be able to tell about what has transpired here. He didn't believe Leandros as powerful will walk away from this. He had faith in his partners.

Hopefully Clan Vizsla would regain it's honor and prestige in the future, to become a proud house once again that leads the Mandalorians. But it would be without him, but Orsen would be with the Manda now.

 

[The Storyteller]

.

Victor could shed no tears for the fallen A'lor, death was an inevitable part of being a Mandalorian, nonetheless when trying to usurp the Mand'alor himself. The Kryze leader would show no hesitation as he continued in his jetpack enabled mobility and launched towards his own right with a powerful strafe. He brought the assassin slug thrower pistol upwards and pressed the trigger twice at Leandros as the aged Warlord removed his own device. Eyes darted downwards to take notice of the impact grenade and he twirled his beskad slightly before launching forwards with a fluttering of steps. His intention was to arrive within melee range, keeping his pistol at the ready and prepared to dodge if Leandros were to toss that grenade.

One less of their number meant nothing to him, a grimace of determination and death laced on his face.

@Painus @Faster Than Light @Logan @Darasaurus @Insalius

 

[Leandros Solus]

The Mand’alor kept his trained eyes on Ameryn and Victor, both of whom seemed to be pressing the offensive against him. Victor’s shots would have skimmed just past him as he dove forward and detached his jetpack, barely knicking his armor. Even with her burn wounds and internal injuries, the Wren Alor pushed through the pain to charge at him. So palpable was her hatred for their ruler and so intense was her desire to remove him from the throne that she pushed past grievous injuries for one last suicidal attack. She neared him and raised her flamethrower, ready to return the favor, but The Mand’alor did not move.

Not until she was close enough.

Her jetpack rush brought her close quickly. The fire she shot out engulfed The Mand’alor entirely, but he did not budge. He trusted in his thermal undersuit to see him to victory, and all he needed was a few seconds more. As she was committed entirely to the offense, so was he. He charged through the fire and flames and punched forward with his beskad, sending the sharpened point right into the woman’s head, ignoring her flames for the time being. His armor heated up and beads of sweat formed on his skin, but the protection his undersuit offered was enough to cut short this suicidal attack.

His blade would be slick with gore after her death, and he pulled it from her helmet with a sickening crunch of metal and bone. His armor sizzled and steamed, but the man beneath it was unharmed, leaving Ameryn’s kamikaze attack a failure. Smoke rose from him and he turned his attention to Victor, flinging the grenade with a backhanded toss towards where Aza was cowering without looking. He dropped into a more savage stance as Ameryn’s blood and brains dripped from his beskad and he began to charge towards Victor like some kind of feral animal. He was aware of Victor’s pistol, so he prepared himself to step aside if his intuition guided him. The Mand’alor ran forward, bringing his beskad in an upward slash, starting at Victor’s right hip and aiming to cleave through his torso towards his left shoulder. The other two traitors – Koil and Aza – had yet to show their hand, so Victor occupied his attention entirely.

@Insalius @Darasaurus @Logan @Faded