A Dangerous Duet (Death Disabled)

[Taalong Vorr]

Korriban
- Midday
- The Valthiat Arena


The dim star over Korriban bore down a dull light over the landscape in the late season days. It dried the soil and pushed the sand with light breezes, but it remained quite cool. Unsettling, and uncomfortable for most, just as the epitome of the Dark Side was. But for those that were willing to see the true home in its embrace, they were granted a power that most could only marvel at.

A clash in the circular Valthait Arena took place. It had been well over an hour since it began, and the competitors had been engaged in a quite violent exchange, a surprise to none. For every day at this very spot lesser Sith of the Empire would test their skills against one another to prove who was the strongest, the fastest, the most cunning, and the most deadly. It was a place for Sith to hone their skills, and force others into fits of envy, while the victors would overflow with the pride of knowing their were the best.

That was the way of the Sith, to give into ones emotions. This was the true power that all of them sought. Though all had an emotion and desire the gave way to the most, and some were better suited for combat, others were not.

The battle had been a Battle Royale, and in fact pitted some of the best acolytes of the day against one another. The large columns that dotted the circle served to hide or provide leverage for the more cunning, while the center proved the coveted ground of the more boastful.

Their lightsabers were tuned to a far less lethal setting, and a successful strike left the loser in immense pain and brought them to their knees. From here they had no choice but to flee from the arena, or risk further pain upon themselves.

The competitors had been eroded away, and to those still standing there was no real telling how many remained. As they were hidden from each others vision from the rocks.

Taalong Vorr made the final strike upon a now unarmed opponent, a poor twi'lek that had no hope of victory from the start when he'd crossed the Kaleesh sith. His large blade had waled upon him, and his open hand had struck his face, leaving him exposed.

With a severe jut of his blade, Vorr left the young Sith screaming and begging to flee... which Vorr allowed, the Sith leaving his lightsaber upon the ground... a fools mistake. The weak warrior would not survive many more years.

Taalong Vorr could sense another, but was not certain who. He kept his large hilted blade at the ready, his eyes peering through is mask, keeping his senses at the ready for who remained to defeat.

​

@Sabrina

 

[Sarla Malvern]

Sarla Malvern was finally getting her hands dirty, she had entered an acolyte tournament. She had spent the last few days fighting, she fought four other acolytes to get to this mini final. She got here as used a slightly different technique, as she did not use a force form, she used an Echani one. Though as these were not practicing duels, but the real thing, she was not doing this in her underwear, she was doing this armoured, in her marauder armour. She had repaired on more than one occasion, even her breastplate had been exchanged.

She was warming up, to face her final opponent a Kaleesh, he was older and bigger than her. She did not care, as he been at it that long, and not advanced spoke more negatively of him than positively. She then got into arena she had no fan fair, she got to her corner. She waited for the fight to start.

@Morse

 

[Taalong Vorr]

As was somewhat typical of his current circumstance, Taalong Vorr stared down at the epitome of his opposite. He came from a warriors culture, lived a life of strife, surrounded by the death and anger. He was himself a somewhat controlled yet ceaseless rage, an ever flowing fount of the dark anger that the Sith unleashed upon their enemies violently and without mercy. His menacing and ragged appearance was a stark divide from most, but hidden beneath his mask no one could see. His mouth was closed and his breathing was controlled. Four and a half decades of life matched against someone less then half his age was not leaving him entirely worried.

Yet across from him, as was so common among the greater galaxy, stood someone in finer clothes that did not appear as though she'd spent any time in conflict at all. Though she wore the armor of a marauder it seemed polish and the clothes around it were fine and clean. She appeared some high born that grew up with a blood right herself, utilizing her position to garner her strength and education, rather then working towards it alone.

Regardless of circumstances, there was a reason she remained the last one standing in this arena of lessers. No doubt a dangerous person. He assumed she'd be light and quick, utilizing her size and agility as her primary advantages. Any other tricks she may have would have yet to be seen.

Vorr came from around a stone pillar, his lightsaber already in hand. He had nothing to say. He did not taunt his opponents, there was no need. It left room for a miserable fall if something went wrong.

He held up the long hilt with his right hand, clutching it tightly, and ignited the long red blade.

Choosing the initiative, he marched towards her steadily and with purpose, his heavy steps clacking on the ground, and would swing on his the moment he was close enough.

@Sabrina

 

[Sarla Malvern]

He stood up and marched towards her, his lightsaber was ignited in his right hand. She took up her combat pose, with only igniting a single blade of her saber staff. She met him near the center of the arena, as they closed she began a circling him. She hated having to wear armour, she rather fights in her underwear, the Echani way. Though she could not as not wearing armour, would mean death, in a fight like this. She moved closer to him and then opened up with her first attack, she forced pushed his legs. This was an attempt, throw him off balance. She then went for a low sweeping attack with her single blade, in an attempt to cut his leg off.

@Morse

 

[Taalong Vorr]

His slow march towards the girl may have been intimidating, but so much that the girl was not willing to make an attempt to strike at him first. Though he had every intention of delivering the first blow and setting the tone of the conflict himself, the girl shifted her body first. She was smaller then he, and the armor was well fitted, but somehow her movement did not seem entirely suited for the armor that she wore.

Armor for force user harkened to an older era, and a different form of combat. Simply put, armor was worn for war. They were protective element needed for the chaos that ensued on a battlefield, that could come from any one of a thousand directions. It was meant as a final shield against fatal mistakes or weaknesses in one's own defenses. A duel was not entirely suited for such things, but in that way Taalong Vorr was no duelist.

Taalong Vorr was a warrior himself, he had fought single combat, he had fought battles. To him his fighting was made for that chaos, to cover his own mistakes with brutal force... this girl was not likely so inclined... and that would be exploited.

Her swift action at his legs, made him firm up his footing. It was a hasty move that made him slide back, but he kept his feet. The blade came next, slicing quickly to his feet. Her hilt seemed long as well, but it was likely a second blade may come out of the other end, where Vorr's blade was long on its own.

A quick move down his own bounced the strike coming to his knees, and he made one of his own, slicing vertically towards her chest. He was stronger then she was, and almost as fast, he may just catch her in these first moves.

@Sabrina

 

[Sarla Malvern]

Her force push to his legs pushed him back, but not as far as she would have liked. Her strike to his knees missed, as he jumped up. He made a strike towards her chest, she dropped her knee. Then as she hit the deck, she brought her blade up to block it. She held her blade, as they locked together. He would be able to push down her blade to try and force it into her. She had her blade across his, so that the other end of the blade, point towards his chest. Then she lite up her other end lightsaber, it was aiming at his chest. Her blade like his was powered down, so she was only after making contact with his chest.

@Morse

 

[Taalong Vorr]

Taalong Vorr had been noting the various tricks that were being used by his compatriots with the strange weapons that were lightsabers. Though he was new to having them in his life, having joined the Sith as late as he had, the weapons that they all mimicked had been around him for all of his life. The only differences were the weight, extensions, and lethality. All of those together really only made them more difficult for the wielder, and suggested an opponent should be more cautious, as a false move could cost them an entire limb.

But was it so incredible different then any weapon? The lightsaber was merely more likely to maim you then a blaster would, death was still as likely and moving passed the ever present thought of death could save one in combat as the fear was less dominating and the focus on the moment at hand was all the stronger.

As he'd surmised what the blade she carried was at the very beginning of the duel, he expected her to attempt some trick revolving around extending the other blade at some point.... she was not the first person to attempt it at him... most certainly not the first Sith.

Taalong Vorr was a more simple soul then that, which was why his lightsaber acted almost as a greatsword rather then an elaborate flashy show of acrobatics and cunning. The simple ways of killing had always persisted because they were the most effective.

Seeing her plan, Vorr pushed off of the girl's chest, with intention of throwing himself, and her backwards. The blade would miss and distance would be kept between. His powerful arms would be enough to see this done. And once he had the distance, he could then go in for another charge, and he would have had her reveal both blades, and she would not be able to go in for such a trick again... the swung heavy strikes and the duel continued.

@Sabrina

 

[Sarla Malvern]

As she lite up her blade to hit him, he kicked her in the chest, she fell backward. She quickly rolled to avoid any mishaps, of him, bring his lightsaber down on her. He then began to bring heavy blows down on her, she had not managed yet to stand up. The blows pushed down and down on her, she was bearly escaping the blows, then one finally hit her. The fight was over he had won, she held her hand up, and said Well done. She then got up and walked over to the bench, and slumped down on it. She garbed a bottle of water and took a swig of it, it nice and cold and felt good as it went down.

@Morse

 

[Taalong Vorr]

The blow had struck true, a might strike to her chest, which was more then enough to ensure her defeat. She had fallen backwards and he had maintained his proximity. As she'd fallen he brought his blade down upon her violently and aggressive. It had overwhelmed her defenses rapidly, his strength and height advantage exposing her weakness with every swing until she had finally left an obvious opening, which he struck upon.

Victory was his.

She, like so many Sith, had fallen into a trap. Many of them had opted for rapid, flashy forms of combat. They were well bread and wealthy, preferring a more artistic form of battle. But a great duelist was not necessarily a great warrior. Taalong Vorr had the endurance and power of one who'd fought to the death on more then one occasion, which he had. Many Sith were only trained to ambush, to demonstrate their overwhelming power on the weak, and dominate them. Taalong Vorr had been trained to kill and survive. He was good at both. He did not taunt a defeated enemy. He did not revel in combat. He did what he had to do, and he was very good at it.

As she'd been defeated, she rolled back to her feet and stepped away in defeat.

Taalong Vorr was tired from the many battles, but was capable of fighting more. Fortunately he did not have to. The battle was his. The Tournament had seen him the victor. A fine demonstration of his skill and power. The other Acolytes did not appear to bow in deference, more seemed aggravated that they had a rival. Their conversations tended towards referring to him as an unrefined brute, and that he'd only have a talent for violence and nothing more.

Perhaps they were right. Perhaps they would grow up and scheme and plot and politic their way into powerful positions. Perhaps Taalong Vorr would die at the hand of an assassin one day for embarrassing them... or perhaps he'd find them one day after they attempted and remind them of their defeat on this day.

Whatever the case, Taalong Vorr had claimed victory, and as the stoic he was looked to the girl that had stood against him last. As he left the ring he passed her.

He looked down on the Sith Acolyte, Sarla. He nodded, not needing to say anything. She'd fought well, but lost. There was nothing else to say. He left the arena with a feeling their paths would cross again soon.

@Sabrina