Altering the Flow of Self

[Omnis]

The nature room was a two story room, floor covered in dirt and lush with uncut grass. Various bushes and trees lined the sides of the room. Four platforms stretched a few meters away from the side walls, two to each side and spaced more than several meters apart. The platforms were without dirt or vegetation, instead smoothly surfaced. There were no ladders up to the platforms, so the only method of reaching them was through Force propelled jumping.

Nox moved to the center of the room, sat cross-legged in the grass, and meditated with his hands draped over his knees. The Crusader remained silent for the entire duration of the meditation session, which lasted longer than an hour. A slight sigh announced the end, and Nox stood slowly.

"Those that are staying should prepare for rigorous activity. Our practice will involve utilizing the Force to chase and attack me, unarmed. I will not remain a static target, but will challenge you by moving about the room as I see fit. I will defend myself as necessary, as well as retaliate when I deem it proper."

He did not ask if any of them were averse to pain. They were Sith. Sith learned through pain. Pain was a catalyst for understanding, not a hindrance. If any of them were unwilling to suffer injury, they were unfit to join the higher ranks of the Sith Order.

Without delay, Nox ran to one side of the room and leaped up to one of the platforms with an almost gentle breeze of power bearing him aloft. Spinning about, Nox waited at the edge of the platform and beckoned his attackers, signaling that their session had already begun.

 

[Flamjetxx]

The nature room was rather pleasant, and it gave him a warmer feeling that coincided with his feral instincts, but he continued to compose himself as a man. The grass was long, and there is some sort of air system that not only keeps the room perfect in temperature and humidity, but it also creates some sort of artificial breeze that allows the grass to flow within it majestically. With grace, they walk into the room where Ark kneels apart from the Crusader to gather his focus and strength for what he assumes will be a rather vigorous future practice of his newly learned skills.

Ark closes his eyes and blocks out the bulk of the surrounding smells and sounds, and he reviews how he had performed, succeeded, and failed in using the skills he'd learned. Outrunning the beasts was one thing, but whatever he has in mind now is certainly going to be a completely different thing. By his current track record, he is bound to up the ante and make them truly feel the burn of the force. Ark gets the feeling that he is bound to be in for a very rigorous workout. He would actually need the time to meditate and rec ouperatee from the previous exhaustion.

Ark's heart rate slows to a relaxed pace, his breathing is normal and there is nor burn in his throat. His connection with the force is quite strong now, and he over all feels rejuvenated. Just as he feels like he is actually ready for the next level, he stands and begins the training. Ark is not surprised by the manner in which he is able to leap across the room to the platform. Ark pays heed to his warning of retaliation before following him.

Ark streches his shoulders as if waking form a cat nap and he bounds outward to the platform where his teacher was waiting for him. Ark prepares himself for impact as the Crusader didn't seem to mind toying with their limited capabilities. Ark wants to be ready for anything that he may attempt.

 

[LordOfShadows]

Upon entering the room, it wasn't what he expected. The room had various attributes that you he would expected to be in a training facility and not a nature room. The fact that he was semi ignorant to plant life could have been a part of his unknowing capabilities of this room. For the most part, everything seemed artificial outside of the plants. It was like having your own controlled space inside. Ysamor made a mental not that he would have to get one of these rooms one day. Overall, the room had a peaceful essence, but peace is a lie. He reminded himself that he had to always be wary of that anything could happen.

He sat about five feet from Ark and crossed his legs to begin meditation as Nox had already started. The dark side began to flow through him like the current of a small stream. Ysamor's eyes closed and he focused on the energy gingerly touching his innards. His body began to fall subject to a sleep like state and his energy became restored over the extended time of meditation. He almost wished he could stay like this for the rest of the day, but that would be short lived.

Nox gave the acolytes a warning and it wouldn't be taken for granted. A strange feeling that this exercise was going to hurt, plunged it's way into Ysamor's head. Though not dwelling on it, due to the fact that he didn't want to show a shred of weakness. The crusader stood upon one of the platforms and motioned for them to attack him. The fact Nox would make this training difficult excited Ysamor. A light smile emerged on his face. Who cares if this would hurt? This is going to be fun, he thought.

Ysamor followed suit behind Ark hoping that he could impress the crusader, but impress himself more than anything. As Ysamor got in close proximity, he force leaped into the air and reverted the dark side energy within his legs into his right leg. It was in the form of a force enhance spiraling kick toward the crusader's left shoulder. He figured if the dark side could enhance his jumping capabilities, why not use it in an attack? The attempt would more than likely be futile, but he wasn't going to let himself stop from trying.

 

[Omnis]

The Crusader remained motionless for the greater duration of both Acolytes' flights toward him, silver mask neutral as ever and expressionless. Both Acolytes had regained plenty of reserves, as was perfectly evident, and Nox approved. Their speed had increased significantly since just their first session a few hours ago, which was a promising sign of progress for both of them. If they could continue that same type of progression, both would turn into formidable warriors for the Sith.

As Ysamor closed with a spiraling kick, a maneuver that Nox recognized as superlative and knew would probably work on almost any other foe, Nox ducked just enough to begin avoiding the attack. As he pressed down into himself, tension coiling in his spine, Nox reached up with his first and reached up to help divert the powerful kick. He had already begun uncoiling, the Force springing harshly through his leg muscles and back, when his second hand reached up to press against the other leg to make sure it too would not come around and catch him upside the head. The Crusader threaded between Ysamor's legs, aimed for the wall, and blurred into a black streak of motion once again. As his hands left Ysamor's legs, Nox gave a light push to send Ysamor towards Ark.

With his maneuver to send Ysamor sprawling into Ark finished, hopefully tripping up both Acolytes at once, Nox flipped before hitting the wall and planted his feet. A loud boom sounded off across the chamber as Nox forced power through his legs and jettisoned across the room like a missile before landing on the platform on the other side of the room.

"Close," Nox admitted. "Now try hitting me from both directions, one slightly behind the other. Give yourselves time to react to my defense, adapt quickly and overcome any obstacle I present." The masked Noghri waited patiently again, this time with both hands raised in the air like blades ready to parry the coming strikes.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark's initial intent upon the situation was to test the water in a sense. He purposely kept just out of reach of his target as he landed, and the Acolytes kick coming to the Crusader was impressive as far as kicks go, but the Crusader's handling of the kick was rather expected to say the least. The water has certainly been tested, and Ark would have laughed at the attempt if it weren't for his self control and the fact that the Crusader attempted to send the Acolyte into him, though without any attempt to catch the Acolyte, Ark dodge him without looking where he would land. instead, Ark's foot pushed him to the side as the Crusader bounded off the platform with Ark already allowing the force to draw into himself in collection of energy for the bounding.

Ark knows the leap to be his favored of the two abilities he'd only just learned, and this may have been because he'd taken to it with more ease, though he knows the effect of both are equally as efficient. The power of the force enhances his take off and the energy seems to propel form his very muscles sending him flying along like a cruiser in orbit. He would like to think of himself as immovable, but the fact of the matter is that no matter how powerful his force leap there is always way to stop him.

As he approaches the lecturing Crusader, Ark's experience with Tera Kasi tells him that striking from the outside isn't much preferred, though fighting without sure footing is also not desirable. The landing is directly where the Crusader is standing, and the likelihood of him differing his energy and thus landing location his nearly certain. Ark's landing wouldn't be ideal no matter his situation, though his feline characteristics should allow him to land on his feet no matter where he goes. The real issue at hand is how to confront his teacher.

Ark puts both hands up to notice just how large they are, and that making a fist is only that much more deadly. His right side is leaned forward as to bring in for an immediate jabbing strike that he centers. He brings the attack up from a lower center upon meeting him, so that the strike's placement isn't easily determined, and Ark uses the force of the leap to focus the power into the straight jab. His knees are arisen even upon reaching the Crusader, and his feet would kick down simultaneously upon reaching him. Ark's expectations of displacing his attack causes him to be prepared for a block at least on his right side which would be largely attractive as a target area, thus the twist of his torso would bring his unmoving jab into a position to defend.

The kicking down motion should protect and even hurt the Crusader if he tries to kick Ark upon his landing. Ark's left arm would be poised in a defensive position until that twist in an effort to block any incoming retaliation until Ark decides that the twisting of his torso would best turn that into a powerful cross. Ark's shoulders have already risen to the sides of his head to further protect him, as his boxing abilities have already taught him. Ark's jabbing arm is prepared for a block turning his jab away, though any attempt would turn his jab into a shorter range, though more potent elbow that would force its way toward the Crusader.

Ark realizes that his over preparations leave him vulnerable for him to leap away at last second, though he would at least land safely, besides Ark wouldn't blame him for choosing not to directly confront a Kushari.

 

[LordOfShadows]

The young acolyte thought that his attempted attack of the crusader was decent, but it failed. The crusader had countered his attack with a grab and sent him flying toward his peer. Next thing he knew, he was rolling on the floor. His body started to do a backwards roll due to the force of the crusader's throw. As he was moving backwards, he used his hands to propel himself onto his feet. Did that acolyte just kick me? he thought. He shook his head trying to grab his barrings and focusing on his anger toward the other acolyte. The rolling made him a bit dizzy and he wasn't sure what had happened to the other acolyte until the crusader told them to attack from both of his sides.

For a training assassin, he preferred to attack from the front and back of an opponent. Attacking from the sides, would be something new for him. He knew that he wouldn't be able to stand there and think during a battle with an opponent, so he took the initiative to attack the crusader from the crusader's left side. Ark had already began his assault on Nox which gave Ysamor a quick idea to attempt to attack while the crusader was slightly distracted. He began to run in an ark toward the crusader to execute his quickly thought up plan. At about nine meters from the crusader, he pulsed his anger through his body and became a dark blur.

He went into a kick right above the back of the crusader's left knee. In doing this, Ysamor hopes that the crusader's balance would give way for him to send a right hook at the back of the crusader's lower lumbar. He would then send a left hook toward the crusader's gut and then force his knee toward Nox's chest. The attack probably won't go through due to the crusader's unmatched speed, but it was a try, nevertheless. Ysamor remained angry throughout his attack. His anger had gotten the best of him many times, but this time he insured himself that he would remain in control of his anger.

 

[Omnis]

When an opponent was giving up very little in the way of targets, it was best to take what one could get. While Ark had done a thorough job of covering himself as he approached the Crusader, effectively turning himself into a humanoid fortress and Kushari wrecking ball simultaneously, he had at the least given the Crusader his arm. The jab was the only part of him that was extended, opening a window to Nox that gave him the right side of the Kushari's torso for potential targets.

The timing was a tricky thing, but in his many years of soldiering and career assassinations he had learned patience. In going for a jab, Ark had to choose between leaning forward in such a way that either his fist struck first or his feet did. The large Kushari had chosen the fist, which Nox knew meant that he had time between the fist arriving and the feet following after. Ark's attempt to obscure his precise target was passing, but Nox had already decided on a course of action that allowed him to wait until almost the entire length of the arm was extended.

Ark's arm streaked for the small Crusader, but when it arrived the Crusader had turned just to one side in a blur and put up a hand to catch the arm. It wasn't a block, or even a grapple, but a simple amount of contact made. The dip to one side simultaneously put him closer the side that Ysamor was closing to, but he had timed his actions to outstrip the far off Acolyte during the young man's approach. With his other hand, Nox formed a bear's paw with his knuckles and struck at the inside of Ark's arm on the bicep. The strike was aimed at the center of the inside of the bicep, right where a powerful enough bladed strike would separate two muscles from the bones. The attack would be crippling, but only temporarily. Depending on the Kushari's rate of muscular regeneration, it might take two weeks at most to heal.

Knowing that the large feline Acolyte was likely prepared to block an attack to the ribs or neck, but not the actual arm itself, Nox felt as he tensed up and reared back to pull that same arm in for a block. Still holding onto that arm, Nox swung all of his weight onto it and across, traveling around behind Ark in a fashion that was a lot like a simian swinging from a jungle vine. The Crusader came up around the other side without striking further at Ark, pulling back to throw the large Acolyte down off the platform and away. A Force assisted leap only helped the landing if one had intentionally set themselves against gravity. Without the intent, Ark would simply fall.

Blurring to one side of Ysamor, having already avoided the kick that was aimed for his knee and a planned subsequent strike to his spine, Nox came around with his knees bent up to his chest. He knew he wasn't so fast that Ysamor couldn't respond to the movement around Ark, so he caught the hook that was intended for his stomach right between his knees. Keeping his arms high, Nox landed ready for the follow up knee strike to the chest. Springing upward again and slapping both hands down towards his waist as quickly as possible, Nox levered himself up off of the Acolyte's knee and began a flip up over the young man's head. As he flipped, Nox grabbed for the sides of Ysamor's head and yanked, trying to flip the Acolyte up over himself even as he was in the air and throw him into the wall.

Regardless of the results, Nox landed and took a back step to reposition himself and reassess the situation.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark's attack was prepared for nearly anything except for the eminent use of one of the skills they'd learned. Ark's jab extend, but into nothing as the Crusader used his speed to not only dodge the attack, but he used it to strike in at Ark's arm, confirming a suspicion that Ark wasn't yet ready to put into motion. He would certainly make a note to attempt it at a later time, but he had bigger things currently on is mind.

The dodge led the Crusader to Ark's ouside avoiding, not only his jab, but his consequent kicks that he'd planned to follow. The strike went right into the inside of Ark's arm which actually struck the radial nerve between the muscles. It was quite clever, and he souldn't have ordinarily let someone into his guard especially with a centered strike, but Ark was certainly unprepared for the tactic. he had to give the Crusader props for his clever attack. Ark gathers he must have at least one unarmed combat style under his belt, because no ordinary schmuck would know where to strike the radial nerve, despite the several locations you could access it on the arm.

He was still barely on the cusp of understanding the ability of Force speed, and it was the price to pay for this higher level of understanding to take the strike to his radial nerve. The strike was more effective than any other strike to a muscle due to it hitting an actual nerve, and not only any normal nerve, but the radial nerve at that, and the repercussions would prove unnecessary pain to even move his right arm long after the class was finished.

Ark's original intention was to forget about using the Force to slow his descent, and he was actually banking on the idea that one of his four appendages would land and help him to slow his descent, he was left vulnerable to the repercussions of his arrogance. His arrogance was something growing increasingly out of control in light of his recent successes.

It was this dangerous notion that compromises his every action, no matter how meticulously he plans things out or how much skill he actually thinks he has, is that if he continues to be recklessly arrogant, he might end up in a shallow grave in the outer rim. There are always things he cannot account for. In this case, the first things is that he banked on the idea that the Crusader wouldn't be able to avoid Ark's assault with such speed. He supposes, in retrospect, that it was obvious that the Crusader would use Force speed to move out of the way, and using the Force to slow his descent might have actually been what is commonly referred to as "a smart idea", but arrogance can blind us all if we let it.

In a panic, Ark extends his legs as the jolt of lightning shoots through his entire arm, numbing it completely. He tries, too late, to apply his fresh knowledge of landing wight he assistance of the Force, and even his natural feline ability to land from great velocities didn't help him much. His spine takes the jolt of force tag ripples through his every muscle, and the burst of Force to slow him effects him once his feet take the bludgeoning of hitting the ground, and he tucks himself ingot a roll that sends him easily off the edge of the platform, where he tumbles into the brush.

His body naturally fights the tumbling with twisting his already preoccupied spine to account for the falling, and to land him on his feet, but too much at once hinders the feline instinct and keeps him tumbling into the base of a tree trunk.

*Thump!*

Ark lays there propped up against an unnaturally tall root, dazed front eh tumble. How embarrassing, and 20 years of studying Teras Kasi, had been thwarted by the relative simplicity of the Force's ability to augment one's speed. It just goes to show what the Force is actually capable of, and Ark curses himself for neglecting the Force for so long.

"Ugh," is ushered out of Ark's mouth as he heaves himself back up with stars still orbiting his head, but he shakes himself more or less into reality and augments a leap to bring him onto a tree branch where he struggles to keep his balance while he makes an attempt to return to the chase as if nothing had happened.

The new information on how the Force speed may be applied to Ark's arms as well as legs intrigued him, though he should have known, and if he would have opened his mind and taken the chance, he might have found that out before taking the spill.