Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on Apr 15, 2019 5:38:20 GMT -8
[/font][li] Principle Authors: Luxeria , Viox Savage [/li]
[li] Who can post in this thread?: Only the authors stated above[/li]
[li] Do I wish to receive Critical Responses?: Sure[/li]
[li] Do standard universe rules apply?: Yes[/li]
[li] Location: Mustafar, a couple days after Luxeria's vicotry over her former master, Malvus[/li] [/ul]
Having just defeated her former master, Darth Mavlus in combat, Luxeria has risen to the rank of Dark Lady of the Sith, becoming the master she had worked so hard to be. With the final trial out of the way, it was time to rest for a bit on Mustafar before looking to th next steps she'd need to take to further herself and her future. However, only a few days since her return and the reports of what transpired explained, not all was as finished as the woman believed. As he had before in testing her before granting her the rank of warrior, the Sith'ari had plans of his own, wishing to once again test Luxeria and see for himself the true extent of her power and if it truly was worthy of the rank of master. |
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Luxeria
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“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
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Post by Luxeria on Apr 15, 2019 5:52:14 GMT -8
Luxeria rolled her neck as she made her way down the halls of the Dark Obelisk. It had only been a few days since what happened on Begeren and she was still trying to recover from the fight Malvus had put up. Even now, despite the claim of her rise to the rank of Dark Lady of the Sith, she thought back on the fight and how it played out. In some cases, she felt like there could have been more. But on the other hand, he had really worked her over, pushing her in both mind and body, to which she succeeded. She couldn't let what was shackle her thoughts and dimish what she had truly achieved with her victory. She was now a master, seen as an equal among those within the Blackguard. Her master had been the Jen'ari, after all, the second-in-command under the Sith'ari. That was something to take pride in.
She had hoped to take a week or so to rest up and just relax, putting thought into what would be next for her. There were many things mulling about in her head. She could look into taking a bigger role and title within the Blackguard and truly make herself useful. Maybe she could look into obtaining a world for herself and establish herself as a goddess to them. There were a few different choices, but there was one thing that stood out above the rest. The time would soon be approaching for the students at the Iridonia Sith Academy to graduate from their classes and be ready for apprenticeships. It was time to pass on her knowledge to another and she had her eye on a couple, though only time would tell who she actually took under her wing.
Yet, rest was not what she was being allowed at the moment. She had been summoned by the Sith'ari himself and she knew it best not to keep him waiting or set him to her agenda. And so, she was en route to the Throne room. Only a couple for turns were left before she finally arrived at the large doors that held Viox. A guard stood at each side, ready to keep anyone out who wasn't meant to be there. It didn't matter if it was someone like her. No one just walked up to the Sith'ari without at least announcing yourself. As they stepped forward, she stopped and looked at them "The Sith'ari has summoned me."
It was only a moment more before they glanced at each other and moved aside to let the woman pass. Entering the chamber, she approached the throne, stopping just before it as she took a knee before him. "My Lord, you wished to see me?"
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Viox Savage
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Post by Viox Savage on Apr 17, 2019 18:34:17 GMT -8
Seated atop his throne, on the raised platform in the center of the room, the Zabrak Sith'ari eyed up Luxeria as she entered the room, striding across the obsidian floor, coming to a halt and bending a knee at the foot of the throne. Gazing upon the fiery haired assassin before him, he spoke.
"Lady. Luxeria."
The Zabrak paused for a moment. Contemplating his next words. Luxeria was a well accomplished warrior. Powerful with the force, a formidable warrior and a capable leader. Truly a culmination of Malvus' teaching and her time spent within the ranks of the Blackguard. A very useful pupil that had been added to his ranks. He had watched her progress, keenly. He knew this day would come.
"It has been brought to my attention that you have managed to best Malvus in singular combat...is this true?"
He asked, curiously. He already knew the answer, but he wanted her to confirm it to him personally.
"Rise..."
The words were spoken as a whisper. He would prefer to look her in the eyes, rather than the top of her head, while she spoke to him. And, it was a sign of respect to those under his employ. If you were not told to rise from a bent knee, chances are good you weren't leaving there completely intact. And he had not reason to lash out against Luxeria...yet...
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on Apr 18, 2019 5:15:36 GMT -8
Luxeria rose, her forest green eyes meeting the Dark Lord's. For a moment, she stayed silent as she mulled the question about in her head. It wasn't hesitance that stayed her tongue, wondering if answering it as truth would bring punishment. It was only a matter of figuring out just how to answer it. True that she could have simply acknowledged it and moved on, but something said to give a greater, more detailed answer. She wished to give reasoning behind facing her former master when the Sith of the Blackguard didn't follow the Rule of Two. "Yes, my Lord, it is true. On our recent trip to Begeren, I took the opportunity to face down Lord Malvus as I had been preparing to do for the past several months. The location and timing seemed most appropriate. While under the tutelage of Darth Andor, I was instructed at the very start of my training to one day aim to face a kill him to prove myself his successor and superior. In time, I learned it to be the path of progression within the Rule of Two. However, since coming under the apprenticeship of Malvus, I've learned much more and how narrow-minded and wasteful such an approach was. But I did wish to pay tribute to the old ways as well as prove myself an equal of both my master and the Jen'ari of the Blackguard. To me, to truly be seen as a master within the order, I must be capable of defeating him in combat with the power I possess. Only then, could I prove that my training was time not wasted."
Giving her answer, she stayed silent, watching the Sith'ari's expressions, trying to judge what he felt about the matter and her words. Did any of it really matter? Would be become frustrated with the long-winded explanation? Only time would tell as she stood tall before him, not letting his presence nor the uncertain situation shake her.
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Viox Savage
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Post by Viox Savage on Apr 23, 2019 17:56:47 GMT -8
As he listened to her explanation, which was a little more long-winded than he'd have preferred, the Zabrak smirked. She was cunning. And she was patient. Along with the allure of her natural beauty, that was a dangerous combination to just about anyone. But weakness of the flesh was easily exploited, as Luxeria no doubt already knew. And she was correct. She was viewed as a master throughout the rest of the order. News of her actions on Begeren had spread quickly. Which could explain Malvus' absence here today. A defeat such as that would take some time to get over. Though that was irrelevant to the reason Luxeria had been summoned here. Rising to his feet, clasping his hands behind he back, he stood looking down on her.
"You may be seen as a master by the rest of the Blackguard. You have yet to impress me, however..."
Striding down the steps casually, he strode past her. The words had had just spoken had been said in a very dismissive fashion, but barbed just the right way to hopefully spark Luxeria's ire just enough to get a reaction. But to reinforce the fact, as he strode over to the doors and physically closed them, he turned around to face her and spoke once more.
"Perhaps you wish to give me a demonstration of your prowess, child?
He sneered the last word to her, with a malevolent grin on his face and a mischievous gleam in his yellow eyes. He wanted to provoke her. And he would force her to strike him first. He could almost guarantee that.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on Apr 24, 2019 6:11:18 GMT -8
Luxeria listened as Viox spoke and rose to his feet. A curious eyebrow couldn't be kept from her face as he made mention of not being impressed. Already she doubted his words, recalling the events over the past few years. Ever since Felucia, he had kept eyes on her, she knew. Being placed in charge of the mission on Anzat, taken on solo missions with just him instead of carrying Vasari with him, even specifically seeking her out and telling her about the Great Hunt. No, she knew better than to believe he wasn't impressed. He wouldn't have kept the attention on her he did otherwise.
She said nothing though as he strode past her towards the door, her head turning to watch, though her body remained fixed. Then came the challenge, followed by an attempt of mockery. At the word child, she turned her head forward once more but said nothing. It didn't infuriate her as he had hoped but amused her. As such, a smirk formed across her face, one left unseen with her back to him. Had she been anyone else, been trained any other way, she might have fallen for his ploy. But Malvus wasn't the only person she had trained under. Gavin was another, one who had taught her to master her emotions, to channel them properly without being consumed by them. Through the methods he bestowed upon her, she had reached a point where very little could actually affect her, at least through words. It didn't help that she carried a very logical sense of thinking ever since becoming a Sith so long ago. It was this that diminished the full effect of the brutal training that was meant to get her to hate her masters because she understood its purpose. Because she understood the reason and the why she knew what was real and what was a facade. Very few knew how to break the sense of logic in her and properly deceive her when training.
After a few moments, she couldn't hold back the small, dark giggle that she kept in her throat. "Those are quite the hollow words, my Lord. I know better than to fall victim to lies for the sake of a reaction. If you wanted to test the full extent of my abilities, you need only ask." It was quick and sudden as she gathered the Force around them into her hand, a red orb of energy signifying the creation of a Force Burst. It came quickly as if worked at over and over so to be capable of a fast attack. But it wasn't just a Force Burst as it was also infused with purple lightning. It was less than a couple of seconds between her words that she suddenly turned and released the orb at him, calling out in a dark tone, her eyes now burning orange. "I would be happy to oblige!"
He wanted her to attack first and she wouldn;t deny it. But she wasn't fool enough to play games. If he wanted to fight, she'd come at him with everything to show him just what she was capable of. Anything less than all she had right from the start would bring her to her knees if she was lucky.
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Viox Savage
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Post by Viox Savage on Apr 28, 2019 14:57:26 GMT -8
The Force Burst attack, infused with lightning, came quickly. As if on instinct, the Zabrak launched himself up into the air, vaulting over Luxeria and landing softly on the top of raised platform that held his throne. Still grinning, he taunted her again.
"Surely you can do better then that...come on. Impress me."
Channeling the Force throughout his body, the red crystal embedded in his chest began to glow a bright red as he began drawing on the power of the ancients. Though he wasn't going on the offensive yet. He wished to toy with Luxeria a bit before he demonstrated his full capabilities. As he channeled the Force, the whispers began within the back of his mind. It was the Zabrak Elders he had, contained within his mind. Their amassed power was beginning to stir. Soon he would have the full power of the ancients as his disposal...
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on Apr 29, 2019 5:13:06 GMT -8
Luxeria watched as Viox leapt over her in a massive leap, her Electro-Burst colliding with the door. Giving a small chuckle, she turned to him fully, raising her hands in a shrugging manner. "Well, that will depend entirely on you and whether you have this power you claim you do or if you're nothing more than a washed up Sith who couldn't hack it and his only true skill is a silver tongue." A dark smirk grew upon her lips. "Let's flip that coin." She was far from a fool, knowing his strength was real, but there was no reason not to participate in this little banter of words. A little game to see if either of them could get under the other's skin.
With casual steps, she made her way towards the first step of the elevated throne. With the first step, she lifted her right hand and let off a quick barrage of magenta colored lightning. The next step came with her doing the same with her left. With only a couple steps left, her pace suddenly quickened as she let the Force flow through her, amplifying her jump as she focused her direction straight into the Sith Lord as her right hand came up to release a weak Force Push, something just enough to possibly make him stumble at best.
As she met him, she had reached a height that allowed her to make a series of three kicks at his chest, starting with her right. If he liked the throne so much, she intended to throw him back into it.
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Viox Savage
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Post by Viox Savage on Apr 30, 2019 8:22:09 GMT -8
Not discouraged by the fact that her opening attack missed, Luxeria then decided to engage in the taunting banter of Dun Möch. A quality that was rarer and rarer these days, as most Sith did not have the required patience to execute it properly. Luxeria, however, seemed to be able to split her focus on several things quite easily. Grinning mischievously as she began to move forward again, a blast of lightning came his way. One handed at first, but as Luxeria ascended the Throne towards him, she used both. Focusing the force, with a smirk, the Zabrak raised his right hand and began to absorb the incoming attack. As suddenly as it had started, the lightning subsided and Luxeria was moving faster towards him. A weak Force Push was the next attack as she jumped. Allowing the burst of kinetic energy simply wash over him, he braced and was pushed backwards a few inches. Next came the kicks as she reached the height of her leap. As her right foot came out, the Sith blocked with his left arm. Since his left hand and forearm up to the elbow was a mechanical prosthetic, surely that would come as a surprise when her foot connected. Pushing that kick back, he blocked the incoming left foot with his right arm, and repeated blocking the right as it struck again. All the while he had been stepping backwards slowly.*
*Knowing the throne was mere inches behind his left leg, before Luxeria was able to fully plant her feet, the Zabrak channeled the Force and unleashed it in a kinetic blast. A moderately powered Force Push, to cause her to stumble as he regained his defensive posture, was all it was meant to be...
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 1, 2019 5:31:14 GMT -8
It didn't go unnoticed, the dull thud of metal as her kicks met his arm, the harder substance besides muscle and bone. While it did nothing to deter her, having been training to endure far greater pain, it did strike a thought of caution within the confines of her mind. Though it wasn't always the case, it was best to keep herself aware of the arm just as much as everything else as she didn't know if the prosthetic granted him anything more than normal. As such, falling under its grip or becoming victim to a punch or anything of the like could easily turn this into a much worse day.
Before she could touch down, she was hit by a Force Push of his own, one a bit stronger than hers. Her downward momentum didn't stop as she moved backward, touching the ground a couple of feet from the edge of the steps. All it took was three steps as she stumbled back, attempting to regain her footing to notice half her foot was hanging off the edge.
Had she any less focus on her surroundings, it would have led to her tumbling down to the base of the throne and momentarily at his mercy as she sought to recover. However, her senses were sharp and her reflexes quick as she forced herself into a tight back handspring, letting herself drop down a step or two for her hands to meet the floor as she quickly brought her lower body down to find purchase on the steps.
Effectively bringing herself to a halt, her head snapped up to return her gaze to the Sith'ari, not allowing him to leave her sight for more than she had to. A smirk did come across her lips once again as an amusing thought passed through her mind. He was testing her, gauging her before really stepping into his attack. However, she felt that in that particular moment, she forced him to take the offensive against any plans he might have had. Whether it was true or not would be something she never knew, but it didn't matter. Dun Möch clearly had little effect on either of them, whether through words or actions. That meant this fight would be determined by skill and power instead of influence.
She stayed crouched on the stairs for a few moments as her eyes burned into his. She had to keep her mind focused and alert, blending strategy and instinct. It was the only chance she had in standing up to him for any worthwhile amount of time. It was a good thing she never left some bit of her gear behind. Her two bangles were always in place as well as her three lightsabers. But along with them were her six purple orbs crafted of Phrik. Not worried about subtlety, she used her mastery of Telekinesis to move them from the pouches and began to have them float around her in circles. This only carried on for a moment as she launched them one after another in quick succession at the Zabrak.
All six of them came at him from the front in the first attack, but split up and began to attack him from different sides from then on, speeding up with each pass. Each of the six made three additional passes aside from the initial attack, flying in at random directions: back, sides, and above. As this took place, she stood tall but never moved as she watched him, her mind ready to push harder with her attacks against whatever he had in mind to fight back with, be it by way to the Force or pure physical ability.
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Viox Savage
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Post by Viox Savage on May 22, 2019 15:10:18 GMT -8
The acrobatic nature of Luxeria's lithe frame was almost mesmerizing to watch. Almost. Any other, lesser discipline male might have had a hard time resisting her looks, or how her outfit complemented her supple figure. Viox, however, was not interested in such things at this point in time. Teasing and testing Luxeria in the way of combat was much more entertaining right now. Deriving a perverse pleasure out of toying with his underlings, this scenario was no different. As Luxeria came to steady herself and launch a renewed attack, this time consisting of six purple orbs, she launched them at him with surprising speed. Well versed in Telekinesis, certainly. Inhaling slowly and closing his eyes, as the first orb went zipping past his head, he reached up with lightning reflexes and caught the perfectly weighted orb in his gloved, prosthetic hand. Opening his eyes with a grin, the other five incoming orbs hung still in the air before him as he exerted his influence over the Force on them. While such annoyances would have proven to be rather painful, should one of the orbs find their mark, the power coursing through his very being was levels beyond what any of his underlings would expect. Luxeria had bore witness to some of his power once before, on Anzat. Though this was a very different situation. Flicking the wrist of his left prosthetic hand, all six of the orbs came speeding back at their owner, much faster than they had been sent off. While the orbs sped back at Luxeria, the Sith'ari launched himself forward, springing up into a somersault, over Luxeria's form planted on the steps up to his throne. Landing lightly, the Zabrak gathered the Force around himself and laughed. Electricity arced between the fingers of his gloved right hand. Sending forth a blast of blue-white lightning, the Zabrak was now interested in pushing Luxeria to her limits...
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 23, 2019 5:29:23 GMT -8
Luxeria's head only dropped a little bit as she watched Viox catch one of her orbs and stop the rest. While it brought about a twinge of frustration, she had to remember two things: his prosthetic arm and his power. Both of these things were assets, especially in regards to her recent attack. She couldn't afford to lose her cool or get flustered any time he was able to avoid or stop her attacks. His power was far beyond most, if not all within the Blackguard. If she had any chance of defeating him, she had to remain focused and not let any emotion go astray.
Suddenly, the Zabrak returned her attack back to her with even more force than she had. First thought was to jump back and over the assault, but that plan was removed from the equation as Viox leaped over her the very moment the orbs were unleashed. Giving into instinct, her hands rose up, exerting even greater control than before and bringing the orbs to a sudden halt just millimeter from her hands. For all her skills, Telekinesis reigned supreme, allowing her to attack with even more force than she had displayed, though she typically held back for the sake of absolute control over the situation. As such, her ability to stop them so quickly.
But that was only a single bit of a larger problem. As she brought the orbs to a stop, she could already feel the surge of power growing with the Sith'ari along with his laugh. Enhancing her speed and slowly time for herself wasn't even enough to ward off his attack, for as she turned to face him, she was hit by the blast of lightning. She grunted under the pain, yet refused to scream or cry out in any way. She could feel the depth of power in his attack as he bore down upon her, forcing her to a knee on the steps. For a split moment, she closed her eyes as she worked to sharpen her focus enough to break free.
But focus alone wasn't going to be enough, not against this level of assault. If she truly wished to stand against the Sith'ari and prove her power, she had to step further into her training, dive into the memories, and draw on the emotions resting deep within. So her mind dove into the past, pulling out the memories that drew her anger. The arguments with her parents, the women she had seen that held beauty and power, the Jedi who looked on her with disgust and denied her training, the one man she had any feelings for that denied her. As she reflected upon these feelings, the anger inside her began to rise. Trivial feelings compared to the most, but they were just the stepping stone, just what she needed to break free.
Opening her eyes under the pain and pressure, her burning orange eyes stood out amongst the blue-white hue the lightning cast her body in. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to move, lifting her hands, fueled by the anger she was drawing out of her and focusing it into her strength. Slowly but surely, he hands lifted in front of her and she began to redirect and absorb the lightning into her palms, just as he had done with hers Gavin had emphasized the point of learning Tutaminis so long ago, and this was why. Learning it could turn a bad situation into a blessing. Gathering up the power being sent at her, she let it build for a few moments before letting her arms spread out wide then slamming together and out as she released a powerful blast of the Force back at the Sith, hoping to force the stream of lightning back onto the Zabrak.
Letting off a few heavy breaths, Luxeria forced herself back straight and prepared for Viox's next attack. All the while, she was doing two things. Diving further into her mind to pull out those extra memories that had been gifted to her as well as seeking to slip into the Dark Lord's mind. She didn't seek to infiltrate it fully or take control. She just needed a little bit, enough to shift his perception just a bit. It would be all she needed to gain an advantage. And through all of it, her focus never left Viox, lessons she had learned from Vasari in splitting one's focus.
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Viox Savage
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Post by Viox Savage on May 28, 2019 20:39:19 GMT -8
Glowing brightly beneath his tunic, the crystal embedded in his chest was pulsating with power as it was being used as a focus point to keep the power of the elders within his mind, controlled. And so far, it was working. But despite his power and the apparent success of his attack, two astonishing things began to happen. One; Luxeria began to rise to her feet. An impressive feat, considering she had just taken the brunt of one of his potent lightning attacks. And two; she began to turn the tide, by absorbing the incoming energy to launch her own counter attack. He was actually impressed, though he had no time to reflect on it, as Luxeria unleashed the pent up energy in his direction. As the attack was redirected towards him, time slowed and the faint whispers of the ancients within his mind could be heard. And then a smirk crossed his lips as he understood what they wanted him to do. As time seemed to resume its normal pace, the Zabrak ceased his lightning fueled attack and allowed the energy being sent back at him, to wash over his body. Agonizing electrical charges danced across his body. Gritting his teeth, while still smirking, he allowed the process to continue when the subtle, almost unnoticeable attempt to probe him mind could be felt. Rather than resist or otherwise impede Luxeria's progress, he allowed her attempt to be successful, to a degree. Willing or not, the elders would prevent anyone from permeating the darkest recesses of his mind, however, his surface thoughts were fair game. However, allowing one access into a mind, opened a connection between the two. And it worked both ways...and so, as the lightning subsided, leaving the Zabrak's tunic smoking slightly, he probed back to her mind, much more forcefully than she did to him, because at this moment, even if both of them had managed to split their focus to other things, the sudden mental surge between them would keep them occupied. Viox would hopefully glean information from Luxeria, by exploiting the connection, and Luxeria, in turn would learn things about the Sith'ari...what she would learn, however, could prove to be more terrifying than any physical encounter against the Zabrak could ever be...
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on May 30, 2019 5:54:32 GMT -8
For the time being, all fighting had seemed to as the two began to simply stare the other down. Finding that her work to step into his mind was successful, it didn't go without notice that it was easier than expected. He had let her in, challenging her to a battle of the mind. However, she didn't seek to control it, nor wish to dive into his memories. She might have been one who excelled in the arts of illusions and manipulation, but she had learned in her time of training that each had a time and place, a reality many Sith refused to realize. In a battle that moved by in seconds or against enemies as powerful as the Sith'ari, grand illusions took too much time and were utterly pointless. Unless she could guarantee complete control, despite him even knowing he was caught up in it, it was a waste. No, subtlety was key here. For her, all she needed to do was shift his perception just a bit. When the senses were disrupted and made to 'see' something besides what was real, then it would render her opponent useless at best, and reign them into predictable assault at the worst. If her position on the battlefield was no more than a foot off, or her blade a little before or after the attack he could register, then his defenses would always fail him. That was the key to success in a fight like this.
She had also learned in those first days of training under Andor about the risks of touching another's mind. Already she could feel him slipping into hers, to which she did not deny. In this moment, she had two options she could follow. She could follow the lessons learned from Vasari, craft an extravagant maze that he had to make his way through, all while she manipulated its make up. Or she could follow Gavin approach, one very similar to what Viox was doing himself. His training to control her emotions left her free from that level of influence, which meant she wasn't as concerned about someone like the Zabrak trying to use it against her. So long as she kept everything that allowed her to function locked up, she'd be fine. And it was this approach she followed. All the memories that had worked to flow through her and give her the strength to break free were still fresh in her mind and the pages of her life weren't that much harder to see. After all, she had nothing to hide from anyone.
But she wasn't going to simply stand there in this mental battle that would do nothing but lead them in circles. Her mind descended further to where she had specific memories set aside, memories gifted to her from Gavin before meeting Mavlus. He had placed them within her in such a way that she could see and feel them as if they were her own. In allowing Viox in, he would be able to experience those memories all the same.
*Images and scenes of memories began to flash within her mind. A family of five, primitive in the eyes of some due to the lack of technology anywhere in sight. Two young boys barely five and four years respectively, running, swimming in a pond, and playing sword fights with sticks. Teasing and having fun with a younger sister. A father and mother, hard working in the forest with occasional aid from the children. Soft songs being hummed and played on a flute. Then another woman, looking to be in her teens, beautiful with raven black hair. Faint words of a young boy, the younger of the two previously seen, asking if the girl would marry him. Momentary silence before she said yes, her words and eyes reflecting a true desire and not humoring a child. With those memories came the feelings of peace and happiness.
Then came the torment. The family wandering a desert world, using a speeder to get about, exploring the home of their father. Peacefully before the sudden appearance of a man. Suddenly, things went cold. Ice could be seen forming over the sand and rock. A fight breaking out between the man and father, leaving only the sight of him being impaled by an ice blue lightsaber as the remaining four fled in the speeder. An escape made in vain as the man caught them and destroyed the speeder, scattering them across the sand, all except the mother. Young eyes looking up long enough to see her killed just the same. Then the attack, the three children rushing the man, a pointless attempt. The oldest boy was taken, the youngest girl was just gone, and the younger boy going blank with memory loss. In these scenes, fear, anger, and sorrow resonated greatly as if the emotions were being experienced first hand as if she was the ones living them.
A new life, a new family, a new name. Phenom Aquar. Just as happy as the memories before. Friends at a venue, racing speeders across the sand, wonderment about the skies beyond as a small part of his past resonated within him.
But as before came the tragedy. Home late, parents fighting off Tusken Raiders. He was found and captured as his family lost the fight. Unable to fight, he was forced to watch them butcher his adopted family, tearing them to pieces. A horrific scene to watch, one that unleashed the power of the Force within him. Anger, rage, hatred coursed through his veins as the Raiders fled. He took a day to mourn and bury the remains before seeking the Tusken out in vengeance.
Three days of searching, running out of supplies, a lost trail and miles from civilization. Found and saved by a man he met earlier at a bar. A Jedi who took him away to begin life anew once more.*
It was a risk allowing Viox to see and feel such emotions built over the course of thirteen years in almost an instant. He, too, could draw on their power and use it to strengthen him as well. But, in a way, this was meant to be a sign. She might not have experienced such hardships in her own life, but she had been put in the driver seat of someone's else's memories and was forced to endure them. They might not have been her horrors, but she felt them and overcame them just the same. Her anger began to rise to new heights with the memories and so too did her power. Yet, where many Sith would lose themselves to such anger and lash out blindly, Luxeria was still calm, as if the emotions were a hurricane storming around her while she remained steady within its eye. This was what Gavin had wished to make out of the newer generations of Sith within the Blackguard. She was the first, the display for all to witness. What better way than facing down the most powerful man of the Blackguard.
Reaching behind her, she removed her single standard hilt. The elegant shape and design of Kyana Rendi shone brightly in the light of the throne room as she ignited her purple blade, giving it a flourish of the Makashi form before beckoning Viox to make his move, the fire of her eyes burning all the brighter.
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Viox Savage
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"You want the same as me. My redemption, eternal ascension. Setting me free."
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Post by Viox Savage on May 30, 2019 16:56:34 GMT -8
From a display of excellent control over the Force to a battle of mind within an instant. While testing her, he had to be careful when playing in the mind of another. His Force-Walking experience on Iridonia, in the ruins of his old family estate had granted him immense power. Power enough to snuff out the life of a planet in an instant, if desired. But the price it carried had wounded him, deeper than any physical wound ever could. Fueled by his anger, rage, tenacity and vindictive intelligence, at his very core, the Zabrak Sith'ari was hollow. A gaping, gnawing emptiness resided within. Rabid and ravenous, the abyss would bite and bite away at the very essence that was Viox Savage. Once a man of honor, principle and integrity, now nothing more than an empty void fueled by emotions and a lust for power, the man that had once been ceased to exist the moment he took in the essences of the Elders.*
*The emotions that he felt within his own mind, from Luxeria, had little effect on him. Happiness, peace and joy were emotions that hadn't brushed across the Zabrak's being in decades. As such, they didn't even phase him any more. While right now, he had the opportunity to glean information from Luxeria, this was not what it was about. But the ravenous, gnawing emptiness was still there, intent on spreading its influence on to another victim, willing or otherwise. Controlling his own emotions was one thing, but the hunger that ate away at him, that was much harder. Those familiar with the histories of Darth Nihilus would understand the void within him. Those that didn't, would just feel its side effects. The nauseating, draining sensation. A permeating weakness. And a dark, drowning weight pressing down upon oneself. Having used ancient abilities, stolen power from those long dead and manipulating it to his own will, the Sith'ari had become a Wound in the Force. Perverting the very nature of how the Force was to be used, this unnatural and ultimately unholy ability, his opponents would feel the effects. While the Sith'ari deigned to pull himself out of Luxeria's mind, she could catch vivid glimpses of his memories.*
*A soul-crushing, spirit-defeating, heart wrenching sense of loss as a darkly clad woman was ran through right before his eyes while he sat, mere feet away in agonizing pain...*
*A bitter sadness mixed with a biting resentment and remorse as he was left on the ground, clutching the stump of his left arm, watching a dark-haired male wielding a chartreuse-hued lightsaber blade get bisected by a menacing looking blue and black tattooed Zabrak almost resembling himself...*
*A venomous, poisoning hatred, raw and exposed like a nerve, as the very same blue and black tatooed Zabrak was impaled by a lightsaber and then, in one fell swoop, was beheaded, the lifeless corpse collapsing off to the side...*
*Each of these vivid memories and intense sensations were defining moments within the Sith'ari's life. The death of his lover, Larissa Novax, at the hands of Regan B'ree in the skies above Rhommamool, nearly a century ago. The betrayal of his brother and former comrade-in-arms, Kalen Grauswein, the Mind of the Triumvirate on Rhommamool half a century ago. And finally, landing the killing blow on his own father, Xander, during the collapse of his father's empire. Each moment, for better or worse, was a moment of immense pain for the Sith'ari. And any being capable of feeling even the slightest amount of emotion would potentially be devastated by these overwhelming feelings, but now, for the Sith'ari, they were nothing more than memories, as he was incapable of feeling most of those emotions anymore...*
Finally prying himself away from Luxeria's mind in time to see her draw her blade and salute him with a classic Makashi salute. Plucking the ornate, ebony hilt of his double-saber from his belt, the Zabrak widened his stance and brought his left hand in to his chest, fingers up, pointing towards his chin, while extending his right arm out behind himself, thumbing the activation studs on his saber. The sunburst orange blades sprang to life with a snap-hiss, as a small smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. Perhaps the mind invasion would have been more enjoyable, had he intended to leave Luxeria a mindless, drooling husk. However, she was useful. Both to him and the Blackguard. Mentally and through use of the Force, Luxeria was more than capable of holding her own, or even severely crippling her opponent. Now a test of martial prowess was in order. But so far, Malvus' former apprentice was not disappointing him...
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Luxeria
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“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
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Post by Luxeria on May 31, 2019 8:54:30 GMT -8
Just as he could see the memories of herself and that she held of Gavin, she could see his as well. Had it not been for what she experienced in her emotions training, it was quite possible that Viox's memories could have overwhelmed her without seeking to draw upon what lay within. The Sith'ari had clearly faced many hardships of great intensity himself over the years. It was a clear thought now that in order to truly grow. Either that or lose oneself to its influence. Something to always be aware of.
Still, she chose to not allow herself to try and draw upon his memories as she didn't want to risk being overwhelmed by emotions she hadn't yet trained in. There were years still left of training required before she could be completely free from influence in any regard. But that wasn't all she noticed. While it could be felt at any point, stepping into his mind made it much more obvious. The hollow being within him. Despite the emotions and memories, it seemed that they had become only that, no longer having the impact they were meant to. It made her wonder if that truly granted him great power or if it actually weakened him in the long run. A question that didn't have an easy answer, she was sure. But she had to be very careful about prodding his mind further as it was already taking every ounce of her will to keep that sensation from eroding into her. Otherwise, she knew that feeling would eventually leave her unable to fight.
Taking a deep breath, she watched as his ignited his saber staff, his mind slipping back from hers. Waiting only a few moments, she took off at Viox, seeking to close the distance as quickly as possible without the aid of the Force. As she grew close, she plunged her blade inward in a lunge, making sure not to overextend herself and leave herself wide open.
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Viox Savage
Blackguard Imperium
"You want the same as me. My redemption, eternal ascension. Setting me free."
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Post by Viox Savage on Aug 19, 2019 18:17:50 GMT -8
Eyeing up Luxeria as she sprinted forward in a lunge as she neared him. Having not moved from is pose, aside from his eyes, he suddenly sprang into action. Lowering his left hand and bringing his right arm around in front of himself, the blade that had been pointed to his right when behind him, was now pointing to his left as he parried the lunge, forcing Luxeria's blade up and away from him while allowing her momentum to keep her at a distance. As Luxeria's blade left his, he spun to his left widening the gap between them.
"Child's play, dear. You ought to try much harder if you want to compete with the likes of me..."
A harmless taunt, but it was something he always enjoyed doing, if for nothing else than to get under her skin.
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on Aug 30, 2019 16:46:11 GMT -8
His parry was the expected approach, easily avoidable for any fool could see it coming. As her blade moved into the air and away from him, she forced herself to a stop with her left foot as her right hand moved behind her and her blade came down to point at the ground. She said nothing as the taunt came, but gave a slight smirk. It was, indeed, child's play. Nothing more than a game to test the waters and grasp the movement of the man before her. She expected he was doing the same to her.
But she couldn't afford to let things play out in such a way. She had to make her move and up the ante on him. Using the small connection her mind had coursing over the surface of his, she leaped forward to close the distance. With the way her body was turned, it allowed her to grab the curved hilt that resided on her right hip with her left hand. As she moved towards him, she began twisting his perception of her attack. It was only a tiny adjustment, but when decisions had to be made on instinct and split-second calls, it was enough and typically went unnoticed by most. She could only hope it was enough to affect him.
Her left hand came around in a wide arc to slash straight across at the middle of his bicep while her right hand went higher, seeking to cut clean his neck so to remove his head.
However, that was what her mind sought to make Viox believe to be the pattern. While the path of the first blade was on target, it was actually an inch or so closer than he'd see. Her second blade was a couple inches behind what he would see and wasn't in line with his neck, but following the path of her first blade and allowing it to drop a bit as she went in an attempt to cut just below his ribcage.
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Viox Savage
Blackguard Imperium
"You want the same as me. My redemption, eternal ascension. Setting me free."
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Post by Viox Savage on Nov 12, 2019 18:51:32 GMT -8
Knowing that another attack was incoming, he slid his feet a little further apart and braced himself to hold the young woman at bay. But something odd seemed to happen as she moved. Something seemed off, as if he was seeing her move with two separate intentions in mind. As he attempted to process what was happening, he instinctively brought his saber up to catch her incoming blows. At this point, not being able to trust his eyes, instinct was all he could rely upon. Through the Force, he could sense her movements, which were slightly differently then that of what he was seeing. Shifting his grip on his hilt accordingly, her blows would successfully be blocked and he would hold her at bay until he could sort out what was happening with his eyes...
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Luxeria
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Post by Luxeria on Dec 5, 2019 8:04:37 GMT -8
As the blades met his, Luxeria's gaze did not shift is surprise or disappointment. As a warrior in a fight, she couldn't let herself get distracted by anything, be it her attacks connecting or being blocked. The moment she let her mind shift in either surprise or arrogance, she diverted her attention and focus and allowed an opportunity to be exploited. Not only that, this was the Sith'ari she was facing. Powerful and experienced, if he had fallen to such an attack, despite how deadly it could be, then he wasn't worthy of the title.
Pressing forward in her attack, she didn't let the blades hang against his for more than a second before she pulled back on her left saber before driving it in with a lunge. Her right blade curved out in a reverse path of its original attack before curving down and slicing up in a diagonal slash from his lep hip to the right shoulder. Flowing with the momentum of her second strike, she spun, her eyes staying fixed on him as long as possible as she pulled hard on the left blade to bring it around quickly, circling close her waist as it struck out in a wide slash as her left side came around to face him. She expected him to block it and would use that stop to quickly force her body back to her right where she would perform the same attack with her right blade to his right side, before bringing her left saber around to attack at his leg.
For the moment, she let her control of his mind cease its alteration with his perception, knowing that if she tried to keep assaulting him with that, he would eventually be able to read her well enough that it would never be effective. She had to be patient and use it sparingly and in times he least expected it or was too caught up in the battle to catch on.
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