Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898 
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
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Post by Luxeria on May 2, 2019 5:21:46 GMT -8
[/font][li] Principle Authors: Luxeria , Gavin Phoenix [/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: Rodia[/li] [/ul]
With the Great Hunt finished and the thrill of the fight, Luxeria knew that her skills were truly improving. Confident, she believed that her time to face down Malvus and prove herself worthy of the rank of master among the Sith was close. But as challenging as the Great Hunt was, facing down and killing some of the most fearsome creatures within the galaxy, it still didn't compare to fighting a sentient capable of quick thinking and great power. She needed to test her skills against someone who was powerful and smart, skilled in the ways of combat and the Force. While the Blackguard had many strong warriors among its ranks, her choice led to one man: Gavin Phoenix. Having experienced his training, it only felt right to face him in a similar manner as she would Malvus. With her path set, she requested a battle from him, one to test the limits of her abilities in determining her readiness to face off with her former master. |
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Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Luxeria on May 4, 2019 6:08:16 GMT -8
As the sweat began to trickle down the side of her face, Luxeria began to stir. It was a slow awakening, grunts and groans coming from her throat. For the longest, her eyes never opened, as her head moved back and forth before they finally opened. Everything was a blur and her head was spinning, if not throbbing a bit. Pushing herself up to a seated position as she worked to take in the scene around her. For a few seconds, it was nothing but a bright blur with a mess of color. She blinked over and over, rubbing her eyes and temples, trying to get her senses back on track. When she was finally able to see, finding herself lying in a large overgrowth of trees and planets. Certainly not a forest with how hot she was noticing the area to be, she could only assume it to be a jungle or rainforest of some sort. But the question still remained, where was she?
Taking a deep breath, she began to think back on what she remembered, hoping to shed some light on her situation. She remembered being back on Iridonia. She had gone to speak with Gavin about a spar to test her abilities. It was then that her eyes opened wide, everything clicking in her mind as she was on her feet in an instant, her fists tightened in anger. He had agreed to the fight and told her to met him on the landing pads. Doing as he requested, she only saw him for a moment when he arrived before spraying her with something, a sleep gas most likely. All went black after that. "That bastard..."
Her voice was but a frustrated whisper as she looked around, trying to find him, her senses reaching out to try and feel his presence.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on May 4, 2019 11:22:48 GMT -8
Even before Luxeria rose from her slumber, the faint beeping of a holo-communicator could be heard resonating from her left-most pouch. In her groggy and infuriated state, it still went unnoticed for a few minutes as well. When she finally heard it and activate it, Gavin appeared in a small image before her, covered in his hooded cloak. There was a moment of silence before he began to speak.
::Ah, so you have finally woken up. That's good. I was beginning to wonder if maybe I used too much gas on you and needed to come back and get you up myself. But now that you're awake, we can get down to business. You fancy yourself an assassin. An assassin is but one type of hunter. Your ability to move unseen and sneak up on your opponent, no matter the terrain or situation. That is the core of what is expected of you. That is what we are here to test. prove to me that you are the assassin you think you are. Seek me out amidst the rainforest of Rodia and let's see if you have what it takes to track down your enemy. And don't try to feel me out in the Force. I've taken the steps needed to keep my presence hidden from you. You must rely on your other senses and skills to find me. Oh, and to make matters harder, I will also be hunting you. You must prove yourself to be the superior hunter. You made it through the Great Hunt, but now you face something far worse than anything you faced in it: me. Predator or Prey. Which will you be? Good luck.::
With that, the transmission cut off. He would see if she had what it took to find his tracks, to be alert, and to keep herself hidden all the while.
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Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Luxeria on May 5, 2019 7:37:44 GMT -8
It was a solid minute before the faint ping finally caught her ears. Looking around, she became on guard should something be out there ready to attack her. For another minute she looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise before it started to sink in. It was coming from her. Looking down at her pouches, she went through them, finding it in an unrecognized holo device. Lifting it up, she ushed the button which brought up a hologram of Gavin as he was during the Great Hunt.
She said nothing as he spoke, not sure if it was a recording or live. As he went on and explained what this test would be about, her anger at the situation began to level off a bit as she began to piece together the why of what he did. In order to put her here and in the right place to properly begin the hunt, she needed to be unaware of where she was and the direction he remotely headed before everything got started. Still, he could have said something instead of just hitting her suddenly with the gas. She trusted him enough to use it had he explained the situation. But then again, it served the situation best. It would display how well she could adapt to the sudden unknown.
As the image of Gavin faded away, she gave a sigh. She had been trying to feel out Gavin and not found him and now she knew why. He was purposely keeping himself hidden from her to make it harder. It meant she needed to hide as well, be it to keep him from detecting her coming and finding her in his hunt. However, she wouldn't doubt the fact he was somewhere nearby watching her, waiting to strike.
It wasn't a thought she could dwell on, though. Closing her eyes, she worked to hide her presence with Force Stealth. Bit by bit, she worked to cover her presence, removing it from the senses of those around her, a process that took a minute to ensure she achieved the desired effect. Once she was ready, she began looking around, seeking a sign as to the direction Gavin went. Moving slowly around the area, she finally found something. The plants in the area were slightly bent and brushed against, suggesting someone had been through the area recently. However, to make sure, she looked around to ensure this was an actual path. Once she was sure, she began her trek through the jungle, moving slow and staying alert.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on May 5, 2019 11:41:32 GMT -8
Gavin placed the holo-communicator in his pocket as he ended the transmission, his senses reaching out to find Luxeria. It wasn't but a few moments before it vanished. He smirked seeing that she immediately knew to hide her presence as he was. When hunting another Force-sensitive, that sole thing could ruin everything. Crossing his arms, he waiting for a little while, curious as to what path he would take. He already had some traps set up for her, so he didn't need to jump at catching up to her right away. After all, he knew where she was as he put her there before coming to his current location. That wasn't really fair, but then again, it was a test for her, to see if she could overcome the odds placed against her.
It was that thought that made him move forward, working his way through the jungle back to where he left Luxeria.
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Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Luxeria on May 6, 2019 7:47:19 GMT -8
Sweat was already coming down her face in heavy beads due to the hotter climate, though, after training in the heat of Mustafar, this didn't really bother Luxeria so much. If anything, it was mostly just humid. Her conditioned body kept her from having breath heavy for the time being, which was good for helping to keep herself hidden.
Keeping herself low among the taller foliage, she worked to follow the faint path. As she went, she was able to make out footprints from time to time, which helped further confirm Gavin's direction. However, as she went, she noticed something strange. The footprints stopped and the ground looked to be altered as if he moved his foot over the ground over a few feet to completely hide his path. It disrupted the flow and hid his path form her. But it had to be somewhere. Keeping low and eyes focused on the ground, she looked to find where he might have jumped to spread out his path.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on May 18, 2019 9:25:00 GMT -8
As Luxeria reached the point where the trail seemed to go cold with a patch of disturbed ground, the first test of her skills reflexes would be tested as they possessed the first of a few traps set throughout the area. Should she trigger it, branches with a sharpened stick would flying down upon her, two to start, which would be followed by a quick onslaught of five more shortly after. Primitive as they were, they were just as effective as any properly forged weapon against the unaware and surprised prey.
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Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Luxeria on May 18, 2019 12:41:10 GMT -8
As she moved about, searching for his path from the disrupted ground, she didn't notice the hidden trip wire that Gavin had set up. She felt it all too late as her foot brush against it. Looking up, she heard the sound of the stretching and cracking branch as the pointed stick was plunged straight at her chest. She leaned back to let the branch fly over her, if only barely. But it wasn't the only attack made against her. Another branch was sent at her from the same direction and angle, only lower. All she was capable of doing now was letting herself fall onto her back. A successful maneuver had it not been for the final bit of the trap. Her position allowed the first of the downward strike to come down next to her face. Hit by surprise, she rolled to her right as the next ones came, her direction the wrong one as they followed her.
She didn't prove to be as fast as she hoped as the final branch came down and scratched her left arm. Pushing herself to her feet, she jumped back, but nothing else came. Her breathing had picked up slightly as she looked around before looking to her arm. It was only a light scratch, but it alerted her to the fact that her guard had high as she had thought, nor her reflexes as quick. Was it because of the hotter climate or because she was left uncertain of just what was waiting for her? No matter the reality, she needed to pick up the pace.
Taking a few moments to catch her breath, she began looking around a bit more, finally able to pick up the trail once again. Back on track, she began hunting Gavin once more, now ever more vigilant to the traps laid out for her.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on May 25, 2019 16:58:46 GMT -8
As Gavin made is way back towards Luxeria's position, he came to a halt and looked around, his senses reaching out. He was certain he had heard something moving not far off. Crouching down to better hide, he waited, finally hearing what he originally thought. He suspected Luxeria was nearby somewhere. Early, he thought he had heard the commotion from one of his traps.
Looking around, he didn't see the woman and decided to get off the ground. leaping up into a nearby tree, he moved to the shadows and waited for a moment before moving slowly and quietly from tree to tree. He continued moving forward until he caught a glimpse of fiery red hair. Smirking from under his hood, he moved behind the trunk of the tree he was on and waited. Closer. Closer. When she was but a few feet away, he moved with aid of the Force, jumping down a few feet away, grabbing his lightsaber and igniting it just as he leaped at her and made a swipe. His timing was quick and precise, making him nearly unnoticeable until too late. After making the swipe as he moved passed her, he then leaped back into the trees and faded into the shadows again.
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Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Luxeria on May 26, 2019 10:02:56 GMT -8
She didn't even hear it coming. As she snuck forward, all that caught her attention was the sudden sound of something falling to the ground next to her. Turning, she was greeted by a rushing cloak figure, Gavin no doubt, and his lightsaber igniting and making an attack against her. She only had one option to avoid the strike: fall back to the ground. And so she did. But she was quick for the moment she hit the ground, she rolled back onto her feet and ignited one of her sabers. However, when she looked around, she saw no one around.
She stayed crouched for a few minutes before standing to her feet and deactivating her lightsaber. He was fast and quiet, a deadly combination considering the situation. She had to be even more alert. She had to always be reaching out, feeling the area for every bit of movement, no matter how tiny it was. She couldn't afford to be careless. It would cost her her head otherwise. Taking a deep breath, she took another glance around before continuing on her path.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Jun 20, 2019 5:55:54 GMT -8
Having jumped back into the trees, Gavin snuck a peek at Luxeria and how well she had avoided his attack. While it had caught her off-guard, she had successfully moved with enough speed to miss being hit and bring up her own defenses. A very promising truth. If she could enhance her awareness, something he expected she was now doing, then there would be few who could actually catch her off-guard. The only way she'd be brought down would be through stealth assassination. And that was what this test was to determine.
Smirking from under his hood, he took off through the trees, ready for the next trap to be triggered.
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Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Luxeria on Jun 20, 2019 8:19:48 GMT -8
As Luxeria continued moving on in her hunt for Gavin, she stretched her senses and awareness out as much as she could without taking from her focus. Gavin has clearly done some work prior to her waking in preparation for this test. It made sense, in the scheme of things. It was her job to become the hunter and reverse the roles they were playing as she had started as prey. But with as fast as he appeared and vanished, it was clear he was close by, watching her. So anything she did was most likely being monitored. In order to gain the upper hand, she had to play a deceptive hand. However, the timing had to be right in order for it to work right.
For now, she continued tracking Gavin initial path, hoping to find some sign of his current position and any traps he still had waiting for her.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Jun 21, 2019 7:02:25 GMT -8
GAvin moved ahead of Luxeria when he was certain she was following his path as he hoped. The next trap was ready, but he would need to activate this one. He waited several minutes before she came into sight again, her steps even slower than before. She was much more alert and cautious. But was she ready for what came next?
Taking one of his throwing knives out from under his cloak, he began running its sharp edge over a rope that rested next to him. It was slow as he worked to keep Luxeria from hearing anything until the last minute. As she stepped into position, the last bit of effort was put into it, cutting the rope in half. Suddenly, a large log came swinging down at her. It wasn't the only one. It triggered the others, two coming from the other direction, then another two swinging from opposite sides for the fronts to ram into each other. Could she anticipate them all and get out of the way?
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Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Luxeria on Sept 12, 2019 23:06:48 GMT -8
Luxeria continued to moce slowly through the jungle, focusing her power for her intended diversion to switch their roles. It made her stand out like a beacon, but that didn't matter right now. She knew Gavin was watching her so there was no point in trying to hide herself at the moment.
Ever alert, she caught a sudden sound, like a heavy branch falling. Looking up, she had only a moment to respond. Flipping backwards into a flip, she moved high enough as the log passed under her. As she made her flip, she saw the two coming from behind her. Landing, she crotch low to the ground as the first passed over her, jumping up into a spin over the second. But it wasn't over as the rope holding them snapped, the small valley she stoid in forcing all the logs back toward her on the ground. At the same time, two more logs came flying in from both sides to smash her.
Seeing this as her chance, she let loose on the enviornment around her, the moisture she was focusing on turning in a mist thick enough to hide her. The sound of the logs converging on her was heard, followed by four of her apoearing and running off ibto didferent directions, her presence once again hidden from view. She made her play. Now Gavin had to figure out which of the four was the real Luxeria.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
Posts: 1,144
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Sept 12, 2019 23:26:37 GMT -8
Gavin watched from his perch as the scene unfolded before him. He could sense the power shevwas building and knew she had something in mind. The question was what? It soon became clear though as the final stage if his trap settled in, a mist formed around her. It was a second or two before he began to look through it with Force Sight, but by then, it was too late.
Four beings emerged from the mist, all of them Luxeria. Clever tactic, to be sure. Using Doppelgangers to draw the attention of someone she knew to be watching her. Sensing out for her presence, he smirked at how much she kbew about her situation. With her presence hidden, it would take work to find her. Something he wasn't going to do. She had played a good hand but he wouldn't take the bait. His best bet was to wait for her. And do he headed back to the clearing he started in.
Reaching it, he hid himself in the Force as he removed his cloak and placed it around a rock that made it seem as if he was knelt down meditating. Jumping into the tree line, he waited on a branch for her to come to him. Now was the real test as to who would be the real victor at the game of cat and mouse.
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Luxeria
Member
“Even the strongest mind can be manipulated. It’s simply a matter of finding its weakness.”
Posts: 1,898
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Luxeria on Sept 15, 2019 21:44:07 GMT -8
Luxeria spent a little time spreading herself out, hoping that if Gavin wax following on of them, she could really throw him off her trail. But no movement ever came to try and sort out clones from the original. There weren't even any more traps left. That just left her one thing to do.
Drawing on the experience of what her doppelgangers saw, one came across a clearing. Steering clear of it, it noticed Gavin's cloak from the holoprojector and tge slight moment he jumped het. That knowledge fed back to the rest and all worked their way towards the clearing. The three clones gathered up as the real Luxeria took position at another location, hiding herself in the Force as she began to bend the light around her. She did this just enough to hide her in the tree line as she made her next move.
One of the clones made her way out towards the rock as silently and slowly as possible as another stepped to the edge of treeline and hid herself terribly among the brush, making it an easily noticed target. As the one continued her way out towards Gavin, the cloak never moved as the illusion lightsaber came to life and ran itself through Gavin's back. There was a flutter of the cloak, but when no other movement came, the doppelganger jumped in front of it to notice it was nothing but a rock.
It had been a trap to lure Luxeria out. In a way, it worked, though not as Gavin would hope. It meant he was near and watching. She could only hope he fell for her ploy. It was time to see if the trapper's trap could trap the trapper.
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