High Council Roq vs High Council Galak

Galak pulled the Sanctuary hard to the side, banking her into a sharp descent. Avara let out a quiet chuckle in the cockpit as he glided the freighter down into orbit. A brown planet lay beneath him, and he aimed the vessel for a small patch of even looking land.

The Sanctuary came down on solid ground with a clunk, shaking Avara slightly in the cockpit. Galak unstrapped himself quickly, straightening his slightly ruffled Jedi tunic. He exited the cockpit at a fast pace, extending the ramp to the ground level of the planet. An unknown location had been chosen for Jedi Masters Avara and Roq to participate in an elaborate practice duel, where the two would battle and hone their skills in a powerful clash.

A cold breeze scorched Galak's face, but he gritted his teeth and called on the Force to be his companion in the cold wasteland. Avara extended his senses, searching out for Roq, and picked up a hint of life a few kilometers off. Galak set off for the area, moving at a brisk pace.

The expanse was relatively barren, not hilled and mostly dead of life. Boulders were scattered on the planes, and a few areas that might have once been quarries were visible. Galak was curious if the planet had ever been colonized or inhabited, but pushed the excess thought from his mind.

Avara covered the distance quickly, arriving at a rickety bridge where Roq's signature was strongest. Certain that the fellow Council member was close, Galak called his lightsaber to hand and took a few long steps onto the bridge itself.

The bridge was rusty but looked to be intact. It would be an interesting area for combat; Galak knew he needed to be wary of his surroundings, and use and mold them to his advantage.

The aging Master extended his Force perception, encompassing the area, and called on the Force to guide his hand in the next passing minutes. He surged the Force into the inner workings of his lightsaber, igniting it's icy blue blade and casting a pale light over the rusty durasteel.

Galak brought the 'saber up into a formal Makashi salute, and then back down again, challenging his mock foe onwards.

Avians twittered half-heartedly. An insect chirped. Dry bushes rustled as their branches were pushed past each other, disturbed by a small mammal. The wind stirred, and the bridge moaned quietly.

A predator lurked. However, he was a predator by birth, rather than by practice. But he was lurking.

Overhead was a craggy brown vault. Straggling bushes grew in tufts on the rock, and a small trickle of water flowed along the distant apex. Beneath was an expanse of blue. Down, down, down, so far away, clouds drifted. A black silhouette, swimming in the deep blue ocean, cut the clouds.

There was a simple explanation for all these phenomena.

Roq was hanging upside-down.

His talons were locked around the iron struts of the bridge. Gravity gently pulled his wings up, relieving the familiar weight on his shoulders.

He hadn't been in this position terribly long. He'd been trotting towards the general rendezvous point, when he'd come across the ravine, and its associated bridge. It was a glorious spot, as the breezes channeled through the stone leapt up and tickled the base of the bridge.

About that time, he'd spotted a ship in the distance. The quadruped's eyesight was a sharp as is beak. So, he decided to have a little fun.

And that's how the Jedi High Council Member had come to be hanging upside-down under a bridge, looking far more at-home in this peculiar circumstance than he ever did at the temple.

He could feel another, familiar presence approaching. The fleshy root of his beak tugged into a grin.

He breathed in and out, and as the air moved so did the Force. He reached out, feeling all the living things around him -- a few mammals, a dozen reptiles, a hundred tiny insects, and even the light shadows of the brush. When his mind was spread like this, it was difficult to pinpoint via the Force.

The other presence approached. Vibrations coursed through the bridge as a new weight was introduced. Roq could feel, in the delicately calibrated membranes of his wings, the shift in the air as a lightsaber was ignited, then cut through the air. Makashi, perhaps? It was well-known for its flourish, and Roq knew that his fellow was a master of the form.

Three... Two... One...

Roq let his rear talons slip from their hold, his body swinging vertical. Simultaneously, he propelled his body upward with his forelegs, through a gap in the bridge where a floor panel had rotted away. He brought his rear legs up to catch the lip of the metal, flaring his wings out for balance. He used his momentum to surge forward, trotting towards the human.

"You're late," he said frankly, seeing Avara's familiar face.

The leading edge of his wing glowed, prepared to parry any lightsaber blow, and his gallop brought straight at Galek. He cut just to the right, with an intention to clip the man. Just a cuff, a bit of air and enough to get the blood flowing. He continued past until his palms felt dirt. He planted his forelegs, letting momentum swing his back half around, then dug his rear talons into the clay. He reaccelerated, to come around and clip his fellow Jedi again.

He bounded towards the center of the bridge, a bit like an excited puppy, stopping short to turn back to his comrade-turned-opponent-who-was-really-still-a-comrade. The bridge moaned its displeasure at having its peace suddenly disturbed.

"Or," he continued his earlier comment, "Was I early?" He sounded genuinely puzzled. It was an odd thing, watching the Graarl talk, as other than a subtle opening and closing of his beak, all of the sound was shaped by his tongue and vocal cords. If not for the slight inflation of the skin of his neck, it'd be difficult to tell he was even talking.

The Graarl's tail flicked eagerly. "Well, I'm technically in the position to set the standard for punctuality... So yes, you're late."

He nodded to himself, but his eyes twinkled, betraying the fact that he was merely joking.

The Master crouched into an aggressive stance, eyes trained on Galak, preparing himself for what would come next...

ROUND 1

Whest
Effort: 4/5 - Though well done, I feel like it could have had slightly more.
Fairness: 5/5 - Perfectly fair
Detail: 3/5 - While you state locations of actions and movements well, there's still some room here.
Coolness: 4/5 - Same as effort, this paints a very cool picture, but it has room for improvement.
Bonus: 1/2 - You set the tone for the planet really well here, I like it.

Kella
Effort: 5/5 -Nothing really lacking here, a strong solid well planned post. There is ingenuity here with the hanging upside-down.
Fairness: 5/5 - Perfectly fair, no statement on whether the clips hit, which is something you can't do and I learned the hard way in my first duel.
Detail: 5/5 - Very good, almost overdone, but not so. There is a lot of depth to this.
Coolness: 4/5 While backflipping, flying and drifting quadrupeds are pretty freaking awesome, there was also some lacking here.
Bonus: 1/2 - The waiting under-bridge thing was ingenious. Loved the concept and the banter that came with him being early.

SCORE:
Whest -17
Kella - 20

Kella hit this off with a bang, but Whest, you're not too far behind. I can see you catching up. This started off strong for both of you, let's keep it going.

PUNCH IT!

Avara's surprise at the entrance of Roq was only momentary. The Master he faced was at least equal in skill and power to Galak, and Avara knew that even if he was to win the the duel victory would be hard fought and not easily earned.

Galak chuckled slightly at the light manner in which Roq joked, but his senses remained astute for the coming attack. The bird-like Master shot forward, his wing glowing, and Avara dodged to the side, his hair tossled in the wake of the attack. Galak brought himself back into a fighting stance, aware of how close to the edge he stood.

Roq continued forward until he hit the dirt at the end of the bridge, and then turned and galloped back, his speed increasing. Galak brought his blade up, blocking the Ray and deflecting it downwards. Galak avoided the low cut hit narrowly, but his flailing Jedi robe underneath his cleared feet was sliced cleanly. Galak turned, cocking an eyebrow at the Graarl's remarks. He shed his cloak, leaving himself to only a light tunic.

The wind picked up and screeched over the bridge, echoing and punctuating in his ears. Galak focused on the Force, his protector, stronghold, deliverer, and felt power surge into his heart. Valor coursed through his veins, energizing him forwards.

"Well, I'm technically in the position to set the standard for punctuality... So yes, you're late."

"It's all a matter of perspective, my friend," replied the aging human. Galak charged forward, his eyes set in defiance and his legs pumping quickly. The Force spurring him on, Galak aimed for a low cut strike up through the midsection of the avian, and then back down for a vertical strike from behind.

He cleared the beast quickly, not stopping his run. Galak spun on his heel, switching cleanly from the aggressive and formal Makashi into Soresu. He adopted a defensive stance, his lightsaber brought into a sideways hold in front of him.

Galak called within himself a power rare among Jedi, that of what was most commonly known as the Dark side skill of Lightning. After an accidental usage, though, Galak had honed the Light side form of the potent spell, creating his own variation of Electric Judgement. Keeping his lightsaber close at hand, Avara extended his right hand and let loose a mangle of green energy, discharged directly from his hand. His intentions were clear of malicious thought, his only thoughts focusing on the defeat of his foe to alleviate any damage to either Master and hone his own skills. Galak truly was not worried about being hurt by Roq, but he would take all precautions to achieve victory.

Galak took a large step back, watching closely for the reaction of Roq, and then prepared himself for his temporary enemy's retaliation.

"It's all a matter of perspective, my friend," Avera said, and Roq gave him a conceding nod.

It was Galak's turn to charge, and Roq crouched, lowering his center of gravity. He assessed the charging man, having but a moment each to watch his eye, his shoulder, and his wrist. But Roq had been charged many times before, and he'd learned his lesson many times before, and a moment was all he needed.

He snapped his wings tightly to his shoulders, pushing off with his left legs and tucking his head. He rolled, the first strike a few inches shy of his shoulder, the second just-missing his tail. It was close, but it was a controlled close, an aware close, a fighting-a-master-of-the-Force-and-lightsaber-combat close.

He pushed himself upright again with all but his right hind leg, for the simple reason that it was no longer on the bridge. He stepped forward closer to the center, rearing up on his back legs to pivot and face the human, just as his saber rose to a defensive stance. Because Roq was not directly attacking, and being the lead in such a battle was crucial, a defensive stance would only make sense if Avera intended to do something with the Force.

So Roq attuned his mind's ear, and felt more than saw the crackle of electricity that laced between the man's fingers. Simultaneously he braced himself physically and in the Force, and it was with eyes narrowed and shoulders low that the lightning struck him.

Except, it less struck him, and more washed around him. The lightning illuminated a previously invisible membrane around the Graarl, arcing across it like electricity skirts around a metal suit. But even more than that -- the lightning was being absorbed by the membrane, which glowed more and more brightly.

Galak was not the only one who possessed this skill. But while Galak had honed it into a procurable ability, Roq preferred to simply let the Force run its course.

Roq's shield glowed nearly opaque with energy, and in a blindingly bright flash, an arc discharged into the bridge, shaking the air with deafening thunder. Another forking strike, much more reminiscing of the raging of the heavens than Avera's languid plasmic lights. It looked as if Roq himself was made of lightning, and even when the stream of green light ended, he continued to fizzle and pop. Roq restrained the energy, feeling the Force swell in resistance, and he focused intently on Avera.

The last bolt shuddered forth, striking the bridge startlingly close to the man. A few residual sparks flickered through the rusty iron, and a lingering charge thickened the air. This was Roq's specialty, the absorption and redirection of energy.

Even before that last bolt's thunder had rang, Roq was charging forward again. From the air and the iron he drew the residual charge, gathering it along his face as he closed on the Jedi. This time, he stopped just short of the man, rearing his seven foot length upright. A pealing cry thundered from his throat, like a massive hawk's. His talons sliced through the air, glowing with collected bits of energy. Appearing more beast than Jedi, the Graarl bore down on the Jedi.

Only he knew for sure that his talons would fall to either side of his friend, and the only thing in danger of striking was the charge, barely enough to stun, and likely a mere annoyance to a master.

ROUND 2

Whest
Effort: 4/5 - Again, I know you can do better, I'll let you know now, I'm not going to be an easy judge, but I like to think I'll be fair. I've seen your other writing, I know you can show me more.
Fairness: 5/5 - I was a bit iffy giving this one, but there were torn cloaks and the battle has only started, but you can't dodge hits forever, keep that in mind
Detail: 4/5 - There's strong detail here, and I like that you've continued with the building of the scene and location, that helps you and the other writer keep a strong mental inventory of what's going on and where.
Coolness: 3/5 - This was pretty cool, but it could have been cooler. I like the lightning, it gives pizazz to the battle, but the charge and slash, then stopping to stand still and use the Electric Judgement left something to be desired, get creative, do something unexpected.
Bonus: /2 - n/a

Total: 16

Kella
Effort: 4/5 - You did well here, too, but I know how you go, and this post wasn't as effort-filled as the previous. And I know you can do better than this. Though it was quite good.
Fairness: 5/5 - You don't have a robe to get cut, but near-misses will do. I wanna see some damage or something here soon from both of you, or this hit-miss dance is gonna start lowerin' this score. I say this in warning, as this is only the second round.
Detail: 5/5 - You explained the aesthetics and ambiance of the situation quite well.
Coolness: 4/5 - I almost made this a 5, and though I could see the agility and effort Roq put into dodging, and the redistribution of green cackling lightning on an iron bridge surging and exploding, and then turning it into an attack that utilizes the unique quadrupedal aspects of the Graarl, but when looking at the big picture as it plays out, you had some better wiggle room than this.
Bonus: 1/2 - You took a well-described and very "cool" scene and turned it into an attack. Kudos.

Total: 19

SCORE:
Whest - 33
Kella - 39

You're still in this Whest, I know this next one is gonna be great. I hope it "Roq"s my socks!

HIT IT!

"What a site to see," thought Galak to himself. His pause would cost him, though. Lightning echoed from the clouds, a glorious spectacle, but one Avara couldn't afford to bask in.

Galak began moving about three seconds too late, and it showed. His speed, though augmented with the Force, did not make him invincible, and soon after he began evading the strikes he missed one that bared straight down on the Master.

Dodging to the side too late Galak was shocked lightly on the arm, his pride hurt more than his physical body. Galak played a complex dancing game, watching the rather vulnerable Roq channel the almost storm like move. Unfortunately with the lightning in place he remained rather inaccessible for an attack.

The storm ended after a good while, and Roq followed up with a ferocious clawed attack. His talons glowed with energy, and Galak fended off the strikes with his mastery of Soresu to the best of his abilities. Avara batted away the strikes, and also moved his body, aware of his proximity to the edge of the platform. Galak paused to get a sense of how close he was to falling, but would pay for his distraction.

Roq struck him with his claw, lightly electrucuting his arm. The pain was barely a distraction to Galak, but it snapped him back to the present, focusing on the attacks at hand. Galak switched cleanly from Soresu to Makashi in a smart strike, and he began pushing his temporary enemy back to give himself some much needed space.

Surprisingly, though, Galak made a strange move. Avara discontinued his attack, took a large step backwards, and leapt high up in the air.

On his way up Galak deactivated his lightsaber, keeping it clenched in his hand. Avara remained suspended in the air for a moment before gravity took effect. Air whistled in Galak's ears as he fell, but his descent had been chosen precisely. Galak passed Roq quickly, falling faster and faster, and he winked slyly as he fell. Galak slowed his descent, tensed his body and grabbed one of the rusty bearings supporting the bridge. A loud creak, much more powerful than Galak had expected, emanated through the canyon, and Avara noticed the sheer drop beneath him.

The Master remained confident in his tactic, though. Galak remained hanging on the beam for a minute, supporting his weight rather easily. Galak gathered the Force within himself yet again and sprung upwards, propelling himself powerfully. Galak watched as he cleared Roq yet again, soaring overhead.

Avara performed a rather flashy somersault on his way down, serving to only demonstrate his rather trained acrobatic skills. The Jedi landed smoothly on the platform, coming up behind the Graarl. The opposing Master remained towards the right edge of the bridge, and Galak pressed his advantage, charging forward.

Galak let the Force take control, instinct fueling his perfectly anger free attack. Avara's lightsaber flowed form attack to attack, performing complex maeuevers and sequences. The Master switched flawlessly between Makashi and Niman, demonstrating his mastery of both the dueling and diplomacy form. Galak's Niman was a more aggressive style, and he acted as such, attempting to push Roq farther and farther to the edge. Galak put a well placed strike towards Roq's midsection, and then in a slash through his short legs. Galak pulled out of the strike and in a practiced movement put his lightsaber forward in a sharp jab. At the same time as he pushed forward Avara internally stimulated his lightsaber's hidden weapon; it's dual phase. The lightsaber extended another half meter, increasing the blade to a sizable length. As such the lightsaber came at Roq much quicker than even a quick thrust would, and the attack would require a much higher reaction time to deflect or dodge.

Galak's attacks were worry free, as his lightsaber was set to only a light shock setting and would not injure the master so much as a slight burn. Enough to want to avoid being hit, but not enough to damage or relatively hurt the Master. Galak watched with a practiced eye as Roq responded and retaliated to his formidable attack.

Roq let his talons fall to the iron as the human leapt backwards, hanging over the abyss. His eyes followed the man, and he felt the vibrations as a weight was caught on a strut below.

The Graarl was more reptillian than mamillian or Avian in the fact that he did not have any external ears. His whole body picked up vibrations from his environment, relaying them to the auditory part of his brain. As a result, Graarls were quite attuned to low, long vibrations, and the movement of the bridge was well within his hearing range. He could have taken this opportunity to drastically relocate -- for example, leaping from the bridge and soaring down into the canyon -- a pursuit which would surely challenge the human.

But it was an odd maneuver to make, so the Graarl, in the half-second he had to make the decision, let curiosity overcome strategy. He was also justified by the fact that making an opponent believe they were controlling the fight increased one's ability to knock them off balance later.

Just as Roq was concluding this thought, he felt the bridge's vibrations change, as if something had suddenly exerted force on it. The human was returning. It seemed like a very much ado for a simple dodge and counter-attack... So Roq took this extra moment -- a moment uninhibited by defending himself and undistracted by combat to sink his mind into the Force, to beckon it and prepare it to be shaped and guided.

As such, the Force willingly communicated to him the position and trajectory of Galek, and he turned to face the man just as he landed. With a whisper of preparation from the Force, Roq gathered together a barrier just as the lighting-quick strikes began.

"Surely you weren't just showing off," he said breathily, with a hint of chiding. Galak's saber was quick, decisive, and unpredictable, and Roq quickly changed the nature of his barrier. Rather than stopping or absorbing the energy, he diffused it. To diffuse the energy allowed him to protect the whole face of his body at once, and though uncomfortable, it required less focus and mental effort.

An unpleasant prickling sensation coursed through his body, and though the lightsaber seemed to strike him directly, it met resistance at his scales and sparked unhappily. This technique did not stop the damage, rather, it spread the energy of the strike out over a great area. Pain was something the Jedi was very accustomed to, and he could think through it to analyze his enemy. Galak was very skilled with a blade, Roq would give him that. He backed slowly towards the edge of the bridge, an inch with every strike, so as to avoid having to rely too strongly on his barrier. A slash came at his legs, and he hopped back, core straining to keep his abdomen aloof of the blade, feeling the very edge of the bridge beneath his hind feet.

Roq maintained his connection to the Force, for the moment using it to sense. He felt a slight shadow, a movement, a tendril of the ethereal stuff being pulled. The force was not finite, but it was like a gas -- one could feel it being moved, even from a distance -- and this movement was quite close. The Graarl anticipated a change in attack, so he rocked his body backwards onto hind legs. The suddenly lengthened saber clipped his chest, and even the diffused shock made his core muscles spasm oddly.

It threatened to break his concentration, but Roq's mind was a muscle exercised daily, and it held fast. He bent his hind legs deeply, shifting his center of balance backward, seeming to teeter on the edge. But suddenly, the Force shifted. His center of balance slid forward, and his spine was perpendicular to the human's. In a movement as rapid as a viper's strike, he extended his hind legs. An incredible amount of energy was rocketing towards Galak -- those muscles were made to launch the quarter-ton animal into the air, and now all that force rocketed straight for Avera's abdomen.

Roq intentionally aimed just to the man's right, as a direct hit might cause enough whiplash to snap the man's neck. A semi-glancing blow, however, would only snap ribs.

What followed was executed far too quickly to have been done without the Force, even for a Graarl. He thrust his front claws downward, planting them only a foot past the man, muscles tensing to divert the rest of his body to the side. His tail end swung around until he was facing Galak again. He wrapped his talons around the iron as his momentum tried to tug him backwards, and instead his well-toned core drew his hindquarters up, to plant his rear talons just behind the front. Again he struck, another glancing blow to the right, only a few degrees from deadly. This may have been a battle between friends, but that did not mean there were no stakes.

Roq landed again, this time under his own power. He caught the brunt of his momentum with his front legs, and pain shot through the bones, rippling back as far as his spine. I'm going to be sore tomorrow... He stabilized, and turned back to face the man who was, at last count, between Roq and the edge of the bridge. Even if he had moved, Roq's next attack would find him.

Rather than exhaust his connection, Roq's last attack had strengthened it, as he was a master of moving meditation. Now he and the Force were perfectly in-sync, and he was going to take advantage of that.

He called upon it to shift and move the air, to guide the stirring currents in the wake of the storm. It began as a breeze, but with exponential speed became a gust and then a gale. The air was drawn from behind Roq, rushing over him. It narrowed as if drawn through a funnel, centering on the Human. With all the power of a Hurricane, it surged at him. The wind was slippery, and keeping it focused like this was akin to trying to catch a fish. Every time you tightened your grip, it slipped and slid away. But the master knew something about catching fish, and ever-so-subtly, he pushed the force towards the human's saber. If the man were not paying attention to it, were not determined to hold it, it would slip away. If the opportunity were present, Roq would take it.

But he could feel the Force drain away from him, drawn past him through the wind. Pulling upon it this heavily exhausted the connection, as the Force resisted being manipulated. So after what could not have been more than thirty seconds, the gale faded. The Force would soon slowly return to him, but for the moment, Roq was left only with his physical senses. He turned every one of these upon Galek -- he would have to take extra care not to be left off-guard. A half-step centered him on the bridge, keen eyes focused intently on he human. If he showed signs of being stunned, Roq would charge and take the opportunity to pin him, but Roq doubted he would be given this chance. The battle was still young, and fresh, and he played it safe in assuming that the human still had a great deal of energy at his disposal...

ROUND 3

Whest
Effort: 5/5 - I felt it. I felt the thought and effort in this one, keep it up and you're still in this!
Fairness: 4/5 - I have to give over to the fact that there was a long pause with the jump and then somersault behind Roq, it's kinda iffy to state that a character would stay for so long in one place, as Kella pointed out in her next post. It's almost controlling, but not quite. There are a few minor tidbits that combine with this to equal the loss of 1 point. He did get hit though, which I like.
Detail: 4/5 - Strong, I could see it, but I want to see more. I want to see what the world they are in looks like, feels like. I saw how Galak moved perfectly, but there are more details to a battle than this. I do like that you maintain the feel of the bridge, though.
Coolness: 5/5 - It's a tough one to give, but I liked that you mixed it up. I like the duel he springs into after his somersault, and how it is presented, there was some flavor to it and some ingenuity with the dual-phase jab.
Bonus: 1/2 - This was a step up from your previous, you're bringing your A-game. That deserves a bonus point.

Total: 19

Kella
Effort: 5/5 - This is a strong post of well-thought and planned combat prowess.
Fairness: 5/5 - You got hit, you rolled with the punches, and your Master does have the capacity to command the Force like that, as well as your pointing to the grasp thinning on the connection after heavy use of manipulation. This was perfectly fair.
Detail: 5/5 - From momentum to placement to everywhere in-between, I could see this Graarl moving his reptilian form and the power with which he did so.
Coolness: 5/5 - It was stunning, and the thrusting Hurricane of the Force at the end, with the crazy Force pushes, it was something grand and spectacular.
Bonus: 0/2 -

Total: 20

Score:
Whest: 52
Kella: 59

Overall Comments: You guys both have High Council Jedi. These guys aren't light-weights. This last post proved it on both your parts, but they didn't get their title by coddling and waddling up to the Chambers with a lack-luster resume. They got it through tough as nails grit and wisdom, strength and courage. I want to see these guys going at it with the tenacity of their Titles.

GOGOGOGOGOGO!

There is no emotion, there is peace.

The famous mantra of the Jedi Order flowed through Galak's mind, refocusing the High Council member to his task. The two masters were powerful, and while the duel had been a challenge so far, Avara was prepared to escalate the conflict to the highest of levels.

Galak took in Roq's responses in stride, letting the Force take full control of his actions. He was confident in it's sovereign hand, and was prepared for it to guide his hands to victory. He felt a slight contact as his lengethed saber glanced over the Graarl's stomach, but had merely a moment to think before his foe was upon him yet again, this time stronger than ever.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

The second line of the Jedi Code punctuated itself in Galak's mind, burning a hole there. He knew he needed to remain disciplined and strong to hold out, but as Roq's hind legs shot forward Galak felt the right side of his stomach be impacted by the blow. The air whooshed out of Galak's stomach, and he was spun around, victim to almost the full brunt of the attack. Avara took the move to heart and prepared himself for the counter strike. He hadn't expected the kick but filed it into his analyzation of his enemy; only one more trick up his sleeve. Galak was only temporarily down, and he sucked a breath in to regain his composure while simoultaneously calling on the Force to revitalize him.

The energy that had formerly been running low in Galak's body coursed again through his veins, and his physical body felt stronger than at the beginning of the encounter.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

Galak's mind felt at peace with the Force, even as Roq rained a storm of blows upon him. The speed of the avian's assault was almost too quick for Avara's eyes to percieve, but he relied upon the Force, anticipating the blows.

Galak aptly dodged to the side of the clawed attack, but he soon realized the Graarl was setting himself up for another kick. The Master pulled himself around quickly in a blur of motion, but as his legs lunged forward Galak dropped himself flat on the ground, proceeding to roll quickly to the side. Avara leaped back to his feet, reignited his lightsaber and preparing for some kind of clawed assault.

The air seemed still around the bridge, but a whisper quickly grew into a storm. Galak realized the Graarl was channeling a powerful attack too late to totally avoid the whirlwind, and he mentally and physically prepared himself for the storm. Galak was lifted a foot off the ground, the wind swirling heavily around him. Sand caught in his eyes and scorched his tanned skin, and he realized the brunt of the storm was focused on his hand gripping his lightsaber. Without his blade he was almost useless to melee combat, so the Master focused instead of attempting to disperse the storm to only hold his own. The hurricane was hard enough to maintain for any amount of time and the physical ailments were negligible.

There is no chaos, there is harmony.

The hurricane dispersed a few moments later. Physical fatigue may have begun to settle in on a normal warrior or even a trained Jedi Knight, but the discipline and strength of the High Council member had been honed for years to near perfection.

The approach of Galak was slightly different than his past onslaught of lightsaber skill. Galak summoned the Force, feeling it's very ebb and flow around him. The air crackled with the living energy, and Galak focused it into a wave that projected forward. He created it as tall and as wide as possible. The blow itself was not very powerful but would serve as an obstacle for Roq to avoid to buy the Master time.

Galak reached out, encompassing the area with his sizable Force perception. He searched out the bridge itself, calculating and analyzing it's inner structures. The metal was still relatively strong for it's age, but certain points wavered in integrity. The duel itself had been a mostly tame one as of yet, and Galak decided to spice things up. If the settings didn't suit a Jedi High Council Member it was within his power to change them.

It was simple, actually. The two main bases of the bridge were already less stable than they should have been, and a nudge here, and a nudge there, would bring the structure tumbling down. Roq had recovered by now from the wave, but only recently, so Galak released the pent up Force energy with a crash, assaulting the supports of the bridge in one fell swoop. The bridge itself let out a loud creak, booming through the vast canyons.

Avara felt with a grim satisfaction the bridge begin to buckle beneath him. The outcome of both of their's fate now remained to chance, but Galak was willing to roll the dice on the avian Master's speed and reflexes. Galak turned on his heel and pelted off, headed for the solid ground on one side of him. Galak pumped his legs forward, covering the distance swiftly. The battle had advanced moreso towards the middle of the bridge, and the dusty ground and chasm below would provide a different, more unique challenge shortly once they both settled themselves.

Galak raced the clock, but stayed well within his budget to survive. The run was a easy one for a Master so trained with enhancing his body, and he continued his run, taking a safe distance of about twenty meters of the edge. Galak turned and saw Roq close behind him, also evacuating the bridge. A glint of humor remained in the eye of Avara, a hint of satisfaction, but he remained focused. A cloud of dust rose over the remains of the bridge, but the pit seemed deep enough as to not infest also their fight area. Avara thought vaguely of how the Graarl would reach his ship on the other side after the battle concluded, but he changed the subject of his thoughts and took in his surroundings.

A sizable boulder sat to his immediate right, and Roq stood not far from Galak. Avara lifted the stone, concentrating his only average telekinetic powers on the task while augmenting his Force intake and demeanor in general with Valor originating of the Force.

Galak tossed the boulder at Roq, giving it an added umph with a Force push spurring the rock on. The Master's lack of a lightsaber would leave him to only his speed and Force ability, both of which Avara was confident in. The battle had taken a hardcore turn, but one with which Galak knew both were prepared for.

There is no death, there is the Force.

Roq's prediction was correct, as Galak immediately returned with a counter-attack. It was not by the Force -- but rather the warping of the light -- that Roq became aware of the wave. He had but a moment to brace himself, and he took that moment.

The wave hit the Jedi with all its force, and Roq's talons throbbed as he was shoved a full two meters back. Just as he was regaining his footing, an intense vibration rocked the bridge. It was not thunder, but rather, the bridge itself. The shuddering of the iron filled the Graarl's whole body, and he quickly apprehended its meaning.

The Graarl spread his wings, stretching the finger-like struts until the leathery membrane was taught. He needed whatever time was given to him. The greater the magnitude of the bridge's groaning, the more solid his wings felt.

Finally, he was ready. The Graarl coiled his legs underneath him, and with a swift, strong movement, heaved himself into the air. The bridge seemed to crumble under the force. A sharp down-stroke pushed against the air, sending the rising dust swirling in eddies. Another stroke, and another. The Jedi's wings pushed him up and through the air.

It seemed impossible that such a large creature could carve the air as nimbly as a Sparrow, but Roq could. He angled his wings and soared for a moment, a sudden, warm updraft welcoming him to the edge of the canyon. He emerged from the dust in time to see Galak, fifteen yards below, and the boulder he wielded. Given the opportunity to fly, the Force was returning even more quickly to Roq, the rhythmic movements his favorite meditation.

As the boulder approached, he used the Force simply to assure that it would not suddenly change direction. At the last moment, when he could perceive every facet of the grains that comprised the rock, he struck the air fiercely with his wings. The force brought him to the top side of the boulder, and he absorbed the collision with all four of his feet. Time seem to slow as he strode forward, pushing off the boulder as if it were the ground. He sprung upwards, the equal and opposite reaction diverting the boulder towards the ground.

"Pity," He called down, "I liked that bridge. It was rather photogenic."

Suddenly, the Graarl tucked his wings and dove, twisting into a roll as he did. Nearly sixty yards of altitude vanished in less than two heartbeats, and all that momentum honed in on Galak. A layer of compressed air, almost so dense as to seem solid, preceded the Graarl, that, at the last moment, peeled away from the Jedi to strike Avera.

Roq's wings had snapped out, catching a groove in the air and shifting his speed from vertical to horizontal. The air hissed as the Jedi banked, the tip of his wing skimming the ground. He came at Avera again, still with incredible momentum -- only a quick duck or dodge could avoid collision. All the while, he pushed his presence out into the Force surrounding him, resisting any attempts his opponent made to alter the air or disrupt his flight. Finally, the Graarl dipped and sunk his talons into the sand, tucking his wings away.

He turned in a prowling manner to face the Human, drawing a deep breath into his lungs. The whole of his diaphragm drove the air out again, in a sound resembling both a lion's growl and a hawk's cry. On the sound waves rode an intensely concentrated band of the Force, which flattened the scrub brush and kicked up dust as it passed, heading directly for Galak.