Jedi Insurgency 169

The jungle steamed under twin suns, the leaves were slick with humidity and the air was so thick, it was an asthmatic's worst nightmare. Vines sagged from shattered branches, and the ground trembled as two titans collided within the green inferno.

Corvus emerged from [Shadow Hop] directly behind Dashar, his twin lightsabers igniting in a flash of blue and red aimed directly at the Rakatan's back. He moved like a storm, whirling through a pair of sentient vines like a machete killer from a horror movie. Form VII poured through him like fire in his veins, wild and feral on the surface, yet guided by a mind bent on calculated destruction. 

That brief second of shrubbery moving to intercept Corvus was all that the Rakatan needed to retaliate. Dashar met him head on.

The Rakatan towered above the jungle floor, his armored frame wreathed in carved metal and scorched sigils. In his hands, the Force Staff swept outward with a crack like thunder, as he swept it towards Corvus’s shins, it tore through tree trunks as if they were brittle reeds. 

When he went to parry, Corvus found himself barely able to hold onto his lightsaber hilts! Each strike of Dashar's carried brutal reach and ruinous strength, forcing Corvus to twist and dive, boots skidding through mud as bark and splinters exploded around him.

At the same time, during this brief pause, the gauntlet on Dashar’s arm hummed with the malevolent promise of an instantaneous death. Flexing his fingers, the lobster head knowingly grinned, signaling to Corvus that his doom was nigh. 

Feeling a shiver down his spine, Corvus knew that all it would take was one clean grab and he would be crushed into pulp. However, [Valor] suffused his system, and he would not cower in the face of such a broken ability! 

Corvus refused to let it happen.

Before Dashar could make good on his threat, Corvus surged forward, sabers crossing and uncrossing in blinding arcs as he made countless feints within the 3 seconds it took to close the distance. To trick another Force user, one had to be creative! He juked right, glanced up & to the left, and even tossed one saber forward-as if he was going to throw it-only to catch it midair. 

Ultimately, as the Force staff once more moved at him with its superior length/reach, he jumped forward into a somersault. Dashar's eyes widened, seeing that he didn't have enough time to block with his weapon, he dropped his heavy staff, then raised his arm to block. Twin blades scorched the runic armor, and Corvus-spiteful bastard that he was-channeled the Force through his bound blue kyber crystal, rapidly draining his FP bar. 

“Useless Je'daii tricks-uh?!” Dashar taunted, only to have his armor begin to shriek and squeal. 

Just as the armguard was about to give way, Dashar threw himself to the ground. When he stood up, his glistening golden armor was now covered in leaves, sticks, and mud. The savage grin he regularly sported was now a snarl of embarrassed rage. 

Corvus remained silent, regulated his breathing, and didn't waste a second to recover. The very instant his feet touched the forest floor, he lunged backwards, using Pause to aid in his vision. From anyone else's perspective, it was as if he dashed at the enemy without even looking at him! 

“What trickery is this!?” Dashar exclaimed, barely raising his staff up for defense. 

Holding his blades in reverse, Corvus had almost rammed directly into the Rakatan's head, but was forced to spin jump as the staff came crashing at his back. 

Twin blades hissing against the staff in bursts of light and sparks, they traded a half dozen blows by the time Corvus’s feet hit the ground. The jungle screamed in protest as nearby trees were cleaved apart or flattened by stray blows. Heat rolled off Corvus’s body, sweat streaking down his face as he spun away from another sweeping strike that gouged a trench through the earth.

Dashar laughed in amusement at Corvus’s dance-his laughter was a deep, distorted sound, similar to a frog's bellow-and then he lunged, the staff smashing downward with enough force to bend durasteel. Corvus barely escaped, leaping sideways as the impact sent a shockwave through the clearing. Leaves rained from above, and the ground quivered beneath their feet.

Not allowing him a moment of respite, Dashar loomed above, and struck down with an overwhelming overhead. 

Corvus reacted, pretending to [Shadow Hop] away, but in reality, he had gone invisible! At that very instant, he had gambled that the Rakatan would then strike behind him-as Corvus had always-teleported behind him thus far! The edged, D-shaped tip of the staff had been inches from smashing his head into a pulp, making Corvus think he would have to [Shadow Hop] for real! However, at the last second, Dashar swiped his weapon away, and into the empty air above & behind him! 

That was it, Corvus’s gamble had paid off! The idiot lobster head had thought he had teleported behind him, when in reality, all he had done was turn invisible! 

Capitalizing on this successful bluff, he didn't hesitate at all! 

Snarling, Corvus thrust out both of his hands at near point-blank range.

[Force Lightning] erupted from his fingers, a savage torrent that slammed into Dashar’s back. The Rakatan staggered half a step, armor crackling and smoking, the smell of scorched metal filling the air, and his skeleton was visible. His runic armor was incredibly powerful, but tanking an attack of this magnitude from so close-so concentrated-was no trivial feat. Even beskar armor might not be able to diffuse so much energy from such a distance! 

Turning around to face Corvus, a maniacal grin spread across his face. Even though Dashar's armor was crumbling to the floor like pieces of burnt marshmallow into the fire, he didn't say a word. The Force sang his pain, and converted it into hatred! Despite his near death experience, the Rakatan-a man from a species known to be the most cruel throughout the entire known history of the galaxy-inhaled the [Force Lightning] like one would a fine bouquet. 

“My turn.” Dashar growled.

The gauntlet-which was brewing with Darkside energy-had not disintegrated. Whilst Dashar was wearing glowing fragments that melted into his skin, the artifact demonstrated the full might of ancient Rakatan technology! 

Clenching his fist, and aiming it directly at Corvus-who was still blasting [Force Lightning]-Dashar aimed to end it in a single, obscene motion, to grab and crush Corvus like an insect! 

Corvus’s heart hammered against his ribs as everything in his very being told him that this could be it! 

He reacted on instinct and fury, hurling a [Force Push] with everything he had. The invisible blast struck Dashar’s arm and shoulder, knocking the gauntlet aside at the last possible instant. The crushing grip closed on empty air, pulverizing a massive tree instead, its trunk collapsing with a deafening crack. Unfortunately, unlike the pillar he had crushed at the palace on Naboo, Dashar was a Force Sensitive, and was able to mostly resist the push, only having the trajectory of his attack move to the side. 

By this point Corvus had noticed that his FP bar was dangerously low after super charging his dual lightning hands. However! One of his Jedi Shadow abilities allowed him to slowly siphon away the energy of Darksiders when he was nearby! Bereft of his armor that had been protecting him from this minor drain, Dashar was beginning to have his connection to the Force ever so subtly diminish. All the while, Corvus’s own reserves were replenishing much faster than under ordinary circumstances. 

The Rakatan was breathing heavily, but wouldn't let this setback stand. A red haze of [Fury] coated his form, and he suddenly dashed at Corvus. Dragging along the heavy staff, the lobster head moved at speeds that doubled what he had last used. At the same time, his flesh began to bleed, and scab constantly. Chafing white like a dried elbow, his skin started to become mottled, and gross. Yet the more he suffered, the greater his strength increased! 

Gritting his teeth, Corvus lunged in low, dodging a neck breaking side swipe, his sabers flashed at Dashar’s exposed knees. His strikes came fast and merciless, a chaotic storm of slashes that drove Dashar backward step by step. To an observer it would have looked reckless, even unhinged, but beneath the monkey saber minded violence, Corvus was hunting. Each blow tested the Rakatan's balance, reactions, and move set. Each risky advance drew out the answers he sought. Strength, and speed were not insurmountable foes, when the Darkside was actively peeling this red-skinned alien apart! His goal at the moment, was to probe for a lucky strike. One hit from a lightsaber would be enough to end the Rakatan. Yet this was the path that relied upon luck! Based upon Dashar’s state, and the small siphon from Corvus’s class, it was much smarter to wait for the alien to run out of gas, and then move in for the coup de gras! 

During his rampage, Dashar roared and swung his staff in wide, destructive arcs, shattering stone and foliage alike. The jungle around them died as it was burned, broken, and trampled flat as the duel raged. Vines ignited, trees toppled, and the earth itself was torn open by both Force and blade.

Corvus pressed harder, eyes locked on his enemy, sabers blazing as he moved through heat, smoke, and ruin like a living hurricane. The forest fell apart around them, and he frequently used both trees, and the slave army that was fighting around them as barriers, slowing Dashar's advance. 

Fighting back and forth, they found themselves on the steps to the Jedi Temple. Krayt, and the other ‘Jedi’ had been pushed back to its entrance, and hundreds of thousands of slave soldiers clogged the stairs. Their roars were primal as the momentum of the battle seemed to have shifted. 

Uploaded into the mind prison by Corvus via a hack, this Temple contained certain features that differed from the one in real life. 

“Kneel, slave! You have performed well, beyond what any others could have imagined. Impressive courage, skills, and daring. Accept my sigil, become branded by my mark, and face endless glory! This is your last chance.” Dashar demanded. 

The Rakatan by this point, had noticed Corvus’s siphon, and was taking energy from those in the slave army, buoying him to newfound heights. His glove crackled, and the Force warned Corvus that a [Force Crush] with the strength to destroy the Temple gate-and everything that surrounded it-was imminent. 

Smiling gently, Corvus disabled his lightsabers, and raised his head tall, looking at the sky. 

“Revan?!” Krayt questioned in disbelief. 

“Yess.” Dashar took a step forward, and slammed his staff into a step, causing the steps to shudder. “Come to me.” 

Corvus rested his hands behind his back-like a General surveying his troops-and glanced down at the countless hordes of marked soldiers. Each one of them wasn't actually real, mere 1's and 0's, lines of code. Edited in by Dashar during his eons of boredom, they had been this cold despot's only amusement. His fantasy of what had been, and what would be once he returned to the galaxy. 

“Your overconfidence is your undoing.” Corvus taunted, and then snapped his fingers. 

Upon this action, those 1's and 0's rearranged themselves, and the sigil that was burned into the slave soldiers was burned away. Seconds later, a symbol resembling the Star Forge blazed onto their chests. It was the emblem from the Order of Revan! 

Dashar, confident in his victory, had his entire focus on Corvus. That should Corvus move to attack, or double cross, he would be prepared! 

However…he never once foresaw his own branded slave soldiers stabbing him in the back! 

Within seconds, the horde of endless troopers surged onto the Rakatan. His elite troopers-armed with Force weapons-stabbed forth with little warning. 

A spear stabbed through Dashar’s chest, a mace caught his knee, and a plated fist crushed his clavicle. The source of his power, the multitude of people Dashar was draining to maintain his [Fury] suddenly cut off, leaving him dry, like a lemon squeezed of all its juice! Haggard, and weakening, Darkside withdrawals left the lobster head defenseless, and shuddering like an addict. 

Dashar foamed at the mouth, and began to go on a tirade as his body began to fade: “Revan, is it?!” Dashar yelled from his knees. “You think yourself clever using the Star Forge as your insignia? Hah! The High Praetor has combined his will with the device. By now, it has been rebui-” 

Shoving his lightsaber into the Rakatan's mouth so that he didn't have to hear anymore of his pathetic mewling, Corvus diced away until the memory file had been completely purged from existence. 

[+100,000 exp]