Last time: Kyr started facing off against the incoming troops. Cien cornered the Jedi.

Now: Viran and Cien face off as Sasha tries to open a portal.

Chapter 5- Viran vs Cien

Sasha watched for only a moment as Cien lunged at Viran with her lightsaber. The two contrasting colors cause swirls of light through the cavern. But Sasha couldn't just stand there and watch. Viran was distracting Cien so she could bring Oppie back. Turning her back to him, Sasha closed her eyes and centered herself in the force. After taking a series of breaths, Sasha started going through the steps one at a time. With each one she did, she could feel the Force move around her. But all she had to do was concentrate.

Viran blocked the overhead strike with ease. He then shoved Cien back and went forward, saber ablaze. He swung with several quick attacks coming from all sides. Cien was easily able to deflect them. The last strike they held in a tight clash. Cien maneuvered her leg around Viran's while grabbing his exposed wrist simultaneously and in one swift motion, while keeping their sabers locked, she slammed him to the ground. Viran landed with a grunt. Cien pressed down with her strength on the sabers bringing them a little too close for comfort to Viran's face.

"Oh no... you... don't!" Viran struggled before managing to get a knee between them. Then with one big heave, he kicked Cien and her saber over his head.

Cien landed square on her back with a loud smack. Viran kipped up to his feet and pointed his lightsaber at her, keeping his distance. Cien growled as she staggered to her feet. Now it was her turn to charge with a series of quick blows and attacks. Viran was also easily able to defend against them. Ending it once again in a clash, except Cien had all the strength behind it. Viran pushed back against her strength, but it did little good. His own saber blade was pressed into the side of his bicep. Gritting his teeth and holding back a yell, Viran kicked forward and managed to shove Cien backwards and into the wall.

Viran examined the wound real quick. It was only a minor burn, but it could have been worse. He looked back over to where Cien was. She had slammed into the wall of the cavern and was slowly peeling herself off of it. Viran flourished his blade into a battle ready stance.

"I can do this all day," he huffed as he too was slightly out of breath, but with a cocky smirk and demeanor.

Grek had a nice overhang that protected him from overhead attacks, but he couldn't see the landing field. Another Sentinel roared in the distance and he could see it going in for a landing near there. He didn't have a lot of AA missiles and he wanted to save those for fighters or bombers. He had noted the area around them pretty thoroughly, the ravine was a massive choke point, and only the trail led up here, in between strewn boulders and rocks along the side of the ravine. The shelf the Shadow Runner currently held was the only other landing site in the area he had spotted during their flyover, aside from, perhaps, a few fighter sized sites that might have been strewn about the hills and mountains they were in. It was formidable terrain, and to land any troops anywhere other than the one site would mean broken ankles trying to jump out onto inhospitable ground, or a safe landing that would require overland travel that would take an hour or two. Hopefully they would be out of here by then.

He did, however, have a good view of several points along the trail, and the gleaming white armor of storm troopers trying to push up to his position. He took careful aim and fired, reminding them that a sniper was in the area, and pinning them down once again. He also had a nice view of his former position.

"Tac, one round, indirect, airburst, CP Herf. Send." He ordered, the troopers who were just now cautiously approaching his former position received a most unpleasant greeting.

Off in the distance he could see troops pouring into the ravine, off loading from the Sentinel which was just now taking off.

He started marking points to relay back to Tac. Then he started hearing the screech of TIE bombers coming in.

Panting, out of breath, and with a few new injuries to boot, Viran and Cien were at a brief stalemate. During their duel, Viran gained a few new saber burns on a couple of different parts of his body. From one on his left forearm to one on his leg, to another on his hip and the last on his right bicep. But he was also favoring a couple of broken ribs too as Cien had used the Force on him a couple of times and threw him around like a rag doll. However, the injuries he gave her wasn't something she could easily shrug off. Viran had managed to bust open her lips with his hilt. He also briefly dislocated her knee with a swift kick to it. What was gross was her snapping it back into place like it was nothing and then continuing to fight on it. She also received a burn or two from his saber. But despite either of their injuries, neither were backing down. They were just taking a brief breather.

"I see you have been training," Cien said before she spat blood out onto the cavern floor. "But you still have a long way to go before you reach my level."

"I don't think your knee feels the same way" Viran wondered with a pained smirk as he still held his saber at the ready.

Cien snarled and suddenly charged at him with a renewed energy.

The fight was making it difficult to concentrate, but Sasha blocked it all from her mind. She had to remain focused. She could feel herself getting closer to opening it. She just needed another few minutes at the most. She sent a small boost to Viran of strength as she herself could feel her own body trembling from the amount of energy this was taking from her. Plus the fact she didn't sleep before coming here didn't help either, but that didn't matter to her right now. Just hold out a little longer. That's all they had to do.

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