"You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word; it is victory,
victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long
and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
-Winston Churchill
T'Allah nibbled on her fingertip absently as she scanned the crowds. For all anyone knew, T'Allah was oddly calm seeing as she was preparing to fight for her spot in the final battle. Inside, she was a mass of nerves. Ishata had just dropped by to wish her luck and remind her of all the Jedi Masters who were watching.
Sighing, T'Allah made her way towards the arena. She knew whom she was fighting and she was not happy. Idril Galdor was a devious fighter who was not at all averse to cheating.
A strong timbre called out for T'Allah and she gripped her lightsaber tightly as she entered the arena. Cheers of high exultation came from the left side of the room and T'Allah smiled weakly at her friends. How embarrassing.
Idril strode into the arena exuding confidence and elegance with every move. Long, flashy red hair flared around her shoulders and dangerous gold-flecked eyes watched every movement of T'Allah's body. Idril smiled catlike, baring slightly pointed teeth.
T'Allah grimaced. She did not like cats or anything cat like. The signal came to begin and T'Allah immediately dropped into the defensive. Idril attacked fiercely her green lightsaber flashing with soft whirls of radiance. T'Allah parried her blows with a casual ease, which she knew drove Idril crazy. Idril growled and broke off, breathing slightly and glaring at T'Allah.
"You can try all the little tricks you like, Deval, but you won't defeat me."
"I don't know, Galdor, we've never actually fought to the finish, anything could happen. Why, you could lose!"
Idril whipped her lightsaber at T'Allah's head with a fierce cry. T'Allah threw herself backwards landing in an arch with her hands holding her up. She watched the lightsaber fly into the stands and people jump away screaming. T'Allah sighed and flipped over onto her feet sprinting towards the spot where the saber landed.
Idril growled and threw out her hands, her voice roaring. T'Allah turned around and felt a fierce power rippling the air. T'Allah's eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly as she felt the power hit her and toss her body like a rag toy to the floor. She lay there, dazed, as Idril ran to the stands. Idril jumped and clutched the railing, heaving herself up and over, breathing heavily. She gripped her lightsaber and jumped to the bottom of the arena, landing roughly. Idril gritted her teeth against the pain that shot from her feet to her thighs.
T'Allah shook the fog out of her head and rolled over onto her feet. Still slightly dazed, T'Allah slowly tested certain body parts to make sure they were working. Where had Idril learned to do that so well? It didn't matter; Idril would never win, because T'Allah would not allow herself to lose.
Blue light hummed as T'Allah turned her lightsaber on. Idril stood, slowly moving her feet, wincing with every step. T'Allah waved her saber leisurely performing some tricks as she waited for Idril.
"Well, Galdor, are you finished playing? Can we continue?"
Idril did not answer, at least, not with words. She leapt at T'Allah her saber slashing downwards in a killing blow. T'Allah stepped back and their sabers clashed sending sparks. The green and blue light meshed as the combatants pushed against each other in an attempt to gain dominance. T'Allah rolled her lightsaber and began to attack Idril, her saber whirring in blurs of blue light. Idril was hard pressed to block and several times missed, gaining burns for her carelessness.
The crowd had become silent as they watched the fight with rapt attention. Kamiah entered the arena, fluffing her slightly damp hair. She looked around at the crowd trying to find Tinuviel. She espied her leaning over the balcony on the tips of her toes. Kamiah came up next to her following her line of sight. The fight going on below had intensified. Kamiah could feel the waves of tension radiating from the opponents.
"Who are they?" she whispered to Tinuviel.
Tinuviel did not take her eyes off the fight. "One of them is T'Allah Deval and the other girl is Idril Galdor."
"I don't know those names."
"They are from the other half of the Academy. I can't believe you don't know their names at least, they're at the top of their class."
Kamiah shrugged nonchalantly. "You know I barely pay attention to people who are in our half of the class, much less a bunch of students on the other side."
Tinuviel snorted. "Well, you'll be fighting one of them in the final battle so it would behoove you to study this battle."
"Tinuviel Luthien are you trying to tell me that I can't win?"
The blonde shook her head slowly, "I just think you should be wary."
Kamiah frowned. "I am careful." She was silent. "They are good," she finally ventured.
Her friend since they had been babies smiled at her. "Just watch the fight Shadow."
T'Allah had broken away from Idril and watched her warily. Idril was heaving and sweat was pouring down her face. T'Allah knew she had it won. There was no way Idril would come back and defeat her.
"I'll just finish this," she whispered softly to herself. T'Allah leapt at Idril and slammed her lightsaber down onto Idril's handle. Idril screeched and dropped her saber, holding her hand to her chest.
T'Allah crouched and spun on her heel sticking out her other leg. Her spinning leg knocked Idril onto her back with a thump. Idril lay there, dazed and tried. T'Allah rose to her feet and walked to Idril casually pointing her blade at her neck.
"Do you yield, Galdor?"
Idril did not answer, but her hard as agate eyes spoke volumes.
"Come now, Galdor, it was a fair fight and you fought valiantly, but..."
T'Allah gave a careless shrug. "Yield, Galdor, and walk away from the field of battle with dignity and pride."
"I yield," Idril ground out through clenched teeth. T'Allah flicked her saber off and clipped it to her belt. She reached out with a hand to help Idril stand. Idril ignored the hand and rose stiffly to her feet. She pushed past T'Allah and reached out her hand for her lightsaber. The saber wiggled slightly, but would not come. Idril closed her eyes and pulled harder, but the saber wouldn't budge.
T'Allah watched her with pitying eyes, but knew if she tried to help, Idril would be ashamed even more. Idril finally reached down and grabbed her saber marching out of the arena with a stiff back. T'Allah bowed to her audience and also exited. A padawan told her when to report for the final battle and pointed her in the direction of showers.
Tinuviel turned to Kamiah. The shorter, dark haired girl shrugged. "I can beat her..I think."
"Let's go get something to eat, Kamiah. I'm hungry and you still have a lot of time before the final battle."
"Okay, I could probably tuck something away. Let's go to Deena's Delicious Delectable Diner."
"No, Kamiah, we are not sneaking out again. We were almost caught last time. The cafeteria is good enough for us. Let's go."
"Oh, fine you spoilsport."
The two girls left the arena and headed towards the cafeteria. The hallways were crowded and the companions had a difficult time wading threw. Kamiah knocked into someone and turned around, her emerald eyes locking onto sapphire ones. They both paused and took each other in. Both eyes widened in surprise before being pulled away by their respective friends. T'Allah looked back once more to see the retreating back of the strange girl. A deep feeling of contentment filled her and she turned to her friend.
"Ishata..I think I just met my mirror image."
-Winston Churchill
T'Allah nibbled on her fingertip absently as she scanned the crowds. For all anyone knew, T'Allah was oddly calm seeing as she was preparing to fight for her spot in the final battle. Inside, she was a mass of nerves. Ishata had just dropped by to wish her luck and remind her of all the Jedi Masters who were watching.
Sighing, T'Allah made her way towards the arena. She knew whom she was fighting and she was not happy. Idril Galdor was a devious fighter who was not at all averse to cheating.
A strong timbre called out for T'Allah and she gripped her lightsaber tightly as she entered the arena. Cheers of high exultation came from the left side of the room and T'Allah smiled weakly at her friends. How embarrassing.
Idril strode into the arena exuding confidence and elegance with every move. Long, flashy red hair flared around her shoulders and dangerous gold-flecked eyes watched every movement of T'Allah's body. Idril smiled catlike, baring slightly pointed teeth.
T'Allah grimaced. She did not like cats or anything cat like. The signal came to begin and T'Allah immediately dropped into the defensive. Idril attacked fiercely her green lightsaber flashing with soft whirls of radiance. T'Allah parried her blows with a casual ease, which she knew drove Idril crazy. Idril growled and broke off, breathing slightly and glaring at T'Allah.
"You can try all the little tricks you like, Deval, but you won't defeat me."
"I don't know, Galdor, we've never actually fought to the finish, anything could happen. Why, you could lose!"
Idril whipped her lightsaber at T'Allah's head with a fierce cry. T'Allah threw herself backwards landing in an arch with her hands holding her up. She watched the lightsaber fly into the stands and people jump away screaming. T'Allah sighed and flipped over onto her feet sprinting towards the spot where the saber landed.
Idril growled and threw out her hands, her voice roaring. T'Allah turned around and felt a fierce power rippling the air. T'Allah's eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly as she felt the power hit her and toss her body like a rag toy to the floor. She lay there, dazed, as Idril ran to the stands. Idril jumped and clutched the railing, heaving herself up and over, breathing heavily. She gripped her lightsaber and jumped to the bottom of the arena, landing roughly. Idril gritted her teeth against the pain that shot from her feet to her thighs.
T'Allah shook the fog out of her head and rolled over onto her feet. Still slightly dazed, T'Allah slowly tested certain body parts to make sure they were working. Where had Idril learned to do that so well? It didn't matter; Idril would never win, because T'Allah would not allow herself to lose.
Blue light hummed as T'Allah turned her lightsaber on. Idril stood, slowly moving her feet, wincing with every step. T'Allah waved her saber leisurely performing some tricks as she waited for Idril.
"Well, Galdor, are you finished playing? Can we continue?"
Idril did not answer, at least, not with words. She leapt at T'Allah her saber slashing downwards in a killing blow. T'Allah stepped back and their sabers clashed sending sparks. The green and blue light meshed as the combatants pushed against each other in an attempt to gain dominance. T'Allah rolled her lightsaber and began to attack Idril, her saber whirring in blurs of blue light. Idril was hard pressed to block and several times missed, gaining burns for her carelessness.
The crowd had become silent as they watched the fight with rapt attention. Kamiah entered the arena, fluffing her slightly damp hair. She looked around at the crowd trying to find Tinuviel. She espied her leaning over the balcony on the tips of her toes. Kamiah came up next to her following her line of sight. The fight going on below had intensified. Kamiah could feel the waves of tension radiating from the opponents.
"Who are they?" she whispered to Tinuviel.
Tinuviel did not take her eyes off the fight. "One of them is T'Allah Deval and the other girl is Idril Galdor."
"I don't know those names."
"They are from the other half of the Academy. I can't believe you don't know their names at least, they're at the top of their class."
Kamiah shrugged nonchalantly. "You know I barely pay attention to people who are in our half of the class, much less a bunch of students on the other side."
Tinuviel snorted. "Well, you'll be fighting one of them in the final battle so it would behoove you to study this battle."
"Tinuviel Luthien are you trying to tell me that I can't win?"
The blonde shook her head slowly, "I just think you should be wary."
Kamiah frowned. "I am careful." She was silent. "They are good," she finally ventured.
Her friend since they had been babies smiled at her. "Just watch the fight Shadow."
T'Allah had broken away from Idril and watched her warily. Idril was heaving and sweat was pouring down her face. T'Allah knew she had it won. There was no way Idril would come back and defeat her.
"I'll just finish this," she whispered softly to herself. T'Allah leapt at Idril and slammed her lightsaber down onto Idril's handle. Idril screeched and dropped her saber, holding her hand to her chest.
T'Allah crouched and spun on her heel sticking out her other leg. Her spinning leg knocked Idril onto her back with a thump. Idril lay there, dazed and tried. T'Allah rose to her feet and walked to Idril casually pointing her blade at her neck.
"Do you yield, Galdor?"
Idril did not answer, but her hard as agate eyes spoke volumes.
"Come now, Galdor, it was a fair fight and you fought valiantly, but..."
T'Allah gave a careless shrug. "Yield, Galdor, and walk away from the field of battle with dignity and pride."
"I yield," Idril ground out through clenched teeth. T'Allah flicked her saber off and clipped it to her belt. She reached out with a hand to help Idril stand. Idril ignored the hand and rose stiffly to her feet. She pushed past T'Allah and reached out her hand for her lightsaber. The saber wiggled slightly, but would not come. Idril closed her eyes and pulled harder, but the saber wouldn't budge.
T'Allah watched her with pitying eyes, but knew if she tried to help, Idril would be ashamed even more. Idril finally reached down and grabbed her saber marching out of the arena with a stiff back. T'Allah bowed to her audience and also exited. A padawan told her when to report for the final battle and pointed her in the direction of showers.
Tinuviel turned to Kamiah. The shorter, dark haired girl shrugged. "I can beat her..I think."
"Let's go get something to eat, Kamiah. I'm hungry and you still have a lot of time before the final battle."
"Okay, I could probably tuck something away. Let's go to Deena's Delicious Delectable Diner."
"No, Kamiah, we are not sneaking out again. We were almost caught last time. The cafeteria is good enough for us. Let's go."
"Oh, fine you spoilsport."
The two girls left the arena and headed towards the cafeteria. The hallways were crowded and the companions had a difficult time wading threw. Kamiah knocked into someone and turned around, her emerald eyes locking onto sapphire ones. They both paused and took each other in. Both eyes widened in surprise before being pulled away by their respective friends. T'Allah looked back once more to see the retreating back of the strange girl. A deep feeling of contentment filled her and she turned to her friend.
"Ishata..I think I just met my mirror image."
