Venue:
Arx- The Colosseum
The Jungle
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The scents of wet earth and mixed flora filled her lungs as she trekked through undergrowth, a light blue lightsaber poised at the ready, slashing through thick tangles of vines. The very soil beneath her feet was growing stickier by the hour, with the high levels of humidity that saturated the air. Her determined silver gaze focused on the treetops. Syrena had never been one to prefer ground travel anyways, when it came to traversing a landscape.

She secured her lightsaber back to her side, as her vision honed in on a tree branch. Extending her arm, the clawed end of a fibercord whip suddenly shot forwards, ensnaring it's way into the wood of the tree. Syrena gave a careful tug, ensuring that it was firmly set into place, before carefully making her way up along the tree in a few nimble motions. She perched herself atop the branch in a lowered crouch and retracted the fibercord, her gaze carefully surveying the landscape to search for the clearest path through the jungle.

Syrena drew in a deep breath to herself, focusing her mind on the task at hand. She sprang from the gnarled branch, soaring through the air. Leaves and vines whispered past as Syrena twisted in midair, reaching for the thick limb of a kuvara tree. Finding her mark, rough bark scraped against her palms, which were offered an extra layer of sturdy protection thanks to her gloves. Syrena swung forwards, momentum carrying her in the graceful form of an arc before she released, flipping once before landing on another branch.

The jungle thrummed with movement and life. Amidst her surroundings, a low, rippling growl began to sound from the shadows that teemed along the trees. Syrena held her breath, dropping into a defensive crouch, hand instinctively going to the hilt of her lightsaber. Suddenly, a blur of brown fur and razor-sharp fangs exploded from the foliage– the massive form of a Nexu, leaping from the shadows with claws outstretched.

Syrena managed to twist in time, landing lightly down on the ground, the beast’s claws raking the air where she’d been perched only a heartbeat before. Before she could recover, a second Nexu emerged from the other side, its rows of beady eyes narrowing with malice. She braced herself as the second beast lunged, it’s massive paw swiping towards her torso, tail lashing. Syrena twisted, narrowly avoiding the first blow.

Yet just as she did this, it opened a window of opportunity for the first Nexu to leap forward, large front fangs sinking into her thigh. She managed to hold back a scream as searing pain shot through her leg, and yet Syrena refused to fall, now that the Nexu was in such close proximity. Her silver gaze burned with a look of defiance, as she drove her elbow into the first beast’s jaw, chanelling enough force into the blow to send it stumbling back. With her free hand, Syrena clenched a tight fist, slamming it down repeatedly against the eyes of the second Nexu, sending fourth blasts of energy from the knuckles of her shockboxing gloves with each hit.

Fresh blood slicked the exterior of her white chrome armor, and adrenaline surged through her veins. As the first Nexu lunged again, she dropped into a duck, using the beast’s own momentum against it, yanking on its foreleg and swinging herself onto its back. Syrena drew from the force once again, summoning a burst of strength though her form, as she slammed both fists down into the base of its spine. There came the crackling sound of splitting bone, the beast letting out a low screech, clawing at the ground before falling limp.

Breathing fast, Syrena locked her gaze on the one remaining Nexu. Yet just then, a small form of pastel pink fluff slithered free from the sleeve of her armor, letting out a soft squeak. “You ready, Zap?” She cooed softly to the small millicreep droid. The second beast roared, advancing quickly towards where Syrena stood.

In a split second, the millicreep droid launched itself from her arm, legs rippling with silver sparks of searing electricity. Disappearing into the fur of the Nexu, Syrena caught sight of the mere flicking motion of the tiny droid’s tail. And with that, voltage began to burn through the form of the remaining beast. The Nexu's form staggered in place with a series of spasms, yet it still began to claw in Syrena’s direction.

This time, due to the remaining effects of the millicreep’s nearly lethal dose of electric shocks, the beast’s strikes were unclear. Seizing the opportunity, Syrena drew her lightsaber, a soft hum emanating from the weapon as it’s light blue blade severed off the paws of the Nexu, leaving behind only softly glowing burn marks where they had once been connected to the creature.

As the Nexu began to drag itself away into the shadows, howling in pain, Syrena finally breathed out, shifting her attention to her leg. Zap slowly crawled back to her, his tail flicking once again, this time in a gentler manner. The small droid moved to sting Syrena, injecting her with a healing stimpack. Already beginning to feel the effects, she gazed up at the jungle canopy above, just as yet another growl sounded in the distance- A far louder one.

Gathering up a burst of strength, Syrena willed herself to make haste. Her breathing came fast as she sprinted, weaving her way through the thick undergrowth, shifting to clutch onto vines and relying more on her upper body as her leg began to heal. Syrena soared into the air, the jungle rushing past her in a blur of green, momentum carrying her from one vine to the next. At last– there it was. She paused once she came to a set of metal doors at the edge of the arena, pounding on them with both fists.

“I did it! I… managed. Now what I could really use is a nice, long hot shower and a glass of something ice cold…” Syrena breathed with a sigh of relief, finally allowing herself a moment of rest.