More Than A Test: Paco duels Roderick to test Aura Manifest System (24/07/2403)

With Yasmin and Tyler off in the labs attempting to unravel the mystery of the Venom Stream, Paco had requested Roderick’s assistance in testing the faction’s new Aura Manifest Systems.  Each system has been programmed with a basic template for a single ranged and melee offensive ability, as well as a mobility based system and a defensive ability, and had been designed with the ability to possess an ‘elemental’ imbuement.  This did not allow for a great deal of ‘tweaking’ of the system, but what little customisations there were, were fully exploited by the young Stryfe and his tactical opponent.  As the two systems flared to life, both channelers would manifest their ‘Auras’, Paco’s aura would be modified to resemble a cross between a man and a phoenix, wielding a large European shield and a claymore, while breath attacks facilitated his ranged abilities and his wings boosted his speed.  Roderick’s ‘Aura’ would also be humanoid in body form, but would be far more beastial in appearance.  Clawed hands would facilitate the Electro Magnetic beast’s melee abilities, while forearm mounted cannons would facilitate its ranged game, no visible structure would be present for speed boosting or defense however, puzzling Paco greatly.

Roderick would modify Paco’s plan slightly, deciding to incorporate the Auras into their duel to enhance the testing and kill two birds with a single stone.  With this agreed on, the two would wait for the start of the battle.  As the signal was given, a powerful breath attack would be launched in Roderick’s direction before an electromagnetic shield was erected around him by his Aura, allowing Paco to teleport in to begin his melee flurries.  Unfortunately for the usually ranged Stryfe, his movement was easily tracked by his opponent, whose augmented speed allowed him to easily spin and deflect Paco’s attack.  Even with the environment flooded with his energies, Paco found Roderick to only be minimally affected his abilities, as he activated his Telsa morph to further boost his control over the EM spectrum.  Paco would continue his teleportation abilities as he tried to get the upper hand on Roderick, but would find that each time he vanished an reappeared, Roderick was already prepared to deflect his attack.  This would go on for about four attack sequences before Roderick was comfortable enough with Paco’s pattern to launch a follow up attack.  The quick reverse punch would stun the Sorceror, before an Orbital Direction enhanced lunge punch sent Paco sailing into the wall of the simulation room.

Meanwhile, their Auras seemed more evenly matched, as the flames of Paco’s phoenix warrior seemed to be keeping Roderick’s EM beast on the run as it shielded and dodged looking for an opening.  Luckily for the EM Aura, Roderick’s passive abilities were designed specifically to aid his allied and reduce the effectiveness of his foes, this proved to be particularly useful against the Flame Aura, for whom Paco had factored very little into his combat strategy.  It would not be long before Roderick’s EM aura was able to close the distance and engage his opponent at melee range, where he actually had an advantage.  The vicious EM Aura would quickly go to work tearing into the Flame Aura, but this did not manage to tip the scales too much however, as Paco’s Flame Aura managed to eventually fend off the initial assault with its shield and sword, before its flame breath punished its EM based assailant for the last combo string.

Back in the battle between the two Rogue Operatives, Paco would simply find himself outclassed at melee range, finding that even though Roderick’s combat skill did not totally overshadow his own, the Errant’s combat awareness and combat mind simply got the better of Paco every time, resulting in the young Stryfe ending up rather near reversion.  At this point, Raena would be called in to heal the two, before they started the second round.

In this round, Paco would need a new strategy.  This forced him to resort to his comfort zone, taking up a ranged position as he began punish Roderick with his flames.  Even with his abilities siphoning energy from Gaia’s own EM Fields, Roderick still found himself unable to completely shield himself from Paco’s flames, while Paco’s dimensional mastery and ability to quickly teleport made it hard for Roderick to pin him down and deal serious damage.  Paco would capitalise on this for quite a while as he evaded Roderick, teleporting each time that the Errant got near.  Unfortunately for Paco, he would soon fall victim to Roderick’s Stategic Mastery, as Roderick gently guided his teleportation habit until he had Paco just where he wanted him.  Orbital Nullification would be used to stun the powerful Stryfe, just long enough for Roderick to close the distance between them, tackling Paco to the ground before placing him in a quick Orbitally Enhanced shoulder lock.  The technique had been intended to force the Stryfe to submit, but Paco’s Stryfe training had given him the ability to withstand the pain as he now struggled to break free.  This would result in a dislocated shoulder before Paco could flee through the Spectral Realm to break the hold before returning to the cat and mouse game between himself and Roderick.

Even with his blasting abilities, Roderick would not be able to match Paco at range, and with an empty simulation room, there was little that his Strategic Mastery could do to further even the odds.  He would catch Paco a few more times when he slipped up, but would not be able to match the Stryfe’s raw damage output.  The battle would be called to an end as Roderick approached reversion, but not before his EM based Aura dispatched Paco’s phoenix warrior.  Both the duel and the test would be considered to be a success as the two retired, allowing Raena to heal them before they called it a day.

Outcome: The Auras have been found to be lacking a slot for tactical equipment and one is being installed.

Paco: 330 Exp (healed)

Roderick: 350 Exp (healed)

Raena: 210 Exp