You can't begin hovering unless you are flying. So you would need to take a move action to fly and then start hovering. You can not therefore gather momentum until the next round. Neither action provokes. It obviously is probably better to fly to where you want to be and then hover.
PJSlavner:[sblock]I don't see any reason why someone needs to know that a combatant is defeated (other than the general). They can guess that something invisible or ethereal has entered the arena instead (but probably not through metagaming).[/sblock]
Jurathor turns from the "other", almost ignoring it as he lauches himself into the air and makes a wide spiral to appear almost above the thing again but 30 feet more up into the air.
The other takes his AoO as a trip attempt. The chances are very very small, but hey, better than nothing. He then shoots another acid splash (standing up if necessary).
The trip attempt is unsuccessful (24 vs. 30 Strength check). Jurathor manages to keep flying (23 Fort save).
Round 157
The other thing does not fall down (21 Fort save). It hits Jurathor with the ball of acid (19 ranged touch) and inflicts 1 point of acid damage. Jurathor has 158 HP remaining.
Jurathor replies with yet another blast of sonic energy, surprised that the next combatant hasn't entered the arena while this summoned thing remains. Something odd is definitely up, and he hope he isn't even more deceived than he thinks.
If that drops the "other", Jurathor circles to 50n90e50z.
If it fails to drop the "other", he'll circle back to his current location.
It hits Jurathor with the ball of acid (19 ranged touch) and inflicts 1 point of acid damage. ...
The other thing does not dodge (23 Ref save) and takes 53 points of sonic damage.
Whew. Reminder on the breath recharge and what Jurathor knows about the octopus tree. With a name like that I think I have a pretty good visual image already...