To think his opponent's movements random would have been far to callous for even as self-assured and confident a man as Audrice.<br/><br/>No. His attacker was trained.<br/><br/>Yet the style was different, if the movements were anything to tell it by. Simply looking at the way the blade twisted through the air, he was perceptive enough to know that the blade could not have been of a local make. The swords of the area were far too formal and fancy, with fine jewels, and basket guards not suited for rotation about the hand. Not to mention the blade proper, what Audrice had seen of it thus far, was of a different style than those of the duelists, or nobility. It was a soldier's blade, proud and true. Nothing to complex or uneccesary for it's functions. A deadly weapon to be sure. Yet the most noteable thing was her magic of choice. The Houses of Fire and Shadow were rather well-affixed opposites if one were to place the powers on a wheel: if only due to the fact that one harshly illuminated all things about it, and the other covered all things undesirable to the eye in a thick blanket of darkness. One thing had stuck with Audrice, despite his dislike for the life of nobility, and that had been his opposition to darker (literally, in this case) magics. He knew his attacker could not be trusted. Every move the shadow figure (who he would, for the sake of ease of communication, decidedly refer to as "she") made could be a deception, or a deception within a deception. So many layers.<br/><br/>Yet his mind focused.<br/><br/>The benefit of the adrenaline coursing through him.<br/><br/>He too, abstained from the first move. While not always inherently disadvantagious, as some believed, it would likely let him give in to his anger if he were to strike first. If he were to give in to his anger, then he would give in to the beast.<br/><br/>If he were to give in to the beast then, well --<br/><br/>One blazing point of energy tracked her, the other kept behind his back to reduce her ease at disabling both arms at once should she attempt it. Not that he didn't have use of his legs, of course.