<strong>Who: </strong>Chiya<br/><strong>For: </strong>Henrik, Open<br/><strong>Where: </strong>sparring ring<br/><br/><hr/><br/>She met his sword with hers, directing his thrust safely away to her side rather than letting him keep her sword occupied. She had to fall back a bit to avoid letting him swing back across her body, sliding to the side to avoid getting trapped against the edge of the ring. She still didn't attack, wanting to observe a bit more to see if he would leave any openings. His skill was considerable, and she began to realize that she was at a disadvantage using only one blade, both because she wasn't used to keeping her entire body covered without at least two swords at her disposal, and because he was treating his scabbard as a second sword, an approach that would be far more effective in a sparring match than it would be in a real battle, where she would feel far more willing to take a blow from a scabbard in order to land a more damaging thrust with a sword.<br/><br/>"That's true," she said, as their swords rang with the force of their impact, "but you waste your time if you practice differently than you fight. This way, you're only practicing practicing." She smiled, holding her sword easily in both hands, ready to match his strength.