Tehr's stance kept the staff between him and the more skilled assassin, infuriating the assassin who made a few quick feints trying to look for an opening and distract him, but Tehr's focus stayed true and the spell struck the second man in the chest. The first one blew part of the cloth off his stomach, the strike resounding like a whack from a mace to the guts, the man looking like he was going to be sick, the second one slamming higher up in his chest leaving the man groaning as the crack of ribs was audible, the last one slamming his side had the man stumble back a step.<br/><br/>The second assassin was barely standing, looking a hair's width from fainting, the impacts of the spells having a definite effect. Yet he growled in anger and tried to push ahead towards a flanking position at Tehr's side. If he had managed that, the two of them would likely have been able to start taking stabs at him without mercy, but having been on the defensive while casting left Tehr in ideal position to use the staff for its intended purpose, slamming into the already weakened man's body.<br/><br/>The second assassin's attempt to rush to a flanking position was paused by a firm staff leaving his already pain-riddled form now an uncouncious one on the ground. The whack was resounding, but the first assassin did not pause his own attempt. A stab ahead drove a sharp blade against Tehr's side, but hardly enough to drop him like it might have on a lesser man who wasn't prepared for the harsh realities of violence.<br/><br/>The assassin behind Tera tried to stab at her again, only to find Tera sidestepping the woman and drawing the longsword in one smooth move, the third assassin's attempt to lean back and regain her balance halted as Tera's own sword rose with a fierce cry and the assassin's mask showed blood splashed out of the crack over her mouth. Tera's stance was staggered but her bloody blade showed she wasn't out of the game, turning to face her own foe, the third assassin in turn growling angrily but raising her shortblade in a shaky hand up at ready.<br/><br/>"Lady Christina!" Someone shouted from inside the house at that moment, but nobody else seemed to have come outside at least yet.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Tera dodged a strike and is facing her own foe, having inflicted one hit back. Tehr's AoO on assassin 2 dropped the man, who was already almost knocked out cold after the spell. The assassin 1 is still standing, inflicting 1 strike on Tehr in return. Descriptively, he's still got the blade in Tehr's side, and may attempt to drive it further next round unless Tehr's post includes a movement to pull free from that stab, but even so it wont affect things mechanically. However, as the attack dealt 11 points of damage I thought it well worth a mention.<br/><br/>=====<br/>==T<strong>2</strong>=<br/>=1E==<br/>==3==<br/><br/>(T)ehr standing tall, (E)lven maiden Tera turned to face her own foe right now, (2)nd assassin down and -out of action-, (1)st still challenging Tehr, and (3)rd having taken in a strike but facing Tera while she still can, trying to keep Tera from helping Tehr.</div></div>