Chapter Text
As the blast of air eddied away, Alisaie’s satisfaction at a well-timed spell curdled to a frustrated yell. Short, again. She zigzagged closer to X’rhun, eyes on the ember glow of his focus, and ducked under a bolt of flame, then-
Surely he’s not casting another spell?
The white glow was unmistakable. She threw herself forward, blade flicking out to strike, and-
- blinked her eyes clear to see the point of a rapier hanging just before her face, swiftly replaced by a black glove helping her back to her feet.
The motions of checking her own sword for damage and sheathing it at her side gave her a few moments to contain her frustration, and to make sense of what just happened - her blade approaching the buckle of X’rhun’s baldrick, the gap seeming to stretch as his foot slid gently back, the blossom of stone and the melody of shards as it broke her manaward.
Brows furrowed, she looked back to her teacher, meeting his gaze as he handed her the jug of water they’d brought.
The familiar question- “How did I get you?”
“I’m too slow,” Alisaie snapped.
“Not at all,” X’rhun replied, his chiding tone struggling to conceal a laugh. “You’ve the speed to beat me when I was young, never mind now.”
He took the jug back and drank again, content to wait for an answer, and Alisaie’s frown deepened. “That thrust was perfect and you didn’t have time to parry with the spell that far advanced, and I know my spellcraft’s more than good enough -” the feather in X’rhun’s cap danced as he nodded his assent - “so if it’s not speed- argh! I have no idea!”
“You had the measure of the distance, true, and of my spell, but not how I might move.”
Alisaie groaned. “You couldn’t flee! You’d only lose the spell and give me time to weave one of my own.”
“Evidently not,” X’rhun teased. Ears flaring red with shame and anger, after a moment Alisaie still found herself laughing along with him. “As I say- you had the measure of the distance, but so did I. I had you on the very edge of your reach, just close enough that you could strike, just far enough that I could steal a beat and strike first.”
She frowned back. “Steal a beat? I didn’t engage your blade at all, there was nothing like a prise de fer!”
“Ah, my student, then I have managed to find an art you have yet to learn - but perhaps I am not best placed to teach you what you need. Let me write a note introducing you to an old friend, and we shall see if she can give you what you need.”