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Conflict: Beneath Appearances

The young woman fired three bolts of orange fire ahead of her charge, which I caught with a deft swing – throwing up a shield along the blade to catch her magic.

It was mere distraction. She came in hard immediately afterwards with a pair of twisting, spiralling purple bolts that drew me into a reflexive vertical defence ahead of a fast overhand chop.

Caught off-guard, I twisted my blade into a deflecting guard and pushed into the blow. Anticipating her counter-surge, I swept into horizontal guard instead of pushing the advantage – stalled her attack. After a moment pushing against our locked blades, she relented and sheathed her sword.

Uncle Askya stepped back in.

“Marett, this is the Inquisitor Odessa Kyun-Alumna. Odessa, may I present the Swordmage Marett Kasker-Lethis.”

I bowed. She narrowed her eyes defiantly, but did the same before whirling to face my uncle.

“I told Uncle Kasker, and I will tell you. I do not need to be looked after! Especially not by him!”

The old man’s expression hardened.

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