[Austin Eventide]

Fighting blade against staff was proving to be much different for Austin that fighting blade against blade. It was difficult for him to keep his distance as his father had taught him as Jade's reach was much greater. He was forced to risk potential injury simply to get in close enough to make his own move. As they continued to circle one another, her tapping of his blade was slightly annoying yet not quite enough to lower his guard. His weapon was lighter and narrower thus making it easy to handle. The bigger issue he was having was that she also had two functional ends to the weapon; doubling his need to be aware. His need was increased even more as he focused more on the tapping of the one end and missed the other end as she quickly swept it down at his lower legs. The staff caught his left calf and swept his leg out from beneath him. The sudden move combined with his immediate lack of balance sent him to the ground. Swallowing his pride until later, he quickly rolled back and out of range before scrambling to his feet; sword at the ready.

Again he had the wind knocked out of him and was left feeling a little foolish. He was also seeing more to the lovely elf woman before him than he originally knew. Then for some reason he asked himself how old she must be. Knowing a bit about elves, he guessed she was easily his age a few times over. When she spoke of what she remembered of her childhood, he hadn't thought at the time that she was speaking of a time probably when his grandparents were young or and most likely longer. It would go without saying then that indeed there would be countless things she would have learned and experienced in her life thus far. He had been thinking of her in a human perspective which he now cursed himself for.

He resumed circling and tried as best he could to focus more on her hands and how she gripped the staff. The one thing about staff use that he began to see was that it opened ones hands up, making them vulnerable. There wasn't a guard or anything to protect them. So, he began testing her defense again yet this time he changed it up so that he was lightly slapping her hands with the flat of his blade. He alternated hands so that her grip would be disrupted and after several shots like that he waited for her to loosen grip with one hand before he rushed forward and grabbed the staff with is off hand. He then pulled it and her to him while stepping forward. He pressed himself against her with his blade held out to the side and kissed her before hopping backward hopefully before she could crack him with a counter.