Closed Fugitive [Ashar]

[Kel Tempest]

Day 14 of Summer in the Year 514 AV
Time: Four bells

Darkness.


A criminal’s greatest ally.


An alleged criminal to be precise.


A moonless night hovered over Riverfall, the silence as thick as the night was dark. Nothing stirred in the empty docks or streets, the only sounds to drift across the bay was the slight creaking of ships as they bumped gently against the pier that secured them. The city looked as if it were fast asleep, the taverns having closed two bells ago, every rational being asleep where they belonged. All was as it should.


All save for one casinor that slowly crept into the bay from the north in the dead of night.


A lone figure stood unmoving upon the deck of the small ship, gloved hands gripping the pegs of the steering wheel grimly, sapphire orbs flickering with spite as they locked onto the forbidden land that rested a hundred yards away. A city that once barely tolerated him now stared at him accusingly, daring him to step forth on its soil so it could devour him.


A challenge he was more than willing to take.


The shadow slowly swung the wheel, trying to make as little noise as possible as he brought the ship towards an opening on the dock, closest to the open water. It took a few chimes, but finally the Laviku’s Wrath rested quietly beside the dock.


Kel Tempest quickly moved to the pier and secured his vessel before swiftly moving to the mast. He wanted to get this job over and done with. He had to be quick or risk being caught. The tides would be changing soon and he would need to be there when they did.


The Svefra shoved the thoughts away vehemently and refocused on the task at hand. He loosened the main sail, giving the line some slack before tying a heavy counterweight to a rope that he had prepared beforehand that attached to the pulley system.


The wrongfully accused criminal grunted quietly to himself as he pulled the weight up into the air while simultaneously lowering the sail towards the bottom spar. Once it rested just below the top of the mast, Kel secured the line leaving the counter weight suspended in the air. Satisfied with his handiwork, the Svefra disappeared into his cabin.


A few chimes later he returned, trident in hand and kukri securely fastened against his lower back under his black sash. He was adorned head to toe in black attire; the only color to be seen was the flash of his Laviku blessed eyes.


The usual glint of steel that would normally betray his position was replaced with a black substance that coated the razor sharp metal. Bells before in preparation, Kel had coated his blades with weapon tarnish to keep from being easily spotted in the night.


Finally, it was time.


Kel stood silently on the deck of his ship during the darkest portion of the night, looking ready for war as he stared grimly at the wall of stone buildings that loomed menacingly above him. There was only one thing that would lure the Tempest brother back into the cesspool of blue freaks that craved his blood. The lifeblood of every Svefra:


Ale.

Legend

Fratava

Common

[Ashar]

Ashar 14th of Summer, 514AV Third Tier Though Ashar had been staring at naught but the ceiling for the last bell or so, for the life of him he could not force himself to sleep. His mind was running like a glassbeak, too alive and excited from the previous day to simply doze off. Jek had no such trouble, the dark soul sleeping soundly within, but that was fine. To be quite honest, he was glad that he had his thoughts to himself at this time. He wasn't in the mood to talk to Jek about what had happened. All of a sudden, Ashar was sitting up in his bed. If I've not fallen asleep yet, just sitting here won't do the trick. It was a blur to Ashar, getting ready to go outside. He threw on his shirt and boots without much thought, in too much of a hurry to get out of the cramped building he called a home. He fumbled with his last boot, too distracted to get it on properly in his blind state, forcing him to refocus himself. What the petch? Why am I so out of it? he asked himself, looking down at his foot while he sat perched on the edge of the bed. It wasn't like him to lose his cool like this - he lived every day as the last, going forward resolutely, forging his own path. Had yesterday really shocked him all that much? Pathetic. He calmly slid his last foot into the boot, experimentally moving it around to see if he hadn't somehow botched it up after the fact. It seemed fine. He stood up and walked toward the door, slow lethargic steps he wasn't used to taking. On his way out, he grabbed his naginata as an afterthought. May as well do something I can concentrate on. It was early Summer yet, but even so people could feel the heat rolling onto the city in great waves. People were in bed at this ungodly hour, but only just barely. Even stepping from inside the Cora Apartments out onto the area of the Third Tier, Ashar could feel the difference in temperature. It was going to be a very dreadful summer for them all. It wasn't bad, the heat, but only in moderate amounts. This felt different. Disregarding the potentially uncomfortable temperatures ahead, Ashar continued walking without much further thought, walking toward the bay of the Third Tier. He had no real objective, no route to walk along, in his mind he was patrolling simply because it took his mind off of other things. Time passed, and foots against solid ground turned into wooden plods as his boots struck the docks of the bay. All around him the city was quiet, a calm peaceful little pocket protected from the Sea of Grass by its walls and the Kuvay'Nas. That thought put him at ease, and he relaxed the tense grip he didn't even know he was holding on his naginata. His feet carried him over to the edge of the bay, to one of the docks of the port where he leaned over the railing and stared into the water. Sighing, he relaxed his weapon against his shoulder and crosses his arms as he leaned against the railing, down into the dark waters below. You okay? Jek asked, speaking up suddenly. Though Ashar hadn't been expecting his dark brother to wake up, he barely reacted beyond raising his head a few centimeters. Then it dropped right back down. Yeah, I'm fine, Ashar replied, lacking absolutely any enthusiasm or conviction. The moving waves down below were so calming, washing in slowly from the sea and filling the little basin of Riverfall. For perhaps the first time in his life, Jek wasn't sure how to move forward. He usually thought so much that a number of options appeared, or at the very least one would have and that would have worked out well. However, here was something outside of his expertise. It wasn't as if he couldn't sympathize with Ashar, but he hadn't expected the bull-headed light soul to take the thing so damn seriously. Did he really think it would never happen? Ashar- Look, Ashar commented to Jek, looking fiercely out at the water. In it was a small boat that glided into the harbor surprisingly quietly, the waves softly but almost silently lapping at its sides as it made its way toward one of the docks. It was so dark that it was difficult to see the helmsman, though Ashar suspected there was more to it than that. Dark clothing most likely, a good color to sneak in with. His infrared eyelid shut, and he could see the lone figure perched at the back of the boat, steering it quietly alongside one of the docks before disappearing in the cabin. He returned holding something in his hand, though it was difficult to make out. It was most likely a weapon of some kind, judging by the generally shady behavior the person exhibited. What do you think they're here for? Jek asked, to which Ashar gave no reply. Instead, he moved quickly back over the docks, not running just yet. He wanted to get as close as he could before breaking out into a run, using his infrared to his advantage.

[Kel Tempest]

Boots thumped softly on the old wood, the pier creaking quietly in the night. Sails, secured to the masts, ruffled in the wind, bumping into the beams. The wind whistled as it began to pick up speed, causing ropes to whistle as they thrummed gently in the air currents that slowly began to stir to life.


Kel looked up, confusion crossing his face as he stood on the pier, trident in hand, shaking his head to one side to brush his black, curling hair out of his face to examine the sky. The once still atmosphere slowly roiled overhead, clouds turning darker and more menacing, a clear sign of an approaching storm. The Svefra scrunched his features together; he figured he still had a bell before the squall hit to accomplish his job.


But before he could move, a soft chittering noise floated up from the deck of his casinor from behind him. Kel whirled around, eyes locking onto the animal that the sound emanated from and glared at him harshly.


“Shut your filthy mouth, Jenkins. We have a petching mission to accomplish tonight and I can’t have your loud trap giving away our location. I swear you have to be TRYING to get me locked up. You know, if they catch me, they catch you too. Yeah, why don’t you think about THAT one for a while…”


Kel hissed irritably at his tavan who just looked up at him, whiskers twitching lazily. The sea otter ruffled his fur unperturbed by the comments and hopped up onto the railing of the casinor before jumping onto the pier beside the Svefra. Kel grumbled but finally relented, a small grin spreading across his face, wiping away the previous outburst of emotion.


“Alright fine, you can come. But don’t you ruin this. We both need ale. And by we I mean you. You know what kind of mood you get in when you don’t have it…”


Grunting once more, Kel moved quickly across the empty pier towards the main walkway of the dock, not bothering to see if the sea otter followed. It had been quite some time since the two had last stepped foot into the city. There was a reason they were coming in during the cover of darkness. Some activities were best left undiscovered by the local authorities.


It only took half a chime to cross the pier, the three tiered rock structures looming above them. Kel’s lip curled into a sneer as he looked around the familiar setting. How he despised this place. Yet here he was again.


The Svefra quickly moved into the shadows of the buildings, pausing for a moment to remember where he wanted to go. He looked around warily, making sure they were both alone before addressing Jenkins quietly.


“Alright, here’s what I’m thinking…The Blue Bull is waaaay too far for us to potentially sneak into and smuggle out a barrel, the chances of getting caught are way too high. I’m thinking of that one place we all went to that one day…what was it called again...”


Kel rubbed the stubble on his jaw ruthfully as he tried to remember the name of the tavern they had graced with their presence during the Spring the night they had been dubbed criminals. Finally, the name sprung back into his memory. He wagged a finger at Jenkins, annoyed.


“Ah yes, that’s right. It’s named after your favorite drink. C’mon Jenkins…you couldn’t remember that…Alements…seriously, what do I keep you around for…”


Kel grunted and shook his head. He checked the streets once more, making sure there was no movement before proceeding forward. The Svefra kept as close to the walls as he could, hoping to blend in to the darkness even if there was no one to see him.


A plan slowly forming in his mind, Kel picked up the pace, beginning to jog, growing tired of trying to be stealthy, doing his best to keep quiet but his boots felt the need to betray him as thy thumped dully on the wood as he ran. Building after building passed, each devoid of life but Kel ignored them, eyes set on the prize at hand. Jenkins scurried quickly behind him, doing his best to keep up with his athletic friend.


Finally, they had arrived.


Kel stopped just outside the soft lantern glow that flickered in front of the tavern. He eyed the tables and chairs that littered the patio, scanning for a way in. He ignored the crystal window, already knowing what the interior looked like. It was too obvious a route.


Casting his gaze back towards the pressing darkness that loomed behind him, the Svefra bounced on the balls of his feet, eyes narrowing as he prepared himself. Not wanting to waste any more time, Kel sprinted out from the cover of darkness, dodging chairs and tables until he reached the other side of the patio.


The catamaran bobbed quietly around the corner, next to the Alements just outside the circle of light. Kel pressed himself against the wall, fingering his trident, trying to decide what to do.


Now to figure out how to get in…

Legend

Fratava

Common

[Ashar]

Ashar Ashar kept his eyes riveted on the lone figure on the dock while he sped along the third tier, following the edge of the bay around toward the docks. The soft scuffing of his shoes against the stonework of the road was the only sound that followed the Akalak, and even that could hardly be heard above the lapping of the sea. He wouldn't pass for an assassin, or even a petty thief, but it would keep his approach quiet until he got close enough to confront the suspicious individual. Hold on a tick, we don't even know what this person's committing a crime! protested Jek, always reluctant to jump into action. Knowing was half the struggle. Jek, he's covered in black cloth in the small hours of the morning after having sailed in from outside the city. That does not seem like honest intent. There were times to think, and there were times to act. The man on the docks didn't leave immediately, instead turning back and leaning toward his boat. Was he talking to someone? The answer was yes... sort of. Another heat signature hopped out of the boat and onto the dock, but this one was much, much smaller than even a human. A pet? The Akalak flashed his infrared lids a few times to see if he could tell what it was, but it was too dark. Why in the void would anyone bother bringing their pet when the individual was clearly trying to avoid detection? It seemed counter-intuitive, but Ashar shrugged it off. It wasn't important whether a small animal was involved or not, this person was clearly up to no good. And then the two were off, the person clad in black and the small animal. Ashar quickened his pace to keep up, following them from around the bend of the bay. Ashar, listen. Just wait until whoever it is commits a crime. Remember self-control. They didn't have long to wait before the potential criminal found his or her target, which appeared to be a tavern of some kind. Ashar hadn't been, but he'd seen it before. It was on the dock itself, which led him to wonder whether or not the soon-to-be culprit had thought this through. Regardless, he decided to listen to Jek's advice and hang back a bit, waiting for the person to infiltrate the establishment. Then, he could beat the culprit up. Why in the void would he target a tavern? Surely there are more profitable establishments down here. Personal vendetta perhaps. There might be something particular about this place. We'll see soon enough.

[Kel Tempest]

A simple door frame stood against the wall a few feet away from the Svefra. Kel ignored it for the moment and peeked back around the corner towards the patio. He spotted his furry little friend still sitting on the other side. A scowl crossed the man’s face and he waved furiously at the sea otter, trying to get his attention.


“Pst! Jenkins! Get your lazy arse over here!”


Kel hissed irritably at his tavan as loudly as he dared. The animal blinked at him and tilted his head quizzically. The Svefra growled in his throat and pointed at the sea otter before jerking his finger down by his side.


“You know exactly what I mean! Get over here you little monster!”


Jenkins slowly stirred from his spot and sauntered over to Kel, weaving around the chair and table legs before finally slinking around the corner to come to a stop by the Svefra. Kel glared down at him, mouth opening and closing as he tried to express his annoyance with him but the words refused to come. He growled again and gave up exasperated.


The two slunk towards the door, Kel wrapped his hand around the doorknob, jingling it and praying it was unlocked.


It wasn’t.


Kel grunted irritably and looked around, hoping no one was around. Before he could reconsider his plan, he slammed his shoulder into the door. The wood creaked noisily but held and he winced in pain, jarring his arm. He smashed into it again, finally splintering the wood around the lock and stumbled into the establishment.


He turned around in surprise, spotting Jenkins peering up at him and he grinned.


“We’re in.”


He pointed at the door, his expression turning serious.


“You stand guard, if anyone comes, let me know. I’m counting on you Jenkins. Don’t screw me over…”


Kel turned and peered into the dimly lit room, one hand in front of him, moving slowly as he crept forward, trying to find the far end of the area.


After a few ticks he bashed his leg into the corner of a table and cursed, wincing as pain laced up his right side. He grasped around, feeling the objects on the table until he felt something elongated and circular sticking up on a metallic feeling base.


Hoping it was what he thought it was, Kel propped his trident up on the table beside him. He fumbled with the bit of flint he brought and finally pulled it from his sash. Holding the flint and stone, Kel quickly cracked the two together, small shards lighting on fire on the contact until finally one of them caught the wick. The candle flared to life, lighting up the room and casting crazy shadows all over the walls.


The Svefra picked up his trident and the candle stub, lifting it above him and looking around the area. It seemed to be some sort of large, storage room. Racks of bottles lined the walls, large barrels of liquid stood in rows. Kel grinned.


Just what he was looking for.

Legend

Fratava

Common

[Ashar]

Ashar Whatever the little animal was, it certainly was no guard dog. It seemed almost lazy in its movements, and took its dear sweet time dragging its warm hide over to where its master was. This crime, whatever it was going to be, clearly hadn't been planned much beyond the preparatory stages. It was good thinking tarnishing the weapon and dressing in dark colors to match the shadows, but... Ashar was half expecting some of his fellow cavalry Kavran to pop out of somewhere and start laughing at the prank they'd set up. Regardless, until such a thing happened, it was still in a potential crime, and apparently - according to Jek - he wasn't supposed to do anything until an actual crime was committed. So Ashar moved in closer, making his way to the patio he had seen so many times in passing. The culprit and his little accomplice rounded the corner, though there wasn't anywhere for them to go besides inside the establishment. Ashar saw this as his chance to get closer so that he might interrupt this criminal before any real damage was caused. While hulking Akalaks weren't quite stealthy, he still did his best to weave quietly between the tables and make his way to the wall, stepping softly on the wooden - what was that? The bastard is breaking down the door! Can I stop him now, dammit? Breaking and entering is a crime, last time I checked. Go right ahead. Smartass, grunted Ashar, gritting his teeth as he hurried along the side of the tavern. His exchange with Jek had cost him precious time, however. He only got halfway when a great loud crack resounded from the direction of the door, followed by the sound of wood on wood. The door was done for already. Grimacing, Ashar resumed his soft-footed footsteps as he crept along the wall of the building, approaching the corner at a steady pace. It was unfortunate he couldn't also see through walls, but he presumed from the sound of a striking flint that the criminal was likely already inside and trying desperately to see. With a bit more confidence, Ashar rounded the corner and made to move into the building, only to nearly trip over the small animal that had sat down almost right at the corner. Son of a- what is it? he still couldn't tell what the little animal was, but identifying that wasn't quite of the highest priority. Nevertheless, Ashar did his best to avoid trampling the poor sodding creature on his way in, where his infrared lids helped him see the perpetrator once more. "By the authority of the Council and the Kuvay'Nas, halt," Ashar announced to a surprisingly lit room. It seemed that the burglar, which was what the man appeared to be, and yes it was clearly a man at this distance, had found one of the establishment's lanterns. It filled the place with light, which rendered Ashar's infrared lids moot, so he opened those as well so as to see the scene a little better before continuing. "You will be taken into custody, where you will be held until proper charges are leveled, at which time you will duel for your innocence in the Gideon Combat Arena with your accuser. Do not resist lest the charges mount against you." Too late, Ashar noticed that the criminal was most likely a human, and as such was not native to the language. That would render Ashar's slew of Tukant completely meaningless gibberish to this stranger. "Um, halt." Grimacing in the low lighting, Ashar nonetheless kept his eyes trained on his target. The room was crowded with tables, and with only a single candle for visibility it was less than ideal. It would not hinder his infrared much, but it would still be much better if it were out. Think it might be a good time for that? Jek asked. I doubt this will last long, so it's not like you'll be out for days or whatever. Ashar thought about it, bending his knees into a defensive stance as he did. It's not really something that should be used lightly. But you're right, I doubt it will be nearly as drastic as an actual battle. Maybe I'll finally get some sleep after this. With that said, Ashar quickly reached his right arm up over his shoulder and tapped the tattoo-like shape nestled in the crook of his neck, feeling the gnosis mark like a muscle that stretched and flexed inside of him, along the length of his torso. He felt rather than saw the aura expand to encompass the nearby surroundings, including the little animal behind him and, more importantly, his target. Each movement was read, but Ashar still lowered into a defensive stance, lowering his naginata before him, hoping for but not really expecting compliance.

[Kel Tempest]

Kel knew he shouldn’t dwindle considering he had just committed a crime but for some reason he felt unhurried. The initial rush and preparation to get to the Alements before he was spotted seemed to wear off the moment he stepped through the broken doorway. It was as though time had stopped and he was free to take as much time as he pleased.


But that was abruptly ripped away from him as Jenkins screeched loudly. Kel had barely set the candle back down onto the table and pulled a bottle of wine from the rack closest to him when a man burst through the door behind him.


Kel’s jerked slightly, startled at the sudden appearance of the stranger. The warm glow of the candle painted the intruder an eerie orange color, shadows dancing wildly behind him. He recognized the dark hue of the man’s skin and figured he was an Akalak. The Svefra’s gaze was instantly drawn towards the long pole that rested in the man’s hand, the blade jutting from the top as if it were an elongated spear.


The wannabe thief stood idly by, turning his attention back towards the bottle of wine in his hand, not really paying attention to the man prattling on about something or other in a language he could barely understand. The only Tukant he knew were a few choice curse words he had picked up in the local taverns. He figured the speech was about him breaking and entering and committing a crime punishable by death.


It wasn’t until the Akalak puttered to a stop, probably realizing Kel had no idea what he was saying, did he revert to Common.


Kel just lifted his gaze from the wine bottle and looked at the man, smirking lazily.


“Yeh' don't simply catch Kel Tempest, helioc.”


And before the Akalak could respond, Kel winked and exploded into motion.


Kel took a step, coiling the muscles in his legs before releasing them, jumping upwards. He landed on the table with a thump, nearly knocking the candle over. Using his forward momentum, the Svefra threw himself at the wall, planting a foot against the surface and shoving off, launching himself into the air. The rogue simultaneously chucked the bottle of wine at the Akalak before landing on the ground and darting towards the door.


Kel snatched up another bottle of wine from the rack closest to the door as he sprinted through it. He didn’t even spare a glance backwards but sprinted as fast as he could back towards his ship, hair blowing wildly in the wind.


“JEEEEEEENKINS! TIME TO GOOOO!”

Legend

Fratava

Common

[Ashar]

Ashar Ashar grinned. Helioc, huh? Probably something he picked up in the taverns down here, mused Jek. It does seem to be a favorite saying, for some reason or another. I doubt he really understands what it means, though. Whatever will get me riled up, I suppose, Ashar thought absentmindedly as his aura began to work. Intentions were still murky, like a broken translation, but from the tension in the perpetrator's body the general intent was that he would not be coming quietly. The wink was more read than seen, but the following jump had far more of Ashar's attention. However, he couldn't properly tell what the purpose was until he landed on the table. The candle wobbled, and Ashar hoped it would go out, but apparently no such luck. No, wouldn't want to make this too easy. Whatever, the Kavran could manage. The curling of the muscles in the human's arm and lifting it above his head made it quite clear that the bottle was about to be thrown. It was easy enough to dodge by simply sidestepping, but in doing so he allowed the vandal to jump forward again, and though he knew it was coming there was nothing he could do about it. He knew he should have blocked the door, but instinct had taken over and there wasn't anything he could do about it now. What the wine bottle had done was clear the prancing culprit a path straight to the door, an avenue of escape that he took quickly. Grunting, the Kavran sped out the door as well, where the human had just left and was running back along the bay. Was he calling his pet? Regardless, the Kavran took off in pursuit, his long legs carrying him along the trail of the human, who currently was just pelting forward without any real aim yet besides escaping. Ashar, Kel Tempest. The Kuvay'Nas put something out last season, he's- in the middle of something, Jek! Ashar replied quickly as he picked up the speed. At this rate, if he were to just keep this up, he would probably catch up before the human reached his boat, and with his Evantia still active he would probably be able to react to whatever the criminal's defensive tactic was at that point. Instead, Ashar brought his naginata to bear. The unconventional polearm was rather unique in most places, essentially a saber mounted atop a quarterstaff. Dragging the blade across the ground, Ashar swept it forward toward the criminal. Clearly it wasn't meant to hurt the man, as he had no intention of actually injuring him unless it was necessary, but instead he had hoped the sound would be enough to both warn the man and set him off balance, allowing Ashar to catch up and bring the butt of his polearm back around for a blunt strike to the man's side.

[Kel Tempest]

Heart pounding in chest, Kel threw himself forward, legs pounding hard against the cobblestone, his boots echoing loudly as they slapped against the ground. His arms pumped at his sides, face set in concentration as quiet buildings flew by.


“I…need to…run….more…”


Kel gasped quietly to himself as he attempted to flee Riverfall, already feeling a stitch begin to tighten in his side, his pursuer hot on his heels. He heard the loud hissing noise above the storm, the sound that only a weapon being dragged across stone made. He would know, he had done the same thing many times to intimidate his own prey.


But he was not the one being hunted here.


Kel locked eyes on his vessel that bobbed more violently on the increasingly torrent sea, the wind having picked up drastically, whipping his hair around his face, obscuring his vision. The Laviku’s Wrath was drawing closer, only a few more docks and he’d reach his ship…


…When the blunt end of his opponent’s weapon jammed into his healing side.


Kel roared in pain as the wooden staff slammed into his scabbed over laceration, pain momentarily sending flashes of light into his vision. The Svefra dug his boots into the ground, grinding to a halt, rage flashing across his face.


Not even a tick passed as he came to a standstill before the warrior whirled around, whipping the razor sharp blades of his trident around towards his incoming foe’s face.


The plan he had set in motion was but on the back burner. First, he would teach this petcher a lesson on his own soil.

Legend

Fratava

Common

[Ashar]

For a split second, Ashar proceeded to regress a few years, back into a time when he was younger and far more brash. Every time his pulse started running, every time his adrenaline spiked, he felt that familiar rush of excitement that had caused the young Ashar to become such a thrill-seeker. Back when he had been untouched by Wysar, before he started taking his duties seriously, there was a time when a fight would be viewed with exhilaration and a cackling laugh.

At present, he had to face the grim reality that such a fight brought.

Though Ashar's Evantia had detected the attack as it was being made, the Kavran was still hard-pressed to duck his head back a bit to avoid getting lacerated by the three sharp points. The attack had gotten dangerously close to him, and he backpedaled a step to make sure there was adequate space between them before bringing his own weapon to bear. If the speed of that attack was anything to go by, it's quite possible that he's the better fighter.

Don't overextend yourself. Evantia is helpful, but it does not block enemy attacks for you. And at close range, the likelihood that he'll naturally miss is small. Be cautious, and remember I'd rather you let him go than get us killed. Don't let obligation trump self-preservation.

I got it, I'm not looking to die an early death. Even saying that, however, the Kavran didn't have the luxury to deliberate his moves for lengths of time.

Rather than wait for another attack from the culprit, Ashar pressed the offensive as best he could, even though that was not Evantia's realm of expertise. He spun his naginata once around his side before bringing it in for a reserved slash at the human's side, followed quickly by a vertical slice with the redirection.

After both attacks went through, the Akalak backed up for some space and held his naginata out ready to counter the inevitable counterattack.