A heart-shaped tree standing in between human nature, and the nature we see
The last-minute-sommersault works about as well as one might expect: even before he's fully on his feet Koa knows the blow is coming, and he braces himself against it, tensing his arm in preparation for the strike. When it lands, it's on his right arm - his sword arm, of course, because why wouldn't it be? This fight may have started strong for the young man but it has quickly gone pear-shaped, and Koa cannot help but feel he may be out of his depth.
Not that he'd let Octavius know that, of course. He winces, fingers trembling as a jolt of nerve pain shudders down from shoulder to wrist, but manages to keep his grip on the sword. The only answer to Octavius' taunting is a quiet grunt, followed by another lunge forward, Koa trying to close the gap and overwhelm his opponent once more. Alas, the close-range fighting the boy is used to does not translate well to a sword: again he misses his opponent, whether by dodge or by block, well, Octavius can decide.
Not that he'd let Octavius know that, of course. He winces, fingers trembling as a jolt of nerve pain shudders down from shoulder to wrist, but manages to keep his grip on the sword. The only answer to Octavius' taunting is a quiet grunt, followed by another lunge forward, Koa trying to close the gap and overwhelm his opponent once more. Alas, the close-range fighting the boy is used to does not translate well to a sword: again he misses his opponent, whether by dodge or by block, well, Octavius can decide.
Koa
