Tal wasn't as likely to flee a fight as he used to be, but he still lacked enough confidence in himself to launch an attack without being goaded. When Edmund surged forward in the actinic flash, Tal was already shifting sideways to avoid the Ancient's aggressive charge. He couldn't avoid the attack completely, but he dropped his own elbow so that his arm took the brunt of the strike instead of his ribs.
A grunt of pain escaped, but he shook it off and launched a counter, attempting to step forward on his angle and get behind Edmund so he could jab a short, sharp punch at the young guildmaster's kidney. "So, remember when I helped build that Dygra shrine with you an' Danta?" he asked, regardless of whether or not his strike connected.
A grunt of pain escaped, but he shook it off and launched a counter, attempting to step forward on his angle and get behind Edmund so he could jab a short, sharp punch at the young guildmaster's kidney. "So, remember when I helped build that Dygra shrine with you an' Danta?" he asked, regardless of whether or not his strike connected.
