Her kick landed with a feeling of impact but no pain, though the same couldn't be said for his elbow to her chin. He felt that radiate up his arm and a wince creased his face as Maea dropped back and hit the ground. Instead of following after her, he paused to shake out his arm with an apologetic grimace to the Ancient, giving her a chance to get back to her feet while he backed up a bit, opening the distance between them to something he was more comfortable with. He was too used to being the scrawny one in a fight to enjoy staying in that close for long, even if times had changed and he was stronger than he realized.
Maea's grin, however disconcertingly bloody, was reassuring enough that he kept his guard up as she moved in again. Unlike her earlier perspicacity, Tal failed to read her feint in time. He shifted to block it, briefly opening his body up to her knee. By the time he realized where the true attack was coming from it was too late to block it fully. It struck him in the chest, eliciting a whoof! of escaping air as she hit the unexpectedly hard surface of his vest. the impact knocked the wind out of him but otherwise didn't seem to leave so much as a bruise as he shook it off quickly and ducked down to launch a pair of quick, hard jabs at her own midsection.
Maea's grin, however disconcertingly bloody, was reassuring enough that he kept his guard up as she moved in again. Unlike her earlier perspicacity, Tal failed to read her feint in time. He shifted to block it, briefly opening his body up to her knee. By the time he realized where the true attack was coming from it was too late to block it fully. It struck him in the chest, eliciting a whoof! of escaping air as she hit the unexpectedly hard surface of his vest. the impact knocked the wind out of him but otherwise didn't seem to leave so much as a bruise as he shook it off quickly and ducked down to launch a pair of quick, hard jabs at her own midsection.
