[Training] more than the catastrophes too

AINO

The general - oops, former general - was not disarmed. And in one blow Aino found herself much too close to a far stronger opponent, with very few options left. She could back away, admit defeat and beg for mercy, but... that wasn't really her style.

Deimos' sword disentangled from her own and rose up, a reaper's scythe posed to strike. If this was not a spar, she would be seeing her life flash before her eyes by now. But even then, Aino might have done what she did now. Without a shield to defend with, she had only the sword to rely on. Raising it high, she braced the blade against her open palm and received the blow head on.

Gods, but this man was strong. The sheer force was enough to make her legs buckle and bend, and with a groan Aino found herself pushed down onto her knees. All of her strength was not enough to keep the blade from pressing down towards her shoulder, despite all her effort to stave it off - and the window for evasive maneouvers was long past. With resignation, as metal met leather-clad shoulder, she realized that she was beat. Yet the grin on her lips was far from defeated; eager and hungry, she looked raring to go all over again.

For the good times that we share,
and the bad times that we'll have