Stifled behind the narrow construction of the helmet that donned his head, the knight failed to see the majority of what had transpired in his last ditch effort to avoid certain bodily harm. He was at a loss. A rush of stagnant water washed over his brow as he tumbled through the swampland. He would barely tumble onto his feet before his body was jostled and thrown like a rag doll. 

As he came to rest in a crouching position from his evasive roll, his shield came into position just in time to save the knights life. The unsavory axe glanced across his shield, sending him tumbled further without the precision he once had. It was by chance of dumb luck that the shield had flopped up in a manner that would only barely leave a stinging sensation across his forearm. The shear force was enough to push him well off balance. As standing up was not an option, as he came to rest a few meters perpendicular to his assailant who had just provided a molly-wop in a crouching position. He clung desperately to the wire wrapped hilt of his blade. The rectangular scutum before him exploited to maintain his composure as it pushed against the waterlogged soil beneath the water disturbed. His chest heaved as he took what previous second to reevaluate his efforts.