It was a hit. The knight’s iron scutum covered in leather colliding against the scoundrel’s iron chest plate with a resounding thud. The shock of the impact reverberating through Zachary’s arm. It was just the momentum that he needed to regain control to at least be proactive rather than reactive as his opponent had shown a great deal of preference to. It was much more personal than war.

Singles combat was vastly different in comparison to war. War was terribly dirty. Wherever one would turn they would find death. Or at the very least there was another fresh body to slice down in their prime. The battlefield strewn with bodies. Shallow moans cascading across the solemn battlefield amongst the cacophony of clashing steel.

As Zachary’s scutum found opposing pressure against Zande’s sturdy chest plate, adding momentum that carried him into the air the knight surged forth with a great burst of raw power. It was not the typical defensive measure to add distance between two combatants but a wee-trained superbly executed Melekurian Shield Bash fine-tuned over centuries of combat training. It would serve well to act as a precursor to his forward assault.

For as Zachary found strength in maintain a connection to the ground beneath his feet he would force Zande back only a few feet. It would provide just enough distance to allow the savage an opening to attack with his raised axe. It would drop down upon the knight like a rolled up newspaper against a rabid dog. It would be equally as effective. As logical physics and reason would usurp the strength and procession of balance and steadfastness in step the once master handled axe would drop down upon him like that of a flailing amateur.

The axe blade had fallen down before the knight but it had not found its home upon the armored warrior’s clavicle. Instead, between the distance added by the clash and the lack of stability would force the axe to slash across the face of Zachary’s shield. As the axe came to splash against the water’s stagnant surface the knight moved the battle forward. He lashed out with his broad sword in a vertical arc starting complete opposite of his shield with every intention of severing the warriors arm from the axe that it wielded.

The edge of his sword as sharp as a griffon's claw had clamored against Zande's axe with a resonating "taching!" With his sword in his right, opposite of Zande's left the sword was easily directed away. As the blade was pushed away; however, it was retracted almost instantaneously as the blade clashed against the axe requiring little assistance from the opponent. Zande's attempt to redirect the attack would provide Zachary with the opportunity to realign his shield with a defensive stance. It was in such case that gave the knight the opportunity to defend against the darting that took place on his opponent's behalf without sacrificing his own defense.

It would provide Zachary with little time to prepare as the two combatant's were already within close quarters. As Zande burst forth with a viscous fluid expelled from betwixt his lips the Knight turned away if only for a moment. His shield raised in a defense manner, his helmet speckled with the spattering of blood. As distracting as it had been, it would not achieve the poisonous coverage across his visage that Zande had envisioned.

However, it was the distraction that Zande may have been looking for. With a great "boom" Zachary's shield was gripped on the inside edge by one of the savage's axes before being pushed aside, nearly ripped free from the knight's hand. But while Zande may have been honed from years in the wilds, Zachary had spent many years training with some of the most skilled fighters that the Melekurian Knighthood had to offer. One major tenant of the knighthood, one must never freely release thy shield. As the shield was thrown to his own right, the momentum provided him with the opportunity to unleash another attack.

The momentum of his shield being thrust aside allowed him to shift his position with resounding speed. He drew his leg back sliding away from his opponent out from underneath the clawed boot that had proven rather annoying as opposed to effective. However in keeping up with the
intense pace of the battle set forth by the opponent's reactive measures. Zande would not be able to squelch the knight's freedom of motion.

Instead, the savage would have to once again defend against another attack. An attack that was all but similar to the previous. A horizontal slash from the broad blade in his right hand that had previously been parried, turned back for yet another attack. The only difference was this time the two had been must closer.