Faster than he expected, more brutal than he realized, the giant reacted like the rise of a tempest. Before Daniel had time to fully execute his assault, his opponent moved with supreme coordination, manipulating his tremendous bulk like a deadly artist to halt the knight's advance. Daniel planted himself at the speed of superhuman reflex to block the barbarian's strike, but the telling glint in the warrior's single eye threatened far more than the directionless flailing of a beast. In that space between seconds, Daniel understood that even coming out as far as this open field had been a mistake-- Daniel had been baited forward, and the man before him was truly a fisherman.
No time to breathe, only space to react. Objects and force.
Daniel's well honed senses enabled him to take in the barbarian's attack in full, maintaining the slim window of opportunity he'd opened by making the first move. As his opponent closed in, Daniel shifted his left foot behind him and brought his shield to bear, exactly where it was expected to be. Though he caught the grapple on his shield as intended, shifting his left foot back enabled him to avoid being stomped on by fractions. A followup from the towering warrior came in the form of a snake-like catch to the left tricep, and in that moment when the viper reared it's head, Daniel pressed forward.
The knight shifted his weight forward again and twisted his body as the barbarian's clutch darted into his space, positioning his stance at a profile behind his sword such that he could place the tip of the blade just under the warrior's chin, balancing the edge of the blade at the collarbone. Daniel allowed the grapple purchase, and he found his left arm thoroughly bound to allow his sword within his opponent's guard. This was the turning point. Should the hulking warrior attempt to make good on a throw, a lock, a break, Daniel was fully prepared to pull the trigger on the explosive he had primed and attached to the back of his shield before the engagement. As things stood, the explosive charge was all but resting against the barbarian's right forearm. It would be a blast to leave craters in concrete-- even with the proper preparations, an explosion like that could snap Daniel's arm like a twig. Like this, at point blank range, the target basically hugging the bomb? It might mean that the knight would have to trade one arm for two.
Daniel gripped the detonator tightly as he exhaled. If the barbarian meant to pull away, somehow sensing the danger of the situation, Daniel could thrust his blade true and end the warrior's life; no matter how muscled he may have been, it would prove difficult to continue fighting through a severed jugular. If the warrior pressed forward in his assault, then Daniel need only press the button, and both the duel and their arms would be left up in the air. Finally, the strongest deterrent-- if this warrior gave Daniel room for words, then the battle may end peacefully. What was more, if there would be even a brief pause in the combat, locked in struggle as they were, the warrior may have been able to detect the knight's stomach growling.
"Thou art a brave fighter. Prithee warrior, thine name?" Daniel intoned, his breaths measured for movement, "Further violence need not solve our quarrel. If thou wouldst desist in fishing, together we might sate our hunger."
