[Fighting] You roll a 19 (required 8). Success!

You equip Practice Sword.

You pick a sword from the rack, and Blade Dancer does the same. However, you quickly notice that while you wield your weapon in your mouth, the mare uses her unicorn magic to levitate hers at her side.

For the sake of trying your best, you decide to stick with what you know. You return to the centre of the training ground together where your opponent turns to face you. Master Steelwind has since moved over to the far wall.

Steelwind: "Ready?"

You figure that the answer to that will reveal itself in due time. You nod, your eyes fixed on the red-haired mare, then share a bow.

Steelwind: "Fight!"

Once the signal is given, Blade Dancer takes on an unfamiliar stance. She shuffles closer to you, and raises her weapon vertically. Expecting an overhead strike, you turn your head to protect yourself.

You block the floating weapon one, two, three times. Then, a fourth — significantly stronger — attack hits your wooden blade with such force that you stagger a couple of steps to the side. You quickly recover, and find the mare's sword now horizontal.

With little time to react, you flap your wings and leap backward, putting some distance between the two of you. Her weapon slashes the air twice, then she follows up with a third, wider sweep just out of reach.

As the flurry relents, you charge in on the offensive. You swing your sword at her side, but in an instant, the floating weapon blocks the hit. You sidestep to try and get past it, but it follows you like an invisible palisade.

After a few attempts, one of your attacks is effortlessly parried, forcing you to retreat. Then, Blade Dancer lowers her stance, as if ready to pounce. You instinctively dodge sideways, and she lunges right past you before hooking in your direction.

You keep your distance, and she shuffles closer, her weapon raised vertically once more — exactly as she did before. You suddenly realize that between her body and her blade, the mare's every move appears to be perfectly choreographed, almost like a dance.

With that in mind, you turn your head defensively again. You block one, two, three hits, but then, you leap backward. A fourth, much more powerful strike misses you completely. You finally see your opening.

Staying on the defensive, you continue to provoke attacks and leap out of the way, until she readies her vertical technique once more. This time, you move in, block the first three strikes, then sidestep around her to avoid the fourth.

As the final attack misses you by a hair, you manage to hit the unicorn in the flank with your own weapon, scoring you a point.

Steelwind: "One!"

At that, Blade Dancer slides backward, then seemingly waits for you to approach first. You take the opportunity to catch some of your breath, but as you eye the amused mare carefully, you notice that she has not so much as broken a sweat.

Still, you did manage to hit her once; you only need to do so again, and victory is yours. You swallow hard, and step forward, prompting her to take on a new, far more aggressive-looking stance — her sword now hanging high like a scorpion's stinger.