Dane's grip tightened. Then Darren stamped closing the distance he skirted from the left. Dane not letting this maneuver catch him off track matched.
Their swords clashed in sparks fly, Dane recognized Darren had some strength more than he did, their blades slid against each other in a short exchange of testing strength.
Dane altered his grip forcing Darren's sword to slide off. He brought his sword in closer to his body thrusting its blade, Darren dodged parrying with the flat side of his sword followed by dropping his center of gravity.
Dane's eyes flickered; he forced his body rigid. Barely stepping out of the way of an upper cutting longsword he brought his sword to bear. Short swing left only for Darren to press his personal space forcing him to backpedal or risk getting shouldered.
Sword Elites nearby watching raised an eyebrow. "Well look at that. Stranger is holding his own against the ever so overbearing Darren. What a surprise" Sammy said, he was the Sword elite with leg armor and joint armor. The rest studded leather and chainmail. He preferred a more reckless fighting style. Highly aggressive in fighting. Even more so than Darren was being.
"pfft, barely! He's getting bodied, so close. That brute only knows how to force his opponents in close combat. Less use of swords and more brute strength in my opinion" Grace said, her legs kicking back and forth sitting on a barrel. She was the agility build. She preferred a fast swordplay. She is rather small, unable to do what Darren could do.
Sophia herself watched intently. She was considered the best amongst them and hence seriously watched this fight. If this stranger was a talent. Perhaps she could induct them I to their team. She was the full plated one. Even stronger than Darren, almost as fast as the two in front of her. But she did not deem this stranger a worthy opponent. At least not yet. Maybe when they train him up more.. maybe. First he has to survive Darren. That's her standard.
Sophia's fighting style is aggressive, heavily armored knight. Scary enough full plate often has a lot of misconceptions. With metal armor distributed across the entire body. They can move just as anyone can with training.
The consensus is that a knight is heavy and slow moving. Perhaps in some situations but otherwise they are a death sentence to fight without proper weapons. Like maces, and other blunt or blunt sharp items like halberts.
Darren noted that Dane was rather adaptive. In turn the man didn't have much armor himself and didn't complain that Darren was attacking with lethal intent to kill. Commendable.
At first he thought it easy, close it deny personal space force him into a desperate struggle to gain an inch of space for sword play. And that was working.. at first. But he did not expect this stranger to be rather skilled close quarters; he also noted helplessly Dane was fast. But he had a feeling Dane wasn't going all out.
"Why are you holding back?" He asked his sword, nearly catching Dane in the shoulder barely stopped when Dane was forced into the defensive. His sword hilt holding off the deadly edge. "What do you mean? I am using all my martial ability against you" Dane expressed helplessly.
But Darren wasn't convinced. "Do you use magic?" He asked bluntly. "Or potions? Poisons? Anything that you'd normally use in combat?"
Dane grimaced. "Yes but that is dishonorable in a sword fight-" he began but Darren pressed his sword closer forcing Dane to push against him. "Is it? What does honor have to do with combat? We sword elites may have honor. But once combat begins we use all possible means to win.. no matter what. You cannot be a sword member without this fundamental." Darren said without mockery.
Dane himself felt a bit chastised. He came from Alderun, a collection of city states and kingdoms. There honor is baked into combat. But here.. was it truly not?
"So you want me to use all my means against you?" He asked. Feeling troubled as all out combat generally meant there was no honor amongst enemies. Darren seeing this shoved Dane back. "At all costs. Or you are not fit to be amongst swordsmen. Fight like your life depends on it. It really could one day. That idea that honor would apply. Is.. stupid" he said.
Dane pondered this. Sense coming here he expected honor but to a degree of holiness. However reality was… alarming and reality slapping. He felt embarrassed but those thoughts faded as he prepared himself, steeling his resolve! "Fine. But if you die don't blame me!"
Darren chuckled slamming fist to chest. "that's more like it."