Place returned with Ernote and a member of the town's guard to find Malia waiting out on the street, with Babis standing a few steps behind her.
"I have informed the guard, and they sent one of theirs to escort us to a suitable place and oversee the situation." Place gestured to the guard. "This is Hort."
Malia took in the guard who stepped forward and gave a salute.
"Greetings, Miss Blackheart."
"Where are we fighting?" She ignored Hort and spoke to Place.
"Lead the way, Hort." Place gestured to the guard, who nodded stiffly.
"Please follow me." He said and started to march away.
"Let's go." The group of four followed the guard, who led them to a somewhat clear space, where the guards had made a clearing and were stopping the people from moving through it.
"Your name is quite useful." Malia let out a hum at Place's remark.
"One of the few things it is useful for, most people want nothing to do with us."
"With good reason, have you heard some of the stories about some of your family members?"
Malia raised an eyebrow as Place took a longsword that Ernote tossed at him and took a stance.
She threw her coat to the side.
"Not really, they don't tell me much about our history." A saber appeared with a wave of her hand.
"Really?" She took a relaxed stance.
"Really."
A moment passed in silence as both of them scanned each other's stances and weapons
Place decided to keep her on her toes and moved.
Malia's relaxed-ness disappeared as she took a step back to prepare for Place's attack.
Place's thrust was deflected, but so was Malia's follow-up swipe at his hand.
Malia took a step back to step out of his range and gain a bit of breathing room, but Place pressed forward.
A rapid sequence of attacks and parries unfolded as the surrounding people watched in breath-held silence.
Place realised that she was getting a feel for his attacking style as she kept on the defensive and only attacked to try to take advantage of perceived openings.
'She's treating this like a survival challenge.' He realised, 'She's not treating this like a fight at all!'
He stopped his attacks and took two quick steps backwards.
He met her gaze, and she was grinning.
"You really are good." Place raised an eyebrow.
"Do you usually comment on your opponent's skills in the middle of the fight?"
Metal chimed as the saber struck the longsword's hand guard.
Malia stepped back and swung her blade to parry a counter-thrust.
"Ugh, not usually." Her admission did not stop Place from taking advantage of her hasty retreat.
His blade struck her covered forearm before she could even retreat.
Place took a few steps back, letting her realise what had just happened.
She looked at the spot now bearing a tear and a bit of blood in shock.
Place let that expression bring him a good amount of satisfaction.
A grin appeared on her face as she turned to look at him.
"You are 'Really' good..." Her tone had gained an edge to it.
"Let's do this for real!" Her voice rose as she took a proper stance.
Place took a deep breath and focused all of his attention on her.
A glow emanated from her eyes as wisps of green light started to flow out of them.
Place immediately took a defensive stance as soon as he perceived this, and not a moment too soon.
Place's feet slid back on the snow as he parried Malia's slash.
He kept moving back, just barely keeping balance as he parried attack after attack, party by muscle memory, partly by prediction.
This continued for ten seconds or so, until Malia stepped back.
She made to say something, but Place, now in a state of complete focus, lunged forward.
Malia failed to defend properly, and Place's arm struck hers, and the shock sent her blade to the ground.
She managed to slap away his thrust, but the follow-up fist flying towards her face made her stumble, and then, it was over in the blink of an eye.
Malia found herself on her back with Place straddling her with his blade at her throat.
"I win." It was not a question, but a statement.
Place immediately moved off of her and tossed the sword back to Ernote before turning back to her and offering her a hand.
"Are you alright?"
His defeated opponent did not reply.
She lay there, staring at the sky and breathing heavily.
"Miss Blackheart." Place tried to get her attention again.
"I'm fine." Her eyes snapped towards him and his extended hand.
She took his hand, and he helped her up.
"You didn't lie about your skill." She let out a laugh as she dusted off her backside.
"We've got to fight again sometime!" A slightly crazed grin appeared on her face as she spoke.
"Testing my skills against someone as skilled as you is always welcome."
"But I have a question."
"Yes?"
Malia's face turned a bit serious as she asked.
"Why didn't you reinforce your body?"
"Oh, that." He had forgotten to tell her that, didn't he?
"I don't have any mana."
A moment of stupefied silence passed.
"What?"