The Solution (2nd Edition)

Xen

O-Kenai charged at Olaf. But this time, there was no extraordinary speed. Instead, her advance was more of an injured skulk towards her new nemesis.

    In contrast, Olaf just maintained his position under the moonlight, and waited for the first swing of her sword. When it came, he'd held out his knife and blocked the diagonal strike, along with two others which had swished in opposite directions.

    After a step back, O-Kenai swung her blade horizontally, looking to slash Olaf across his chest.

    But he was quick to point his blade downwards to defend her swipe.

    With a clench of her fangs, O-Kenai stepped back again, this time twirling on the spot. Strategically, the adjustment allowed her to waft her umbrella blade in a circular motion overhead and then power down with might.

    In response, Olaf took a knee to absorb the incoming impact, and held his tilted weapon out in a landscaped position. After the intense connection, O-Kenai side-stepped him, looking for an open angle.

    But Olaf had telegraphed it, and reacted by remaining low, then pushing forwards into an evasive roll.

   Now back on his feet, Olaf stood still, until O-Kenai engaged again.

    She did so by cartwheeling forwards, then covering even more ground by pirouetting through mid-air. With a slip of her palm, O-Kenai finished the sequence by turning her sword and pulling down with an outward slice.

    However, once again, Olaf evaded it, and did so by leaning back like a boxer. His offence was also complimentary, and he'd lunged into her with a shoulder barge.

    O-Kenai stumbled back, but was quick to regain her feet. Probably embarrassed, she then ran at Olaf. But this time, he didn't stand his ground. Instead, Olaf crouched low and shifted for the dais, until eventually, he'd slid underneath the concrete bench at its bloody center. Once sheltered on the other side of it, Olaf unsheathed his second blade, then threw it past O-Kenai. As it zipped through the air, The Pink Lady looked over her shoulder, just in time to see the DV-2 pierce the stump of her Sakura Tree. "NO!" she wailed out across the flora haven, as more of its petals fell under the dreadnaught-encompassed moonlight. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

   "Distracted you," Olaf quipped, "that's what..."

    In retaliation, O-Kenai moved in on Olaf with another maneuver which arced overhead. But this one was frenzied, and desperately clumsy.

   So, once he'd parried it, her reaction was to twist off the chinking deflection, and thrust forward for the kill.

   It was then that Olaf's choice of knife, became clear...

    As O-Kenai continued to stream for him, Olaf stepped back, turned the knife in his hand, and then advanced. Consequently, the long hollow slit in the rare weapon, slid over hers at speed, until a scraping clink sounded out.

    The blades were now locked at their bases and handles.

   But more than that, he was first to take advantage.

    Twisting with temerity, the pressure Olaf applied allowed him to maintain possession of his weapon, as well as gaining the acquisition of O-Kenai's. And, after she'd gaped at Emo and I in shock, her weary focus set back onto him. "Come on! Slay me!" O-Kenai screamed. "Do what Emo couldn't!"

    "No. Not yet," Olaf jested, at the same time throwing away both of their weapons. "Witch, before you die, my wife insists that I put my hands on you..."

    Filled with demonic rage, O-Kenai squinted at Olaf.

    Finally, she made one last effort to focus...

    Arched on her backfoot with a knee in the air, O-Kenai Shadow-Stepped for the very last time. And upon blurring back and forth, she'd reappeared in front of Olaf with the DV-2 that had violated her tree. "F-Fedor, you had your chance. Now, I'm gunna stick you with this at the rear, then push it north until you can fucking t-taste it!"

    "Ashii. Do your worst!"

    Sensing that this war was about to come to an end, fear crept back in, and I'd stepped closer to Emo's side for protection.

    I was no fighter.

    But upon doing so, I also got the sense that Emo hoped Olaf could get the job done, too.

    Cheering him on in silence, the clansman and I gawped at O-Kenai as she moved into Olaf's personal space with his blade in her hand. Nevertheless, regardless of her advantage, I prayed to fùqīn and Huányīn that Olaf could finish what I had stupidly started.