/rises from the ashes/ [Instead of meeting the blade, Ashura dropped and rolled out of the way, narrowly missing being struck. Even if it was a practice blade, he could tell the strength of that blow would have been enough to break a bone or two (and live steel would have indeed cleaved him in two). Undignified as the roll might have been, battle was not about looking pretty - it was about surviving and winning before your opponent took a limb off.
He came to his feet, bearing his sword back up in defensive, pacing around the other in dancing strides to get his breath back and his orientation.]