You grunted as your back hit the ground, the wind knocked from you. For a moment you lay stunned, blinking up at the training room’s high ceiling as you caught your breath.

He leaned over you, a grin spreading across his masked face. “Not so mighty now, are you?” he teased. After your lengthy sparring match, victory was sweet. You had proven a formidable opponent as always, but in a rare slip you had left yourself open and he did not hesitate to press his advantage.

You scowled up at him, cheeks flushed from exertion. “A lucky blow, that’s all,” you grumbled. But you saw the glint of respect in his eyes, and you knew he acknowledged your skill, for this time at least, exceeded his own.