"She's… trying to be of help. In her own way."
"By siccing this thing on me?"
"Yes. My daughter has never given anyone a challenge they can't survive. As far as I know."
Willfully, the father's brain redirected all of his thoughts from the tales Yatrel told, the minimally truthful descriptions of 'duels' that were *quite* deadly from the ancient cultivator's past. Because that was all a very long time ago. He was sure!
Except he still dodged wildly when it *jumped* forward like a spider, then rapidly moved crabwise to the side - while its blunt striker limb darted towards the other man who had still not exactly retrieved his own weapon. Aleck kept his balance while being forced to move, grabbing at the chain in his hands and pushing physical energy through his limbs to tear the hammer part free before spinning it around himself defensively.
