Kael
I knew what came after the lowered guard.
That was the problem.
Lucien held the blade across his body, leaving the upper approach open enough to invite a direct attack. His rear foot turned slightly outward. A faint line of gold-red Aether gathered near the guard.
I had seen the sequence in Throne of Ruin.
Low guard. Rising pressure. A short delay before the second cut came back toward the shoulder.
The game had punished an early retreat. Stay close, let the first line pass and take the inside before the return.
I remembered doing it.
I remembered how satisfying it had been to find the answer.
The first time, I had retreated and taken the returning cut. The next attempt had gone much better. I had learned when the delay arrived and which direction kept me close enough to punish it.
Useful knowledge, once.
