An eye for an eye was Duffy’s life motto. Every now and then, it became a slash for a kick, and he stumbled back winded and disgruntled. His katana dropped to his side, pain spiralling out from the site of impact and pumping more adrenaline around his body. He had to give it to Cain, he was giving him a run for his money.

“Going to be like that, is it?” he stuck out his tongue at the downed captain.

The plucky notes of the Shamisen wavered, and the ephemeral music gathered about the humming blade to empower it, to engorge it, and to bring to life another aspect of the troupe’s power. He stepped several paces back, clearing himself out of the path of Ruby’s thunderous spell song.

“Fair fights are for women and gentlemen. And I am not neither of those!”

He slashed skywards, a cleaving arc that split the air itself. Three spherical whirls shot upwards, smashing into the ceiling and dislodging more remnants of a bygone age. Dust and rubble fell about them, comets of rage that precursed the three ghostly and explosive orbs descending haphazardly down at the Captain. Stood grinning amidst the chaos, Duffy defended himself with the Singing Sword, lest the unpredictable nature of spell singing decided to kick him in the nuts for good measure. Sweat beaded on his brow, and soaked his shirt down his back.

The shamisen dissipated, and outside, Lilith set down her corporeal counterpart, smiling politely to herself that she had given Duffy just enough education to perform. She looked up at the clouds, vespers of a storm filled morning, and took a deep breath of humid air.