[ if she hadn't been regarding him just as critically, she might have found the attention a little unnerving. but they're clearly both used to combat, though there's something about the way he holds himself that makes her think he's not trying nearly as hard as she is.

which just frustrates her more, tbh, but competition is the spice of life. or something!

at least he seems to acknowledge that she can hold her own, even if this nonestop fighting has made her a little breathless by now. she hasn't yet used her glyphs, at least, which is conserving quite a bit of her energy, but endurance was never really her thing in the first place. ]

Don't get too complacent — I don't trust this thing to let us off that easy.

[ she's turned her attention towards her sword by now, though, using her free hand to spin its chamber to change its setting. her thumb pauses over the red vial sitting within its chamber, but she bites her lip in thought. no — flames in these small quarters? even if it would wipe out a good handful of santas, it would not bode well for the two of them. ]

...Hey. [ she hasn't turned back towards him, nor has she lifted her sword again. instead she keeps her attention on the new batch of santas speeding towards them. ]

That wind thing you did earlier. Can you widen its berth?