Knowing his opponent would resort to his shard during the dust storm- it had been given a high probability- the Cardinal had not invested his entire effort and energy in moving at full speed. He himself possessed a shard after all. Having committed its unique energy signature to memory. He noted that same pale blue aura was within his opponents grasp. Threads of its power growing outwards in all directions as it mingled with the very earth at their feet. As Tablurath had expected he was going to change the battlefield itself in order to limit the Cardinals mobility. At which point he would no doubt commence engaging him from a distance with evocation magic. 

He halted his momentum abruptly as the terrain changed around him in a heartbeat. Fortunate for him as the landscape around his visual range seemed to jut out randomly in a field of stalagmites all pointing at an angle toward the sky menacingly. Would the Black Skull be stopped by such simple tricky? Hardly. Yet it had bought his opponent some time, as Tablurath was now to the far right of his opponent some 17 meters away from his opponent.  

The dust cloud had already begun to dissipate as the area now returned to normal once more. As it started to clear the Cardinal stood with his right foot leading, left foot falling back behind him thus making him a smaller target as he stood with Serenity before him in his right hand. He allowed the blade to drop low then snapped it up again with a twist of his wrist. Allowing the weapon to swing before and from one side of him to the other side. Left down diagonally across, up then to the right again, then down again; repeat. Effectively creating a small eight figure on its side.   

It was called the Anchor Stance. Allowing Tablurath to actively keep his weapon before him and moving through focal points of magic automatically. In short allowing him to actively defend from spells in one direction. Though it could not be used while on the move, hence the name. It was one of the many stances created solely to kill mages and other beings who manipulated energy. This was the stance that would greet his opponent as the dust settled. The movements of the weapon a blur that allowed the mibs to float off of their own accord as they slowly saturated the area around him. 

His opponent had bought himself some time. Nothing more.