Nicoli’s words were cut short as Zande stepped in for the attack. It was what he had been hoping for, his words had been calculated as such. Nicoli was stranger to tactical diversions, using slight of hand to gain the advantage. It was his trade after all. Most of the time such tactics worked and a prolonged fight never occurred. Nicoli saw such tactics as tests, and if his opponents passed those tests then they were worth the challenge, if not, well then they were often times dead.

It was safe to say that Nicoli rarely ever fell to such tactics, he was always expecting them. The two had been lined up across from one another, so when Zande stepped forward with his left foot to step on Nicoli’s it meant that he had to cross a leg in front of the other. Why the man didn’t simply try to step on Nicoli’s right foot he didn’t know. A set up for something else?

Nicoli wasn’t in a habit of getting stepped on in general so when Zande expanded Nicoli contracted, his left was brought back and slighty to his right. With his right foot he took a small half step to his right, his left hand moved to the hilt of his short-sword to draw it unless prevented and his right dropped to a pouch on his hip. Small talk was over it seemed. 

Should everything be avoided it would mean that Nicoli now faced Zande’s left side and for him to face Nicoli would mean that he would likely have to bring his left foot back across and turn, or complete a spin move of some sort.