As Tekla approached, her opponent drew his sword from where it had previously rested at his right hip and pointed it towards her. If he'd forgotten to do so, it would have been quite difficult to execute any kind of attack, but seeing as he was attempting a lunge he must have gotten it out at some point along the line.

Not that it made much difference to her. She didn't slow down or react when the steel came out, merely noted its length and carried on her relentless advance, until she hit the threshold of her opponent's striking range.

And [i]sped up[/i].

Both fighters lunged at the same time, drawing gasps from the crowd around them. Rather than backing off or trying to dart around the lunge, Tekla barreled on through, practically guaranteeing that the blade would score a hit- but not one that would end her, or even harm her. The moment her opponent made his move, she countered it, not with a parry or a dodge, but with a manifestation. A solid steel cuirass, bursting into being around her torso just as she threw herself into the oncoming strike.

Metal screeched against metal, the swordpoint crashing into Tekla's plate armor and sliding off to one side, deflected under her left arm. Her opponent hadn't fully committed to his lunge, but Tekla [i]had[/i] committed to hers, and the very instant after the boy's sword tried and failed to penetrate her, she struck back.

If she'd aimed for his body, perhaps he would have had time to duck or back away. She gave him no such opportunity. She had momentum on her side, pushing onward in spite of the impact on her chest and letting her left side swing back in response, bringing her right side forward, her right [i]arm[/i] forward, darting out with deadly accuracy and great big fingers twisted like steel talons, reaching for her opponent's right wrist and seizing it, crushing it, yanking it towards her. No room for avoidance here- the boy had just lunged, and reversing the momentum of his arm would take time, not to mention that the short length of his sword put her target immediately within reach. By the time he realized what she was doing, it would already be too late.

But would Tekla stop there? No. She was still moving forwards, faster than ever now, her huge and muscled form bearing down on the challenger before her. While one hand immobilized his sword arm and dragged him towards her, her left arm would plunge forwards, driving for his throat.