As if in answer to the guess, the Gods-Smiting Whip meets the Ginger Tiger's charge with bristling aggression. The spear drops to the floor. Kiriala takes a knee. Four floating tails find her neck with tips flaring up threatening lethal energy release. Two more mounted on the arms join the display with plasma blades peeling more and more paint off with every dangerous spark. 

No blow falls. There is no blast of laser fire shredding apart a naive opponent in her moment of vulnerability. There is no vengeful gouging of claws or sudden motion to rip a crystal fire drive straight out of the chassis of the mecha it's powering. She holds the pose, but it is all threat and response to threat, no action. No definitive bite. 

In other words, a confirmation.

"This match is... a loss." says Mirror.

Tails Three, Four, Five, and Six snap back to their neutral floating positions, and the blades created by Mirror's secret technique retract into the dangerously over-hot Tails One and Two. They detach shortly thereafter and join their sisters in a halo about the Gods-Smiting Whip. The finger's on the mech's right hand curl and tilt upward, lifting the Ginger Tiger's head with the index and middle digits. 

"I gave too much away. Patronizing. Apologies. But you reached the center of my first riddle and found one of my conditions admirably. More accurate: half found it. I was also protecting the arena this entire time. Did you notice the difference in my combat technique relative to past matches? I could much more easily preserve this frame by vaporizing yours. But. This field deserves to be napped in. I have kept it suitable for such. That is all."

She smiles as she lifts Kiriala back on her feet. It's a sad expression that doesn't reach her liquid eyes, more wistful than amused. Wasted opportunities, over-simplified play. Over direct. One two three, four five six. It affected her thinking after all. Poor strategy and tactics, simple marching in a straight line toward the goal. Even in the tallest grasses only an idiot would fail to track her movement. 

Solarel would... Solarel would have failed this challenge. But she would have done it while cutting Mirror in half. Which thought makes her feel worse?

"My second condition, you have not named. Nonetheless you have defeated it. The match is over and I have not triggered it. Not come close. Disaster. Disaster. Absolute misplay. Equivalent of health investment, absolute disgust. Thusly you are victorious. I will request this match be officially recorded as a draw. And I will take you into my service, but in honor of your wishes. Not mine. 

"In the time that is given to me I will... show you. The difference between a Hunter and a Fisher. The way star charts map new paths if you but name them differently. I will. Show you. How something can be. Forbidden. Without, without, without... without needing to declare it. I will teach you how far I have fallen. 

"But. My token of knighthood. My. Chivalry. To my new squire. I will. Choose. To believe I am already saved. I thank you. From the bottom of my heart."