Alayre nods in consent when the other gives his. Norrington is a difficult opponent for him to face, especially outside of armor. He counted all the numerous times James could've severely wounded him. His footwork was a little sloppy earlier since Alayre truly wasn't in the mood for spar. However, that changes here and now.

Again, Norrington's commentary is correct. The best way to force an opponent like him is to wait for any telltale signs of weakness. This is why Alayre takes a moment to study Norrington's stance before quickly charging forward with a might thrust. The Iceblade is on the forefront here and Alayre is wielding this double-ended construct like a pole arm this time around. He strikes first with the larger blade before spinning the opposite end forward to jab at Norrington's shield.

It should go without saying that Alayre is capable of detaching the swords at will. However, it seems that he's attempting a vastly different style of combat to throw Norrington off his game.