lack of practical experience costs

Seriously, why didn’t you finish that angel while you had the chance? You had time, you were letting your instincts guide you. Did the dance think that it should have stayed down, was the dance used to fighting humans, with human reactions to being de-limbed? You didn’t really need to worry about finishing monsters in the melee before, because you’d been sucking the blood from their wounds with your Ribbons of Blood skill, and that killed them with any significant hit. For that one angel you hadn’t used Ribbons of Blood, because you were getting into a close melee and the ribbons, while versatile, were generally medium range weapons, at least when directed by your sword. You could use them in close, with your hands, or that maelstrom move, which let you use them with core movements, but you’d had other plans for your free hand and the maelstrom took a lot of stamina, which you’d needed to conserve.

Maybe it was just… a warning, that even the Dance of Wind and Rain didn’t make you perfect? Or maybe you just need better combat awareness? A bit more practical experience? Hell, maybe you just didn’t like killing the helpless, and it affected you subconsciously?

15: a sin of fire