[continued from
this ancient thread]
*the kick connects with enough force to invoke a startled grunt as he's sent into a sideways stumble. He manages to keep his balance, but he's still too slow -- he's never felt so sluggish in his life and it's all he can do not to become exasperated at his sudden vulnerability -- he's still too slow to react anywhere near fast enough, and even as he catches himself, there's yet another opening as his arms move and expose his left side*