[center][h3][color=#b3ccff]Esben Mathiassen[/color][/h3][/center]
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Neve barely had time to try and peer into the turbulent waters before she was yanked backwards by the collar of her robes. [color=#b3ccff]"He can handle himself,"[/color] Esben said firmly as he pulled Neve way from the railing. [color=#b3ccff]"Think now, worry later—we can't afford to have anybody else go overboard when we're getting swarmed like this!"[/color] He released her as quickly as he'd dragged her back, pointed back towards where Ciradyl stood, playing to counter whatever song had tried to worm itself into the Kirins' minds and hamper their fighting ability. [color=#b3ccff]"Stay by Ciradyl, I'll keep you covere—"[/color]

He cut himself off as he caught the glinting reflection of a rifle turning their way; he smoothly stepped around Neve, placing his buckler in the path of fire; his hand almost instantly went numb as the bullet ricocheted off, the small shield twisting slightly from the impact. The false dragoon lunged after that, a jetpack-assisted rush to try and impale the both of them on his bayonet. Esben slapped that aside as well, seizing the barrel of the rifle with his hand and yanking hard to free it from the grasp of its airborne wielder.

The Valheimer soldier spun off to one side, releasing the rifle so as not to lose [i]all[/i] control in his flight. He righted himself quickly, turned to face Esben and Neve with his sidearm drawn, still airborne—

—Only to find that Esben had been quicker to bring the rifle to bear, chambering a new round and blasting a hole clean through the soldier's chest and out through his jetpack. It exploded almost instantaneously, some shrapnel of metal and bone lodging itself in the deck boards. [color=#b3ccff]"Damn,"[/color] Esben muttered to himself. [color=#b3ccff]"Should've gone for his head, that way I could scavenge some rounds off of him. Move, Neve, I've got you covered!"[/color]