[center][h2][color=#b3ccff]Esben Mathiassen[/color][/h2][/center]
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Esben could at least appreciate that Zacharias had set defenses around his home and planned to go down swinging—the man was right that it would likely be nothing more than a pyrrhic victory, but in the absence of any interference to his benefit, martyring himself would likely have better effect than trying to run, especially if any of his apprentices made it out to try and act as rebel leaders. Unlike with his prior debate about whether or not to rescue Hien, however, the takeover had not been successful yet. Zacharias had a benefit that the old Ospreyan leadership didn't have, having someone competent and divorced from the internal struggles able to help him.

As much as Esben hated being on the defending side of a siege...

[color=#b3ccff]"What defenses?"[/color]

[b]"I've made a minefield of the grounds, I have emplacements set to unleash fire upon them, and I can call upon Ramuh if need be,"[/b] came the surly reply.

[color=#b3ccff]"You too? I imagine you can probably keep him here longer than I can."[/color] Ignoring the mixture of shock and outrage playing across Zacharias's face, while the incredulous Grovemaster's mouth moved trying to find words to speak in response, Esben raised the crystal he'd been given by Cid again. This time he focused on it, the inert matrix starting to glow with its own inner light—and in seconds, Cid appeared between the two of them.

He wasted no time on greetings before getting right down to business. [color=#b3ccff]"Cid, I need to know the situation back at the cathedral. If Isolde's there with her paladins, if they're planning anything, or if they've already left entirely."[/color]

Cid left as abruptly as he'd teleported in, reappearing nearly thirty seconds later. He remained silent, his expression grave as he handed a familiarly gnarled branch of enchanted wood to Zacharias, identical to the Grovemaster's own staff.  After giving the latter a moment to process it, he spoke.

[b]"I'd caught but a glimpse: forty or fifty paladins screaming for your head. Evidently, they think you have a hand in this.[/b]

[b]"Stupid, stupid girl."[/b] Zacharias closed his eyes in frustration and mourning. [b]"She's suborned nearly half of the knights to her side, then.[/b]

[color=#b3ccff]"Ah. Unavoidable, then."[/color] The expression on Cid's face and the staff made the situation perfectly clear. After the fight they'd had with Isolde and just a few of the paladins, if she had been whipping them up into a frenzy, then it was no surprise at all that Chisato would have removed her in an instant; he could only hope that the diminutive ninja had managed to escape the aftermath unscathed. [color=#b3ccff]"Hopefully Alambert isn't similarly compromi—"[/color]

He was cut off as the sound of gunfire in the distance reached the grove. His eyes narrowed; too many firing at once to be Éliane, or at least to be [i]just[/i] Éliane. That the sound of a larger explosion followed shortly thereafter didn't do much to tell him who the cause may have been, but if such things were happening, from a different direction than the cathedral itself—it was too much to be a coincidence.

He spat out some old Skaeller curse under his breath, turning back to Cid and Zacharias. [color=#b3ccff]"Alright. Zacharias, I'm sure they're expecting you to play the stubborn old fool and stay here waiting to meet them in combat. Normally, I'd suggest getting you out of here, but with one down we may be able to cut this off before it has the chance to grow too much. Cid, is there any sort of signal you can give for the rest to know exactly where we are? A pillar of Ifrit's flame seems [i]exceedingly[/i] obvious, but it might give the paladins pause to think that Zacharias here is setting up for a greater confrontation than they expect—or just drive them to rush in unprepared, with the rest of the Kirins hot on their heels. Either possibility can be turned to our favour, unless you have something more subtle?"[/color]