[center][h2][color=#b3ccff]Esben Mathiassen[/color][/h2][/center]
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His request for a signal rapidly was buried under deliberations by the two old men in the room with him, Zacharias catching Cid up on their defenses and the recent events as he knew them. He knew Cid had to have [i]heard[/i] him, at least, he'd just have to wait for some response. Still, if they took too long to do it, then while any of the group that may have been following the paladins would make it without trouble, the others who had split off would still be having to try and find their way. Assuming they weren't too caught up in whatever had caused the explosions outside.

And [i]he[/i] would still have to figure out what he was doing in the fight, as well; as he'd said multiple times, he wasn't one for pitched battles, his killing skills were suited to dueling and assassinations. The sight of Selene blinking her light off in one window rapidly pulled him out of his thoughts, however, given that she seemed to be frantically signaling at [i]something.[/i] [color=#b3ccff]"What's the matter?"[/color]

[b][color=#cc44f5]"It's Elly! On the roofs! I could just make her out!"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#008b8b]"Elly?"[/color][/b] Eos went to the window as well, peering out.

[i][color=#b3ccff]Well, that solves one of them.[/color][/i] He walked over to the same window, peering over the glowing fairies. He couldn't make anything out, but they had yet to give him too much reason to doubt.[color=#b3ccff]"Both of you pulse rapidly for two seconds,"[/color] he commanded. [color=#b3ccff]"And go up and down, the full length of the window."[/color] The confused fairies looked at each other, back to him, but then did as he bid.

[color=#b3ccff]"Stop. Full glow. Selene, bottom center of the window. Eos, top left. Then back to center."[/color] First letter. [color=#b3ccff]"Eos, top left again. Selene, bottom right. Return to center, then repeat, and back again. Good. Eos, middle left, Selene, top right."[/color] The fairies would have to make do as flags, but hopefully spelling out the short form of Éliane's name would work well enough as a signal. [color=#b3ccff]"Keep repeating that until you know she's picked it up, then start flashing at her again so she doesn't lose sight, I'm going to—"[/color]

He was going to say 'survey the grounds,' but when the pair came back to the center and started to pulse he cut himself off. [color=#b3ccff]"Welcome her in, I suppose."[/color]

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Quick as she was, it didn't take Éliane more than a few moments to get there. He waved her over to the open door. [color=#b3ccff]"Sorry that they don't look like proper signal flags, but it seems you got the message well enough. Paladins should be right behind you, a half company. We should still be taking them by surprise—I want you to set up somewhere high, good coverage of the clearing, so that you can take shots at any of them that leave you a good opening. How about..."[/color]

He paused, looking back at the cottage. Zacharias and Cid inside were just coming towards the entrance.

[color=#b3ccff]"Boost you up to the roof?"[/color] With no disagreement, he cupped his hands together, launching her up to the top of the small home, and he returned inside. Out near where the furthest of Zacharias's guards had been posted, he could already [i]just[/i] hear the sounds of a brewing confrontation. Zacharias, of course, still seemed reticent to trust them; it was probably for the best that he'd already gotten Éliane in place. [color=#b3ccff]"Are we done arguing about who's helping who?"[/color]

Ifrit and Ramuh appearing out in the clearing was answer enough. Eos and Selene floated on next to him, looking out at the advancing line of paladins across the clearing. [color=#b3ccff]"Hit them with whatever you have,"[/color] he commanded Eos. [color=#b3ccff]"Selene, stay up by Éliane, give her an extra pair of eyes and ears. If she calls for it, be ready to give a boost—hopefully I'll be close enough to still take advantage of it."[/color] Both fairies darted off in acknowledgement of his command. While it didn't hold the same potency as when she could literally get her hands on the target, Isolde's reaction despite her protections had proved the sudden damage the diminutive fairy could inflict with her Bios and Broils, hurling sickly green and angry red bolts at the front ranks of the paladins as Esben watched the battle unfold.

Selene, meanwhile, floated gently up next to the waiting Éliane. [b][color=#cc44f5]"Hi, Elly!"[/color][/b] she said cheerily, despite the situation. While at the fight with Leviathan she'd seemed nearly as given over to hysterics as her sister, she'd evidently grown more than confident with the group's abilities. She settled into place atop the pink-haired woman's shoulders. [b][color=#cc44f5]"I'm here if you need me!"[/color][/b]