[center][h2][color=#b3ccff]Esben Mathiassen[/color][/h2][/center]
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Given everything the Kirins had been dealing with that very night, Esben had been proceeding silently along with the group. He simply didn't have the energy—let alone the desire—to contribute much until they ran into anything serious. The empty cell was noticed, recorded in memory, and he continued wordlessly along. Until they got to the crystal, he doubted that there was really anything more needed from him as it was.

His plan with the Grovemasters had worked out, insofar as Zacharias was on their side and the problematic ones were dealt with in [i]some[/i] manner. They had the location of the crystal, they had some information on what they would face. The team expected ambushes almost as a matter of course anyways, so when Sahuagin clambered from their aquatic hideout to try and stop them...

[color=#b3ccff]"Selene, if you would?"[/color] Intelligence and tactics akin to those of a human lineage still did not necessarily mean much, certainly if they were to approach it as hunters and not warriors. He doubted they would have the bravery to face them down to the last—the fish-men would likely retreat to their waters once their 'prey' put up too great a fight, and would fail to even [i]approach[/i] a surprise for the Kirins after that point.

As much as Esben would have preferred to draw back from the water's edge further, drag the Sahuagin up and away from their element and take away any possible sort of advantage they may have, risk the fewest of his team that he could, even he could admit that it was entirely unnecessary against such a pitiful foe. Assuming the old stories of them turning men into toads weren't true. [color=#b3ccff]"Stay—"[/color]

He grimaced at the loud thunderclap that came with Miina's spell, while Selene lent her haste to all of them. While the last healing they'd received from Cid seemed to have taken care of most of the problems he'd still been suffering after the hit to the head he'd taken out in the desert, it was only natural that he should still be shy around such a loud noise in so tight a space. [color=#b3ccff]"—[i]Near[/i] them,"[/color] he finished his order for the rest of the team. It wouldn't do for their front runners to get themselves cut off, after all.

True to his own recommendation, he surged forwards, leaping over still-convulsing bodies dropped by Miina's lightning to carve into another pair of the fish-men with his sword.