Caius and Vordun were almost to the cave when someone called out to them. Turning his head, he could make out a figure. Though as he came closer, he realized he knew that figure. Oh, great. This one. He wasn't terribly disappointed, to be completely honest. He had seen them fight. They had gone after Caius like a whirlwind, even injured. They were clearly a competent, trained fighter. Which meant he wouldn't be carrying some fool who was potentially going to die on his watch. That was the end of the good news though. The bad news was he probably wouldn't hear the end of their mouth.

And then it came. As he got close enough, they started babbling. Demanding he not speak, demanding they go it alone... This was the kind of stupid ego that he wasn't looking forward to dealing with. Caius was proud of his capabilities... But he wasn't going to look a competent gifthorse in the mouth when it came to drakes. Not like this one was already doing. He looked to them a moment as he stopped. Vordun had responded to their outburst with a low growl, but Caius would hold out a hand and place it on the dragon's head, scratching his head to get him to calm down. But despite all that was going on, Caius eyes were dull, showing no emotion, no reaction. His head was somewhere else entirely. And that was toward what was ahead.

"You're the other mercenary the villagers mentioned, then" Caius responded dryly, looking Faris in the eyes a moment before continuing on toward the cave without a second thought. "I've seen you fight, so you'll do. If you're coming let's go, the drakes aren't going to slay themselves. If you're too prideful to work with me, then that's your decision."

To be honest, he didn't care anymore if they chose to leave Caius to do this himself. If they were going to let their foolish pride get in the way of practicality over something so stupid, there was a good chance they wouldn't survive the drakes anyway.

"Vordun, get a scent."

---

Caius waved a hand when Faris would dismiss him and proclaim they were going to go their own way. "That's fine. If you find the child, please alert me. The longer we take, the smaller the already slim chance the child has survived becomes" He told them as he kept walking. That at least covered why Caius was in such a hurry, and he figured that would be the end of it. What Caius hadn't expected was for the pirate to actually continue, though for a different reason. This time, they were referring to Vordun, calling him a wind drake. Also a she. Caius blinked a few times, intrigued at their potential information about dragonkind, and motioned with his head for them to hurry and follow along if they wanted to talk. He'd made it clear why he wasn't keen on stopping.

He did listen to what he had to say, though. Unlike Faris, he didn't bristle at their presence. They were a potential source for important information with their knowledge, which meant he was hanging on to every word. Once they finished, he spoke up, first with a calm "I appreciate that" when it came to his wanting to look out for Vordun, as well as for the advice he had given, before he elaborated on the things that Faris had said.

"I think Vordun is a him" He then responded. "I've looked into the few pictures taken of similar looking dragons by the few who met one and survived to tell the tale, and noticed there were some with more muscular facial features than the one I killed. Vordun's features more resemble theirs, so my guess is Vordun's a he."

He looked toward Vordun padding at his side, and seemed to think that he could take a second to give him a small pat, scratching behind his ears, inciting a coo from Vordun as he brushed his scaly head against his hand. "I'm not sure if he's a wind drake, as I've not met one that I've identified. He can breathe fire, is all I know. But as you mentioned, aye, I've just been learning as I go so don't take my word as law on this one. I'm still figuring out his breed and your wind drake observation is the best thing I have right now."

He had not been the only one to tell Caius that closed spaces were not beneficial for dragons, he remembered. "I don't think he'll take to them, we've fought dragonkind before and his loyalties appear to be to me. I've raised him since he was a hatchling, and not seen issue there. But I'm aware that dragons are at a disadvantage in smaller spaces. Since he's smaller than the others now though, he has the mobility advantage. I was hoping that by working as a unit, we could fell the drakes quickly."

He looked to Vordun again, considering what he had said. "If he shows signs of anxiety though, I'll call him off. I can do that with less worries as well with you here, which again I appreciate. If I call him off, you're free to stay back with him. His life is more valuable to me than my own."

He pondered what he said on dragons being independent creatures, and that he'd likely keep to himself when he was older. That thought upset him, but he'd accept it. He would leave it to Vordun's decision as to if he wanted to be released or continue to work with Caius.

Either way, it seemed that the pirate was coming along. That was fine with him. He was a competent fighter and Caius had already accepted them as a battling partner for this mission until their initial idea came about of running off on their own. But he also realized that one thing they couldn't have was tension and bitterness. It would throw them off, which was counteractive when both wanted to keep Vordun safe. And perhaps Caius had been in the wrong to begin with anyway, he knew...

The glaive let out a breath as he lowered his head. "Look, I... I apologize for my actions before. I had garnered the mistaken impression you were unable to heal yourself as you hadn't already with how bad it looked. I couldn't let it go and let someone potentially die when I could have done something, but I still acted rashly. That was my fault."

---

"I'd keep her safe as my own" The pirate had spoken. "Thank you" Caius responded. They could gender Vordun as they wished, he supposed, they didn't seem to listen to half of what he was saying anyway. What mattered was that they got the job done when it counted. Their lives, Vordun's life, the lives of the villagers and potentially that of a child were at stake here. There was no room for error. Caius was not fooling around.

”It doesn’t matter a bit if I could heal myself or not, I told you straight on to leave me be. It’s not your place to force it otherwise no matter what good you think would come of it, and I’d’ve thrown myself from the cliff before I let you lay a hand on me without my say so.”

Caius let out an exhale as he hung his head a moment, his hands falling into his pockets.

"No, you're right."

He saw that now. He'd meant well, but...

"I had no right to do that, no matter my intentions."

Caius felt irritated, he could admit. Not at the other man, but at himself. He was frustrated that he had acted as such, even if he'd thought he was doing the right thing. He needed to start thinking these things through, he knew that. He had been impulsive and hasty, letting his concern that someone was going to die if he didn't do something cloud his judgement and cause him to act without thinking. It had been a stupid thing to do. He should have asked the pirate right away if he was able to heal himself, and then offer after if he couldn't. And then walk away regardless of the result. But hindsight was 20/20, wasn't it? He'd panicked and he knew it. He'd panicked and made a bad call.

The pirate would point out that they'd need a light if they went any further. Caius knew enough magic to create some semblance of torchlight, but as he didn't know his skillset, he let the pirate continue. It was possible he was better at magic than he was and had a better solution. If he didn't, Caius could offer to take over. But then the man suddenly was changing, and he would look over to watch this with a curious eye. His attire swapped almost entirely, and Caius quirked a brow, waiting to hear what that was all about.

Apparently now he had the properties of a Red Mage, and a range of magic to go with it. He was surprised by this, it looked like he was even more capable than he had imagined. Faris would introduce himself then, and then warned him not to take him lightly - and warned him again not to order him about.

"You don't need to tell me that" Caius remarked pointedly at the threat. "You proved you were capable before. I have no reason to take you lightly."

But he was right it would be good to know names if they were to be working together. "Caius Dragelion" He then spoke up. "Leader of the Dragonblades Mercenary Guild."

A pirate captain and a mercenary leader. What a pair they made. The irony wasn't lost on Caius. Though a small smirk crossed the corner of his mouth as a thought came to him. Or well, to be more specific, something that had been on his mind since their first encounter.

"Don't tempt me to provoke you a second time though, just to get a good fight" He joked, as he looked back to Faris after a moment of trying to see what was ahead. "I'll be honest, Captain Scherwiz, your versatility fascinates me. Even injured, your speed of blows was overwhelming. I could have cast Cure during all of that, but I didn't even have the chance. And I'm sure you're even faster than that when you're your best. Now you tell me you have a variety of spells at your disposal as well."

A sound coming from up ahead changed his mood though, and Caius let out an exhale as he wiped the slate clean, so to speak. While he was curious about how Faris could fight when he was at his 100%, they had a job to do and that job was a bigger concern to Caius. He'd have to ask him about that outfit swapping thing later though...

---

A man of standing? Caius blinked twice, maybe three times at that. That was the first time he'd heard of that sort of title. Believe it or not, Caius hadn't ever thought of himself that, as the leader of a mercenary unit, he was something of something. Anything, of standing. He was someone that had taken on responsibilities, for the sake of a cause that he and others believed in. That was all. He didn't consider their words very long after the initial moment to understand what they meant, and casually shrugged his shoulders in response.

"The jobs we take benefit people who need it. That's what I care about."

That was the best response he could give to both that as well as to the talk about hired work. He supposed hired work wasn't for everyone, but it seemed this one was willing to do it when needed. Their talk about once helping all he could -- and still seeming to, to an extent, made him decide though that while he had still been wrong to attempt to heal them the way he had, his instincts about Faris had been right.

Caius watched as they would summon and tame their flame, planning to only step in if they absolutely needed it. Caius could tell that the pride of this pirate was important. Perhaps a bit fragile, but important nonetheless. But they got it done, which was what mattered.

Faris answered his remarks about their versatility with an explanation relating to the crystal of their world granting them those abilities. So there were crystals in other worlds then... He had figured as much after hearing about one here in Zephon somewhere, but he hadn't known what properties they could bestow. This one must have been worthy -- or at least held some sort of calling to be granted those abilities.

"It's kind of funny to hear that, if I'm being honest" He admitted softly after a moment of reflection. "The crystal from my world is the source of my own abilities as well. Or well, they fueled the power of the Chosen King... And it was he who deemed me worthy to wield a piece of that power in defense of Lucis. But that was a long time ago."

But despite his answer, Caius had been listening closely and had taken note of their skills. It would be good to take note of them for the battle ahead, he had decided. While he would try not to boss him around, he would hope that they wouldn't take umbrage to a suggestion if it would potentially aid in their success. He doubted their ego was large and troublesome enough to make the mission harder than they'd almost made it before... Or so he hoped.

Speaking of their work, they had a job to do. Faris told him to keep point and Caius had no issue with at least taking their words into consideration. Two wyverns had smelled a new scent and knew it was dinner time, as the large creatures burst down the hallway toward them.

"Vordun, between me and the Captain" Caius spoke toward Vordun as his sword would materialize in his hand. "If either of them get past me, my guess is Cap would need to take time to swap before getting full use of melee, and we need him in magic if he's the best mage we got" He added, more to elaborate for Faris than for Vordun who already had his orders. "Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, Captain Scherwiz. I'll plan around" Caius then spoke directly to Faris before going on the offensive.

It was a far cry from the battle between Caius and Faris before. Caius had been completely on defense at the time. Now, he had leaped into the fray and had immediately begun laying into the front of one of the wyverns at blinding speed in the air, his abilities jerking him to the side when one of them would lunge at him in an attempt to bite his head off before Caius brought his blade down on their head, sending them crashing downward. The second went for his arm, and Caius would narrowly move in time to kick his toes off their scaly body and propel himself forward toward the ground. As he landed, Caius planted a palm on the ground for balance and spun on his heel to immediately point his gunblade toward the wyvern and fire. The shot rang out and exploded on contact with the wyvern's face, who let out a roar in pain and anger.

The other one meanwhile, had gotten up and was heading straight for Vordun and Faris in a fury. Hearing movement when he could actually hear again after the roar, Caius quickly turned and tossed his blade forward. Activating the Warp-Strike, Caius would zip forward and strike his foe in the back, knocking it back down. "Vordun!" Caius called to the dragon who would rush forward and attack in a fury of snarls and claws. Vordun may have been small, but he seemed just as fierce as his bigger assailant, and Caius had given him an opening to attack.

Spinning his blade between his fingers, Caius would take off at a run toward the other wyvern... He hoped that Faris would lend their magic to aid Vordun while they still had the advantage. He never did stop moving his gaze back and forth though. Vordun scarcely left his sight.

---