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year 5, quarter 3
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Kana-El approached and asked Caius if he was in need of any healing, and Caius shook his head. "I'll live, but thank you. Conserve your magic until we need it" Caius suggested while they slowed and idled to give the newcomer a chance to make his decision. Seeing as Kana-El and Kahlil were acknowledging the man, the odds of him being some kind of heat-induced illusion were steadily decreasing, Caius noted. He watched as the man seemed to show a lack of confidence in his abilities. But seemed calm either way.
It seemed he wasn't a mirage after all. Which meant that Caius had been ignoring him. And seeing as he lacked confidence, likely offended him as well. He'd have to amend that when he got the chance. Once the man, Maxi, introduced himself and indicated he would be joining them, Caius decided that chance came now.
"My apologies for not saying anything. I honestly thought I was going crazy from the heat" He half-joked lightly as he held out a hand to shake, hoping it would make amends and keep things professional. He had no reason to be rude to the man if he was willing to help them out, after all. Either way, it seemed they were ready to get going. With a new party member in tow, the group sauntered down the stairs. Caius jumped lightly when Maxi suddenly called out "Echo" and turned to shoot him a glare.
The room though, seemed more recently built than the others. But it wasn't that much less ancient. There seemed to be rotted wood about, and water poured across the floor in short. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that it was undrinkable, unfortunately. And Caius found himself taking a sip from his canteen unconsciously just from looking at it. Kana-El seemed to be the inquisitive type, carefully inspecting the room around them. Caius looked around, though he was less environmentally observant than Kana. He did notice some discoloring though, but that could be anything. Maxi pointed out that going much further would likely mean they would hit water, meaning there wasn't much deeper they could go.
But the whole group seemed to notice the discoloring, and Maxi was the first to act. When he pulled at it though, the immediate wall in front of it began to crumble, revealing an opening. But the room past it was dark, and they wouldn't be able to see what lay ahead. Kahlil looked to the others. His cheer was replaced with a grim, serious demeanor.
"I'd be ready for anything that could jump out at us in there. If there is anything you need to do to prepare, do it now."
It seemed that Caius had been found out. The woman waved to him, and Caius quirked a brow. Either she was indicating she was safe, or she was signalling for help. He didn't know which. So he would start to walk over to there, deciding to check it out for himself. His oversized "chocobo", which had very large wings that suspiciously resembled that of a dragon, would get up and follow behind him. Before long, they had climbed up and met the woman and the cat-man. The cat-man didn't seem to be harming anybody. In fact, the woman was introducing herself to him.
But the name caught his attention, and Caius quirked a brow.
"Meliadoul?" He inquired from behind her, as they had arrived just as the introductions had been exchanged. He recognized that name. And now that he was closer, he recognized her too.
"We've met. Some time ago, back in Torensten" He remarked, smiling lightly. "You nearly got plowed over by a chocobo."
Regarding the cat-man with a nod in greeting, he looked to Meliadoul again.
"Caius. That was my name. It's good to see you again."
The cat-man had also introduced himself prior to Caius speaking up, and Caius remembered that he had mentioned Spira. He looked to Kimahri with a gentle smile.
"It's good to meet you as well, Kimahri. Caius Dragelion. My companion is Vordun" He introduced properly, motioning to the fire drake behind him. "You said you were from Spira? There are a few Spirans in my camp. The Dragonblades, we're called. Mercenaries, specializing in jobs helping people out and dealing with monster and bandit attacks."
He didn't name what Spirans at first. The revelation from Declan that Yuna was some kind of "High Summoner" apparently had caused him to keep her identity close to his chest unless it was clear she was safe. He had been meaning to talk to her about that for a little while now.
Caius knew immediately by her expression that she was hiding something. Neither of them were very good liars, and an awkward silence followed as Yuna debated on what to do. Caius quirked a brow and just watched her with a stony gaze, waiting for her to spit it out. Eventually she came clean: She was going after Ardyn with his fiance. She then sat down in the grass and stared at him, seeming to be waiting for him to get mad. To yell at her. To pass judgement for disobeying a direct order.
Instead of being mad though, he just let out a sigh and shook his head.
"Aera. That's who you're referring to" He remarked. "The fault is mine" He admitted. "I should have seen this coming. I already know everything about her situation and it was me who told her to seek you out. I figured that if anyone was going to be able to help her heal, and perhaps help her find some guidance since she seems to be a very religious woman... It would be you. I should have known that she would drag you into some harebrained scheme to go after Ardyn, and for that, I sincerely apologize."
Instead of continuing to look down at her, he sat down in the grass as well, to stay at level with Yuna. Vordun, while confused, curled up behind Caius and rested against his back.
"I want you to listen to me very closely" He told her, looking her dead in the eyes. "Ardyn is not able to be killed. He is immortal. At least right now. Which means that engaging him is useless until we can find a way to counteract it. That is why I told you to stay away." He explained. "Go with Aera if you wish, but I'm giving you the same advice I was given by the last person to try to fight him.
Do. Not. Engage. If whatever Aera does causes Ardyn to attack, then I want you to take Aera and get out of there. No matter what she does. Both of your safety should be the highest priority. Do you understand?"
With that, he let out an exasperated sigh. "I'd also appreciate if you could try and deal with that sword wound that is limiting her mobility. I already tried to heal it, but I'm no healer. She didn't seem interested in seeing a doctor, so odds are it might be up to you to try if you can find the opportunity."
He couldn't put it off any longer. He knew that. For over a year, he had fretted over and over again of the fate of his King, of the Kingsglaive, of Lucis. He lamented the loss of his home and many times he became homesick. But... He also knew, deep down, that his home had been a hellhole. And he had lived a better life here than he had ever lived in Lucis.
And unlike in Lucis... There were people that needed him here. He was one of the leaders of the Dragonblades now, there were people counting on him. But as hard as he had worked, deep down, he hadn't been able to commit fully. Not when he felt like there was still a job to do back home. To oversee the reconstruction of his beloved Lucis. To protect the King, to serve the King...
For hearth and home.
But his hearth, his home... It was here. It was time .
Caius found himself wandering through his riverside homestead, meant to be preparing to head to Torensten to meet with Celes. Today, he had agreed to train with the recruits and give Celes a bit of a break. He had been insisting on it for awhile now, wanting to show his appreciation for all Celes did by covering for her for just a bit. But something was keeping him from finishing preparations and heading off. As he wandered through the house, he hugged the Kingsglaive jacket he had worn for so many years now close to him. There was an inner turmoil there for a little bit longer, but finally he stopped in his bedroom - stopping in front of the mannequin he had bought. And he had bought it for a very specific reason.
A bit hesitant at first, he began to slip the jacket off. He had done this a thousand times before, before bed, but this time... This time was different. Taking a deep breath, he resolved himself as he gently pulled the jacket off. Staring down at it one more time, he gingerly began to adorn it onto the mannequin.
"For hearth and home."
For a few moments, he just stood there. Head bowed before the jacket. He felt naked without it, but he knew that it was time to move forward. In his heart, he would always be a Kingsglaive. He would always uphold their ideals. Always protect those around him in a land where they could not be to do so. But these thoughts... He knew now that most likely, Caius would never get his answers. And it was time to accept that Lucis would get on just fine without him. His family was gone. Dead. And there was nothing left for him now. Only this jacket. One that would hang as a memento for years to come. But his time adorning it...
... Had come to an end.
Steeling himself with a deep breath once more, he reached onto the bed to pull up a new jacket. At first, it greatly resembled the old one, black and reaching to his knees. But this one was armored in spots, meant to better protect Caius. These armored spots were layered with a blue, scaly material. Blue, the same color as Vordun's scales. The scales that Vordun had shed had become the material to reinforce this new set of adornments. On the back, replacing the mark of the Kingsglaive, was the insignia of the Dragonblades.
Putting the jacket on, Caius looked himself over in the mirror a moment, feeling as though he were staring at a completely different person.
And with that, he nodded.
"For the Dragonblades."
Turning to look at the Kingsglaive jacket one last time, he knew it was time to move forward and focus on the task at hand. Mercenaries, people that were counting on him... And a gang war that threatened to undermine all they had worked for. It was time for Caius to step up and become the leader they needed. This burden, he could not allow for Celes to bear alone any longer.
With that, he took his leave. And on that morning... Caius Ignis Dragelion left his home, not as a Lucian... But as a Serentestran.
And as a Dragonblade.
Dragonblades Headquarters, Torensten
"Next!"
The latest in the line of mercenary recruits to step up to challenge the Dragonblade leader hit the ground hard as Itamen slammed into their back and sent them reeling on the ground. As the next member stepped forward hesitantly, Caius reached over to hold up a hand to help up his fallen comrade.
"You need a stiffer guard. I'm bashing through your attacks too quickly. Practice and strengthen your guard for next time and I'm sure our next duel will be better."
While Caius' words were gentle, his all-business expression betrayed just what the mercenaries had been through through for the last hour. An all-business Caius who was absolutely terrifying to fight. But Caius had roused the mercenaries with a claim that one of the best ways to get stronger was to fight strong opponents and better your game. And many of these young men and women desired strength. It was enough to keep them coming back. Even if they all ended up flat on their backs quite quickly. Caius did not hesitate, and did not show mercy until his opponent had been downed. And he showed no signs of tiring.
As the last mercenary stepped off the plate, Caius turned his attention to the scrawny young man who had stepped up next. Ensuring that the protective spells on the blades were still there so that nobody was seriously hurt in the coming sparring matches, Caius nodded his head to the recruit as he got into stance. His call to start came in a resounding war cry that reverberated through the training yard.
"BEGIN!"
The mercenary before him seemed hesitant, but after a few moments charged forward, swinging their sword in a straight vertical slice. Caius quickly parried the blow and brought Itamen low to slash the opponent's side when their guard was down. The kid went down quickly, though Caius caught him by the arm when he crumpled. Pulling him up, he patted him on the back.
"You charge too rashly, yet with no confidence. You left yourself open, but also sacrificed speed by not swinging with all you had. Think carefully before you attack, and when you do swing... Swing for the fences."
The young man shakily got up and headed to the back of the plate. Vordun (Who Caius had smuggled into the base in a horse costume) was laying curled up in the corner under the shade, and gave a snort at the battle. The Fire Drake was too used to fighting at Caius' side, and seemed a little annoyed that Caius had commanded him to stand down this time. Vordun was just visiting, and had been brought here so the recruits could get used to him. It wouldn't do for them to meet Vordun for the first time only when they got on the field, after all. It could risk jeopardizing the mission. Better to prepare them now.
The next one up did not carry a sword. Nor wore armor or a tunic. Instead, they wore a cloth robe, and the young woman came off as very... Focused, to Caius. Caius nodded his head, before calling "BEGIN!" once more.
Caius wasn't overtly surprised when a Fire spell was sent flying his way. Vordun's head perked up at the sudden spell as Caius rolled to the side, narrowly dodging it as the spell hit the stone wall. "Magic is powerful, but what use is it if you can't hit your target?" Caius asked the recruit, as she furrowed her brows before launching a Thunder spell, and then another and another, hoping to catch Caius with at least one to bring him down. Caius took off at a run, dodging the first on his physical merits. The second was dodged when Caius swapped for Isp and tossed the dagger forward, warping along with it and catching it as he neared the wall. The next was dodged when Caius would suddenly run up the wall, using the Power of Kings' abilities to propel him upward before backflipping off the wall as the spell exploded harmlessly off the stone. Caius performed another Warp Strike the moment he noticed that the mage was growing tired, sending him hurtling toward her. He stopped right in front of her, sword pointed at her throat.
"Done" Caius proclaimed, and the woman slumped down when she realized she had been beaten. Caius reached down to help her up with his left hand. "With your style... I'd learn to use a melee weapon as well. Magic is great, but you can't rely on it alone. You'll tire quickly, and it will leave you open. You would be best suited to learn to switch between styles to fit the situation. Consult Celes, she's a gifted sellsword. She will be perfect in helping you find a weapon that suits your style."
He turned then to the recruits. He kept that firm, commanding tone. Yet there was a gentle, more casual and friendly tint to it, one that set Caius apart from a more traditional drill instructor. While throughout the lesson he had been strictly business and relayed instructions similarly to his partner, the post-battle showed where the differences truly lay.
"That's enough for now. Take a break. Rest your weary bodies and prepare for battle once more in an hour. Remember that proper rest is just as important as the battle itself. A rested body will fight better, so take care of it. Don't eat and drink below your needed quota unless it is necessary to survive."
With that, Caius retired back into the building where he found himself a place to sit down. And immediately slumped into the seat. Truth be told, he was exhausted. But he had hid it best he could to seem strong for the recruits. If the recruits thought him tireless and unstoppable... They would work harder to keep up. Celes was the instructor... And he was the example. A role he now took on proudly.
After a job had finished, Caius and Vordun had been ready to make their way home. But hunger pains were starting to hit Vordun, and their meat supply had run dry after Caius' pack had been damaged. He'd been able to repair it and salvage most of the contents, but the meat had been destroyed by the monsters. Leaving a very hungry, and very grumpy dragon at his back. So a stop to the Pale Coast to tide him over had been a must. The two of them, man and drake, had curled up in front of the ocean while Caius had casted his line. He'd managed to fish up two decent fish, which Vordun had promptly gobbled up to sate the drake's appetite. Thinking it would be a good time to restock and replace his lost foodstuff, Caius had decided to continue fishing.
But unfortunately, a very bad habit of Caius' had caught up to him. And that was his lacking in proper rest. He did this all the time. He would travel through the night, or train through the night, or smith through the night, all while forgetting to sleep. It was easier with someone there to remind him, but Vordun seemed to be the last living thing on Zephon to remind him that they needed to set down for the night, and that he needed rest. So eventually, with all the peace and quiet... Sleep had very quickly taken Caius while the line was out. Vordun had fallen asleep long before that, curled up behind Caius with the mercenary's back resting against Vordun's wing.
Noises woke him. The wave of a spear. The splash of water. And then the call of a voice. Caius was up with a start, and his abrupt gasp woke Vordun as well. Caius quickly got up, the line raising with him. He looked to the line and made a face. At some point, a fish had gobbled up his bait while he was sleeping.
"Fishsticks" Caius grumbled as he dropped the rod irritably, turning his attention to the commotion a little ways from them. Some kind of monster was addressing a woman. And the monster had a gigantic fish. He didn't act, not yet. He just watched, waiting to see what might happen. And if he needed to step in.
The kid was going to have to work on subtlety. The yelling, the spittake at the window. Caius quirked a brow in surprise and in mild irritation, and then shot him a look to indicate that he needed to keep it down considering they were in public. Caius could feel eyes on them. If any of the bandits were here, then Declan would become a target immediately considering they would now know he was with them. More importantly, if Yuna was of some sort of high position... He potentially had just made her a target as well.
When Declan began to question him, he shrugged his shoulders in turn. "I don't know about a "High Summoner" but yes. Our healer is named Yuna from Spira" He spoke quietly.
He squinted a moment. If this High Summoner and Yuna were the same, then she had a reason to keep her status as the High Summoner a secret. Perhaps from someone like this guy even, who seemed very interested in the High Summoner. Caius squinted a moment, looking him up and down. It was clear by his gaze that he was wary of the possibility that Declan could be a threat to Yuna. He was protective of the members of his guild, and any threats to them would be dealt with swiftly. Though considering what he'd seen so far, there was little reason for him to make a conclusion in that way yet, so he spoke nothing of it.
The topic turned to what Caius had said before about handling failure. Again, Declan seemed like a decent bloke, even if he had been a little suspicious. Caius wished he was a better judge of character after the last few incidents, but perhaps if this one did manage to go through the first job without an issue, then he could send him off to Celes for further review. She would be far more suitable in this case in telling. Or she would run him through drills and scare him off if his heart wasn't actually in it and this was a cover. That would work too. So he had no reason to doubt him for now.
"Indeed" He responded as he held out a hand then. "I'll alert you when I've found a job that fits the situation. For the time being... Welcome aboard."
"So, these Bandits known as the Original Sin are hunting down people who are members of the Dragonblades because of the that one person's death," Declan inquired first, and Caius nodded his head. "It's a bit more than that. We've been treading on their operations for some time, especially me. Initially, it was just me with the bounty, but as we started getting more involved as a whole... Either way, according to the files I found, that, again, was their biggest source of income. And Darlene, well... She was a special kind of cruel and sadistic. They needed someone like her to make so much gil from their ventures. She will be impossible to replace, and that venture is permanently crippled. Thus, so are their resources. My killing her, whether right or wrong... Has crippled their funding for the foreseeable future. So understandably, they're pissed" He explained quietly, not wanting to bring panic into the room. If this Declan was one of those bandits, well... What would it do? This wasn't information that the bandits didn't know themselves. So Caius had no problem with telling it to Declan.
He seemed sure of himself, that was for sure. Caius listened quietly, sneaking bites of his food while he listened. At the end of it, he nodded his head.
"I know" He spoke softly, referring to his talk of Sin. "I am aware of Sin. Yuna told me. My thoughts go out to you for what you've been through. I know from experience it's not an ideal way to live."
He played with his food a bit, deciding to give Declan a reason to understand just why he understood. "In my world, a curse called the Starscourge, went from a disease that turned people into daemons... Into something that plunged the world into eternal night. The sun never came up for ten years. It used to be that at night, the daemons came out, and you would need to retreat somewhere with light to escape and hope they left. With the endless night... The daemons never stopped, and only got more powerful with each passing night... Until they stopped being afraid of the light. It was a living hell. Every day we lived in fear that the daemons would siege what few strongholds were left and we would have nowhere left to run. I lived through this for half of my lifetime. I grew up in this. Trusting people was impossible. Resources were scarce, people turned to stealing and killing to hoard food and weapons. I lost everyone I cared about as a result, and grew up on my own with only a desire to survive driving me, from the age of 13..."
Caius shrugged his shoulders. "I think I was 13 anyway. When the sun doesn't come up, you lose track pretty fast. This was all because one person became a monster and spread the curse. It's monsters like him that the Dragonblades exist for. Someone has to fight it when things get dicey. The rest of our work makes sure there are people still alive to save."
He took a deep breath and then took a long swig of his drink. There seemed to be no deterring this kid. Caius knew by now he wasn't the best judge of character, but he wanted to believe this kid meant every word.
"I'll take you up on that. You'll accompany me the next time I'm on a job that I feel will hold acceptable conditions to test you with. That will serve as your field test. Is that acceptable?"
Before he answered though, there was one more thing.
"Before you answer... I want you to understand one last thing. I told you that those people's lives... Will be in our hands. And sometimes... We will fail. You will fail, and those people's deaths will be on your hand. You will most likely have been able to save them if you had been stronger, or if you had done something different. Sometimes no matter what you do, it will happen anyway. It will reflect bad on you... And on us. And there will be nothing you can do except get better. But there is a great deal of pressure that comes with this. Not everyone can handle it... And I won't blame you if you decide you can't. But I want you to consider that before you give me your answer.
This job... This responsibility... It's not easy. It will never be easy. But someone's gotta do it."
Once they were seated, Caius would order himself some food and drink, and give Declan time to do so himself before speaking up. While doing so, he studied his expressions, his reactions. Watching, waiting, testing. His expression was nonchalant and stern, as a more business-like demeanour took point.
"You're already aware of the risks that come with joining, obviously" He pointed out first up. "And what you would be getting yourself into just by being associated with us. Our activities have ruffled the feathers of a group of bandits. Badly. Just by doing what the Dragonblades do, taking jobs in dealing with bandit activity, monster slaying, criminal busting, helping people, all of that... We have stepped on the Original Sin's toes. And increasingly so, at that."
He let out a sigh. "I'll be honest with you because it wouldn't be fair to keep this from you, it's going to get worse."
His head lowered slightly as he closed his eyes. "I killed one of their leaders. She was responsible for their human trafficking operations, which was their most profitable venture. Without her, their resources have been crippled. While I wouldn't recommend killing other human beings in cold blood the way I did, as even I'm not sure if I did the right thing and I also understand we have a reputation to uphold, the fact is it's done. Since I did so, bounties have begun popping up for members of the Dragonblades. Expensive ones, too. It's very possible that with their resources, these bounties will extend to more members as this conflict goes on."
He tilted his head back up to look him in the eyes.
"I want you to understand that getting involved with us, while we seek to do the right thing... No good deed goes unpunished. And most importantly, that when you are one of us... Many times when you go out for a job, the type of work we typically take there may be lives in your hands. The pressure will be on to ensure those lives are safe. That is the most important part of our job.
Second most important is ensuring that we are able to keep doing this job. You represent us at all times. Everything you do, every job you take, will reflect back on us. The Dragonblades prohibit shady jobs of any kind. We are not thieves or assassins, we do not work with bandits, and I ask that you keep your methods as clean as possible". He furrowed his brow in turn. "None of the shit you pulled earlier."
Their food arrived before long.
"There is a practical reason for this, as I've mentioned. We want a clean and respectable reputation because, well, answer me this. Would you rather hire the reliable mercenaries who get the job done and do it honorably? Or the glorified paid brigands who might bungle it up because they can't resist being brutes, or who might lie that they did the job?
So my question is, before we proceed... Do you understand this? Are you capable of, and willing to, take on the pressures of this job? Are you willing to uphold our standards as one of us, so that we might be able to keep doing this job and helping more people? There is no shame in stating you are unable. Being a Dragonblade isn't easy... Especially now. But they're good people, who do good work. And you will find no shortage of things to do either. And it is a brotherhood as much as it is a working unit. You will find yourself with strong allies who all wish to do good as you claim to."
This type of situation was the most Caius ever spoke in one sitting. Business. The language that Caius knew and spoke well.
He knew full well she was capable of escaping. It didn't look as though they had suppressed her magic at all, which was a stupid decision. Caius knew this because he himself could have broken out of there if he wanted to. And probably in, if one was being honest. The place was fortified enough, but in the face of powerful magic users such as the Kingsglaive, it wouldn't be enough. Caius though, had decided to take the civil route as to him, there was practical benefit in doing things this way. For Caius, the long game was important and his entrance had been part of that long game.
Caius frowned as it was made very clear out of the gate that this wasn't going to be a civilized, professional discussion. He had hoped that with some time for the drink to wear out, she would be more tolerable to deal with. It seemed that Caius was wrong, and while his patience remained - recent events had made his ability to retain a kindly demeanour in the face of pure spite considerably wane. Her snide remarks made her sound no better than the bandits he dealt with on a regular basis. Though he did notice her reaction when he brought up the similarities to their magic. With that and what came next, he had a pretty good guess on just who this woman was.
"I'll take Hearth and Home over throwing a childish tantrum in a bar, thanks" Caius quirked casually, sitting up and rolling his shoulders. His guard had shot right back up the moment she had started spitting her bile, and the potential for a fight was ever-present in his mind. Though his demeanor was a blank slate, so to speak. "I was built on King Noctis' desire to purge the darkness from Lucis, and then to rebuild. Which is what we did for the former, then were doing for the latter. Something I would still be doing if I hadn't been sent here."
She went on about them reaping what they sowed, and other things. Caius simply shrugged his shoulders, seemingly unbothered by it. "Did you throw a drunken tantrum in Lucis too, then? Maybe summon a pretty little fire tornado while you were there? Get arrested by the Kingsglaive and suddenly we're this scum of the earth? Gee, we're so terrible, stopping fire tornadoes like that... They really gotta purge those... Fire-Tornado-stopping scoundrels. Freedom to the fire tornadoes to destroy bars and all that... Ra ra."
There was no stopping the sass even if he wanted to.
"I don't mind" Caius promised when she insisted that she would be fine and that he must be busy. "I'll probably stick around a little longer before I hunt for my next job. Torensten is effectively one of my homes, after all."
That was all he could do, really. If she did not wish to accept his help in the matter, he wouldn't push anymore than he had already. And they had work to do for the time being. His gaze hardened as the creatures came into view and began firing on Vordun. "Vordun" Caius commanded calmly and firmly as Vordun opened his jaws and fire began to build up from the glands in his mouth. Caius would loosen his restraints as he fell to the side and held out his hands, using the restraints to hold him while he hung upside down from Vordun's underside.
"FIRA!"
Caius launched a Fira at the same time that Vordun had finished charging and had launched a fireball of his own. The attacks melted the arrows that came at them as they then struck the ground below, one by one, sending the goblins flying who were too close to the point of impact. With a cock of his head, Caius instructed for Vordun to land as Caius readjusted himself back on the saddle. The remaining goblins charged forward wielding shortswords, but Caius materialized his gunblade in his hand and slashed at one of them as Vordun passed them. Vordun meanwhile had been in the middle of bull-rushing forward and bowling a group of the goblins down, catching one in his jaws and crunching their body down before spitting it back at the others. Caius' gunblade disappeared as the shortsword from before took its place. Caius quickly split them into the twin daggers and pointed, letting Vordun do the moving as he began to fire rapid shots from both gun-daggers at the goblins, continuing to overwhelm them and keep them at bay. They were seriously outnumbered, which meant that Caius, Vordun and Freya had to keep up the pressure and keep them from overwhelming them.
Freya wouldn't be left alone though, and would have archers and shortsword wielding goblins to deal with. Caius wasn't able to attack them all, so she had her share to deal with. If either of them went down, the other ran the risk of being overwhelmed.... Making each side of this fight just as important as the other.
