Yuri was unable to remember the last time he had felt so completely unsure of himself or his state of mind. He was masterful at quickly carving clarity from any given situation, relying on wit, a razor-sharp intuition, and his own pride to tip balance in his favor. He never floundered in his actions or reactions, preferring a response of cock-sure confidence and an erratic demeanor to subjugate everyone he encountered. He was, quite simply, a man who was used to manipulating himself the upper-hand in all of his dealings.

Right now, though, Yuri was definitely off-kilter. When two bandits were pushed out towards where he and Balthus were waiting, he barely reacted. If his colossal companion hadn't have stepped in with a solid thump to one of the poor unfortunates head, they might have missed their chance to take a prisoner alive.

'Get your head out of your bloody arse, Yuri...' Bathus grumbled, safely securing the man he had toppled. 'You can stare at the pretty girl all you want on your own time... we have work to do.'

'I'm not staring, I'm assessing.' Yuri muttered, which was at least half of the truth. The lethal skill on show was overwhelming - almost hypnotic in the sure way that Byleth and Jeralt handled their foe. Their style was subtly different from each other – Yuri was quick to note. Jeralt's form and handling of his weapon as an extension of himself made his movement appear graceful despite his size and the fearsome strength with which he set about his task. Byleth was far more economical, which at first glance seemed brutal in its directness, but the more Yuri watched, the more he began to realise that she merely minimised risk by immediately seeking out and executing the most effortless killing blow. It was little wonder that genuine legends had grown up around these two consummate killers.

'Crap. Looks like we've got more trouble incoming!' Balthus barked in warning, pulling Yuri once again out of his personal reflection and drawing his attention to a second wave of hostiles that was started to pour from another one of the passages into the arena - the corridor that was right behind them in fact.

'There are archer's too.' Yuri murmured unhappily, as a wave of arrows flew forth and littered the area dangerously.

'Let's get some pressure on those ranged bastards!' Jeralt commanded bluntly – quickly finishing up his job on the last of the melee from the original insurgents and taking stock of the new development with a speed that was admirable. Byleth was already moving at a run towards the fresh arrivals, with Edelgard just a few paces behind her and both of them receiving helpful cover from Claude's impressive aim and Hubert's magic.

Balthus roared a challenge and then charged headlong into the nearest cluster of bowsmen, his steel-clawed fists ripping into the lightly armored assailants mercilessly. Byleth was quick to reach his side, pushing herself bodily into the group to scatter them a little and give them both her and Balthus more space in which to work.

'Mages be alert... they are coming for you!' Jeralt called out sharply, back-peddling to where Hapi, Constance, and Linhardt were stationed. Dedue and Dimitri were already engaged with fighters who had surged forward to swamp them, Dedue an immovable presence providing stalwart, reliable cover while Dimitri's spear moved at a lightning pace, managing to both hurt and keep the enemy safely at bay.

Hilda met an audacious attempt to break through their ranks with a mighty swing of her axe, cleaving pain to all in her range and cheering herself loudly at her success. Hapi and Constance stood their ground and refused to be cowed, instead sending waves of magic into the fray, burning and biting at any that fell foul of their effort with ease.

'Professor..!' Hubert called sharply to Byleth. 'There is another group of reinforcements coming from that passage to the west... behind you!' He spun out dark magic in the direction he indicated as even more bodies jogged onto the scene -swelling the number of foes still standing by an overwhelming amount.

Yuri finally managed to snap himself into some semblance of positive action. Ignoring the chaos that was playing out around him, he snuck to the side of the arena, his high-booted foot seeking out the rope that was hidden in its sandy surface. Once he located what he was looking for, he got to his knees and coiled the thick cable around his arm to get a good leverage on it. He raised his head momentarily to check where his comrades were, then once he was satisfied they were conveniently placed, he heaved heavily on the rope, setting his trap into motion. A huge pile of what had seemed to be stacked rubble and rocks toppled under his determined ministrations. They fell heavily, smashing into the nearby enemies mercilessly, leaving crushed, bruised, and broken bodies in their path.

'Nice one Yuri!' Balthus called out merrily.

Yuri took a quick stock of the situation once more. He couldn't help the shiver that ran over him at the sheer number of enemies that were opposing them. If they had met with this kind of force with just the four of them, it would have been a bloodbath... and even with their new friends aiding them, he wasn't entirely sure that they were going to win the day. Ironic, really. Suddenly he was responsible for the three future leaders of Fodlan, and the odds of coming out of it unscathed seemed low. Not too much responsibility on him then...

Jeralt was suddenly by Yuri's side, pushing him back roughly as he expertly skewered a bladesman that had blindsided the trickster completely. Yet another indication that Yuri was off his game at the worst possible time imaginable.

'I ain't entirely sure these adversaries are bandits, lad.' Jeralt grunted while pushing the corpse off the end of his blade. 'They have brought along some spell-casters. It's hard enough to get mages in a Merc band, and I ain't ever heard of any that willingly joined a bandit camp, let alone in number.'

'They have some skill too.' Yuri murmured, the fact that Jeralt had literally just saved his life not lost on him at all.

'I noted that almost immediately.' Jeralt agreed with a tight grin. 'Look's like your little problem may be more complex than we first imagined.' As he spoke, Jeralt whipped out a dagger and threw it almost nonchalantly into the back of an attacker who had been attempting to sneak up behind Balthus.

'Shouldn't we be helping the others out rather than talking?' Yuri queried politely. Jeralt was nothing even remotely like he had been expecting from the Captain of the Knights at it was yet another thing that was unbalancing him.

'Nah, no need... my kid has the students well in hand. They'll manage.' Jeralt nodded towards the corridor they were stood close to. 'We can expect some more bastards to come through door number four shortly. I can hear them sneaking about... we'll just have to provide a nice little welcoming party for when they finally decide to show their faces.' His grin broadened at Yuri's startled look. 'Do you happen to have any more clever tricks up those fancy sleeves of yours?' He asked.

'I did have a few more in the planning stage, but time didn't allow me to set them up.' Yuri grumbled.

'Ah, well... I suppose we will just have to manage in the old fashioned way then!' Jeralt grinned, waving Yuri to one side of the passage opening, while he stationed himself on the other. As they pushed themselves flat against the wall, Yuri felt the structure shudder slightly under the assault of the magic that was being fired from a much more significant number of sources now.

'I'm not particularly happy with the stability of this place.' Yuri muttered to Jeralt, unable to keep an edge of worry from his tone.

'Hmm. You felt that, too, then?' Jeralt raised a brow at him. 'It's an odd structure to have underground. Not entirely sure why there is a canopy above us... Not a great deal we can do about it right now, though. At least everyone else is fighting out in the main arena – they should be okay out there, at least.'

Yuri took a moment to watch the battle progress as they waited for the rest of the approaching enemy to arrive. It seemed that Jeralt's assessment of the current situation was playing fine just as he's suggested it would. Byleth had arranged their forces efficiently into teams that dealt with the groups that were split over several areas, while she moved to wherever she was needed, cutting a path through where required.

Their own spell-casters had eased down their personal assaults, seemingly as aware as Yuri was of the risks to the outer part of the building – using their abilities sparsely and where it was most effective. Dedue was a literal rock. He was bleeding from numerous places, but nothing had gotten past him to even remotely endanger Linhardt or Hapi and Constance. The litter of bodies in his protected area was vast.

Dimitri was side to side with Edelgard, both bloodied but working together effectively with Hubert in support while Balthus had been assigned to Hilda, who was loudly complaining about him taking all her kills. Claude was mayhem personified with his bow, dodging and weaving effortlessly and keeping Byleth's flanks as clear as possible. There were very few adversaries left on their feet now.

The last wave of reinforcements turned out to be the smallest one, just a handful of mages with four heavily armored axemen as company. Jeralt engaged the axemen as soon as they made it through the entrance, working hard to lead them away from the walls and out into the central pit. Yuri was having a harder time with the mages, though. The first he ran through with very little trouble, but then he was forced into evading the retaliatory casts from the others. The elemental blasts that they were conjuring up was doing nothing to assuage his fears for the danger of a collapse.

Claude proved able to draw them out a little further with a barrage of shots - one of which proved lethal to its recipient -, but the remaining fellows were hunkering in and sending up massive pillars of flame and ice in the direction of all comers. Byleth had noticed what was going on and started on her way to help.

Yuri continued in his dance of distraction as the Ashen Demon crept around the very back of the room to get herself into the corridor a little way behind the mages. Silently she threw herself forward with purpose, her blade ending one caster immediately, as a second who was just outside of her range raised his hands to fire off a spell directly at her.

Yuri had anticipated the threat even before Byleth had struck. He was bounding towards her even as the dead mage was falling and barrelled heavily into her propelling her back into the corridor just at the second an enormous burst of ice hit the spot where Byleth had previously been stood. That blast was followed swiftly by another – aimed this time down the hallway after them. They tumbled awkwardly together to the ground, both stunned by the force of the magic which had pushed them much further back than Yuri had anticipated. There was a massive, cracking groan from overhead and the entranceway through which they had come completely disappeared, buried with devastating speed under falling masonry. Instinctively Yuri covered the woman lying prone beneath him as best he could until the damage appeared to settle.'

'Are you alright?' Yuri whispered breathlessly, raising his head but unable to see anything at all in the pitch darkness.

'I'm fine. You?'

'Still in one piece.' He murmured.

'Professor?' Claude shouted urgently from the other side of the blockage.

'We are fine!' Byleth responded, laying her aching head back onto the cold ground in relief. 'The whole structure didn't disintegrate then?'

'No, lass.' Jeralt's voice joined with Claude. 'It was localised to this entrance only, but I want us all to move out quickly - just in case.'

'The hostiles are all dead?' Yuri demanded to know.

'All but the one we are keeping to question, bud.' Balthus confirmed. 'Can you get back to town from where you are? We don't need to dig you out, do we?'

'I don't believe so.' Yuri replied. All of the entrances meet up at various places if my memory serves. The fact that those hostiles used this entrance means it must lead somewhere.'

'Get everyone to safety, Da.' Byleth requested. 'We'll find our way back to you as quick as we can.'

'Let's hope there aren't any more bandits lurking about.' Yuri murmured as Jeralt agreed to Byleth's suggestion.'

'If they are, we will just have to deal with it.' Byleth replied stoically. 'So, um... do you think you could get off me now?' She added plaintively.

'I dunno, pretty lady...' Yuri's tone became coy, although he was glad for the cover of darkness, which hid his unexpected fluster. 'I'm rather enjoying the opportunity of being on top of you this time around...'

'Are you sure you're not hurt?' Byleth asked again with some concern in her voice.

Yuri took stock of himself carefully. 'No, honestly, I'm good.' He replied.

'In that case, it'll be okay if punch you then – and I will punch you - unless you get the hell off of me... now!' Byleth said pointedly.

'Cute.' Yuri rolled to the side and sat up. 'Do you threaten all your potential suitors with violence, or am I just a special case?'

'I have a bad feeling this is going to be a very long trek back to town.' Byleth sighed.

'Aww, Professor... a romantic stroll in the pitch darkness with a handsome and accomplished gentleman and the genuine potential of meeting with some more homicidal bandits? Surely this must rank as the best prospective date you have ever been on?'

'It might very well be...' Byleth agreed quietly. 'But that would be because it is only the second date I've ever been on, and the first was in payment of a boon and had some very stringent rules attached. '

'Wow.' Yuri breathed as Byleth got to her feet and brushed herself off. 'You really need to get out more, Professor..'

'Ain't that the bloody truth.' She mumbled.