There was something in the air around them, some thick darkness that threatened to overcome them all. The imposing shadow filled him with an icy chill, the sounds of creatures and rocks moving in the black were menacing and he feared if he stood there waiting in the ever more encroaching darkness he might become delirious. The shieldbearer feared that whatever it was that seemed to wish to overwhelm them, to blot out their courage might well do so and he may never leave that cave lest he stumble out of some unknown exit a broken man. Alas he was sure he had stronger resolve than that, he was certain that he would find some way to overcome this ominous feeling that surrounded them. His hand remained on Gennadiya's arm as she searched and although they did not seem to move far from where Ethelynda had left them Xander did not let it go as she searched for the source of the sounds and whatever it was that the healer was attempting to illuminate.
His eyes scanned the darkness searching for anything out of place, searching for the source of their fear and the presence that sought to drive them by fear. He followed the beams of light that left Gannadiya's hand and watched to see if they would reveal anything. He listened as Woe spoke of them standing strong, suggested that they should not rush into the darkness around them and instead should fight on their own terms. Xander could see the logic in this even as he struggled with the feelings of discomfort that grew from the still growing and advancing shadows around them. Xander slowly drew the ornate sword from its scabbard, the gift he had recieved earlier that arc would serve him well here should he require it. "I am not sure how is best to tackle this situation, whether to fight something here where we are being oppressed by whatever is causing this darkness or whether we should push on, perhaps this darkness is simply an illusion that surrounds us and beyond its borders may be less of an oppressive feelings." He somehow doubted it and yet he wanted it to be true that they could possibly simply continue on and leave the darkness behind them.
"However, if we wish to stand and fight here, to hold our ground and let whatever is causing this come to us then I shall do so, I am your sword and shield." He said first to Gennadiya but then looked to all of them around him. "I will protect you all to the best of my ability, should it come to it." He meant it too, they may well have been strangers too him but there had always been a need within Xander to protect others, perhaps it was his noble burden perhaps it was something else.
The sounds of the creatures intrigued him and he listened more keenly to the hisses that seemed to move from them in one direction. As he stood with his companions he tried to decipher what the hisses were saying if he could. If it were the language of snakes he should be able to understand it, it was a new gift that had come to him recently, he had no doubt it had come from his mark by Ethelynda and while it was new to him he had found himself hearing the whispers of grass snakes in the crop fields sometimes as he had walked by them or coming from under bushes in some secluded park in the city. It was an odd thing but he was beginning to be able to drown out the words of the snakes when they were present and an interference.
Now, however, he focused in on the hissing to see if it was of the Serpent Tongue. If so he would garner any information he could from it and if not then once again he would return his focus to preparing to defend the group if he needed too. For now though it seemed they would not move on in the tunnel and he would remain with the rest of the group, moving forward alone would only endanger their ability to complete their task here.
