Part of why these two get along so well is that they have a matching sense of humor. Not identical, perhaps, but nicely complimentary. Barcus gives him an appreciative grin.

"Well, I didn't encounter any pockets of noxious gas, before, but it's definitely a possibility," he says. "Maybe more so in the cooler tunnels, in fact. There's also wildlife about. I don't think we'll encounter anything that specifically feeds off the lava flows, but there's always the possibility of bats or hounds. In which case--again, I've got the armor, so it might be best to let me play bait while you pick them off from a distance, if you can."

Not that he relishes this idea at all, but it makes strategic sense. "Here's hoping the fact that we're not carrying bright lights makes us a little less likely to catch the eyes of a predator."