Erik, who had made the same discovery about the way back only a short while ago, starts at the fact that the empty space behind him is now suddenly filled with another man, and a rather large one at that. Having looked over their little congregation, he found he hadn't felt terribly threatened; with Steve's arrival, that altered a bit.

"Welcome," He found himself saying, a bit dryly, as he made slow steps to gain both distance and a better look at Steve. A short-sword was held low against his hip, ready to swing up at a moment's notice, but merely defensive for now. His voice had a tinge of a German accent, "Who are you?"