Axel shot up a hand to brush Saix's assault aside, half grinning despite everything. It could have been worse. They'd suffered more in that fight than before, but it had still been a hard one. Aeons weren't something he'd seen before and they were dangerous, especially in the hands of an experienced and tactically minded Summoner, apparently. Still, if they'd come up against the party from last time and performed this badly, they'd be screwed.

"We wouldn't have gotten into this mess if you hadn't run into your friend again," he pointed out, pointing at Saix. "You need give your rivalry a rest, got it memorised? Hug it out or something."

He shook his head at Aerith's apology, though. It wasn't her fault she'd fallen under the bard's spell.