[EVENT RP] The Reclamation of Tania

[Swift_Assassin]

As Shad rejoined the others, an unwelcome sight arrived. A group of men, with a rather loose uniform policy, surrounded them. The ones with spear set them to rest pointing at the group. Shad was rather confused, but Lennox and Carla knew exactly who these men were. They looked like an adhoc group of travels, but that was their cover. The only man in a recognizable outfit approached Lennox. "I am Sergeant Mat-"

"I know who you are, Mathis." Lennox replied indignantly. He glared at the Ostian soldier staring him down. "We've crossed paths before." He started bouncing side to side on the balls of his feet. He looked ready for a fight, despite his sword on his back.

"Lennox Hyperion. Under orders from our Emperor, relinquish Dyrnwyn to us or your life will be forfeit." Shad went a bit wide-eyed. These were the relic hunters they spoke of. They've been tracking them down, just like Lennox mentioned. But to show up here, of all places? Are they even aware Tania is on the brink of open conflict between Lycia and Bern.

"My life has been forfeit since I claimed this blade as my own. I've relayed that sentiment to your compatriots before." He then grabbed his purple cloak and tossed it at one of the spearmen encroaching on them. They almost collapsed under the weight of the chainmail hidden within. He grabbed Dyrnwyn and planted it into the ground in front of him. It almost went in a good foot into the ground. "I'm a generous man. You can have it. If you can pull it from the ground." The others assembled began muttering to themselves. A rumor spread through their ranks about the owner of Dyrnwyn. The self-styled 'Lennox the Generous' had always offered the blade whenever the hunters found him, yet the ones who returned didn't have the blade with them. Concerns began to build, and if not for Mathis, they would likely crumble and rout right there.

He tilted his head to the berserker amongst them, the guy most likely to have no trouble carrying the blade, to grab it. Lennox stared at the guy with lifeless eyes, waiting to see a sight that has been etched into his memory. The man stepped forward and reached out towards the hilt of the blade. He glanced back and forth between the blade and Lennox, anticipating a counterattack. He smirked, confidant that Lennox was just putting on a brave front, before grabbing the blade. He tried to lift the blade, but couldn't. A concerned look washed over his face as he began feeling heat emanate from the hilt of the sword. Panic and pain was left after concern washed away. Then came fire. The blade ignited, starting from the tip, filling the gaps built into the blade, and began consuming his arm. He couldn't pull away. The moment he laid his hand on the blade is life was forfeit. Shad and the relic hunters all recoiled in fear as the man was cremated alive. He grabbed his hand and tried to pull it away but the blaze took him faster. As he became a human torch, he fell to his knees in front of the blaze. His mind had already gave up after the blaze had left him an unrecognizable husk. Eventually his hand was degraded enough that it released the hilt. As gravity took it, his forearm broke off his body, further evidence to the destructive force that was Dyrnwyn. Almost all of his visible skin was burnt away, leaving only charred muscle and bone remaining. His face lacked any distinguishing figures and his body hair was incinerated. Lennox stepped up to the sword and grabbed it. The same blaze that killed the man had consumed the blade, as before, but dared not burn Lennox. "What was his name?"

Mathis had not budged, when all of the others had. Why should he? He was informed of its destructive power. The men around him were disposable. "His na-" A crossbow bolt found its way into his mouth. The tip of the bolt was sticking out of his mouth, covered in a dark red. He didn't even get the chance to tell him he didn't matter. For someone had taken him out first. He fell forwards into Lennox' arm as the formation around them buckled.

"It's her!"

"I thought we lost her!"

"Kill her!"

Lennox looked where the bolt came from, but only saw a black cloak running down a street. The men, eager to not touch the blade, ran after the crossbowman instead. Leaving them with four men to watch them, or rather to be scapegoats. Lennox let Mathis fall to the ground. A man swung a sword at Lennox, which he dodged. He grabbed the mans sword arm and bent it backwards, breaking it. He snuck behind him as he recoiled in pain and grabbed his waist, securing it between in arms. He lifted the flailing man up, reaffirmed his grip, and suddenly bridged backwards, driving the flailing mans head straight into the ground. As he did not know a safe way to land from that attack, his neck was broken from the the landing, perhaps worse. Lennox released his grip and got back to a standing position besides his sword, leaving his assailant in a crumpled up state on the ground. "You're free to leave at anytime. I'm not Lennox the Generous for nothing." The remaining three men fled, scared for their lives. "I'm going to help that archer. See ya around Shad." He said before running off, Dyrnwyn in tow.

Carla turned to Shad. "Always hard seeing that. You should head back to the inn. I'll try to do something with the bodies. If we don't meet up, assume we left." Shad nodded, leading him and Roland back towards the inn.