Headed by a Snake

Tycondrius and Holy Lancer Athanasius Mors walked towards the others. Team Athena's timely assistance had ensured the survival of all five of the standing adventurers they encountered. It seemed that they stood to fight because half of their party were injured and in no state to withdraw. Centurion Zenon currently assisted with the triage of the wounded.

A crestfallen Athena Vanzano gingerly approached the duo, her steps lacking of her usual... energy. Besides the young lady's expression, it was quite obvious that the blue-haired young lady was missing her family-crested armor.

Saluting crisply with her rapier, Athena reported, "Tanamar! Sir Tycon! We have defeated the enemy without additional casualties!"

"Well done. At ease." Tycon returned the salute... before slowly crossing his arms and waiting for further details.

While Athena was unaffected by a cold due to her Yin Body there was a certain impropriety of the noble traipsing around in only a tunic. Further, it was worrisome that her clothing was marked with a series of holes.

Tanamar shared an uneasy look with Tycon before addressing his mistress, "Athena, you okay?"

"Y-yeah." Athena nodded, "It was really hard, but we managed to win with Mister Zenon's help."

"Ahem..." Tycon cleared his throat, "Young lady, where is... your armor?"

Athena frowned for a half-second, "It's more important to save a life than to worry about the cost of my armor."

Tycon felt his mouth twitch. Both were important. Was she implying there was a situation where she had to choose between them?

One of the five adventurers was hurrying over, ragged from battle, and with a blooded bandage wrapped around his head.

...With such a head injury, he should not have been running as he was.

"Lady Athena!" The man yelled, "By the Flame, are you alright? You ran off without being treated."

The dark-blue-haired armored fellow rested his hands on his knees, catching his breath. Tanamar stood by his side and steadied the man, so he wouldn't fall.

Tycon raised an eyebrow, "A friend of yours, Tanamar?"

"Sir Tycon, this is Karodin of Emberhold." Tanamar revealed a light smile, "He's good people."

⟬ Karodin, Bronze-Rank Human Legionnaire. ⟭

Barring the grammatical butchery that Tanamar used, Tycon kept a mental note on the fellow. If the Holy Lancer trusted Karodin, so would he.

"Mister Karodin, might I ask the reason to your urgency?"

Karodin stood up and bared his teeth in a grimace, "Lady Athena saved my life. She took a direct hit from one of the Stone Frogs' acid blood!"

Athena laughed derisively at her misfortune, staring down at the cold dirt, "It's fine, Mister Karodin. I'm fine."

He turned to Athena, "But milady! Your armor! And... and you should really be checked by one of the healers!"

Athena frowned, "I really don't want to inconvenience them. Almost half of your team have worse injuries, Mister Karodin."

Tycon and Tanamar shared another tacit gaze.

Tanamar nodded, "I'll take care of it."

"Please do," Tycon gestured.

Grabbing onto Athena's arm, the young footman dragged her over to be checked by the healer in Karodin's group, "Traitor!!"

Tycon and Karodin exchanged pleasantries-- with the latter apologizing profusely for allowing harm to befall Athena. Why Karodin thought that Tycon, a person relatively unknown to him, was appropriate to receive a list of personal-failings was beyond him.

The reason Sol Invictus had traveled to the Icingdeath Mountains was for a collaborative effort with the Brazen Guard, the largest adventuring company from the Tyrion territory of Kasydon.

Tycon intimately understood that the Gold-Ranked guild was going to grow in popularity in Ezyria. It was becoming common knowledge that the Gold-Ranked Ezyrian guild, the Rhodoks, had yet to return from their last quest.

Only Tycon knew that the Rhodoks were hunted down and killed... as well as a number of stubborn horses and beasts of burden that refused to join Isidor's faction.

The Brazen Guard was initially an amalgamation of two large guilds that had often worked together, the Old Guard and the Brazen Souls. Because of their history, it was common for them to consolidate their ranks with adventurers from smaller companies. With greater numbers, they were able to challenge and complete more dangerous quests.

This particular excursion was to curb the monsters in the predictably named Icingdeath Dungeon, recovering the Dungeon Core, if possible.

To that end, Tycon and Zenon would be acting as interim members of the company Tanamar and Athena claimed membership to, the Stormbrands. Athena, Tanamar, and even Zenon would gain combat experience. Tycon could oversee their growth and keep them alive if he needed to intervene.

Legionnaire Karodin belonged to one of the Brazen Guard's Bronze-Rank teams. He was both surprisingly humble and receptive to Tycon's inquiries. Adventurers, especially those of large, powerful guilds, commonly had insufferable egos. That the first Tycon had met was so agreeable made him look forward to the immediate future.

Tycon hoped to work in a team of men and women peaceably. If all of the Stormbrands were as polite as Karodin of Emberhold, Tycon decided that he might enjoy himself... even despite the cold.

...

With the help of Victorius (and Karodin, going above and beyond to be helpful), Tycon removed his Decanus armor, lending it to Athena. That his armor sized well to a teenage girl forced him into a deep state of uncomfortable introspection. Was the coincidence a result of marvelous Tyrion engineering or... something else?

Tycon did not mind downgrading to a sleeved suit of chainmail. He soon came to prefer it, realizing that it kept him warmer than the cool military breastplate that failed to cover his arms. After again wearing his unnecessarily stylish dark cloak, Tycon felt relieved that his body temperature began to steadily return to acceptable levels.

After meeting up with Centurion Zenon, Tycon requested of Karodin of Emberhold to introduce the two of them to the Brazen Guard guild leader, Bannok of Kasydon.

While seemingly unnecessary, it was socially polite to do so. In the future, it might even prove advantageous to have forged connections.

Unlike Tycon's previous Gold-Rank guild, he wanted this one to be successful.