486 Champion

With Athena's various accomplishments and with the strength of Guild Letalis, the accrual of prestige and influence was guaranteed. Biding their time was a course of action that behooved a leader of a noble house... 

It would also be excruciating and unsatisfying until the time of reckoning. Adventurers were more used to brash, emotional reactions... one that gained them immediate benefits, as opposed to long-term. 

Could the young Athena realize that? Could she trust in her abilities and in her stable support, enough to look to the future instead of the present? 

"I-- I can't believe you!!" Athena roared again in her tiny voice... and she stomped towards the exit. 

The answer seemed to be a resounding no. 

Athena opened and closed the door politely as she left. 

He could at least appreciate that, even in her anger, she kept proper etiquette. 

...The members of Guild Letalis looked at each other awkwardly... then at Tanamar, who was raising the hands of his fingers. 

Five. Four. He was counting down. Two...

The blue-haired Frostblade burst back into the room, the door nearly flying off of its hinges, "What was the OTHER PLAN?! The first plan is stupid!!"

...

The Snake Cult had infiltrated Caeruleum, the largest trade city in Ezyria, their insurgents safely in the city's folds and framework. 

The Holy Country's leadership had to be informed... and it would be a pain to do so. 

Tycon couldn't trust sending a missive, magical or mundane, ciphered or not. He would travel by airship to Cersei's Rest, where he would appeal to the High Oracle personally. 

He'd also take Lone with him. The Ranger was fine company... and he wasn't doing anything important.

He would volunteer Guild Letalis to siege and perhaps even purge the trade city. Church reinforcements would be a boon for the operation, if they could be granted to him. 

One of the best-case scenarios would be... if Letalis' offer to help was rejected. Maybe the Church would send their best and brightest to deal with the Snake Cult, instead? 

It was unlikely. 

Tycon was fairly certain the High Oracle and her advisors were well informed about Guild Letalis' potential. They had so many Iron-Ranks. They were integral to the Brazen Guard avoiding annihilation. 

The results of the Caeruleum tournament spoke volumes about Athena and Tanamar, Letalis' leader and. for all intents and purposes, co-leader. 

He tasked the two younglings with traveling to the Sleeping Country. There, they would seek out the Frozen Cairn Hidden Sect, and appeal to them for training. Athena had a great deal to learn from their combat arts, specializing in weaving frost magic with martial skill. 

He'd probably be fine. 

If Athena were to reach high Iron-Rank or Tanamar, Gold, it would benefit their cause, greatly. 

Tycon was shaping Letalis to be similar to Sol Invictus. They did not have the swell of adventurers, as with the larger guilds... but with sound tactics, advanced equipment, and rigorous training, they could utterly destroy forces many times their number. 

An elite forward team to deal with atypical threats... or a group that could split up to deal with such issues, greatly benefited the model. 

Zenon refused to return to the Church, feeling that his duty was not yet complete. 

Tycon requested that he search for a very particular individual... one with the potential to exponentially raise Letalis' chances of success.

The individual's name was Kanbrai... and he was an orange cat with a tabby patterned coat. 

The Librarian's mustachioed face seemed like he wanted to ask if he was serious. Thankfully, he did not voice his concerns, taking the task with as much sobriety as he could manage. 

Sorina and Korr expressed their wishes to help... also not willing to return to Nice to resume their mundane work. Tycon ordered them, along with the remaining Letalis members to meet up with Maeva and the Guild Letalis main body. They would head to the Aetnian mountains, residing and training with Isidor's Faction. 

If Tycon did manage to obtain permission to siege a human city... he could request assistance from Isidor and the groups in his faction. The movements of the non-humans would need to be hidden from the xenophobic Church, but their warring capabilities would be worth the risk. 

He just had to ensure the attack was successful... and to never show his face in the Holy Country again. 

Natalya would try her best to crucify him, if given a reason. 

...Tycon had done more than enough to complete the Archbishop's quest and for House Vanzano. 

He did not need to stay in the Holy Country and aid them... and their current action could easily lead to the violent death of all involved. 

Still, he would take the chance. 

After all, Maximus was no longer around. 

No one else qualified to champion House Vanzano besides himself. 

...

⟬ Elsewhere, on an island off the coast of the Magic Kingdom. ⟭ 

High-Captain Lang Hai growled in contemplation as he hacked his cutlass into a pirate's unarmored neck. 

The kid had been working with him for over a year... and he'd earned himself a place amongst the Sea Wolves, both as a combatant and as a young Lieutenant. 

He was a good kid... 

He was well-liked among the crew. He could hold his own in a fight. He didn't smoke or drink. He played with Rico when Hai was too tired to deal with her stupidity. 

...He was also the only person who'd survived the Sea Wolf Officer training without accepting even the first level of the Sea Wolf curse. 

He was the weirdest kid... 

Hai glanced up. 

Invictus Pale soared over him with an acrobatic leap... ending with his crimson spear in the chest of a fat-bodied neckbeard.

...It was the pirate with the biggest hat. 

Hai smirked, "Not bad, kid."