Headed by a Snake

Tycondrius placed his hand on his chin, tapping his cheek with his finger.

"Decanus Ferrutius, I have some questions."

"Eh?" Ferrutius raised an eyebrow, "Come on, Zehr. Don't waste my time. There's a monster out there, killing off what's left of us."

Tycon ignored him, "Tell me of your... 'monster.'"

Justus nodded, "If you would, Decanus Ferrutius. It's important."

The wild-bearded Decanus groaned and rolled his eyes, "It's a Flame-scarred cat with wings. It's fast. It swoops down and shite... uh... like a hawk-- except it's a few hundred librae of muscles, claws, and tail-spikes."

"You mean like... a lion?" Justus asked.

Tycon grimaced, "Tail-spikes, you say..."

He didn't like the sound of that. It sounded like something he was familiar with... a type of Chimera. Chimerae were strange beasts, cursed by magic, comprised of parts of other creatures. Ram horns, fire-breathing lizard maws, and venomous, scorpion-like tails were common...

With leonine features, wings, and tail spikes, Ferutius' monster was likely a Manticore, a Gold-Rank creature. It wasn't particularly strong, but the ability to fly, though not particularly acrobatic, could be used to devastating effect on the swaths of Unranked and Bronze-Rank Rhodoks. That, and adult Manticore could launch their tail spikes with fair accuracy, easily able to pierce the leathers the archers wore.

It did have its weaknesses... but none seemed particularly relevant.

Tycon turned to face the young female, Holy Bolter Rena. Small. Weak. Chimera also tended to be intelligent. She'd be targeted near immediately when it sensed her weakness... or the fact that her glowing silver bolts posed a threat.

"Rena, don't go."

She was readjusting the shoulder strap on her crossbow and fiddling with her quiver pouch. Suddenly, she halted her actions, staring blankly, "Wait, wh-what?"

"I said: Don't go."

Tycon hated repeating himself. However, he wished to make his point clear.

He could explain the minutiae, tell her about the Gold-Rank creature... remind her that she was weak and that the forward group would ultimately survive, even without their help.

...but it was irrelevant. The only important concept he wished to convey was that he, personally, did not want her to leave. He had grown fond of the honest girl... not romantically, but her presence was comforting.

He had a scout once, in guild Sol Invictus. Kimura Tamaki died miserably, in a land far away from his home. They couldn't even recover his body. While Rena wasn't a part of Sol Invictus... still, he preferred her alive, rather than not.

"Zehr, what in the seven hells do you think you're doing?" Ferrutius scowled, "The old man of the Rhodoks, the Centurion his'self wants *all* the archers."

Tycon narrowed his eyes, "You can have Placidus."

The scout gulped, "I'm... I'm injured, Duplicarius."

Atop his mount, Ferrutius tilted back his head, biting his bottom lip, "F*ck you, Zehr."

Tycon sighed. He snorted in a very particular manner, "(Put him in the dirt, Brother-Heracles.)"

Heracles, the mighty war-bred stallion, reared up on its hind legs, whinnying, "(GET THE F*CK OFF ME, YOU FLAME-TAKEN SHITE!!!)"

"Oh! What the--" Ferrutius was thrown off, his back crashing against the hard dirt, "AWWWGHHH!! Really?! Gods damn, REALLY???! Flame take you, you STUPID HORSE!!"

"Language," Tycon frowned... "I owe you a small basket of hard-fruits, Heracles."

Heracles' heavy hooves, each the size of a human's head, began to stomp down violently, trying to crush Ferrutius' face into a paste of meat and broken bone, "(NAH, YOU GOOD!! I'M DOIN' THIS FOR FREE!!!)"

Tycon widened his lips into a displeased grimace. He hoped Ferrutius would survive this-- not that he would be blamed (or take credit) for the Decanus' death. As much of a prick Ferrutius was, every skilled Rhodok could still be attributed to the mission's overall success.

...And though Heracles was gleefully trying to extinguish Ferrutius' life, Tycon planned to collect a basket of fruits for the war-horse by sun's end. Favors must be repaid.

Ferrutius had managed to right himself, pointing his sword at Heracles' snout, "Don't TEST me, horse."

Heracles stood defiantly, his massive frame towering over the human Decanus, "(I've already TESTED you, and the results say YOU'S A B*TCH!!)"

The war-horse suddenly jerked forward, a feint. Fooled by it, Ferrutius retreated, yelling and slashing his sword in a desperate defense.

"(F*ckin' try me,") The war-horse snorted. "(I'll f*ckin' EAT you.)"

"That's quite enough, Heracles, Hero of Ezyria," Gianna gently chided. "Any more and one of you is going to get hurt."

"--and it's going to be Ferrutius," Decanus Justus added.

Heracles whinnied arrogantly and turned away, "(You lucky, b*tch. You LUCKY I'm a ladies' horse-- an' that the pretty lady asked all NICE.)"

Gianna pat the Heracles' nape, "That's a proper gentle-horse, Heracles... and you're quite a handsome creature, too."

"(Awww, yeahhhhh. I like what you be doin' with those hands, girl! How 'bout you an' me go back to mah stables after all this quest shite?)"

The Shield Maiden smiled.

...Tycon was fairly certain she didn't understand what Heracles was saying... nor did he wish to elucidate her.

"(B*tch, you fiiiine,)" Heracles nuzzled his head against Gianna's.

Tycon held out his hand, outstretched to Rena, "Stay with me."

The archer girl stared at it, beside herself.

Was she drooling? Ugh. He wanted to tell her to have some self-respect, but in this case, her lust could only help convince her.

"Hey! Hey, Zehr. What the hells are you doin'?" Ferrutius growled, "Holy Bolter Rena has been requested by name."

"She's not coming with you," Tycon lowered his opposite hand, placing it on his sword.

"Duplicarius, calm down. You're getting worked up," Justus frowned.

Tycon took a deep breath... Indeed, he was. He had no right to stop Rena... She was a Rhodok, after all.

"Decanus Ferrutius." Justus called out, "Who... who requested Rena?"

The orange-haired Decanus rolled his entire head to show his annoyance. The seriousness of the act was severely diminished, as he was keeping his eyes and sword pointed at Heracles, "Scoutmaster Constantina. She's in charge of all the archers in the cohort, now."

Tycon felt Rena take his outstretched hand into both of hers... but she folded his palm closed.

The young woman looked up with eyes sparkling in the sun.

"Thank you, Zehr," She said. "I know you're just worried... but Decanus Constantina needs me. As much as I like you, my duty to the company is going to come first."

Tycon felt his heart ache. He clenched his teeth as his fist trembled lightly in her small hands.

Duty always came first. It was a trait he admired in the various guilds and militaries he had come across. That honor and the glory of upholding it, even at the worst of times, was something that he sought to instill into the members of his own guild, guild Sol Invictus.

He took his hand back and took his other hand off of his sword, closing his eyes in displeasure.

Rena wasn't a child. She was capable of her own thoughts and had the free will to choose her actions.

He had to trust her.