wild-kitsune — Roleplayer Guild

The Guard Captain watched nervously as Lazarus, bounty in hand, climbed over the small barrier and into the arena. It wasn't unusual for a few crazed fans or rejected applicants to try and get into the arena, and there was one particularly aggressive seraphim they had to detain years ago that flew around the workbenches naked wielding a hammer menacingly. Nevertheless, he signaled to the event coordinator, who forwarded his message on to guards in the vicinity that moved towards Lazarus' position. "Who is that he has?" The captain asked, turning towards a seraphim with parchment in hand.

"It's one of our posted bounties," the woman responded, flipping through the pages in hand until finding the match. "Here. Known as the Ladykiller. We've been trying to track him down for a while now. Should we send the guard in."

"Not yet," the captain replied, "but keep them at the ready. Have them prepare at least 2 binding spells, preferably more in case he has accomplices, and be ready to deal with the crowd if things get out of hand."

Many of the inventors paid little heed to Lazarus' speech, some thanking the gods for a distraction that might add a bit of time to the clock as the first round was nearly concluded. The audience, however, was a strange mix of captivated and horrified, and a strange silent settled over the onlookers, a mix of clanking and hissing filling the void as the forging continued. The moment Lazarus drew his blades, no less than five guards drew their own, nervously awaiting the signal. A hold was given, though, even as the criminal's head flew through the air. A collective gasp escaped the lips of hundreds in the stadium, and a number of children began crying.

Almost immediately Lazarus was surrounded by a dozen blacksmiths, their finely crafted weapons in hand, some still smoking from their final dip in the water to cool. Again, the guard captain signaled to stand down, and a number of guards placed themselves between the mercenary and the inventors. The offer of free drinks was drowned out by the booing and jeering of seraphim upset at the unsightly display, as well as the guards protection of the man, some going as far as to throw food at the mercenary as he walked into a corridor leading out.

The moment Lazarus disappeared into the tunnel the guard captain gave the signal and guards from both ends charged Lazarus, swords and spears drawn. As one seraphim cast a spell placing a barrier around the tunnel to minimize damage, two others lashed out with binding spells that rooted the mercenary's legs to the ground and locked his arms to his side. "I hope you appreciate the lengths I'm going to let you keep some of your dignity" the guard captain said as he entered the barrier, his piercing sky blue eyes and neatly trimmed features illuminated by the magical aura surrounding him. "Technically the only law you broke was disorderly conduct, as your victim had a bounty on his head." he said sternly as he drew his blade, the metal dancing and flickering as if it were fire, and held it close to Lazarus' face. "HOWEVER," he yelled, clearly angry, "what you did could have instigated a riot, or fighting among the contestants! I have a mind to cancel that bounty right now and throw you in a cell for a while! The only reason you're still standing is because the criminal you killed was extremely dangerous."

Glancing left, and then right, two of the guards around Lazarus brought their hands up. "Think very carefully about the next words you utter," the captain warned, "they mean the difference between walking out of the other end of this tunnel a free man with a heavier purse than when he entered and waking up naked in solitary with all your possessions confiscated. Now, with that being said... what possessed you to come to the largest city in Czarina, to the single biggest event in Seraphim tradition, climb in to a heavily guarded arena filled with weapons being actively sharpened, and draw your blade to decapitate someone in public view?"

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