The three guardsmen walking together certainly cut an image, each of the three men carrying their own heraldry and different weapons with their own style. Theben, after all, had been the one who trained them: his single sword denoted his position but its size could be matched with the two-handed swords found in the most prestigious families of the Empire, entirely different from the weapons available to Theokritos or Diaras. Diaras himself carried a shorter blade and relied on a large shield to account for his injuries and successes against the Death Raven, but his true calling was his much sturdier arrangement of personally-owned iron-and-bronze chainmail beneath the cuirass and faulds his new position earned him.

Unlike either of his comrades, Theo had changed his gear somewhat despite his role as a sergeant; without the money to own his own armor, he took the older set worn by Diaras and augmented it with leather arm protection and a gambeson. Although it looked dramatically lighter, he was actually on par with the protection that Diaras had from the waist up. His fighting style with a spear meant his legs weren't a large concern, however, since he would often be well beyond the reach of an opponent beyond his shield arm and possibly his hands.

Regardless, the trio looked the part one would expect from seasoned guardsmen or could pass for mercenaries in this part of the frontier. Burolo's people made way for them without any issue and today was no different, even with Theben leading the two chatting guards.

"I didn't realize we were meeting knights," Theo grumbles. "Euria would have my head if I left a bad impression."

Diaras chuckles, his large shield carried by its strap over his shoulder. "You're so whipped she would have your head if you showed up late for dinner. Stop overreacting: they're knights. The Death Raven was more dangerous than them."

"The Death Raven only had one arm and had been on the run. We could never beat a real knight."

Theokritos looked to Theben to get support, but the Captain was ignoring the duo in favor of focusing on guiding them to the meet-up, It wasn't too surprising, given that the oldest member of the guard only remained in duty so he could see them become self-sufficient without him. In a couple of years, Theben would no doubt retire in-full and it would be the two of them taking care of Burolo.

Suffice to say, it only chills one of the two fathers that the lives of the village will depend on them when that day comes. Although he was far from an old man, Theokritos also hoped to live long enough to retire... but retiring and leaving the town at risk would be no different than creating the mess that led to the razing of Burolo in the past. He was no doubt going to be busily working with the guard at least until he was almost forty.

Diaras, on the other hand, had almost certainly cemented a career with the guard unless he wanted to truly inherit his family business. It was all the more reason why he needs to get on good footing with knights now so there are no problems down the road for him or his future replacements.

Passing from the town and onto the road, the familiar sight of Burolo's nearby woods snuck up quickly amongst the farmland. As well as the village had recovered, it was still a frontier settlement; it took only a handful of minutes to be in total wilderness barring the roads worn deep into the dirt by imperial traders and travelers.

"The story," Diaras chimes, changing the conversation to something relevant to earn a glance from Theben. "Is it true or do you think it's a hoax?"

Although the two of them had been talking, Theokritos felt how little the question was aimed at anyone specific. It shows just how worried Diaras truly is below his smiling demeanor.

Theben, thankfully, takes it as an opportunity to step in with his usual graveled certainty.

"If it is, the two of you can take on any bandits like that. And with even a Squire with you, you will be able to take on any bandit with Combat Arts easily. Although he did have one arm, defeating the Death Raven is a testament to just how powerful the two of you are with so little advantages or abilities yourselves."

The Vice-Captain chuckles and elbows Theokritos. "See? Stop worrying. Even Theben thinks so."

"And if he's wrong?"

Although the years often lead Theokritos to being the more positive of them after his life was saved, his dedication to Merius warranted thinking of his family first: if this information was true, these bandits could hurt or kill them. Being killed because of that kept him grounded in pessimism. "I want to believe that it's just mistakes from being stressed out, but if the accounts are true then we could end up dead. Their leader cut through a shield: if he knows the Combat Art Cleaver, then-"

A new voice chuckles out ahead of them just as they reach the bend in the road, turning into a small camp of three men. All of them wore steel: imperial raiment marked with the three eyes of the Emperor.

Knights.

"You think a bandit could actually learn Cleaver so well? You're cautious for a bumpkin, aren't you?"

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The one speaking sat on a piece of cut lumber hastily fashioned into makeshift seating for their small camp. Unlike the other two who stood and wore their full raiment, he kept his helmet off. It was a man easily in his fifties or sixties, but his age only showed from scars and facial aging. A mane of black hair ran down the back of his head and almost to the collar of his plate armor, styled and cut cleanly for wear beneath armor if necessary. But more pressing was his gold-eyed gaze, studying them all... but particularly stopping on Theokritos.

"The son of the Two-Edged Sword Saint's family using a spear? My, Aegon Aggerosk would roll in his grave!"

Hearing his father's family name stuns Theokritos and leaves his friend puzzled; Theben knows of his origins but doesn't let on, instead ignoring the open confusion on Theo and raising a hand in greeting. It was Theben who spoke first.

"Egon Gazzur. How long has it been? Ten years?"

The knight nods. "At least. Burolo must have rebuilt nicely with talent like these two behind you. It's a surprise you would have trouble with bandits."

Egon Gazzur was a name that Theokritos would need to remember and ask about later. No one even mentioned his old life, much less knew of it... yet this total outsider saw him and either knew right away, knew already, or guessed it on the spot. His mind tries to leave it behind, instead choosing to focus on the here-and-now with a simple chest-covering salute.

"Captain Theben trained the two of us and we are the most experienced members of the guard. The larger one with us is Vice-Captain Diaras and I am Sergeant Theokritos. We are here to assist you in whatever way you need of us."

His old friend mirrors him, finally taking on a semblance of his professionalism, and adds on with his own words.

"Even if they have someone with Cleaver, we will be ample enough to take down the rest. How would you like us to fight at your side?"

The two knights standing share a glance but remain silent, offering the floor solely to their seated companion in lieu of sizing the pair up. It was likely that both of them were either squires or knights themselves, which meant they had been trained from a young age to fight even if they didn't know any Combat Arts. Their imperial raiment lacked the refinement and detailing that Egon's did, however, which betrayed that both of them were fairly new to the Empire's military service. If they lacked Combat Arts, it was very likely they could still best either Diaras or Theokritos, alone or fighting as a team.

Right now, the assembled level of fighting power was more than the entire village of Burolo before adding in the three best members of the militia.

Egon waves at the pair and they both finally shift their inquisitive gazes to the surrounding roads. "I plan to have Theben at my side at the center. My two fellow knights will serve as our flank secures. Both you and the Sergeant there will cover our backs and provide support to the other two. We will act as the vanguard while the four of you deal with those we wound or make submit."

Theokritos feels his gut tighten at the way this is worded, particularly the last part.

"You act like the rumor is true. We still don't know if-"

"It is," the imperial knight answers flatly. "Theben didn't tell you because he didn't want to start a panic, but you both should know now that you're here: the bandits are very real. And one of them indeed can use Cleaver. We will deal with him, but it's your job to take down the rest of them."

Diaras looks at Theo and then back to the knight, watching Egon rise and grab a plumed helmet from his armor's belt. It wasn't fully enclosed, but its design would clearly protect much of the face.

"I don't want to sound like I'm pessimistic, but Theokritos is-"

This time one of the two knights accompanying Sir Gazzur finally sighs, a soft voice prattling from their great helm.

"You don't want to sound pessimistic while acting pessimistic. Do you think so little of our abilities, you frontier dog?"

Stigma of the frontier: it is part of the Empire's society to separate by class, but the most splitting of the Empire's citizens is that of proximity to the Capital. Those within the now-established Heartlands were considered the true Empire, whilst those like the people of Burolo were just those on the outskirts of its mighty reach. It was out here that much of the Empire's culture fell through, solely saving and preserving the religion of the Empire to unite the people under a common banner. The stigma grew over the decades as members of the frontier cities tried to usurp or rise as independent states, ultimately leaving many with disgust toward those of the frontier as disloyal.

But as a worshipper of Merius, Theokritos immediately felt the need to clarify something. He lowers his saluting hand and instead turns it so the knight can see his markings.

"I almost lost my hand because the Empire couldn't contain the Death Raven. Merius rewarded my struggles. But on that day, it was my caution that kept the two of us alive. I only warn caution because while you may know what we're getting into, neither of the two of us have faced bandits. If we do need to assist you, try to remember that we don't think little of your abilities but need you to remember the limit of ours."

The angered knight scoffs. It seems they are trying to find the right words to retort, but the difference in experiences shows; rather than come up with something to argue with, the knight shifts their attention back to their gear. Theben glances at Theokritos with concern but Egon laughs and approaches the trio properly. His helmet obscures his eyes somewhat, but not his lower face or the smirk on it.

"So there is some fire in the descendant of Aegon after all! Good! We will fill you in on the way to where the caravan got attacked at, but once we get their trail you won't have time to doubt. Patience is a virtue of Merius, certainly, but even Merius promotes striking as brutally as needed when the time is right!"

The enthusiasm of the older man far outweighs the prior moment of conflict and buries the complaints for now. Theokritos didn't enjoy this situation much after so many years of peace, but dealing with these bandits was essential if he wants Burolo to be safe. If they're real, then his wife and children had to be protected.

His runes itch as Merius echoes his sentiment through them, the Sergeant finally looking at Diaras.

"I guess we'll be home late for dinner tonight. You're going to owe me, Diaras."

The two older men finally part from the duo and leave them momentarily on their own. For all his usual bluster, his companion and the Vice-Captain of Burolo's guard certainly doesn't seem happy right now.

"Owe you? My wife is going to kill me if we get too much blood on us. Let's hope we don't have to do much this time and can just watch."