Under Guard

[Jay Carpenter]

Asha'man Lennox Orander

Lennox stood, along with the other gathered men of the Black Tower, waiting for what was to come. He’d been told that this was to be a punishment and that left Lennox to assume that it was the individual he had to clean up after a short time ago. In a room full of black uniforms he was drawn into his memory of his first venture here. His meeting with Ty and the M’hael and after a small display he was clad in black as well and Pinned. His arms were crossed over his chest and he lazily, or so it seemed, leaned against a nearby column. His fingers brushed casually over the hilt, checking to make sure that he could draw with a moment’s notice.

Not that anyone would bother him again. Lennox’s hearing was no wolf brother’s but he was no fool. He understood what his presence represented. Here was a man none here had ever heard of and he just strolled into the M’hael’s office only to come back out dressed as them along with the rank of Asha’man. He understood and appreciated the need to for a person to crawl through the ranks to get to the top and he by-passed all of that here. Many assumed that it was his brother, Kentrillo, who used his Councilman’s status and power to get Len to where he was. It wasn’t too commonly known that the M’hael had ordered the Orander brothers to stay away from one another. Their fight could wait until after Tarmon Gai’don.

But some took a greater offence than others to this fact. So much so that a small group of men wanted to see to Lennox’s ‘training’. They trapped him in between buildings. The fight, if Lennox could call it that, didn’t last very long. No man, not even Jearom, could come out of a fight out-numbered without some wounds, so it was Lennox’s good fortune that this men preferred to thrash him bare-knuckled. Lennox walked out from between the buildings with a bruised jaw, ribs, a number of other scraps and a few boot prints on his back. They, as a matter of course, suffered more serious injuries; broken shoulders, elbows, ribs, and a knee along with their pride. Lennox knew that this would happen, it occurred on the Warder Grounds as well, and he knew he’d have to make a statement; something drastic enough to ward off any other foolhardy people who’d try again. He offered a prayer for that to not happen, otherwise he would have to escalate the violence to just short of death.

Still and the throng of men gathered waited on their disgraced brother. They was whispers of gossip amongst those closest to him that Jai had arrived at the Tower and was on his way. He kept his emotions from his face but now his eyes found themselves more frequently on the entryway.

Still he allowed his memories to roam within the confines of his mind. He remembered a few distinct bouts with his full-trained brethren though he only revisited one in particular. One man, a Two-Rivers bloke, who the others said that he was very good with a staff wanted a chance to spar with Lennox. Lennox didn’t care enough to wonder if this was to test him or the other man’s ability but he took up the offer with a shrug. Normally a weapon with reach held an advantage over a sword. Lennox danced about the ring for a few moments, gathering a sense of his opponents attack patterns. Another advantage a staff held against a sword was that it was also like facing a dual weapons and the second weapon’s speed. With a full twist of the body that second half could easily crush bone.

But Lennox knew how to take all three of these advantages away instantly. Once his attacker started a side sweeping attack Lennox, mustering up all of his agility, followed the swing by stepping into the man’s space. Lennox ducked and then rammed the bottom of his hilt into the man’s ribcage with a crunch that told Len that he’d broken at least a rib. Lennox continued to move, stepping out behind him at an angle to avoid any follow up and placed his sword on his neck. “Dead.” Lennox then sheathed his sword before leaving the ring.

Now, Asha’man Jai along with another hobbling fellow had came in and Lennox straightened up, putting his attention to the M’hael and the other man and their leader's rebuke of the kneeling man.

Even though Lennox was both surprised and annoyed that the M’hael had called on him, as well as four others to issue out the punishment. He moved through the crowd quickly, some moved out of his way while he snaked pass others. Lennox stood off to the side and seized a small amount of Saidin. “Use only Air.” And with no more ceremony than he stepping on a roach as he issued his order. “Asha’man, begin.” Lennox wove multiple tight balls of air while he unleashed a couple of his own, testing the man’s mettle. He then unleashed a torrent of them hurdling towards him with proficient accuracy. His fellows followed along, though at a much slower pace than he. Lennox couldn’t determine if it was they weren’t as quick as he was or if it was something else.

He had no intention of doing all of the work so he began to issue his own orders of where they should target after casually slipping his hands into his coat pockets. Lennox wanted to inflict as much pain as quickly as he could. To that end he smothered any attempt of Jai’s to defend himself with as much concern as if a few strands of his hair was fluttering against his ear. He used his own flows of Air in concert with the others, assisting the others in their aiming and timing all to maximize the damage.

Lennox kept the weaves, his and the others, from striking vital points on Jai. His orders did not want the man dead; just beaten utterly. Lennox had a small hope that the man wouldn’t allow this to crush his pride, but in the face of this it would be no surprise if he did lose it.

Lennox caught the hand of the M’hael twitch slightly. It wasn’t something that most would’ve caught but Lennox was looking for some signal to halt. “Asha’man, stop.” He swatted down the last of the weaves that had been sent Jai’s way. He held onto Saidin but he remained prepared to smother any attempts Jai tried, though Lennox knew that the man couldn’t do anything in his present condition.