174 Ascent

Captain Jeremiah gestured to the palace guards they passed on the way out of the Imperial Palace. They fell into formation around the Emperor, forming an impromptu guard around him. 

They had abandoned their posts, but their true purpose in guarding the palace was to guard the Emperor, and they were still carrying out this duty.

The guards and the emperor formed an impressive sight, and by the time the group exited the palace and emerged into the Inner City, they were almost fifty men around the Emperor.

They were an impressive sight, the guards wore rune enchanted plated armor, the armor itself covered in a red enamel, giving it a bright scarlet color with the Imperial lion etched in gold on their breastplates. 

However, the guards themselves paled in comparison to the Emperor. The onlookers were left dumbfounded as he passed, jaws agape, forgetting to even bow in the presence of the Emperor, a grave offense.