Renault

Eren, as a public figure, is a strange one. All of the 'proper' members of the Verdant Gate pass through the public eye in one way or another, but some stick to the fringes and prefer to operate their particular segments of the coven in peace, while others naturally fall into more authoritative and political roles. Eren is certainly the former, in spite of his apparent flair for the dramatic, but occasionally makes striking appearances on the world stage before slipping back into his routine.

A flurry of press reports detailed a dramatic scene in the Verdant Gate's headquarters, as leaked by insiders, where one of the coven's members was being charged with capital crimes--namely, using the Grasp's resources to organize a campaign of genocide against all forms of Lacunae. An exceptional wizard and skilled politican, Mathias Renault led efforts in the Grasp to investigate and study fringe magical subjects and threats, but was said to have overstepped on several occasions. He formed a small but potent network of allies throughout the Grasp and especially within the subordinates who passed steady loyalty tests, but it seems his ambitions had truly consumed him.

The extent of Renault's operation was laid out in grisly detail before the convocation. Publicly, his subordinates valiantly wrangled Pitch Devils under ichor storms and confronted Strigoi in rotslick city bowels. Privately, his hunters donned the guise of independent mercenaries, harassing the families of potential Lacunae for information about their whereabouts, ruthlessly hunting sapient Lacunae, and even engaging in experimentation and vivisection.

He argued passionately before the court of his peers not that he was innocent, but that his actions had been just. The fact that Lacunae are so mercilessly destroyed by the very thing that built their world meant that they must pose some severe risk to it, and so the only practical choice is to exterminate them.

Sensing the court's opinion in his favor, Eren had heard enough. He knew the punishment to come for Renault, and he wanted to be the one to do it.

He stood from his seat as Renault continued speaking, striding around the room calmly. All eyes settled on him as he stepped behind Renault, who turned to look at him--shortly before the abyss mage plunged his hand through the man's chest, flesh and bone decaying into dust as his hand ripped Renault's heart from his chest, letting it crumble into dust that drifted down between his fingers.

The world's opinion had been turning in favor of the Lacunae over time. The Lantern Bearers were facing increasingly insurmountable criticism for their no-tolerance policy towards most Lacunae; Eren intended to register the Verdant Gate's disapproval in no uncertain terms, and Renault would be his messenger. If the members of the Gate wouldn't support him, then he would have no interest in bearing their name.

With a quiet sneer, he brushed ash from his dress on his way for the door.

"I believe that concludes today's Convocation. Thank you all for your time."