Guild Wars_ Ghosts of Ascalon - Matt Forbeck [101]
“It’s nonfunctional,” said the asura. “The metaspell solenoids are shot.”
“Then don’t tell anyone that,” said Ember. “Just threaten our prisoners with it and look superior.”
“That I can do,” said Kranxx.
“Please don’t try to enjoy this,” said Riona through gritted teeth.
“I promise to try,” said Ember as Gullik put the humans’ weapons into his satchel. Dougal hated to lose the sword, but Ember left him his locket and the Golem’s Eye. And, most importantly, his lock picks.
Ember took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, then led their contingent out into the day.
The early going was as it had been the previous night: rolling fields interrupted by fenced paddocks. Dougal now saw that the fences were topped with sawtooth shards of metal, and was glad they had not stumbled into one of them. There were more herds of cattle, and clusters of larger, furrier creatures. Dolyaks. When they intruded on their fields, the dolyaks retreated into tight circular formations, their horns turned outward.
After about a mile, they reached a more established path, heading generally east to west. Ember turned the group west and their time improved.
Then, cresting a rise, they encountered another group of charr. Despite himself, Dougal almost stumbled in his chains, and Gullik shot him a stern, withering look.
There were only about ten of them, merchants and guards clustered around a single heavily laden wagon drawn by a tired-looking dolyak. At the sight of the group with the human prisoners, the charr visibly reacted, some reaching for their weapons. Ember saluted them and marched past, a somber, superior Gullik in her wake with the humans and Kranxx bringing up the rear.
Dougal tried to keep his head down but hazarded a glance at the charr as they passed. Some looked at them with curiosity, some with surprise, and a very few with open hostility, their lips curled back in anger. Dougal put his head back down and concentrated on the ground in front of them whenever they came upon another group.
The path gathered trails from other sides and became more of a road now, with two well-worn wagon ruts and a high, grassy crest in the middle. They passed more merchants and farmers as well, in ones or twos. The farmers or ranchers or civilians stood aside as Ember brought her group through, and mutters and whispers followed them.
They themselves stood aside when a Blood Legion warband marched up the road. Ember saluted again and the front ranks returned her salute, but no one stopped to question them. In the back ranks, a couple charr, male and female alike, thumped their chests and roared as they passed the humans, and then laughed with their fellows.
About midday they reached a crossroad set up with a ring of fully manned war wagons. Ember halted them a hundred feet from the perimeter and said to Gullik in a loud voice, “You two watch the prisoners. I need to eat. I may bring you something back.” Then she set off, the norn pulling Riona and Dougal to one side. Kranxx took up a position nearby with his inoperative lightning wand.
“I swear,” said Riona softly, “that she is enjoying all this.”
Dougal shook his head. “She is worried, just like you were, back in Ebonhawke. Everything rests on her. One false move and we are all done.”
A few more charr passed them, most of them scowling. Gullik scowled back. No one gave them any trouble, and after about ten minutes Ember returned with a satchel. She fished out a prodigious slab of beef for the Norn, smaller slices and rolls for the humans and asura.
“What is it?” said Riona.
“It’s warm,” said Kranxx with a laugh, and Dougal realized that in their furtive travel they had not had a fire or a warm meal since Ebonhawke.
“Feeding your pets, kitling?” said a rough, base voice, and Dougal looked up to see a broad-shouldered charr lurching toward them. Dougal would have guessed he was an older charr, as his muzzle was fuzzed with gray and his horns were dull and worn. He was in battered, archaic armor, and Dougal noted that his left hand was mangled, missing