Guild Wars_ Ghosts of Ascalon - Matt Forbeck [102]
Despite his appearance, Ember pounded her chest in a salute. “Ember Doomforge, Ash Legion.”
The older charr returned her salute, though stiffly. “Fellblow the Savage, Iron Legion, before I mustered out. I notched my sword on enough of these mice over the years. Why are these ones still alive?”
Ember shrugged. “I don’t question my superiors. I merely carry out their orders. These vermin go to Black Citadel. Imperator business. I think they’re spies.”
“Huh,” said Fellblow. “You need them both alive?” Dougal’s heart dropped into his boots.
“For the moment,” said Ember, and forced a laugh. The Iron Legion charr laughed as well, and moved on. Dougal suddenly realized that he had been holding his breath.
Ember pointed to the west. She said quietly, “This road will eventually take us to the Black Citadel. Instead we’ll cut north when no one else is on the road. The Loreclaws are north of us, and beyond them the Ascalon Basin. Beyond that is the city.”
Gullik and Kranxx nodded. Dougal looked at Riona, and her eyes were alive with a terrible fury.
A half-mile west of the crossroads, the land turned rockier, and now there were fewer ranches and almost no road traffic. Ember led them off the road and up into the hills.
The land was much as it must have been before the charr invaded, perhaps as it was before the humans arrived. Great boulders and faces of gray granite framed the valleys, worn by water and the insidious roots of slender young trees. The wind kicked up from the north, bearing with it a cool breeze.
“It should be easier for a while,” said Ember, “at least until we reach the basin itself.”
“Then you should let us out of these,” said Riona, pulling at the neck shackle. It was leaving a red welt on her flesh.
“Not yet.” Ember looked at the humans. “I only said ‘easier.’ These lands are not without peril. There are bandits in these hills, some human, some charr, some other races. And there are patrols here. There is less of a chance that some group will come upon us, but that chance exists.”
“What she is saying,” put in Kranxx, “is that the legions rule this land like the human queen does hers. They rule the cities and control the roads, but in the wild lands between the villages and the camps, a traveler is on his own.”
Ember ignored the asura and looked at Dougal. “If there is a problem, free her first.” She pointed at Riona. Dougal nodded.
They walked through most of the day without major incident. Once they came upon a small family of devourers, huge scorpions with two poisonous tails, feasting on the corpse of a deer. The devourers hissed and arched their double tails in warning, and Ember gave them a clear berth.
They finished off the last of the food that Ember had purchased, and pressed on, looking for a suitable place for the evening. That was when they heard shouts ahead, the clash of metal, gunfire, and explosions.
Ember and Gullik looked at each other, then carefully made their way up the rocky hillside, the norn dragging Riona and Dougal with him. Kranxx kept an eye on their rear flank.
The charr and the norn crawled the last few feet to the crest of the hill, and the humans followed. Topping the rise, Dougal was surprised by what he saw.
Charr fighting charr.
There was a bowl-shaped valley beneath them, dominated by a great campfire and lined with about a half-dozen tents. The valley had a prominent entrance, and through that cleft a patrol of Blood Legion warriors were pressing their way into a group of charr in red-golden armor. The Blood Legion warriors were led by a great black-furred charr, armed with a fiery sword, who shouted orders as the turmoil milled around them. The red-golden defenders were being pushed back, but some of them were armed with rifles that shot fire, playing them over the attackers like water from a hose. Near the campfire a charr in ornate robes was shouting what Dougal could only think of as an incantation.
“Flame Legion,” snarled Ember, her eyes alight and her lips pulled back from her teeth. To Gullik she said, “You stay here. I’ll be right back.