Guild Wars_ Ghosts of Ascalon - Matt Forbeck [118]
Most of the bodies, especially the ones nearest to and even inside the shattered gates, had once been part of the charr invading force. At a curving line that met roughly near a well in the center of the square, though, the charr corpses mingled with those of the force of human warriors once arrayed against them. The two sides overlapped for several yards, a stark example of the uncertainty and chaos of battle.
Dougal and Riona picked their way across the square, trying not to disturb the dead. At first Dougal tried to avoid stepping on any remains so as to show respect for those who’d fallen here. That soon proved impossible, so he switched to treading gently on the bones that he could not avoid.
Then a horrible howl from Ember rang throughout Ascalon City, followed by an explosion, and Dougal gave up and just charged as fast as he could without slipping on the remains scattered across the square.
They were near the far side of the square when the charr appeared, still carrying the struggling asura. Ember’s mouth was rimed with a lathering froth, and the asura was pulling things out of his rapidly diminishing pack and tossing them back at the howling, hungry ghosts.
There was a brilliant flash behind them, and the side of the old archive wall slowly collapsed into the street, burying the ghosts beneath it. A cloud of dust rose from the crash, and the ghosts slowly pulled themselves from the wreckage.
Ember noticed the two humans, and she stood tall and snapped a salute to Dougal. She panted from the exertion but seemed otherwise unharmed.
“Get out of here!” Riona said. “You’re supposed to lure them away! ”
“Hold it!” Kranxx said as Ember turned to sprint away. “That’s it!”
The charr froze, and the asura leaped down from her back to pluck a bleached charr skull from the top of the mound of bones that filled even that distant part of the square.
“Yes,” the asura said, grinning into the skull’s empty eye sockets. “Proximity to the Heart of the Foefire. Good solidity. Should have enough necrotic residue to tune. This should do nicely.” He pulled from his pocket the device that looked like a cross between a violin and a crossbow.
Not bothering to acknowledge the others again, Ember scooped Kranxx up and raced away from them with the asura in her arms. The re-forming ghosts, now clear of the collapsed building, howled after them.
Dougal and Riona crouched at the far end of the square. After the last of the ghosts spiraled out of view, chasing the charr and the asura, they let out a held breath.
“All right,” said Riona, “now we need to get—”
That was the moment that three ghosts wafted out of the surrounding ruins and descended on her. These were dressed in ancient Ascalonian armor and keened and wailed as they attacked. For Dougal it was all too familiar.
“Vala!” shouted Dougal, slicing his sword through the nearest ghost. It let out a scream and dissipated, struck to the heart by the ebon blade. “I’ll get them!” Another blow and he chopped a ghost through the eyes. It popped like a soap bubble.
The third ghost turned from its attack on Riona and leaped at Dougal, too fast for him to riposte. The spirit passed through him, and he could feel his heart freeze with its passage. He spun as it emerged from his far side and snapped loose with the sword. It caught the ghost immediately, and before it could even scream, it was gone.
Riona staggered to her feet, her face wan from the chilling touch of the ghosts.
“We need to go,” said Dougal, “before any other ghosts find us.”
“Too late,” said Riona, and looked over Dougal’s shoulder at the bone-strewn square they had just crossed.
The square was now filled with ghosts: soldiers and citizens, men and women and children. They watched the pair silently, their eyes wide with curiosity and madness.
“What are they waiting for?” asked Dougal, but he immediately had his answer. On the opposite