Guild Wars_ Ghosts of Ascalon - Matt Forbeck [16]
“As I thought,” said the asura. “It is deactivated. Exhausted the stored malagetic field. It could recharge naturally over time, or someone with sufficient skill”—Clagg paused just long enough to indicate he meant himself—“could reactivate it. Give it to me.”
Dougal closed his fist. “Not yet.”
Clagg snarled, “I hired you to retrieve the Eye.”
Dougal said, “You hired us to accompany you into these crypts to recover the gem. We are still in the crypts. Once we are safely out and, may I add, paid, I will give you the gem.” With that, Dougal made a show of placing the gem in his breast pocket once more.
Only, this time he palmed the gem and kept it in his hand.
Clagg opened his mouth to abuse Dougal further, but looked at the human’s smiling face, said “Bah,” and stomped away in the general direction of the Skull Gate and daylight.
Killeen said, “You think he is going to cheat you.” It was a statement, not a question.
Dougal nodded. “Definitely. Well, likely. Best to be sure.” He looked at the sylvari, and she returned his gaze with a quizzical look. He coughed and followed the asura.
The Skull Gate, a main entrance to the crypts beneath Divinity’s Reach, was named for the long tunnel lined with the lacquered skulls of the deceased. Nameless souls whose bodies had washed up when Orr sank, and when that lost kingdom rose from the depths once more at a dragon’s command. Dougal thought of the power of the Golem’s Eye unleashed here and shuddered.
Up ahead, around a corner, was daylight. They had been underground for most of the day, but even in the deep shadows of the elevated main thoroughfares of the city, the natural light was welcome.
Clagg disappeared around the corner, then returned at once in a sudden rush—so sudden that he barreled into Dougal, knocking the human over.
Dougal felt small fingers snatch at his shirt. Instead of the gem, however, the asura came up with a closed gold locket hanging from a chain around Dougal’s neck.
Dougal reached up with his empty hand and pulled the locket loose from the confused asura. “I’ll take that, thank you,” he said. “What’s wrong?”
“City guards,” said Clagg, recovering. “Seraph. We have to wait.”
“Show me,” said Dougal.
They crept forward. Going into the crypts was not illegal, but needed proper paperwork and passes. Paperwork and passes they, of course, lacked. Meeting the Seraph would be a bad thing at this point.
Clagg stopped at the corner and leaned out. Dougal leaned out over him, placing the hand holding the gem against one of the skulls.
The asura was not lying about the guards. Decked in heavy white armor trimmed in gold, the Seraph were the city guard of Divinity’s Reach and the army of Kryta. They should not be gathered in such large numbers in the plaza outside the Skull Gate, thought Dougal. They did not appear to be on alert, and were not apparently waiting for the krewe, but a battered human, asura, and sylvari coated with bone dust and stumbling into the plaza would no doubt be brought in for questioning. Questioning that would turn rather pointed when they found the Golem’s Eye.
Dougal slipped the Eye deep into the eye socket of the nearest lacquered skull. It was an unsuitable hiding place, but it was the best he could do for the moment.
“So, do you have a plan, human?” said Clagg.
“Let me see,” said Killeen. “Is there a problem?” The sylvari climbed up on Dougal’s back to see past him, putting her slim, booted foot on the back of his belt to boost herself up.
Despite himself, Dougal shook her off and wheeled on her. “What are you doing?” he said sharply. “Aren’t things bad enough?”
The sylvari shrank back from the reproach, and Dougal swallowed any further words. He turned back to the asura, towering over him.
“Here’s the plan: we wait.”
Clagg, visibly frustrated and tired, shook his head. “What if they are checking the crypts?”
“Fine, then one of us goes out and draws their attention. Then we regroup later for the split.”
“Dougal …” said Killeen.
“By ‘one of us,’ you mean me or the sylvari, don’t you?” spat Clagg.
“If you