Guild Wars_ Ghosts of Ascalon - Matt Forbeck [29]
Clagg shouted a command and the golem changed targets, wheeling quickly from the fallen sylvari and bearing down now on Dougal. The human reversed himself and danced backward a few steps, the heavy arm swinging through the space where Dougal had been seconds before.
The golem overextended itself and Dougal lunged forward, driving his blade into the joint where the huge claw-arm met the rest of the body. The blade dug deep into the juncture, and Dougal heard a very satisfying crack as he loosened the armatures holding the golem together.
The golem flexed its shoulder back, trapping Dougal’s blade, and with a sharp snap crushed it in its joints. Dougal pulled back the shattered stump of his sword, stared at it a moment, and cursed.
The golem had regained its footing now. The smaller arm lashed out, its claw-shaped hand closing on Dougal’s sword arm, and pulled him off the ground. Dougal let out a yelp as he dangled there, the golem drawing back its arm to deliver a blow that would knock the human into the Sea of Sorrows.
Riona leaped in at that moment, her own weapon jabbing quickly into the gap in the construct’s shoulder held open by the shards of Dougal’s blade. She was quicker than he had been, so that she pulled the blade out in a cascade of arcane sparks, and the lethal arm hung there, its internal runes and spells grinding to regain control.
Having gained the advantage, Riona did not hesitate but instead struck against the golem’s now-exposed chest. The fragile pane at the golem’s heart shattered at the blow, and elemental lightning spilled out in a shower of sparks. Dougal twisted in the creature’s grasp as the energies played over its body.
The Vigil warrior was not done, and dropped to one knee and lashed out again, this time striking at the joints of the golem’s knees. Another cascade of elemental energy spilled out as the crystals within were smashed open with the skill of a chirurgeon with a scalpel.
The golem froze up and let go of Dougal, who dropped the few feet to the ground. Then it pitched backward, leaving a surprised Clagg exposed beyond it.
“Stupid second-rate sword,” said Dougal, looking over at Killeen, who was moving now, though not very fast.
Dougal pulled himself off the ground, but Riona was still quicker than he was, and flung herself on top of Clagg like an owl on a rabbit. Grabbing the asura by the throat, she hefted him up and pulled her sword back to skewer him. Clagg made a rattling noise, and his eyes were wide with fear.
Now it was Dougal’s arm on Riona’s shoulder. “Let him go,” he said.
She paused, and Clagg managed to gurgle, “She informed on us! I lost the Golem’s Eye because she told the Seraph! You said …” The rest of his words were lost as Riona tightened her grip around his slender windpipe.
Gods, thought Dougal. He doesn’t know about the Eye.
“Not so smart now, are you, you little monster?” said Riona. “You and the rest of your deformed race should be stomped out. We should skewer him right here!”
Dougal looked at Riona. Her eyes were angry, her jaw set, her words hissing through her teeth. She had changed since she was the voice of reason in their platoon.
“No, we have a mission,” said Dougal, looking over to where Killeen was pulling herself upright. “Don’t let the little stuff get in the way. He’s little stuff.”
Riona looked at Dougal, then took a deep breath and let her hand open. Clagg dropped to the ground, gasping and clawing at his throat.
“Scat,” said Dougal. “We’re done here. I don’t want to see you again.”
Clagg pulled himself up and shot a poisonous glance at Riona. He started to say something, and Riona dropped into a battle crouch and growled at him like a charr. That was enough: Clagg spun on his heels and fled back into the crowd, catcalls from the observers at his back.
Killeen stumbled up, rubbing her side where the golem had connected.
“Are you all right?” asked Dougal. Riona was still