Guild Wars_ Ghosts of Ascalon - Matt Forbeck [96]
“The invasion of Ascalon City was supposed to be the moment of our greatest triumph,” said the charr. “Conquering it would have eliminated the last outpost of human resistance in the region and heralded the end of the Ascalon Insurrection.”
“Other than Ebonhawke, you mean,” said Riona.
Ember held up a hand. “Is this your story?” she asked the woman.
Riona stood her ground, refusing to let the charr intimidate her. “It’s about my country.”
“That you stole from my people,” replied Ember.
“Please,” said Dougal. “I asked for Ember’s unvarnished account of the Foefire. She can’t give me that if you interrupt her.”
“Raven’s claws!” Gullik said. “Among the norn, we say, ‘The best tales are lies that show you truths.’ Let the charr speak!”
Riona screwed up her face, trying to parse the norn’s words, but held her tongue. The charr bowed her head to Gullik and Dougal, and continued.
“The charr side of the tale is handed down to us from the mighty jaws of Frye Fireburn, legionnaire of the Flame Legion and hero of my people. Frye was the leader of one the greatest warbands of his time, the legendary Fireshadows. They served as an elite espionage and assassination team for the Flame imperator.
“And before you interrupt again”—Ember looked at Riona—“yes, I hate the Flame Legion with a passion. They crippled the old charr ways and led us into the worship of false gods. They made us soft and foolish, and I will fight to keep them from regaining even a fraction of their power. Yet, I say to you that Frye Fireburn of the Flame Legion was a hero, and so you will understand why, if you let me continue.
“As the Flame Legion surrounded Ascalon for one final assault on the city’s walls, the legion’s imperator called the Fireshadows to him and ordered them to sneak into the city and assassinate King Adelbern. He believed that this would decapitate the Ascalonian forces, and in their despair they would be unable to mount a viable defense against the charr attack.”
“What was the imperator’s name?” asked Dougal.
Ember fixed him with a stony glare.
“I’m not objecting to you, I’m just dying to know,” he clarified. “The human tales never mention his name, other than the imperator of the Flame Legion.”
Ember nodded. “I do not know. After his disgrace, his name was stricken from our records.”
“Bear’s tears, that’s cold!” muttered Gullik.
“It is our way.” She waited for a moment. “May I continue?”
Silence and polite nods from the others. Ember resumed: “Frye and his warband of assassins scaled the city’s wall that night and worked their way to the king’s private chambers. They killed many guards along the way, silently dispatching them by sword and by spell.
“When they made it to the king’s private chambers, they found it empty. They thought that they had missed the hated Sorcerer-King, that perhaps he had learned of their mission and even set a trap for them. They had arrived in the middle of the night, after all, and he was not there.
“The Fireshadows searched the royal quarters. That was when one charr stumbled upon the body of a human lying under a table in the king’s private bedchamber.
“Frye turned the human over. As he did, the human let out a deep breath and his expression flickered back to life. This human had a knife driven into his chest, but he still had enough breath in him to speak.”
“Who planted the blade in his chest?” asked Riona. “A charr?”
Ember glowered at the new interruption but, rather than rise to Riona’s bait, simply replied, “It was a human knife, the story goes. Had a charr done it, I would have not hesitated to say so.
“The dying human’s name was Savione. He claimed to be the king’s servant. It was clear even to Frye that he was no warrior.
“ ‘You must stop him,’ said Savione. ‘The king is mad with grief, and he plans to use a great magic. He will kill us all.’
“At this point, the servant choked on his own blood and nearly died, but one of the Fireshadows tended to him so that he could finish what he had to say.
“The servant Savione opened his