Chapter 407 The Archons Summons (1/2)
As Arran stepped through the gate that led into the mountain, he found not the simple tunnel he had expected to see, but instead a spacious cavern, nearly a hundred paces deep and half as high
The floor sloped upward toward the far end, with several rows of loalls with archers standing atop them, while the walls on both sides had stone balustrades that held more archers still And finally, at the far end of the cavern, there was another gate, also forged fronized the space for what it was — a killing ground, ate Even if an attacking arate, its troops would only be able to enter a few at a ti themselves instantly flanked by defenders and pelted with arrows
It was a place where a hundred h Arran was not the intended target of the defenses, he could not help but feel uncomfortable as he passed them If the Darians decided to turn on the Wolfsblood Army in a place like this, it would be all but iested that the thought had occurred to him, as well ”Nasty place,” he opined ”You could butcher an entire arlethe captain's unease for adhtspawn ever break through, they'll surely meet their doom in these tunnels,” he said, pride clear in his voice ”And it isn't just the entrance The tunnels have numerous spaces for traps and ah alive”
Arran and Kaleesh shared a knowing look, neither of theer's words
Yet ill-timed as Arjun's words were, they proved to be true all the same
It took the Wolfsblood Ar tunnels, and during the slow, ever-upward es, they cae caverns that held vicious fortifications — along with yet ates
Arran observed the defenses with appreciation and concern in equal htspawn overran the fortress at the foot of theSacrifice itself would be a different ainst determined defenders, every pace forould take hundreds of lives, filling the tunnels with the bodies of fallen Blightspahile the Darians could retreat with ease
Yet inized that they would do equally well in preventing one fro Sacrifice There was no way to pass the tunnels without being noticed a hundred tiates were shut, there was no different path available
Moreover, if the Blightspawn ever overran the Desolation altogether, the mountain could easily become a prison rather than a bulwark, with the defenders trapped inside by the very defenses they trusted to protect them
But that was a probleed fro, and Arran saw that they had stepped into yet another killing ground — a large field surrounded by tall stone walls, with a single gate leading out of the area
They had barely stepped onto the grass when a white-clad priest caate, accompanied by a handful of soldiers He approached theers who headed the group, before co to a halt before Kaleesh Apparently, the
”You are the leader, yes?”
”So I'm told,” the captain replied flatly
”Very well” The priest gave a se of tohere you and your ht Past that, you are expected to secure a location of your own You can find—���
”I'm aware of the customs,” Kaleesh interrupted the priest ”I have only one question”
The priest frowned ”Which is?”
”Where can we find some proper food and ale?”
An hour later found the Wolfsblood Are fields intended to acco arroups aside froh for five ti food proved si up their caer to sell their wares to the army's soldiers Most of them left in disappointment when they discovered the troops had no coin to spend, but those who sold food and ale soon found ht up by Kaleesh
”It's extortion, is what it is,” the captain said, dejectedly thuht's Watch, that would have fed the ared as he sed a chunk of grilled meat, then wiped histhis past week, I'd call it a bargain at twice the price”
Kaleesh sighed ”A few rass to eat” A hesitant look flashed across his eyes, and he continued in a hesitant tone, ”That giant sword of yours…”
”Sell it,” Arran said with a dis in the Desolation If I ever findanother, I'll have one made”
The truth was that the weapon's only function was for practice In co Shadoord take the weapon's shape was a ht And while he could not do so with others watching, in the Desolation that also held true for using the giant starlanced at the Rangers ere sat at the fires near theot up and approached, a questioning look in his eyes ”Yes, captain?”
”Take soo into town to sell that ridiculous sword of Arran's The stores should be open for several et the best price you can”
Arjun's eyes ith surprise, but after a moment of hesitation, he nodded uneasily ”I'll do ather some troops to haul off the massive sword, Kaleesh had already turned his attention back to the Rangers ”Ifras!” he called out ”I have a task for you, as well!”
The young Ranger looked at Kaleesh uncomfortably ”What is it, captain?”
”I need you to take one of the Reavers' ahtspawn amulets, and sell theood price will require you to visit every shop that reeing to sell”
This tier who looked at Kaleesh in surprise, as Arran stared at the captain in astonishhtspawn a — those were the very reason they'd come to the Desolation in the first place
Yet as Kaleesh dis We'll need to secure lands in Sacrifice for the next feeeks, and we can do so in town”
Soested that there was a motive behind his actions, and as they set off toward the town, Arran gave the captain a curious glance ”I take it you have a plan”
”Naturally,” Kaleesh replied ”You told me you have many pure shadowmetal coins Would it be possible for you to hand over, say, twenty of them? Thirty would be even better”
Arran frowned, but he did as asked, producing thirty of the coins and handing the these, I don't see e had to sell off Blightspawn aly ”We're selling off a few of the suspicion Between the aift, others will have a hard ti our true wealth — especially once we've visited a few ave hih?”
”It will,” Kaleesh replied ”Don't forget that we already have fifty troops in starht be wealthier than all but a few lordlings”
”That's not what Nisra thought,” Arran said
”Which is e're selling off so to discuss their dealings with others, so after tonight, even she should be in the dark about the extent of our resources”
As they entered the town, Arran was surprised to see that it was much like the ones he'd seen elsewhere in the Imperium While the streets perhaps held more inns and taverns — all of them hideously overpriced — the common folk seeuards than one would see in other places, the contrast wasn't so large as to be conspicuous
They spent the following hour visiting well over a dozen ers That was more than Arran had expected there to be in even a town as large as this, but he soon realized that with are of business
Kaleesh exchanged no more than one or two coins at each of them so as not to draw too much attention, but after an hour, they already had a decent nu coin purses
”That should do,” the captain said, a satisfied look on his face ”With this, we have no more cause to worry about supplies Next, it's time to acquire soh that e”
”How so?” Arran asked, following Kaleesh as the captain started toward a large, white building in the middle of the town center
”Sacrifice is divided into four quarters,” Kaleesh explained ”The northeastern quarter ned with the Lords' Alliance, the northwestern quarter those within the Righteous Alliance, and the southwestern quarter those within the Martial Alliance Which leaves the southeastern quarter for everyone else”
”I see,” Arran said ”But why is that a problem?”
”Because the church controls Sacrifice And while it favorsthe other te have no such protection” Kaleesh cast a dark glance at the building before them ”Which means we're about to make a hefty contribution to the church's vast coffers”
”I don't suppose we'd be accepted in the northeastern quarter?” Although Arran wasn't too concerned about coin, he still disliked the idea of the church taking it — all the more so because he suspected the pure shadowmetal coins could be used as more than just money
”The Lord's Alliance would accept us, of course,” Kaleesh said ”And once word of it got out, we'd be bound to Rannoc and his allies — as tightly as if our aril” A wry sh I doubt any of thee for Kadun's death”
Arran shrugged ”The southeastern quarter it is, then”
When they stepped inside the building, they found a large hall, ele desk at its far end, behind which sat a h he was dressed in white, he did not appear to be a priest Rather, he seemed to be a clerk of some sort
”Kaleesh?” the man asked as he laid eyes on them
The captain raised an eyebrow ”You were expecting h he offered no further explanation ”Four thousand troops, correct?”
”Closer to three thousand,” Kaleesh said, ”if it makes a difference”
”It doesn't” The clerk produced a large roll of paper from under his desk, then asked, ”Have you chosen a quarter yet?”
”We have The southeastern one”
The clerk frowned as if surprised, but said nothing Instead, he put away the roll of paper and took out a similar one, which he rolled out onto his desk
”This is afor Kaleesh and Arran tochoices…”
When they exited the building a quarter-hour later, Kaleesh was red-faced with anger ”Ten!” he said, his voice a near-shout — loud enough that several passersby shot startled looks in his direction ”Ten pure shadowmetal coins! For athe estate they'd rented a fareration, but not by much It lay well over a day's travel from the main city in Sacrifice, and several miles from the nearest town Moreover, from the clerk's words, its barracks were austere at best
Arran gave a se near the city if you were a little less stingy”
Although the price they'd paid had been extortionate, he saw little point in gru about it Overpriced or not, they had needed an estate, and Sacrifice offered no e as the Wolfsblood Army — not for those eren't in one of the major factions, at any rate
Kaleesh looked at him with a frustrated expression ”Ten pure shadowht soh to buy a castle!”
”Yet we're not in the east,” Arran said, ”and we don't need a castle You, however, look like you need an ale, so let's find a tavern”
Kaleesh accepted the suggestion reluctantly, doubtless fearful that an ale in Sacrifice would be the price of a farm elsewhere — a concern that proved not entirely unfounded, as the taverns in the town center charged e for an entire er finally fled the captain's face, and slowly, a thoughtful look took its place ”I'll have Sassun lead the army to the estate toether”
Arran took a swig of ale ”Eager to er to see their wares,” Kaleesh replied ”The bloodlines we choose will decide our future, both in the Imperium and beyond it Decisions like those need proper study”
”Have you discovered anything useful about the bloodlines, so far?” Arran asked ”I've asked the Rangers, but none of them had much to share”
”That's to be expected” Kaleesh took a h to listen in, and continued in a softer voice, ”The Darians believe their bloodlines co theh, there are three different kinds of bloodlines — lesser, coers possess greater bloodlines?” Arran guessed
”Greater bloodlines?” Kaleesh laughed as he shook his head ”Aers, only Barric even has a common one The others only have lesser bloodlines, withjust two or three of those”
”Even the Rangers?” Arran frowned He'd expected that the Rangers, at least, would have more than that Reavers were fierce opponents, but not soone
”Our Rangers, at least,” the captain said ”Ones with stronger backing doubtless do better”
Arran pondered the matter for some moments, then asked, ”If there are three types of bloodlines, do they correspond to the ahtspawn amulets to acquire lesser bloodlines, Reavers' areater bloodlines?”
”That is ,” Kaleesh said with a short nod ”From what I've heard, the first bloodline frole ath of one's blood” He paused to take a sip of ale, then added, ”In your case, I iine that will prove costly”
Arran sht ”If what you say is true, we'll have to start with the greater bloodlines”
”How so?” Kaleesh asked, his expression curious
”Think about it,” Arran said ”If each bloodline makes the next costlier to acquire, then every lesser or coreater ones et”
”Huh” Kaleesh briefly looked puzzled, but as realization set in, his bemused expression turned to one of frustration ”So you're telling ht away?”
”Not unless you're willing to cripple your future progress” Arran scratched his chin ”Which means it must be nearly impossible for commoners to climb the ranks in the Imperium A common soldier who acquires too ain reater ones”
Kaleesh drained his hed as he cast a dark look at the Darians in the tavern ”Knowing the Imperium, I'd say that sounds accurate”
When they returned to the camp, they found that Arjun and Ifras had already returned, both Rangers carrying fat purses that they were anxious to hand to Kaleesh
The captain inspected the purses' contents before giving a satisfied — if unenthusiastic — nod ”That'll do,” he said ”Not as h”
Arran suspected Kaleesh could have gotten more hi the Rangers Having different people visit many of the shops in town, it would be all but impossible for others to discover exactly what had been sold and at what price
And either way, the proceeds from the sword and the handful of amulets mattered little Compared to what Arran had handed Kaleesh, the entire su
When Kaleesh finished inspecting the two purses, he turned his attention back to the Rangers ”Rangers!” he called out ”Gather up! I have an announceers to asseathered around the captain Finally, when they had all arrived, he looked around, then spoke
”I have secured an estate where we can prepare ourselves for the Desolation,” he began ”It's located in the southeastern corner of Sacrifice, far enough from the city that we can practice without distraction or disturbance, with little risk of any lordlings interfering in our affairs”
Arran only barely h Barely an hour earlier, Kaleesh had scoffed in anger that they had been forced to choose so isolated a location Yet now, he spoke as if the choice had been a deliberate one
”The Wolfsblood Ar,” the captain continued ”And as the army travels, I will accompany Arran to the Sanctum We will rejoin you all at the estate In e of the army, with Arjun to serve as his second”
His announceer who'd deht's Watch — Donant tone ”You're abandoning us to visit the city? And you're putting a coe?”
”Correct,” Kaleesh replied ”I assuh safe lands without ree with that assuers, but Doe!” he said in an angry voice ”You can't expect us to follow a common soldier!”
Before Kaleesh could respond, Ifras spoke up ”I trust the captain's judgment,” he said, his tone fir so much attention to himself ”And if he says Sassun will lead, then I will follow Sassun”
Arran watched the exchange with narrowed eyes, unsure of what to make of it It should make little difference who led the army in the few days that he and Kaleesh would be away, and a all of them, Sassun was undoubtedly the one with the most experience — if only because Kaleesh already had the dour co the ar well-understood by ers, and Arran could not see how a few days of having Sassun in charge should be an issue To his eyes, it looked alet upset