“Aye, I do. And no, not at all normal, I’m afraid. Something is brewing within the Ash. Something dangerous. You’d best prepare, lad. Both yourself and those around you. I fear you’ll have precious little time to prepare before they send you in.”
“We’ll be ready,” Vir said.
“Aye, I expect you will. I’m due to visit several Garrisons on my journey. I’ll take note of their defenses and weaknesses. Might keep an eye out for any talent that stands out to me.”
“Thanks, Cirayus. That will be incredibly helpful when the time comes. Just, uh… try to temper your expectations? Fighting near the Boundary might’ve hardened the veterans here, but I doubt any of them will live up to your standards.”
Cirayus snorted. “Who do you think you’re lecturing, lad?”
Though his words were harsh, the stupid smile on the big demon’s face carried a very different meaning. “Just be careful. This is an awful risk you take, and I fear you aren’t sufficiently prepared for this challenge.”
“When have I ever been?” Vir fired back. “Don’t worry. It’ll work out.” His expression darkened. “It has to.”
Vir returned to the encampment outside the walls under escort.
The reason for the escort soon became apparent. Multiple camps surrounded the Garrison, each with around two hundred demons.
While Vir had observed this on the way in, he hadn’t realized that each batch was kept strictly under guard. It appeared that while prisoners were allowed to freely roam around their own encampment, any mingling between camps was strictly prohibited. Whether a security measure or for some other reason, Vir wasn’t sure.
Apart from a few curious glances, he received no attention as he was marched to his berth.
After all, only a handful had seen him Blink to the gray demon’s location. Unfortunately, one of those happened to be his assigned roommate.
The guards thrust Vir back to his spot of dug-out dirt. A spot that was being slowly filled with ash.
Balagra was currently in his bipedal form, shoveling ash from his own spot with his bare hands.
Vir silently knelt and started working on his own.
“Are you alright?” Balagra said after a moment had passed.
“I’ll live,” Vir said.
“I imagine the Overseer must have only just asked you,” Balagra said, pausing his work to glance at Vir, “who are you? I’ve seen my fair share of combat, and yet, I’ve never witnessed movement arts capable of such a long-distance travel. At least, not outside the Ash.”
Vir laughed. “You’re right. The Overseer did say almost exactly that.”
“And what did you tell him?”
Vir shrugged. “That it was my tattoo. Aspect of the Broken Realms.”
“And the truth?” Balagra asked.
Vir stopped shoveling and looked at Balagra with amusement. “You don’t believe me?”
Balagra snorted. “I might’ve, if I hadn’t seen you. Broken Realms is one of the most difficult Aspects to master. I’ve seen no one capable of doing what you did. Let alone someone who claims not to be a Warrior Calling.”
“Well, that wasn’t a lie. But you’re right. I’m not who I say I am.”
Balagra nodded. “A spy, then?”
“No, a Gargan,” Vir replied, returning to shoveling.
Balagra snorted. “You mean like nearly everyone else here?”
“Not quite. I’m a rebel,” Vir said in a lower voice.
“I see,” Balagra said, resuming shoveling beside Vir.
“‘I see?’ That’s all?” Vir asked, sure the Naga would probe deeper.
“I sympathize with your plight,” Balagra said, choosing his words carefully. “What the Chits did to your people… It was unforgivable. I’ll have you know I disagreed with my clan’s decision to participate.”
“Did you? Take part, I mean?”
Balagra shook his head. “One of the several decisions my clan holds against me. Though admittedly less so these days, after seeing what the Chitran have done to your clan.”
“So you agree the Chitran need to be stopped,” Vir began, but Balagra held up his hand.
“I’ll stop you there, friend. Whatever it is you’re planning, I must ask that you leave me out of it. I said I sympathize with your plight, and I do. But yours is not my clan. This is not my fight. I’ve my own troubles to deal with.”
“Even if joining me meant getting out of here?” Vir asked, gesturing to the encampment. This was the carrot he’d hoped to dangle in front of Balagra. Who wouldn’t support a prospect like that?
“I’m not just saying that, either,” Vir continued. “I’m coming up with a plan. A solid one.”
Balagra’s response, however, left Vir at a loss for words.
“I’m afraid escape would do me no good, friend,” Balagra said with a tight smile, returning to his shoveling.
Vir stood there for a moment, grappling with Balagra’s reaction.
He doesn’t want to leave? Truth? Or a lie? Vir dusted off his hands. Either way, he’ll be a tough one to convince. The others had better be easier.
Vir found the gray demon easily enough—grays were rare, after all, and if nothing else, their complexion gave them something in common to break the ice.
While Vir had been unsure about visiting another demon even within their own camp, several others were milling about, chatting, or arguing. Some small tussles even broke out, and the guards stationed at the periphery had to intervene.
It made crossing the camp simple, and soon, Vir was hailing the gray demon.
“You!” the demon said, his eyes widening in recognition. This was the first time Vir had gotten a good look at him. He was of a slight build, like Vir had been before he’d entered the Ashen Realm. His eyes, like Vir’s, were red, but his head was clean-shaven, and he wore faded rags like most everyone else.
The demon paced over to Vir and grabbed his bicep, guiding him away from his bunkmate, a red demon who snored loudly, a fine layer of ash building up on top of him as he slept.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You were the one who saved me, yes?” he whispered. “I couldn’t be sure, but…”
Vir nodded.
“Why? For a total stranger?” The demon’s eyes shifted as he spoke, never resting in one place. Despite this, he didn’t strike Vir as skittish, but rather as observant. A supremely useful trait.
Vir shrugged. “I just felt like you weren’t a bad person.”
The demon stared at Vir incredulously. “Not a bad… person. That was all?”
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have an ulterior motive,” Vir admitted. “I’m looking for friends. They’ll likely have us fight in groups, and the more people I have watching my back that I can trust, the safer I figure I am.”
“That is… fair, yes. You deem me trustworthy, though? I’d call you foolish, had I not witnessed that feat you pulled off back there.”
“On our caravan journey here, we happened upon a family. You were one of the few who were visibly distraught at the slavers’ attempt to capture them. That’s not nearly enough to trust you, but it is a start, wouldn’t you say?”
“Oh, that,” the demon said. “Never thought I was being tested at the time.”
“Which is exactly why your reaction had value,” Vir replied. “I’m Neel, by the way. Of Garga. You are?”
“Malik. Of… er, of Garga, I suppose.” He whispered the clan name, though there was hardly a need to. As Balagra had said, most of the prisoners were Gargan.
“Well, Malik, it’s nice to meet you,” Vir said, clapping the demon’s shoulder. “Now, let’s talk about your friend. The one who tried to kill you.”