TRINITY RISING
Summary: Tiffany and Forgal get to Cowlfang's Star and are introduced to the Iron first-among-equals Legionnaire, Groma Spinebreaker, who turns out to not like the Vigil very much. But she lets them fight and help kill the Flame shaman. Then, she leads the large unit of charr northwest into Flame territory, pushing the front lines forward. On the way, Tiffany and Forgal have some talks about various things, and get to be friends again. Rytlock arrives, nearly kills Spinebreaker for treating Tiffany and Forgal like gladium, and 'introduces' them to Rox.
Chapter one: Flame Campaign
Author's Notes:
So I decided not to go with In Times of Trouble for a book name, but I think that Book Four: Trinity Rising has a good ring to it and is a better book name overall.
This is book four in the Tassof Series. (Which, now I think of it, needs a better name. I'll think of one later.) If you haven't read/heard of the other books - Tyria's Real!, Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies, or Reforging the Edge (also known as United We Stand) - you should go read those first.
Now, refresh on the disclaimer just because it prolly needs doing again!
I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING. Every recognizable character is ArenaNet's. I also lay no claim to any song in this series (so far, I believe, I've mentioned Seagulls, Stop It Now and Let It Go and See You Again). I have mentioned other books/movies/fandoms throughout the series (I believe I mentioned the Wheel of Time, Harry Potter, and a few others) and I lay no claim to those, either.
And then there's the characters that I have invented and am quite proud of, but whom I consider their own selves because that's how I work. (I consider all Anet's characters their own selves, too, but that's a separate issue and just shows how obsessed I am, and Anet should be happy I think that.)
Also, the new name (Trinity Rising) must be attributed to ZenoLucario (you know him as Leon or Vargok) - he thought it up in a brainstorming session.
Okay, here's the story now
While the three Vigil members trek northwards, led by Vargok, Forgal keeps an eye on Tiffany, who remains stolidly silent. Beorn, however, does not bother to hide his wariness of Forgal. The bear keeps a pointed gaze on Forgal at all times, and probably only avoids tripping on anything due to the mental link with Tiffany.
But Forgal appreciates the silence - it gives him a chance to think. He can't really trust Tiffany's loyalty or motives, which pains him. He wants to be able to trust her, but he can't. The woman in front of him is a mystery. She is quite capable in battle, and he respects her for that, and yet they can never be more than acquaintances with her shady position in the Order of Whispers.
She is only an Initiate, he knows, but he doesn't know anything about the Order of Whispers. Maybe it's a test or something, and he is the subject of it. It wouldn't be the first time that the Order had wronged him.
The charr Crusader in front of him does not seem to notice the tension between the two Warmasters, but that is just as well. It is a private matter, one that Forgal is a little grouchy that Almorra is taking interest in, though he can see her reasoning.
They only reach the Town of Cowlfang's Star at noon on the second day, and Vargok leads them straight to whom he tells them is Legionnaire Groma Spinebreaker.
"I have come to fulfill my promise, Legionnaire," the Crusader says, saluting.
The iron-clad charr looks over the two Warmasters. "Two allies - and one a human? Bah! They can't fight."
Stung, Tiffany fires back, "I am a Warmaster of the Vigil, Legionnaire. I assure you, I can fight."
"Vigil, eh?" Legionnaire Spinebreaker huffs. "We'll see. The gladium who leads you strutting posers is a puffed-up peacock. She hasn't seen real fighting."
Tiffany instantly fires up. "General Almorra is a better fighter than you," she retorts. "And she has a better heart, too. That's what matters." Only after she finishes does she realize that she has never heard General Almorra referred to as a gladium.
"You can't fight worth a shake of my tail if you think your squishy emotions are what matters," Spinebreaker scorns. "Go ahead, die to the Flame shaman if you like."
"I'll take that as a challenge, then," Tiffany says coolly. "Where is this Flame shaman?" She would have said something weird like "I fight for my leader's honor," but she does not, mostly because it is implied already, and it is the sort of thing blind, lovestruck heroes say.
"To the north," Vargok interjects, "but we're not going alone. That's foolish."
"We never intended to go alone," Forgal informs the charr.
"I'm not sending soldiers in behind you," Spinebreaker scowls. "You'll be at the back of the line."
Tiffany nods. Saying she'd planned to do so anyway would just fuel the arguement. She does recall that, to charr, the back of the line is the place of ignominy and dishonor, but she doesn't care. Surely the charr have archers, or artillerymen behind the - oh wait. Iron Legion shooting from behind the Blood Legion while the Ash Legion sneaks around.
Forgal, on the other hand, does not use a bow - his skill lies in the blade. He scowls, and Spinebreaker notices.
"Master another weapon before you find yourself on my front lines," the Legionnaire smirks. "We're Iron Legion - if you can't handle an artillery machine or gun, you're out."
Forgal raises his eyebrows. "I wasn't protesting my placement," he says mildly. "I was protesting the only duty available to me - protecting Tiffany."
"That was a joke, right?" Tiffany asks. She wishes she didn't have to ask - before their arguement, she would have known right off the bat it was a joke.
Forgal seems to be thinking along the same lines. "Of course it was a joke." He frowns contemplatively.
"Good to see you're taking it in stride," Spinebreaker huffs. "Now get out of here and familiarize yourself with the lay of the land."
"Yes, Legionnaire," the three Vigil say, saluting.
Vargok leads them to a nearby tent, where a spread of maps are scattered on a table. Tiffany, however, looks at Vargok. "Aren't you a Legionnaire, too?"
"Yes, but I'm under Legionnaire Spinebreaker. She should be a centurion, but she and a few other Legionnaires lead together - there's not a single centurion over them all."
Tiffany nods. "I see. So, where's the Flame shaman here?"
Vargok makes his way to a map. "He's at the Blasted Hearth, north of Invictus Castrum. It's hard to get to, and the route is full of Flame Legion." His claw traces a route from Cowlfang's Star to Firewatch Encampment, then over a bridge and north. "There's a tunnel here," he says, tapping a stone wall on the map, "and it goes north through this hollowed-out mountain range - at least, that's what I think it is - to the Blasted Hearth."
"What about outside the rocky boundaries?" Tiffany wonders. "Is there any way to scale them? Because if I could get up on a ledge here, by the Blasted Hearth, I could snipe him off easily."
Vargok pauses. "It would be hard," he says after a moment. "Just sniping him off. It's a great distance. But the impossible part is getting up - you'd need a grappling rope, but no charr can throw a grappling hook as high as you'd need it."
"I can shoot an arrow up and over, perhaps," Tiffany frowns. "How long would it take to get there?"
"A few hours. We should be relocating to Invictus Castrum soon, though, and it won't be far from there."
Tiffany nods. "I can scout it out once we move there. What's this?" she asks, tapping the rough sketch of a building or two just south of Gladefall Waypoint."
"An ogre kraal. They mostly stay out of our way."
"We could recruit them, though," Tiffany notes.
"They fled Branded. I doubt they'll want to participate in more fighting."
Tiffany just nods. "No harm asking. Now, if I can't grapple my way up the ledge, we'll be moving in through this hollowed out mountain range?"
"Hollowed out but open to the sky, yes," Vargok nods. "If I didn't know better I'd say the whole thing had been raised by an elementalist, it's that precise and well-defended."
"Could be," Tiffany shrugs. "Can you describe the terrain? Rocky, ramped, or full of potholes?"
"This part here, just before the Blasted Hearth, is sloped up rather steeply. The rest is rolling ground, slanting up this way and that in small mounds. As you can see, it's narrow and dotted with higher ridges."
"Easy ambushes," Forgal notes.
"Yes, that's the problem. The Flame Legion tear half our soldiers to pieces before we ever get to the Blasted Hearth."
Tiffany frowns. "You think you could take him down if you had as many soldiers as you start out with?"
Vargok nods. "Definitely."
"Alright, that's our task, then. Let me think a minute." She frowns at the map, tracing the terrain absentmindedly. "Are there any dredge around? We could use their tunneling machinery to make a hole in the rock wall right up by the Blasted Hearth."
"Don't need dredge for that," Vargok points out. "Or their machines. The Iron Legion can blast our way in - it's quicker, too, and we don't care about living in the breach we make."
"Brilliant!" Tiffany smiles. "We'll just need soldiers through here to keep the other Flame Legion back while the rest of you deal with the shaman himself. I'm guessing it's not easily defensible?"
"Easy enough," Vargok shrugs. "It kind of gets narrower at the part we have to defend."
Tiffany nods. "Could you launch an attack from the normal way in, to distract them?"
Vargok nods. "With enough manpower."
"Hm. We'll need enough people to draw the attention of the Flame Legion through the whole area - maybe a strike team for the shaman would be best, while the rest of us distract them."
"We've tried that before," Vargok grimaces. "Failed."
Tiffany frowns. "Why, exactly?"
"Fur is flammable," Vargok shrugs.
"Sounds like you need more Vigil, and more elementalists."
"Spinebreaker isn't a fool. She won't execute her promise to leave you at the back if you can be instrumental to winning."
"Alright, that's good. How many elementalists are there between the three camps?"
"A fair number - they mostly specialize in water, earth and air, though. The firey ones are in the Flame Legion." Vargok sighs.
"I'm guessing this shaman is an elementalist. He'll be able to counter any water-based attack, meaning we need to use water for healing purposes only. I'm guessing the majority specialize in water?"
"Yes."
"Alright, the number of elementalists will depend on how big our team is," Tiffany decides. "Aside from them, though, what hurts the shamans the most?"
"Anything, really. He's not immortal."
"Hmm. Maybe I'll leave the rest of the plan up to you two, then," Tiffany suggests. "I'm better at exploiting weaknesses in a single target than just attacking."
"Alright," Vargok nods. "Why don't you go get a look around the camp, talk to some of the others and get an idea of how the fight's going."
"Yes, sir," Tiffany says, saluting.
Over the next day or so, Tiffany spends her time familiarizing herself with the surrounding terrain and charr, brainstorming new ideas for assaulting the Flame shaman, and making herself useful.
When they move up to Invictus Castrum, she takes a foray north to see if she can shoot over the wall and climb it, or else find a place to blast in. As far north as she can get, the wall is more spikes than anything else, and she finds a gap just large enough for her to fit through.
She looks around cautiously, but none of the Flame Legion see her. She surveys the Blasted Hearth before her - it is a large plateau, surrounded by spikes and/or cliffs, and, of course, hot and firey. Burning chains suspended from an overhang high above, each ending at a different length, make the place seem more suited to its name.
Near the edge of the plateau - it juts out above the path up to it - a charr is standing, talking to the Flame Legion charr standing below.
Vargok was right, the path up is fairly defensible. It won't be easy, per se, but doable. She also knows the Flame shaman is tougher than he looks, and has Flame magic on his side. This one won't be sniped off by arrows.
She quietly retreats back to Invictus Castrum and reports to Vargok and Forgal.
"I didn't see any way to climb up higher than the Blasted Hearth, but we can blast in easily through a gap I found."
"The plateau seems a lot bigger - and a lot smaller - than it looks when you get down there," Vargok informs her. "We'll need a large team - several warbands - to fight him, but at least we won't be picked off by Flame Legion on the way."
"How many warbands are there total?" Tiffany asks. "The rest of them can distract the Flame Legion, if there are enough of them."
"There are," Vargok assures her. "Particularly the Blood Legion camp to the north - several warbands of them. I talked to Legionnaire Spinebreaker, and… 'convinced' her to let us on the 'strike' team."
"Convinced?" Forgal asks, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't she your superior?"
"Not when my warband's honor is on the line," Vargok almost snarls. "We made a promise, and as the last member of the Forge warband I will see that promise honored!" He is nearly shouting by the end.
"We'll deal with… uh, does the shaman have a name?"
"Drakin Cinderspire." Vargok is calm again - clearly he has quite the mastery of his emotions. "We're going to be putting our best warriors on this team - the Scorch warband, us three, and some others."
Forgal nods. "Alright. We'll be there when you need us. We've done our part - strategizing, scouting, planning - now you can do yours and get this plan approved by your Legionnaire/Centurion group."
"Of course," Vargok nods. "Your concern now is preparing for the battle. Warmaster Tiffany, take Warmaster Forgal up to your gap and show him the lay of the land. I don't care what Spinebreaker says, I want Cinderspire dead, and I'm trusting you to get it done however you do it. Understand?"
"Yes, Legionnaire," the two Warmaster chorus, saluting.
Tiffany shows Forgal the gap - which he manages to squeeze through with a little difficulty - and the two survey the plateau. Cinderspire is practicing his Flame spells, it seems, to an admiring audience of Flame soldiers. The two Warmasters observe carefully, noting what he is capable of, before returning back to Invictus Castrum.
A few days later, the attack is executed. The Iron Legion blast through the gap Tiffany had found, and the Scorch, Spine and Gut warbands and the Vigil threesome - referred to as the Forge warband for convenience, much to Vargok's displeasure - go through while the other group of warbands invade from the normal spot.
They surprise Cinderspire, but he manages to summon a gigantic elemental that Tiffany and Forgal had seen earlier before the group gets to them. Vargok takes charge of the group - he apparently has attacked Cinderspire before, and knows his capabilities - and commands them to spread out and attack the smaller fire elementals to weaken the gigantic one surrounding Cinderspire.
Eventually, the elemental falls, and the three warbands converge on the shaman, who calls down fire on them. There are several elementalists in the ranks of the group, who quickly put out the fire on their allies, but Cinderspire keeps going, inflicting heavy wounds in their ranks.
Eventually, he flees away and summons the elemental again, which, this time, makes sparks and sets the warriors on fire. The elementalists are quite busy while the team battles the mini elementals, and one charr, flaming and about to die, flings herself with a shriek at Cinderspire, clawing at him and trying in any way to wound him before she dies. In that she succeeds - she distracts Cinderspire to the point of losing the elemental, but not before she is charred to a crisp (pun intended).
And so, of course, her warband jumps on Cinderspire and wound him grievously before he flings them back with Flame magic and pulls the elemental up again, stronger than ever and expanding. Tiffany's arrows burn up before they get anywhere, and, fearful for her bow, she finds a safe place for it and pulls out her twin axes, suddenly feeling Fiona's absence sharply.
Her hands are blistered from the intense heat, but that is no worse than anyone else. Rather soon, the elemental fades - spent more intense energy for less endurance, Tiffany supposes - and the three warbands jump on the now-tired Cinderspire, this time killing him. Vargok gets in the killing blow, which Tiffany decides is proper karma for Cinderspire and his elemental having killed Vargok's warband.
And then the Flame Legion attack - the distraction from the south had only worked for so long. The three warbands, exhausted, are quickly pushed into a corner, but they hold their own from the defensible position until backup arrives.
They all return to Invicus Castrum for a long rest. Vargok thanks Tiffany and Forgal profusely for aiding him in taking down Cinderspire.
"I was just doing my job," Forgal replies.
"We were happy to help," Tiffany tells him.
"Thank you anyway," Vargok says.
Spinebreaker, apparently, decides that the Vigil are useful after all - but only useful, and that they are still Vigil and therefore treated like scum - and she keeps them with her as the company of charr pushes northwest into Flame Legion territory. Tiffany and Forgal decide to stay, despite being treated like gladium, because they can be useful. They set up at a place that Spinebreaker decides to call Tuyere Command Post. She sends a messenger to the Black Citadel requesting reinforcements for pushing on, and sends scouts to look for Flame Legion.
As the unit that Tiffany and Forgal are with moves northward, she and Forgal get lots of chances to be subordinates in a military group that has one current objective, whereas in the Vigil it had been missions that are not linked together at all unless you knew the Vigil's goal.
Even with the distance between them because of Asvor and the Order of Whispers, Forgal finds himself making friends with Tiffany all over again, and he is irritated at himself for it. She's of the Order, she could be faking everything. But she's only an Initiate. If he is friends with her before she learns to fake everything, they'll already be friends, he argues.
But he still goes through periods of aloofness, which always thaw out quite quickly. Tiffany notices the effort to stay away, and confronts him about it.
"Why do you keep trying to avoid me?" she asks.
"You're of the Order of Whispers," he replies bluntly. "I'm done with pretenders."
"But I'm not a pretender. I'm your friend, Forgal, I was your friend before I ever joined the Order. I know you think that makes me a pretender in your eyes, but that's not me. The Order better not send me to pretend to make friends with anyone, because once I am put in contact with somebody who isn't repulsive, I make friends quite quickly. I'm friends with Vargok already, and it's only been a few weeks. I'm not Asvor, Forgal."
Forgal huffs. "I know you aren't. But you're untrustworthy. You could be carrying my every secret to the Order."
Tiffany smiles tiredly. "Asvor already gave them all your secrets."
"And now you know everything about me, too," Forgal retorts bitterly.
"I don't," Tiffany tells him gently.
"You do. You know about Asvor in the first place - if you weren't working with her, you must have looked her up in those files."
Tiffany sighs. "Yes, I know some things about you that I didn't before. I wish I didn't. I don't like learning things about people I know without them telling me. It feels like spying, and in a way it is. I limited my searches as much as I could… but I also needed to know what could be so important as it seemed to be, and Asvor was my only lead. I'm willing to pretend I don't know what I know until you tell me. That's what I've been doing."
This is a revelation to Forgal. But… "No. I want to know what you know."
Tiffany glances at Beorn, sadness creasing her face. "I'm sorry about Blackwing," she says softly. "It must be torture watching me so happy with Beorn all the time."
She's right, it does hurt. It had been worst when Beorn had returned after being presumed dead. But he had been able to sympathize with her greatly when she'd thought Beorn had died, and it had brought him closer to her, although she never knew it. He had been insanely envious of her when Beorn returned, but he'd quashed it beneath being happy for her. But Blackwing's link is gone, and the emptiness is painful.
Forgal nods, and he fights back expression as he remembers hunting with Blackwing… always accompanied by Asvor. Every memory is tainted, except those so far past he can barely recall them anymore.
Tiffany is by his side in a moment, her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she says again. "I know what you're feeling."
"You don't," Forgal counters, shaking his head. "You never lost your link."
"Lost the link? The whole thing?" Tiffany gasps. "Just emptiness?"
Forgal nods silently.
"Oh."
Forgal is not sure if he would prefer still having the link, feeling nothing from Blackwing, rather than just having it taken out entirely. It would be a constant reminder of what he had lost, but the emptiness is so much worse. Emptiness where there should be emotion, emptiness where Blackwing should be gleefully squawking in the back of his head. But a link and nothing would be so much worse. Without the bond, he knows what was and could still have been, but at least he is just like every other person without a bond. With the link, the unnatural silence might have been too much. He might have gone insane, with nothing where there should be something. And that 'should be' is not 'what used to be,' but true 'should be.' The link is designed to transport emotion and feeling, and if it is not doing so it is unnatural and wrong.
He had known the instant Blackwing died. The bond went silent, the link vanished. He hadn't even needed to go looking for Blackwing's body, he had all the confirmation in the world. If he had seen Blackwing, alive and well, he would not have believed it, however much proof was offered.
"What was Blackwing like?"
Forgal is glad she asked. Rangers with the bond have an infinite need to share things with somebody else, and are greatly receptive to receiving what others share, even if they aren't that interested at first.
"Blackwing… she loved to hunt. She'd stalk her prey for hours on end, and be absolutely happy doing it. She had a good sense of humor, and once explained that the reason she takes out the eyes first is so they won't see how ugly she claimed to be. Blackwing made friends with everybody - within ten minutes she'd be squawking in a friend's ear, telling them all my 'deep innermost secrets.'" Forgal chuckles slightly. "But she always held a place in her heart for me - I teased her once that… that she should go bond Asvor, for all she played with Asvor and played pranks on me with her. She instantly got possessive and declared she would never bond anyone else as long as she lived, even if I died right now and she lived for another hundred years."
"You're trying to live up to that, aren't you?"
Forgal nods. "It's not just that. There's no way anyone else could take her place. She knew my deepest secrets, my innermost fears… you know. Letting anyone else in that hidden place would just feel wrong. And I could be myself with her. All the constraints of society, the expectations placed on you… we're not normal, you and I. No one who has the bond ever is. And we can be free with our companions. It makes us seem perfect to the outside world, so normal but for the one anomaly of being friends with an animal… but they never know our inside."
Tiffany nods in agreement. "Our inside is too weird for them. I know I'd change the subject every second sentence if I didn't have Beorn. I'm just so used to expressing my thoughts to somebody."
Forgal nods. Then, "wait, that's all?"
"That's all what?" Tiffany frowns.
"That's all the secrets you know about me?"
Tiffany nods. "Unless you don't know that I know that Asvor let your family die, and various other things about Asvor. It's mostly Asvor stuff. Oh, and you were at Port Stalwart when one of Zhaitan's dragons attacked, but that's hardly a 'deepest secret,' is it?"
Forgal blinks. "Really? That's all? How could you possibly get that little information?"
"Asvor recorded a transcript of the conversation where she told you she was an Order Agent. Other than that, I just looked at the string of edit dates to your file. I don't have access to Asvor's file - although maybe Vriré will let me have that access now that Asvor's been exposed as herself - so I had to look in yours to find out who Asvor was."
Forgal snorts a laugh. "And so Asvor's desire to be as thorough as possible gave you a workaround for knowing what's wrong with me without knowing anything else."
Tiffany nods.
"Well, I appreciate the effort. I'm sure if you were looking you could have known everything I ever told her, which was quite a lot."
"Oh, and your birthday," Tiffany says suddenly. "I found out your birthday."
Forgal looks at her and almost starts laughing. "That's not a secret that I care about keeping. It's so much of a not-secret that it's kept just because I never think about or mention it."
"I like being thorough," Tiffany grouches playfully. "And it was your birthday I told you I was part of the Order, and I thought how you must have been expecting me to say happy birthday or something."
Forgal blinks. "Do humans put a lot of…" he pauses, searching for the right word. "Importance on birthdays?"
Tiffany laughs. "You could say that," she grins. "We're obsessed with birthdays. We have this big celebration every year with all the people we know in honor of the event. It's kind of funny, now I think about it."
Forgal laughs, too, picturing such a party over a birthday.
The unit Tiffany and Forgal are with moves north, conquering Flame Legion camps - all 'surnamed' Castrum (as in the case of Invictus Castrum) - gaining support and approval from the higher-ups. Through it all, the three warbands (Spine, Gut and 'Forge') are always the strike team that sneaks in and does battle with the leaders of each Castrum while the rest of Spinebreaker's large squad (that grows with each assault, as she calls for more reinforcements). Although Spinebreaker does treat the so-called Forge warband as gladium and worse, she can't argue with their battle capability.
Forgal finally gives in and goes back to being friends with Tiffany. He doesn't say anything, but Tiffany understands the trust he is putting in her not to betray him, and promises herself to be worthy of that trust.
Tiffany learns how to work with large groups and function properly - Spinebreaker sneeringly calls it 'learning how to be part of a warband,' but Tiffany ignores the tone - as well as how act like a gladium so as not to offend anybody by 'acting higher than her station,' as Spinebreaker put it, which Tiffany ignores even more thoroughly.
Eventually Spinebreaker leads the small army - it is a small army by this time - to Senecus Castrum, to the north. Once they capture that, they can use it as a base from which to launch an attack on the Citadel of Flame itself.
Spinebreaker is very aware that her superiors would like to take down the Flame Legion's leader - Gaheron Baelfire - so she sends word that they will be in a position to assault it soon.
Tiffany brightens when she hears this, at the same time as not believing her ears. They are at the Citadel of Flame already? The weeks spent under Spinebreaker's command have shaped her into a better soldier and subordinate than most of her time at the Vigil. Spinebreaker is not nice to her at all - she and Forgal are still under Vargok's command, though Vargok is a gladium now, making them even less than gladium - and Tiffany is treated harshly by most of the other charr.
But before the Citadel of Flame, they have to assault Senecus Castrum, which does not really have any special features beyond being very responsive to Flame magic. It is surrounded by Flame effigies and is packed absolutely full of Flame Legion, and a bazillion shamans.
If this is Senecus Castrum, the Citadel of Flame must be monstrous, Tiffany decides.
This time, Spinebreaker orders the artillery in to kill as many as possible before risking lives, but Flame magic causes the cannonballs to explode before they ever get close. Ash Legion sneak in to place mines, but they are caught and gutted alive on the walls of the Castrum as an example. A few preliminary probing parties are treated the same way - caught embarrassingly easily and murdered carelessly in plain sight.
Spinebreaker decides to wait for one of the higher-ups to get here, and settles to claiming the lands all around Senecus Castrum, scouting, and setting up defenses.
Tiffany can tell that Spinebreaker is itching for an excuse to send her and Forgal and maybe Vargok in alone on some suicide mission, but they are too useful even if she did have an excuse, for which Tiffany is glad. That does not stop Spinebreaker from being grouchy and giving them the worst jobs.
Although, Tiffany realizes after a while, she and Forgal are worse than gladium even without being under Vargok's command - they have never had warbands, never will, and don't care about having any.
She and Forgal are out scouting when the tribune arrives - from which Legion, Tiffany doesn't know - but when they return back to the camp - the Liberation Dell - she decides, from all the unfamiliar Blood Legion around, that the Tribune is Blood Legion.
She asks who it is of a nearby Ash scout, and she tells Tiffany that it's Rytlock Brimstone, of course.
'Well, I knew that was a possibility,' she reminds herself, 'but it could easily have been another Blood Tribune. Although, since he was with the Citadel of Flame assault in the game, it does make sense.'
Spinebreaker lines up his troops for Tribune Brimstone, organized by rank, with warbands together, as normal. Rytlock does a very thorough look-over of each charr, ensuring they are up to standard in this impromptu roll-call.
And then he sees the two Vigil soldiers at the back with the group of gladium. And he also recognizes Tiffany.
Rytlock turns to Spinebreaker. "I was not informed you had Vigil with you."
"Vargok of the now dead Forge warband recruited them, Tribune," Spinebreaker says, saluting. "I decided they were useful, and they showed no inclination to leave, so I kept them with my unit."
Rytlock snarls at Spinebreaker. "Why are they with the gladium, soldier? Do you not understand the Vigil? Do you not use them to your advantage as you were trained to do?"
Spinebreaker doesn't budge at the tongue-lashing Rytlock is giving him, but then, all charr seem to be immune to verbal abuse. Instead, she says, reluctantly, "they are some of my best soldiers, but they are worse than gladium. They're not even charr!"
"So you treat them like gladium," Rytlock snorts. "I happen to know Warmaster Tiffany - personally. Tiffany, come here! And bring your friend."
The two Warmasters step forward, Tiffany barely keeping from smirking at Spinebreaker's sudden, obvious terror. Rytlock has only met her twice, but that makes no difference - he does get attached to the people he fights alongside of, as his odd friendship with Logan proves. Particularly people who fight alongside him for a goal - killing Faolain - that he is willing to work with Logan on.
"Yes, Rytlock?" she says as she approaches him. Spinebreaker's terror only increases further when she realizes they are on first-name terms.
"How long have you been with this unit? I assume you know the chain of command?"
"Since Invictus Castrum and the Blasted Hearth," Tiffany replies promptly. "Yes, I understand the chain of command."
"Very well. At what rank would you say you and your friend have been treated?"
"We were informed at the start that we are under Vargok Hellforge's authority - he's technically a gladium, though he wasn't quite considered so then, I don't think."
"Worse than gladium, then," Rytlock snarls, turning to Spinebreaker. "For nearly five weeks. Explain, Spinebreaker!" As Spinebreaker stumbles to stammer out a response, Rytlock huffs. "You have no explanation. You are no longer a leader of this unit. Tiffany, who, in your estimation, would be a good Iron Legionnaire to take his place in collaborating with the other Legionnaires?"
Tiffany frowns. "I don't think I'm qualified to answer that - I don't know anybody much. Just Vargok. He was Legionnaire before his warband was killed, does he count?"
"Where is he?" Rytlock asks the assembled crowd, who are all breathless at the scene that is transpiring.
Vargok steps forward, and he salutes when he reaches Rytlock. "Vargok, gladium formerly of the Forge warband, reporting, Tribune Brimstone," Vargok says.
Rytlock runs an eye over him, then turns to Tiffany and Forgal. "Why do you recommend him?"
"He cared about his warband, from what I can tell," Tiffany replies. "Like I said, me and Forgal have been under him since we started helping this unit, and he's been nothing but kind to us."
"He can follow orders as well as take them, Tribune," Forgal informs him, "and he's a capable fighter. He's designed several weapons that have helped us fight the Flame Legion. Even Spinebreaker recognizes his prowess in his chosen fields."
Vargok looks like he wants to say something, but he keeps his mouth shut in front of the Tribune.
Forgal continues, "I don't know too many charr - much less specifically Iron Legionnaires, unless Spinebreaker counts - but Vargok has all the makings of a good leader, at least how we tell them in the Vigil."
Rytlock nods. "Good." he turns to Vargok. "Legionnaire - Vargok Hellforge, you said? - you are now in charge of the Iron delegation of this unit."
"I have no warband, Tribune," Vargok protests, shocked. "I can't possibly be a Legionnaire."
"Too bad!" Rytlock roars. "You're a Legionnaire now. Find yourself a warband, but you are in charge now. I want Senecus Castrum taken down, Legionnaire, however you can figure it out."
"Yes, Tribune!" Vargok says, saluting.
After the roll-call is over, Rytlock calls Tiffany and Forgal to his office-tent. Tiffany notes that Spinebreaker is there, and she looks, if possible, even more terrified than before.
Rytlock starts right away. "Do you know the penalty for treating somebody who isn't gladium as a gladium?"
"No," Tiffany answers curiously.
"Spinebreaker, would you like to tell your victims of your punishment?" Rytlock asks, feral glee in his eyes.
Spinebreaker remains sullenly silent.
Tiffany knows that Spinebreaker is a proud charr, and being forced to tell his 'victims' of her punishment is, now Tiffany thinks about it, a very shameful task.
"Execution," Rytlock says, when it becomes clear that Spinebreaker won't speak.
Tiffany's eyes widen. "Don't do that!" she protests. Spinebreaker looks at her in clear shock. That must have been a thunderclap from a clear sky. "I didn't really care - it's not like I'm a charr myself - it's not worthy of death! It's not like he prevented me from fighting or anything that would compromise the mission!"
"I don't entirely agree with his actions," Forgal says, "but nobody should be outright killed for simple prejudice. He's a good fighter, whatever he's done, and punishing him severely but not fatally gives him a chance to learn."
"It's not like he disobeyed an order or anything," Tiffany adds. "He's a good leader - he really is - he just showed some undue prejudice, is all! I'm not saying removing him from command is a bad idea, but don't kill him!"
Rytlock looks from one Warmaster to the other, his face unreadable. "Well. As you were the only victims of this - and your arguments are reasonable - I'll let him off. But his warband will have to find a new Legionnaire."
Tiffany relaxes. She doesn't know nearly enough about charr to expect to be able to dictate who commands what, but at least he isn't being executed. She glances at Forgal, who has a hard look in his eyes, then to Spinebreaker, who seems stunned but grateful. Tiffany is reminded of the Bible verse about being kind to your enemies and therefore heaping coals of fire/shame on their head by being nice, and decides that perhaps this applies here. No matter any demotions, avoiding death is worth anything. Well, almost anything, she corrects herself, as she so often does when thinking about death. How many people does she know that chose death over something else? Forgal did, in-game, and so did Trahearne and several others.
No announcement is made concerning Spinebreaker's punishment - the soldiers are left to believe that Spinebreaker was executed - and Vargok, along with the Blood Legionnaire and the Ash Legionnaire, talk to Rytlock about strategy and how to take Senecus Castrum.
Eventually they come out with a plan - they will use a dredge-like tunneling machine, and tunnel under Senecus Castrum. They'll come up in the middle and attack from there. Rytlock says he already has a charr in mind who knows enough about the dredge machines to instruct the Iron Legion on building one, and then operate the machine. Tiffany wonders who it is, but doesn't particularly care, and she soon forgets about it.
Author's Notes:
Anyway. Other notes on this: Yay we finally get Forgal talking to Tiffany and stuffy-stuff-stuff! (I'm part skritt you know.) I love it! Also, somebody who hates Tiffany - Spinebreaker - which hasn't really happened before except for bad guys. (And Forgal, but he doesn't count.)
Also, while I was writing this, I forgot that Spinebreaker was female (her first name is Groma) and called her 'he' and 'him,' and then at the end I realized I'd got it wrong. I went back and fixed it, but if you find any confusing sentences let me know and I'll straighten it out.
Also, this is never going to make an effect on the story but it's funny so I'll share it: In Scrivener, I divide the chapter up into scenes, and then I give the scenes names so I can easily tell which one is about what. Well, I named that last one "That Plan Rocks!" and then in the scene summary I added (pun intended). I thought it was funny.
Conclusion: Awesome opening for Book Four: Trinity Rising. You know I'm going to use the book name a lot, because I'm just thrilled with it.
Also, an omake that was requested by ZenoLucario/Leon/Vargok's Player, based off of… uhh… I don't even know. He just linked me a video and I don't know what fandom/movie/etc it is. Anyway, here it is (and, uh, I doubt this would ever actually happen. Just saying.):
"Oohh, stuff stuff stuff!"
"What's that?" Vargok asks amusedly, watching the skritt dash around the dim cavern.
"That's a skritt," Leon laughs. "Go ahead, talk to it. It's sentient, don't worry, however much it looks like a rat."
"I resent that," Vargok sighs, but he walks over to the skritt. "Hello? What's your name?" he asks.
The skritt, terrified, squeaks incoherently.
"Well sweet Kalla on a smoking piece of convenional artillery!" Vargok yelps. "You sound like a majestic flaming eagle!"
"Ow ow ow!" the skritt yelps, holding its head.
"You're too smart for it," Leon notes, grinning.
Vargok whaks Leon on the head, but Leon ducks. "Talk to it in simple terms, Vargok," Leon laughs.
"Alright, how's this," Vargok shoots back. He turns to the skritt. "Can you sing?"
The skritt just looks at him, so Vargok decides to lead by example (kind of). "Harmonize with me, maggot!" he grumbles, and starts vocalizing wordlessly, or, in simple terms, shrieking at the top of his lungs.
The skritt, terrified of the roaring from this gigantic creature, backs away, and quickly breaks into a run. Vargok makes to go after it, but Leon's laughter stops him. "You sounded absolutely ridiculous!" Leon manages. "And you probably scared the last of its brain cells to death!"
Vargok grumbles in a low growl. "What creature can't understand harmonizing?" he complains.