Author's Note: This follows the timeline in RPG mode of Guild Wars to an extent. The story starts off three months after the Searing, instead of one year such as in the game. Feed back would be appreciated. Some Skills have been slightly edited to suit the story. Bare with me.

"So, this is Ascalon? I figured it would be a little more….green, and less wasteland."

Hikari kneeled down, touching the ground, feeling the ashes. She turned, seeing the Shiverpeaks they had just crossed, white, beautiful from a distance. It was a stark contrast to what had once been a great kingdom. She dusted the ashes off her robes and stood. "Brother, what happened here?"

Kotetsu turned, and motioned for her to be silent. He took out several arrows, attaching small barbs to make the arrows stick. Boars weren't easy to bring down, and keeping an arrow in them helped make it quick and clean. He nocked an arrow, aiming at a rather large boar. He stood still, judging the wind with a certain expertise that his sister didn't understand.

It had been a long journey. He, his sisters Hikari and Tasari, and all who they traveled with were hungry, and this boar was just the thing to add with their stored fruits and greens. Others had already fashioned a few arrows the same way, seeing similar game. The wind blew by in gusts, the only noise breaking the silence.

Phfft! Phfft! Phfft!

Three arrows launched out. One arrow hit the boar in the leg, another arrow struck a Strider in the neck, and the last brought down a Devourer. Kotetsu quickly nocked three arrows and let them loose all at once. Crippled, the boar was struggling to run, only to have another arrow cripple another leg, the other two slamming into its throat. It struggled for a few more steps, and fell. Kotetsu turned back to Hikari.

"If what I hear is true, the Charr led an invasion force into Ascalon. Somehow they managed to conjure a magical storm of fire that utterly burnt all of Ascalon. I am not sure how they did it, all I know is that this is the result." He motioned at the land that lay before them as he said this. "Now, you go get the fire started, I need to go help with that great boar." Placing his bow on his shoulder, he brandished a small knife and walked to where others were already preparing the game to be cooked.

Tasari had an armuful of wood, dumping it next to the ever-growing pile as Hikari waited for a sufficient amount. "Brother seems really distressed over this, doesn't he, Hikari?" Hikari stared at the pile of kindle, logs, and leaves. "I think so. I'm not sure why, we had no relatives that I can think of here. When you live in the wilderness, it's unlikely that you have kin you know of elsewhere."

"That isn't the case."

Hikari and Tasari jumped, noticing he was behind them, holding large slabs of freshly cut meat. He laid them with other slabs onto an iron plate. He pointed at the pile. Hikari nodded, holding out her hand and chanting. A small spray of fire burst forth, lighting the kindling and the logs, the fire growing steadily as it ran its course. Kotetsu sat down, taking a pot from another and set some water to boil.

"Ascalon is in danger of extinction. That is why I decided to come, to try and prevent that. They need to learn how to survive in an environment that is completely new to them. They may already have a few that can teach, but they are preoccupied with holding off the Charr. It is not just me either. Everyone here came for that reason, and last I checked, people don't have to be family to need help."

He paused, handing the large pot of water to a woman. "Go wash up." As Hikari and Tasari left, two other's set up two large slabs of boar over the fire for it to cook.

"Kotetsu."

He turned. "Korah." The woman sat down next to him, smiling. "Your sisters don't know, do they? You did come for a personal reason also."

He shook his head. "She's tough. She can take care of herself. Sword or not, she could tear anything apart." This time Korah shook her head. "You don't need to lie to me now. She was like a sister to you. You're worried about her."

He watched their cook place a few vegetables and cook them over the fire for a short while, than chopping them up into a fine spice. Two others held the meat up for him as he sprinkled the spice onto it, and than preparing other mixes for the group. He gazed around, seeing other camps nearby; each huddled in their groups as they were during the trip through the Shiverpeaks.

When everything was ready they all sat down to eat. "Why don't you two get a room!" Tasari joked at Kotetsu and Korah. Korah shrugged, than replied. "Maybe when you decide to go after that hunter over there." She pointed to a nearby site, where a proud hunter stood, retelling one of their favorite stories. Tasari blushed, playing with her dinner.

Kssh kssh, snap!

The hunters turned, nocking arrows to bows and scanning for what made the sound. Kotetsu stepped near the edge of the hill they were on and looked down. Is that a kobold? No, kobolds are smaller. Large, hairy beasts, that walk upright…is that a Charr? As this thought entered his mind, the Charr's attention snapped up. Its nostrils flared wildly. Damn it! It smelled the meat cooking. Who knows how many are around here now. His focus snapped to his right as the Charr let out a howl. Is that a patrol? No, patrols are smaller. Damn, there must be at least 200 of them! The Charr broke into a dash up the hill as Kotetsu ran back.

"It's the Charr, gather together! Don't let yourselves be surrounded!" He assessed the situation: About forty hunters, as good as any archer in a royal army. Hikari, Tasari, and about four others knew magic. About eight others were very good with a sword. The odds were not good. The path! The path to the Shiverpeaks was narrow, allowing only ten to walk in stride with each other. The Charr were much larger, possibly only allowing as much as six. It was the best chance. He ran up to his leader.

"Sir, we should fall back to the Shiverpeak Path! It will provide us with the best defensive position, otherwise we'll be overrun!"

He pondered for a moment. "Everyone! To the Shiverpeak path! We did not come all this way only to die once we got here! Get some magic to slow them down, ten of you, set up some oil traps near the base of our defensive position! The rest of you get set up!"

Tasari, Hikari, and the others started chanting. Two of the ten threw down spikes to slow down the Charr, and the other eight poured down a large amount of oil. Several of the hunters had already set up oiled arrows, ready to light the trap. Those in the front took out their swords.

The very earth shook as the mages finished their spells, and they began to run back. It was a focused earthquake, knocking many of the Charr off their feet, and unable to move until it ended. Tasari and the others were well behind everyone else by then. "Fire a volley into their ranks!" The arrows flew through the air, some bouncing off the Charrs' armor, others finding weaknesses in the neckline. The Charr pushed forward, undaunted by the storm of arrows. "Not yet!" The front lines fidgeted as the giant beasts charged towards them. "We cannot waste the trap! Wait for it!" The sound of steel clashing echoed through the ranks, the Charrs' brute strength nearly over powering those in front. A volley of arrows was fired onto them. Kotetsu turned and shouted. "Tasari!". She threw up her hands, a strange pulse emanating from them. The arrows veered off course, bouncing into the side of the path and breaking harmlessly. "Now! Set them alight!" Kotetsu focused back onto the battle, quickly taking one of his oiled arrows and lighting them, and fired with the volley that followed. Nearly half the Charr force was caught in the flames, howls of pain drowning out the sound of steel.

Damn, it wasn't enough!

"It wasn't enough!" Their leader echoed his thoughts. "Get some magic as soon as you can! Archers, start getting them off our front! Those in front, hold on!"

Kotetsu turned to look at his sisters. Damn, they're exhausted. The others aren't faring well at all either! He turned back to the battle, but noticed something. Is that more of them? Damn, we can't even handle them as is! Wait a minute. That's Eleanor!

The fire had died out now and the Charr left on the other side were about to charge when they too noticed a third party coming. One furthest in back was smashed in the face by a hammer. Spirits lifting, Kotetsu turned to his leader, who nodded back at him. "Let's finish this; I didn't get to eat my dinner yet!" Resorting to aimed shots rather than volleys, they began to pick off the Charr one by one. Kotetsu looked towards the other party again. A woman ran up to a Charr, grabbed it by the arm, broke the arm, threw it over her shoulder and cut off its head. Korah whistled. "You weren't kidding when you said she tore them apart." Kotetsu let another arrow fly. "I didn't mean literally!"

Hammer and sword, arrow and magic, the Charr force was eliminated. The small force that saved them came up. Kotetus's leader invited them to dinner, sending out some more hunters to get more animals, as the Charr had trampled what remained of their meal. They found some more great boars, along with a few other animals.

They sat down to eat at last, around one large fire instead of small camps. The leaders of the two forces were talking, frowning at each other as one informed the other. When some of the soldiers finished, they went off and salvaged whatever they could off of the Charr. Kotetsu watched intently. Of course, any sort of industry must have been destroyed during the invasion. What they live off of is what they can find and grow, but nothing more.

"Always getting into trouble, Kotetsu. Just like old times."

Kotetsu snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the woman sitting next to him.

"Eleanor."

"The one and only. It's been awhile."

"Yes. It has."