Chapter Thirty-Three

"Your highness!" Barradin declared when he had identified Coran in the party entering Rin's south gate. "You should have been more clear as to where you were going and when you would return!"

"I apologize, Barradin." Coran replied. "It was a bit of a spur of the moment thing, and I wasn't certain how long my task would take."

"Yes… which brings me to my next question. Just… who is… that? Have you taken a Charr prisoner?"

"He is no prisoner." Coran said darkly, even as Barradin wouldn't have been able to tell Grazz from any other of his fiendish kind. "This Charr was the one who saved my life in the Northlands, brought me to relative safety in the Hylan Colony, and risked his own life to deliver us information about the coming invasion force. I dare say he is as loyal to me as you are, and deserves the proper respect."

Barradin reared back, astonished by the forceful tone in the king's voice. "I… very well. I'll pass the word along, and perhaps it might be a good idea for you to somehow… mark… this Charr as an ally… just in case."

"I hadn't thought of that." Coran admitted, and turned to Grazz as if asking silent permission. To his credit the Charr nodded, and signed in affirmation, expecting such an indicator would be necessary.

"One final question, if I may, my king." Barradin asked, pointing again over Coran's shoulder. "Who, exactly, are they…?"

Coran didn't need to follow the Duke's finger to know who he was referring to. "They are recruits for our cause; roughly five thousand, almost all of them able enough in body to fight. Which brings me to one question of my own… have we identified the coming Charr, and if so, how long do we have?"

Barradin licked his lips nervously. "We have located the advancing army, and your information was proven to be correct… although now I understand that there was no reason to doubt you. The numbers have proven to be beyond what our scouts can count… and from last reports, they were no more than a day's hard march from Rin."

"Okay… I can't imagine that they'd press themselves, but in case I'm wrong, we'll need to make sure everything is in place by tomorrow morning. Yuu, make sure the artillery on the wall is ready, and have your Shades collect whatever the smiths have completed by next sunrise. Barradin, I trust you have gathered all able bodied men and women from the surrounding area?"

"Yes, I have, your highness… although outfitting them was difficult considering the tasks you already set upon the smiths."

"Outfit the strongest ones first, and assign the rest to running supplies and messages. Was Fort Ranik able to respond?"

"Yes, sir. All is quiet on that front, and three regiments could be spared to Rin."

"Good."

"There's more good news, if I may…"

Coran raised an eyebrow. "I could use all of it I could…"

"That would be me." A graveled voice said, startling Coran, and forcing him to note the dwarf that had seem to materialize next to him. "Budger Blackpowder, at your service. King Ironhammer thought my expertise might be useful with the powder you're using. Our scouts noted movements in the Charr ourselves, and thought to lend the aid we could to our friends in the east."

Coran smiled wanly, knowing that King Ironhammer wasn't so much interested in helping Coran refine the process as to learn more about Coran's innovations. "As much as this may sound callous, I'm quite confident in my own knowledge, and see no reason why your experience will be needed."

"Hmm… very well then, I guess I'll inform General Hurmon Redbeard that he and his forces aren't needed either…" Budger said.

Coran frowned… realizing the trap, if you will. "Very well…" the Ascalonian king said warily. "I suppose since your people are already here… I can put you to some use. Aidan, escort our friend Blackpowder to the smiths if you could." When the ranger nodded, Coran added in a whisper, "Pass word to the smiths to make sure his hands and eyes remain on the powder."

He took a deep breath, and said, "Barradin, assemble an estimate of our manpower, and have it delivered to my chambers as soon as possible. I need to gather my thoughts after our travel."

Coran was looking over that estimate two hours later, finding it remarkable how organized the forces must have been for Barradin to assemble these numbers as quickly as he did. Because of his attention, he never noticed Devona enter their chambers until she asked, "So… what is the count?"

"There are seven thousand, two hundred, twenty-five active and able for combat among the Ascalon and Deldrimor Armies; and Arro reports that four thousand, nine hundred, and sixteen of her people are prepared."

"Twelve thousand." Devona said with some quick estimation. "If Grazz's estimates are true, we're still looking at forces that outnumber us roughly four to one. In addition, we don't know much about our Mron allies, how sturdy they are, their courage…"

"If Arro is any indicator, they'll be staunch regardless of the opponent. I'm not worried of the numbers of our foe either. By the time the Charr reach the wall, that ratio will be much closer to even. In fact, I'm quite pleased… I wasn't expecting Deldimor being able to respond, and my estimates of the Mron numbers was also considerably lower than they turned out to be."

"Never be so certain. Numbers don't always tell the whole story come battle." Devona warned, tapping the hell of her left foot against the toe of her right.

"Yes… I've been made painfully aware how unpredictable combat can be." Coran said. "Perhaps it's time I gathered the courage to make this request before it's too late."

"I will not be on the front lines." Devona said, her voice slightly regretful.

Coran seemed not to hear her right away. "I know you are a warrior, and you've chafed against anything that might be deemed as 'special privilege', but I don't think anyone would begrudge you considering… huh… what did you say?"

Devona allowed herself the slightest smile. "I said, as much as it may pain me… I will not ask to be placed on the front lines. I'm more than aware of my delicate condition, dear one, and I cannot place the life entrusted to me at risk unnecessarily. I hope that you are right, and that my friends and our people understand."

Coran exhaled gratefully. "Sometimes I forget you are far more logical than the few warriors I knew among my family and acquaintance."

Devona then raised a finger, and amended, "However, I will be prepared for combat in case I am needed. As long as the Charr remain beyond the wall, I will stand back, but the moment one of those creatures sets foot in Rin, I will defend my home."

"I'll submit to that concession… I just pray it doesn't come to that. Because if it does, I'm afraid the fall of Rin and Ascalon will not be far behind."

"My father told me that often the toughest part of battle is waiting for the battle when you know its coming." Yuu said, her eyes turned towards the north, as if hoping to see some sign of the Charr. "I think I'm coming to understand what he meant. I actually think there will be a part of me glad to see the Charr marching toward us… to finally cast an end to all this infernal uncertainty."

"You may take that back when you actually see them." Aidan disagreed. "They are going to outnumber us several times over. I'll be perfectly blunt when I say I don't see what our wise king sees. How can any weapon counter those sheer numbers?"

"I'm not entirely certain how myself." Yuu said, "But I do know that Coran's knowledge gave us protections that kept our colony safe for more than two years against a foe that would have easy rolled over us had all things been normal. Thus, I have no doubt that when Coran says these weapons are vastly more powerful than anything Tyria has seen since the time of the gods, I'll believe him."

They both instinctively turned to the tarp covered object not even six feet from them. "Your Shades have been up here a lot lately running drills on these weapons from what I hear. Just what are these things?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you…" Yuu said with a sigh. "Coran's ordered it, even though I'm not entirely certain why he's being so secretive." She pursed her lips, then grinned mischievously, "Ah, you're a discreet person… you really want a preview? I'll tell you right now, they don't look all that impressive."

The assassin looked about quickly to make sure no one was looking then pulled the tarp halfway down the object. Aidan's eyes narrowed, and his face turned quizzical before Yuu replaced the leather cover. "I told you." She said with a smirk, then turned her gaze back to the north.