Free Dark Sun: Prism Pentad 2 - The Crimson Legion by Troy Denning

dwarves, either. I warrant we'll have a new commander in a matter ofÑ”
    Rikus clasped the templar's hand. “This isn't the king's decision,” he said, prying the
     stone from Styan's fingers. “You have only two choices. Join us and help, or wait here and
     hope we succeed.”
    Styan stared at Rikus, then jerked his hand out of the mul's grasp. “I'll wait.”
    Paying the templar no further attention, Rikus slipped the stone into his leather belt
     pouch, then gave Neeva and Jaseela instructions to be passed along to the others. Rikus
     laid his cahulaks aside, then moved to leave.
    K'kriq stepped to his side and started down the sandstone slope with him. Rikus stopped
     and shook his head, “I have to go alone, K'kriq,” he said. Though the thri-kreen was
     quickly learning Tyrian, Rikus spoke in Urikite. He did not want any misunderstandings.
    The thri-kreen shook his bubble-eyed head and laid a restraining claw on the mul's
     shoulder. “Pack mates.”
    Rikus removed the claw. “Yes, but don't come until the fight starts,” he said, starting
     down the hill again.
    K'kriq ignored his order and followed. The mul stopped and frowned at the thri-kreen. As
     much as he valued the mantis-warrior's combat prowess, the mul remembered how easily
     Maetan had taken control of K'kriq's mind in the last battle. He did not want to risk the
     same thing happening before the fight was in full swing.
    Deciding to put his order in terms that K'kriq seemed to understand, Rikus pointed at
     Gaanon. “If I'm a pack mate, so is Gaanon,” he said. “Stay here and protect him.”
    The thri-kreen looked from the mul to the half-giant. “Protect?” His mandibles hung open
     in confusion.
    “Guard, like your young,” the mul explained.
    “Gaanon no hatchling!” K'kriq returned, cocking his head at Rikus. Nevertheless, the
     thri-kreen turned away and went to the half-giant's side, shaking his head as though the
     mul were crazy.
    Breathing a sigh of relief, Rikus descended the sandstone slope alone. As he approached
     the village gate, which did not stand even as tall as he did, he raised his hands above
     his head to show that he was unarmed. The mul could have reached the top of the village
     wall without leaving his feet, and caught the railing atop the gatehouse with a good leap.
    When Rikus had reached a comfortable speaking distance, a Urikite officer showed his
     bearded face above the wall. “That's far enough,” he called, using a heavily accented
     version of the common trade dialect. “What do you want?”
    “I've come to
    
    
    
    
    
     surrender my
    
    
    
    
    
     legion to Maetan of Urik,” Rikus answered. He did his best to look both remorseful and
     angry.
    “Maetan has no use for your legionÑexcept as slaves,” the officer returned, his dark eyes
     narrowed auspiciously.
    “Better slaves than corpses,” Rikus answered. Though he did not mean them, the words stuck
     in his throat anyway. “We've been out of water for days.”
    “There's plenty in here,” the officer answered. He grinned wickedly and studied the mul
     for a moment, then motioned for the gate to be opened.
    Rikus stepped through, allowing himself to be seized by the officer and several soldiers.
     They bound his hands and slipped a choking-loop around his neck, then led him toward the
     windmill and cistern at the center of the village. They passed a dozen rows of the round
     huts. As he peered
    
    
    
    
    
     down into them, Rikus could not help noticing that they were all arranged in a similar
     manner. To one side of the doorway was a round table surrounded by a trio of curved
     benches. On the other side of the door stood a simple cabinet holding a variety of tools
     and weapons. The beds,
    
    
     stone platforms
    
    
     covered with several layers of assorted hides, were located opposite the door. The only
     variations between individual buildings came in the number of beds and how neatly the