He could only think of one way that Gurg could now disrupt their plan. A full on goblin attack, if the goblins decided to attack in full force and throw everything they have got at them then they would have to change there strategy to offense from defense. But unless Gurg is in direct contact with the goblins that would be difficult to do, so then the only other way was to provoke them by making it seem that they were going to attack them instead if they didn't do anything.
And so with this picture in his mind Ash after much persuading Maya, left the city to scout around. He was confident in his abilities now, if anything went wrong they could atleast run back to the city, and he was getting too nervous not knowing anything in the house.
"There are scouts in the forests, I don't know what are we doing here?" asked Maya.
"We'll be going a little closer to the goblins then the scouts, " said Ash.
"I don't think that's a good idea, " said Maya.
"Are you scared?" he teased her, he had learnt that the elves were much more egoistic in these conditions and he had started using such tactics when he wanted to persuade Maya quickly.
They rode in the same directions they had days before when they were chasing the goblins that had attacked them. They reached the canyons under which the goblins were hiding, even now the cracks looked completely deserted, but he knew at any moment they could be flooding with green.
"Let's take a look inside, " said Ash.
"No, " she began to disagree.
"Oh come on, don't you want to go down there and see what's what, no one goes there thinking that it is also cursed like the burnt lands, but it isn't obviously since the goblins are living here, I want to see this place better from all sides, I feel like we won't know more about the situation until then, " said Ash.
"Fine, I am going to have to hide though, it would be easier to save you, if someone tries to sneak up on you that way, " she said.
Ash was all for it because he could go in any direction he wanted now. He looked at the canyons, he knew where he wanted to go really, at the edge of the burnt land beyond the canyons he had heard so much about them he wanted to have a look.
Vanessa remained in constant agitation the next day when she woke up, she was just waiting for someone to barge in her room and take her away. She and Emily decided it would be a good idea to not do anything and see if whatever they had done yesterday had actually gone unnoticed, but the two missing guards couldn't have gone unnoticed.
"They have increased the patrol in that area, and the friends of those men are going around asking about them, they look pissed, if they come here just quietly let them ask whatever they want to ask, " Emily came through the window and told her in the afternoon.
"What else am I going to do? I am not going to kill them too, I am not that stupid, " she said.
"Yeah, have you thought about how we are going to get to the dungeon?" asked Emily.
"Yeah, I mean you would have a better chance since you know the place mich better, but I haven't, " replied Vanessa.
"Well I tried to see how close I can get, but it is a dungeon after all, they haven't taken it lightly, I think some of those mages are involved, they have somehow blocked every crack and hole, " said Emily.
"I was thinking, what if we do something to be sent there, " said Vanessa.
"What?" Emily asked.
"I mean you are his daughter, maybe you can go to them and demand to see your father, " said Vanessa.
"And what do you think they'll let me?" asked Emily.
"They are obviously planning something, using us as leverage, they haven't hurt us so far, maybe you could really force them, try crying or something, " said Vanessa unsure herself.
"What if we actually do something that we are taken down there to imprison with the other prisoners?" asked Emily.
"And then what? It will be just as difficult getting out as getting in, " said Vanessa.
"I hear someone coming, " whispered Emily and jumped out of the window.
Then a minute later the door to the room opened and a man entered. He was wearing the same uniforms as the guys she had killed he must be here to ask about them, she thought.
"A lioness huh? Didn't know one of you was staying here, they should have kept you somewhere with better security, but that's what happens when you appoint some inexperienced man to do such tasks, " he said entering the room and looking around.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"A couple of guys have gone missing from our camp, they used to patrol the area below this tower, mind you, I could care less about them, but some of their friends have been creating a lot of trouble, and they don't have the skills of proper interrogation, " he said coming closer to her.
"See, I just from one look can tell there is something you are hiding, from my years of experience, I also know you lions have some serious temper, and those guys would have rarely seen a woman like you, so I add up two and two and a story froms in my mind, " he said.
Who was this guy? She thought.
"Did something like that happen?" he asked.
"I don't know what you are talking about, " she said and he laughed at that.
"Ah, it was getting too boring, anyways, if they did tried to out their hands on you even after my orders then they deserved what they got, you did my work for me, " he said and turned his back and with no care at all moved around the room and then looked out the window.
"What was your name again?" he asked.
"Gia, " she used the fake name she had been using.
"Gia, I am Ramond, pleasure to make your acquaintance, are you not from around here?" he then asked making her surprise.
"No I was just visiting, " she decided not to lie too much in this guy's presence.
"And then you got stuck in here, bad luck, I am kind of stuck here too, I would have rather been out at the sea on my boat, " he said.
"You are a ship captain?" she asked.
"Well yes, and so I start getting sick if I am on land too much, " he said.
"What are you going to do now?" she asked.
"Are you asking if I will turn you in? I might not, like I said I don't care, but just for principal, what do you have to offer me for it?" he asked.
"Nothing, I didn't do it, " she said.
"No no, that's not how you make a deal, you must understand what the other party is offering, I am a gentleman and that's why I will take whatever you have to offer, but it should be equally valuable, " he said.