Hammering of the Blacksmith
1945 Day 152
Between Regan and Ralla

	Velgut strode quickly towards Ralla.  He stopped dead in his tracks when he could
of swore he heard footsteps and panting.  He did!
	Placing a hand on a dagger, he ducked behind a tree.  He recognized Nashgoln. 
The other man, hooded, he didn’t recognize.  Normally, he would have remained hidden,
but considering the circumstances of the last few days, he stepped out.  If he felt anything
resembling trust towards anyone, it was Nashgoln.
	Nashgoln saw him and skidded to a stop.  
	"Velgut!"  Nashgoln stammered.  "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
	"Running that fast might have done you in just as fast," Velgut stated.
	"Ralla...is gone."  Nashgoln was still panting.  "Rampage marched in demanding
food and shelter for the night.  Their advance party came in, saying we’d be okay, we
were a loyal village...but someone got scared and threw a spear at one of the horses.  A
mob went nuts, killed all ten men in the party.  Then they went to the statue of Hyru,
demolished it.  They were about to settle down when the rest of the Corps came in. 
Rampage saw what had happened and wiped everything out."
	"How did you get away?" Velgut inquired.
	"I was sitting on a hill, writing a new piece with my young friend here," Nashgoln
nodded at the still cloaked second man.  "I saw it all.  When I saw Rampage come in full,
we fled.  We decided on this way, after you.  Plus Rampage wasn’t likely to come this
direction.  Are any of them out here?"
	"My very being here is a testament to that.  Only some Foragers in Regan."  The
second man’s head perked up at the sound of Foragers.  Velgut immediately recognizes
the face of Hogran!-but said nothing about his identity.  Why would Nashgoln be traveling
with such a dangerous creature.
	"Nashgoln, you don’t know that Ralla was destroyed.  You only saw the riot from
the hilltop," Hogran said.
	"It was Rampage, Amicus.  They’re all dead!" Nashgoln stammered.  Amicus? 
Hogran was going by Amicus?  "Velgut, did you get the orb?"  Hogran’s eyes lit up like
the lightning of the gods.
	"No.  Liam’s finger was gone.  A Forager had taken it, but a Spyre agent got it
and went towards Vent."
	"Foragers?" A string of expletives exited Nashgoln’s mouth.  "Filthy things, I can’t
believe you and that creep Hogran ever followed them.  Young fools you were."
	"Yes, young fools indeed," agreed Velgut, staring intently at, ‘Amicus’, Hogran.
	"Liam?  Liam is dead?" stammered Hogran.
	"We appreciate your sympathies Amicus, but we already knew, and you never met
her," Nashgoln said politely.
	Velgut’s decision was reached instantly.  Quoting one of Hogran’s own lines "I
scavenge the scavenger, I betray the betrayer.  This isn’t Amicus, Nashgoln.  It’s Hogran!"
	Nashgoln squinted in confusion for a moment at Velgut then turned, convinced it was
Hogran.  "Traveling blacksmith indeed!  Too trusting was I, even made you a runner in my
resistance."  He drew his dagger.  Velgut raised his, both approaching the cowering
Hogran.
	"South!  South!  We should head south!  Those Foragers will kill me!  And that
orb!  It’s deadly to those who don’t know how to use it.  That’s why I gave it to Liam,
she knew how to control it.  I don’t want to go near it!  I can’t believe she actually gave
me a night in her arms for it!"
	Nashgoln immediately swung his dagger to slash Hogran’s throat, but Velgut
kicked the older man in the back sending him down the hill.  Hogran turned to run, but
Velgut leapt and tackled him, pounding a rock on his head, knocking him out.
	Nashgoln stood up, "You should have let me kill him!"
	"He deserves death, I agree, but a slow painful one at the hands of those who
don’t appreciate what little are he had." said Velgut, slinging Hogran over his shoulder. 
"Besides, we need to know more about that orb if we’re going after it.  He can tell us."
	"Going after it?  Are you nuts?" Nashgoln was incredulous.
	"We’ve got few choices on directions.  Regan is gone.  Ralla and Rampage is not
an option.  The coast goes nowhere so our best bet is Vent.  If we run into a Spyre, I’m
sure Hogran is a wanted man.  If we run into the Foragers, they’ll be happy to take him. 
Go where you will, I’ve been traveling for too long to stay here!"
	Velgut turned and marched stoically towards Vent.  Nashgoln cursed for a
moment, then followed.