Mounted on a Subterranean Lizard, Renato frowned as his gaze swept over the burning ruins before him.
He and Tristana had been away from the Gray Zone for less than half a day, yet several corpses already lay sprawled across the narrow street.
Lingering magical flames danced atop the tattered hide awnings, crackling sharply. Broken arrow shafts protruded from the walls, and shoddy swords and flimsy shields littered the ground.
Had there just been a battle here?
The smell of blood was thick. Renato tightened his grip on his sword hilt, his gaze lingering briefly on the corpses' clothing.
The dead wore only crude armor stitched together from iron rings and scraps of leather, with black surcoats over it. A simple arrowhead emblem had been drawn on each surcoat in white lime.
Renato did not recognize which armed group the emblem represented. All he could be sure of was that they were not Iron Price mercenaries.
The people he had seen in the tower yesterday had not been particularly well equipped either, but they were still far better outfitted than these dead wretches.
"Tristana, there's clearly been a battle here." He lowered his voice, scanning the windows and rooftops on either side of the street. "Will the Ruling Council's guards be arriving soon?"
The young Cleric shook her head and explained the basics to Renato:
"Renato, this is the Gray Zone. No laws, no rules, nothing. This is where Sammoril's rejects and scum congregate. The ruling Matron Mothers would love nothing more than for this trash to burn itself up, so they won't have to send soldiers to deal with it later."
Renato's confusion did not last long.
He found the Iron Price mercenary company beside a makeshift barricade a short distance away.
The barricade had been hastily built from