Over the next few days, 5th division’s advance force repeated the ambush three more times, changing up the attack pattern and timing to keep their enemies guessing. By the third time, Lindvar division had gotten so wise to their tactics that the Harvand forces were unable to deal more than superficial damage before being forced to retreat, lest they be surrounded and forced into an uneven battle themselves. Still, despite the Marradi’s growing competency at dealing with fog-covered ambushes, the attacks fulfilled their objective.
Each time, the Harvand scouts reported their enemies’ numbers had dwindled, be it through death and injury in the fights themselves or Marradi soldiers using the cover of the magical mists to break off from their allies and flee into the woods, choosing to try their luck in the wilderness instead of facing the Harvand soldiers and adventurers in battle one more time. Twice did 5th division come across groups of deserters like these, entire banners that had quietly left their posts once their commanders lost sight of them. Without the supply train, 5th division lacked the capability to take care of any amount of captives, so the deserters who wished to be taken as prisoners of war were sent onward to Giant’s Head, while those wishing to return home despite the risk of capture were left alone.
In the evening after their last attack, the leaders of the advance force were once again gathered around a small fire, but despite their continued successes, the mood was subdued.
“We need to decide how to proceed,” Asher started the meeting without preamble. “If we wish to return to Giant’s Head before depleting our food and water, we need to turn back now. I would hear your thoughts.”
“We have the opportunity to destroy Lindvar division completely, an opportunity that will disappear the moment they reach Artelby’s gates!” Colonel Meller jumped in immediately. “If we leave now, we’ll have to fight them again once they’re rested and resupplied, but if we catch them before then, we’ll severely weaken Marrad’s ability to project force in the eastern Wasteland!”
Asher nodded, turning to the commander of third battalion. “What do your scouts report?”
“After the last wave of desertions, our force now slightly outnumbers what remains of the enemy division,” Colonel Harrick reported, his words greeted with satisfied murmurs. Their foes had started out with an even four thousand soldiers. That the advance force now outnumbered them meant that in the last three weeks they’d lost at least half their number, while 5th division had taken minimal casualties themselves. Sure, many of those losses were still alive, either deserters that stole off into the night or wounded soldiers that had to be stashed into wagons or left behind because of a lack of magical healing, but what was important wasn’t the number of corpses left behind, but the number of spears that the enemy could still line up against them.
“Morale remains low, though today’s successful defense seems to have given the soldiers heart,” Harrick continued. “There were not nearly as many desertions as after the last attack. After only a short break, they have started marching hard toward Artelby. If they keep up the pace, they will reach it before nightfall tomorrow.”
“It is likely the proximity of their fortress’ safety that’s raising morale,” Major Gerrack spoke up. “They might think that we won’t attack them again this close to their territory. Disabusing them of that notion might push the last holdouts over the edge and cause a complete rout.”
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“Maybe,” Bordan said slowly, “but the terrain ahead isn’t nearly as favorable as what we have enjoyed recently. According to the map, we have reached the edge of the forest. If we attack them tomorrow, it will be without the cover of the trees that we could rely on so far.”
“With the magical fog on our side, we don’t need the cover of the forest,” Meller said. “They won’t be able to see us coming either way.”
“That might be a problem,” Salissa reported, all eyes turning to her. “The mages are exhausted. Journeymen Bernel and Hafarn, the two that have mastered the fog spell, didn’t have enough time to replenish their reserves between fights, so they couldn’t lift a pebble right now. Usually, they would be able to continue resting in their wagon, but as they need to march with us…” She shrugged. “They will only be able to generate a small amount of fog tomorrow, and if the enemy mages are as quick at targeting the source of the mist with fireballs as they were today, we remaining mages will struggle greatly to defend against it all. Shielding our troops against the barrage of fireballs that the enemy sent our way today took a lot out of all of us.”
As she finished speaking, pride welled up in Edwin’s chest. He’d offered to report on the mages’ situation in her stead, but she’d declined. She’d become a lot more self-confident since he’d met her.
It must be the responsibility, Edwin thought. With her teaching the close combat class, a lot of the other mages respect her, especially the younger ones. She’s nothing like the angry child I first met in Pel Darni.
“An attack without the cover of fog or a tree line to hide in?” Colonel Harrick asked, worried. “I don’t see how that could end in any way other than disaster. While we may have done better than we ever expected, we must not forget that without first battalion’s heavies, we’re at a severe disadvantage in a direct confrontation.”
“If both of our forces were fresh, that would be the case,” Meller argued, “but in our current situation, I doubt it. Many of their soldiers are wounded, and their morale is critical. If we use the momentum we’ve built over the last few days and deal a strong blow immediately, the rest of their formation will falter and either surrender or break and flee.”
“We could use what little fog we have to conceal our true numbers,” Captain Gerrack suggested. “It’s highly unlikely that they know how many men we actually have, and if we attack with our entire force from one direction and deploy the fog in their flanks, they might believe that we have more than we let on.”
All eyes turned to the General for the final decision. Asher was looking into the distance, his face hidden in shadows that the small fire’s light couldn’t reach. Finally, he turned back to his officers.
“There is a risk, but the benefits outweigh it. We shall utilize the fog to trick our enemies into diverting their attention while the majority of our forces charge them from the front. If we fail to break through their defenses or our attack does not have the impact we hope for, we shall retreat back to safety without delay. Whether through the woods or over the plains, our light infantry should easily outpace theirs. Mage Salissa, can you and your colleagues cover an assault like this from magical attacks?”
Salissa opened her mouth, then closed it again and creased her brows. “Yes,” she finally answered. “It’s likely that the enemy mages will target the sources of our fog again, which will reduce the firepower the main force will have to deal with by a lot. If we disperse all available mages through the formation, even the two healers, we should have enough shields to barely provide enough cover.”
“Very good,” Asher said, clapping his hands. “Then it is decided. One more day, people. Just a little more effort, and we will change the entire outcome of this war.”