Chapter 11 – Opening Moves
The sun rises on massive movement through the slopes of the highlands. Thousands of beings march with banners held high. The banners of King Rall and King Dolden over three armies converging onto one region. Midway down the slopes several men and women gather around a war table. The table itself is gently moving down the pathway, carried by many animated skeletal legs.
A herald steps forward and speaks to all present. “Let the records show that King Rall, General Ogdor, General Elzba, General Gimdon, and General Flellen are present for the meeting and planning of the upcoming engagement.”
All present simply nod or mutter in agreement. King Rall steps to the foreground with a cold face. “Gentlemen, this is our last meeting before the battle. On our way here, I have prepared the exact details for our engagement.”
Helvair points to the map, “General Ogdor’s Lizardmen and supporting Goblins from King Dolden, commanded by General Flellen. You are known as Group B.” The two bow slightly to his words. “You both will head northeast to the small villages that lay by the Spire Glacial Lake. Citizens need to be evacuated into the mountain pass. Set up defenses on the west side of the Spire River.”
“Group A,” Helvair says, “Consists of myself and General Elzba. We shall head southeast and make a big show of it in the open fields there. Hopefully, the enemy forces will come and split to two battles.”
“Group C, currently in active combat, are operating under General Gimdon’s direction. Group C is primarily low Goblins. For the past few days these troops have raided supply lines for the border guards. Our enemies have prepared their nearby troops to respond in force and pursue these raiders.”
He points to the woods between Group A and B, “Group C will bait the enemy into our defenses. The majority of their troops will re-organize once battles begin and then support as needed.” General Gimdon, a low goblin, grins like a beast. Every tooth golden and shiny in the sunrise.
“Yes, yes, my raiders, they report much angry humans and elves. Gathering but no supply safe. Angry. Much mad with us, haheee~!”
“Your efforts are recognized. King Dolden provided us with good men. We shall rely on you,” Helvair smiles.
“Oh yes, yes, rely on us as much as can. Be there to help, much help until end.”
Helvair simply assents and continues to speak. “The hero is far in the east portions of the enemy territories. This engagement is meant to weaken their conventional fighting force. If for some reason the hero shows up, a red flare should be cast to the sky. In the event of that, our forces will retreat to the pass and join up a solid defense line. Know that I wish not to retreat, but neither can we fight multiple fronts against the enemy with the hero present. It ends only in wholesale slaughter.”
The generals all nod in agreement. “You have your orders. Be in position before sunset. The enemy is not far from us, two days march at most. Time is short. Dismissed.” Everyone present clenches their fists to their chests in a salute and disperse to their assigned duties.
Helvair seats himself in his chair on the skeletal palisade. His fingers stroke his beard as he sits in apparent deep thought. “My Lord,” one of the officers says, “Command has been issued to your troops. We will arrive at the southeastern fields in half a day.” He bows, his teal hair fluffing forward.
“Very well. Prepare our emergency beacon for General Heth, should we need his immediate support.” Helvair drums his fingers on the arm of his chair, “I really hope this forces those idiots to the negotiation table.”
“My lord, if I may, why do you think losing fighting strength will deter the hero?” The teal haired officer questions.
“It’s simple. Our forces with myself or any of our generals present; stand a chance against their armies. Likewise, so do theirs. However, if I were to fight their armies alone, then I would at best be bloodied. The Hero would strike me down much easier.”
“So why fight at all? Why not just barricade the passes and hide?”
“That was a thought. Yet, consider what I just said. Flip the roles. A hero without an army is what?”
“An easy target.”
“Which should lead to diplomacy as they do not wish to risk their best asset.”
“Very wise, my liege.”
Helvair smiles slightly, “General Heth has a wise junior officer, Lieutenant Vasynth. I am grateful to have you as his eyes on the front. As well as the reports of you helping my daughter in her first lesson. Such an asset as you can only be a boon to us now."
Vasynth lowers his head as he receives so much praise.
"You are in communication with General Heth, correct?”
“Yes Sire, I only can send a message directly every hour. However, I keep him appraised.”
“Once battle starts, refrain from using the skill. Should we be in dire straits, I need him to know immediately.”
“Yes Sire, as you command” Vasynth bows, a wide smile playing across his face.
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General Ogdor’s Point of View
[https://i.imgur.com/vVeyyuD.png]
My men and I have marched northeast for several hours now. We should soon be in sight of the villages, who should be ready to leave. The runners likely arrived there an hour ago. Efficient. Fast. Our tribe must not disappoint the Kingdom.
My mount plods along, the giant salamander’s tail wagging back and forth. Our goblin allies trail behind us on their carts and sleds. At least we have both mounted and foot combat units. Improves our chance of victory.
A rider, Ugul, approaches me from my right flank. He pulls his salamander alongside mine and the two rub each other’s flanks with affection without losing stride. Planner Ugul speaks in our own tongue. “[Master General, updated report on the teams sent ahead. No contact or response since they left. I think there is something fishy going on. I taste it in my heart.]”
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“[Planner Ugul, is this truly a cause for concern? Perhaps they have been busy with the villagers?]”
“[Master General, if they were helping they would send a messenger. Furthermore, we are upwind, so the long-tongues do not report scent either. If there were trouble we would not know until we arrive. I suggest our mounted forces move forward. Let the slow goblins catch up.]”
“[We would divide our strength,]” I retort as a knot of concern builds in my stomach. Something isn’t right. Everything explains a loss of contact and the only solution to it would be dividing our army up. Further scout parties would merely be picked off if there is an enemy.
“[Yes, but our enemy is not mounted combatants. If it is an enemy, then they would be a small raid party. Our few scouts could have been ambushed in the homes or elsewhere. Perhaps it is not a concern but I feel it prudent to split our forces.]”
“[Planner Ugul, is this personal or planner opinion?]” I say as I feel my frills lift in concern, red flushing through the crest down my neck.
“[Master General. I would not let my own personal fears guide my choice. The ancestors bless me with the mind to plan. Dishonor and shame upon me if I do not perform my duty.]”
“[Ugul, we’re a mated coupled. It is fine to permit your personal feelings to inform your planning. I do not like you being in the same force as me. I do not wish to see our name wiped in a single failure of mine.]”
“[Ogord, it is my personal feeling to die alongside you. I would be no more honorable than doing that. We survive war before. We continue to survive now. No difference. My fear is there, yes, but it is one we have both overcome before. Both duties of mine tell me we should act upon this in a manner fitting of survival. So, I once again, recommend we split our forces.]”
“[Very well, Planner Ugul, I have made my decision. We will ride for the villages. If we find signs of the enemy, then we will retreat and rejoin the Goblins.]” I turn my head towards another rider. “[Relay to Goblins. Mounted forces moving ahead. Possible concern of ambush. Will keep in contact.]”
“[Yes sir!]” the messenger turns back towards our rear to pass along our intents.
“[I should have consulted General Flellen, I know, but that would add even more time against our odds. Planner Ugul, issue my orders.]” I raise a banner up behind my mount, signaling a short message to follow my pace. My salamander mount trundles forward slightly faster than a horse. Ugul shouts orders to various officers and soon the entire unit is in sync with me.
Like a tide of orange, blue, green, and yellow, we paint the forest pathway with our many soldiers and mounts. The faster we go the more my gut tightens in that knot. Down the hill we go into the valley below, it opens up to fields.
As branches rush by, I look up and can see the Spire Glacier and the magnificent waterfall coming from the lake above. Then my gaze looks down to the villages. The smoke bellowing from distant infernos. I bellow to Ugul, “[Send word, form up first ridge, prepare for potential charge, couch lances upon arrival. Raise red banners!”]
Ugul and I both change out the banners on our massive mounts. Across my army, officers copy the color as worded orders catch up to them. As our forces crest the next hill, we can see the shallow plains below, almost a bowl. There, three separate farming villages burn. Truly, it could be called a single village, but they are distinctly separated by their cultures.
Fire rises from the houses. Small figures move about, raising pikes with dead citizens on them. Not just that, but wooden T’s as well. They’ve crucified our scouts amongst the locals. A team of fire mages are burning everything in their way.
“[What are they doing?!]” Ugul cried out in shock.
I return that sentiment as our force briefly slows down. “[Purging. If we had not lost the eastern fortress, then they would not so freely access our lands.]” The grip on my reigns tighten hard enough that some of my scales peel free. I do not wait for orders to appropriately disseminate.
> Skill Activated: Commanding Presence Level 42
“[Enemy ahead. Couch lances. Run them through. Salamanders burn.]”
For the moment, my entire mounted army moves as a single entity. Thundering forward the next hundred or so meters, only gaining charging speed right before the enemy. The mounts we ride hiss in steam and smoke as gouts of flames burn before their path.
Several foes flee in terror from the onslaught. After all, what use are light raiding infantry against this? Against me? Against my fire and my spear? I bellow to the enemy, “You will rue the day you did thissss to these villagesss, to our King’ss people!”
> Skill Activated: Commanding Presence Level 42
“[Turn. Repeat into flank of fleeing foes. Leave no one alive.]”
Again, the tide of colorful salamanders and lizard-men flow across the fields. A flood of justice as we run down everyone in the route, burning anything that moves. I release my skill over my soldiers and they disperse to hunt freely.
“[Master General, is it wise to kill all the enemies? We should spare some to interrogate. Calm your rath, my love.]”
“[Planner, a fair point. Round up the survivors, pass orders: if any are alive, disable and capture them. I will not be sad if they are accidentally maimed.]”
My troops continue to round up the enemy raiding party. Most of the dead are mercenaries and a few officiated mages. It seems they do not send their best out to fight us. That would explain the dishonorable conduct.
I settle my mount into place within one of the smoldering villages whose name I know not. If not for the damage, this place would be beautiful. I take in my surroundings briefly. Spire Glacier stands tall over us, its lake and falls nearby. Not far from here is where we need to set up defense in the next few hours.
[https://i.imgur.com/fnYAF1h.png]
My thoughts are very swiftly interrupted by one of my officers. He has a prisoner brought my way, a female human mage. Half her face is burned slightly but otherwise she will live.
My men throw her to the ground as I squat to talk to her. She recoils from me and trembles in fear. “Why would elvessss and humansss do this? Why do the other people of the world support thisss?”
She simply soils herself from fear. If me being polite is fearful for her, then I’ll try the hard way. “ANSSWER ME GODSSSS DAMNIT,” I hiss letting my tongue flick out at her.
“Please don’t eat me! Please. Please. Oh, Gods on High save me,” she pleads, with no reply.
“Anssswer me or I will kill you,” I insist, though I don’t plan to do so anytime soon.
“Ah! Ah, au… you’d know, monster! You attacked our towns! Our villages! Killed everyone, men, women, and children!”
“Woman, we,” I gestures to my army, “Have done no sssuch thing. Yet you, have.” I point towards the smoldering pile of corpses her kind had set alight. The bodies pinned up to crosses and posts.
“W-warnings a-and revenge! You. Not you, but, your king. Slaughtered so many!”
“What exactly do you mean, human?”
“The De-Demon King’s Goblins and Skeletons. They. Came… and killed many. Over the past few wuh-weeks.”
“I’ll be blunt, lady. We jussst started thisss operation lesss than a week ago. If any monsterssssfolk attacked you, it wasss not under our Kingsss orders. Perhapsss another flag? Of a goblin king?” I narrow a suspicion in my mind.
“W-what? No, t-the demon king’s… banner was raised over the cities and towns that were burned. No others. Why are…I… I lost my son to this. Why? Your kind, you monsters. Why, why can’t you be normal like beastkin?!”
“Taking the life of other innocentsss doesss not undo the hurtsss causssed.” I stand up and tell the soldiers who have her under guard, “[Get her treated. Handle her with care, this human has suffered trauma and is not being rational.]”
I then look to Ugul with a flare of concern on my scales “[Someone has been raiding the civilians of our enemies. With our King’s banner and no one else's. An act our King explicitly prohibits. While I know there are many clans and tribes of monster-folk, I doubt anyone would so brazenly do this.]”
Planner Ugul looks off to the side, before speaking once more. “[Master General, this smells of foul play by someone. I suggest we withdraw immediately.]”
“[Planner, we cannot. Our allies are soon to enter the field and we would leave them to their deaths. No, we cannot leave right now. Have our men dig in as planned.]”
“[Yes Master General. I will pass on word to Group A as to what has happened. We should be close enough that a rider can make it in less than an hour if unburdened.]”
“[See to it. The sooner everyone knows of this event, the better.]” Ugul bows and makes their way to arrange the message. I simply stare east towards where our enemy will be coming from. “[What are they up to…]”