special attention. The Lake Road is my greatest
concern. It is a highway to flank us and will be the easiest to attack. First
we will knock down the wall next to the lake to make the road more dangerous.
Then we need to build several walls along its length. Each needs to be thick,
strong, and high. The construction needs to begin immediately.”
Deiran was
nodding as he spoke and reached for another scrap of parchment to begin making
notes. Braon paused and waited while he scribbled the orders. When the general
finished and looked at him he added.
“The Lake Road,
The Deep, and Azertorn, are most likely to be attacked, and therefore must be
the most fortified. If possible, the Deep needs to have a wall built high
enough to reach the rest of the cliff. When the wall falls, and it will, we will
need to have pitch or tar prepared. I am hoping when the dwarves come they can use
their fire magic to prepare fire traps that will ignite the tar as it drains
down.”
Deiran was now
grinning as Braon spoke but didn’t stop writing.
“Last we have
Azertorn. We are truly lucky to have it constructed so well—but, if its gates
are breached, it will only be a matter of time. For that reason, we must do
everything possible to draw attention away from the gates. I believe they will
use a battering ram almost immediately, and continuously. At some point they
will damage the wood of the gates enough to see that stone is behind them and
they will look for secondary gates. When they find them—.”
“Don’t you
mean if they find them?” Deiran interrupted but Braon was already
shaking his head.
“If they
number so many —,” Braon couldn’t help but shiver at the thought of such
an enemy , “— as the Oracle stated, they will find the secret
entrance. Once they enter the city, the First Hall will be overrun in hours,
likewise the Second Hall, and the rest of the city will be destroyed soon
after. The Oracle told us the best we can hope to last is seven days, and if
darkness falls on the seventh day, it will be permanent. Because of this I
believe we must hold the gates at least until the end of the sixth day. If they
breach the city before then . . .” He let the implication hang until Deiran
nodded, his expression grim.
Deiran then sighed
and looked away. “Do we have a chance?” For the first time since he’d called Braon
commander, the general spoke with respect.
Relief washed
over him as Braon realized he'd passed his first hurdle. “I believe we do, general,
or at least I hope we do—and we will certainly do everything possible to
succeed. I, for one, am not going to lie to down and be killed.”
Deiran snorted
and stood. “And neither shall I! I will get these orders sent out immediately.”
“Excellent.
As soon as you are done, I need to learn more about the city and make plans for
the arrival of allies. I believe the refugees from the eastern kingdom will
arrive first since we already know they are on the way. Send word to the elven
settlements to direct them here so we can begin their integration into our defenses.”
Deiran nodded
and escorted him out of the office. Leaving him speaking to one of his
captains, Braon slipped out of the command center and headed back to the House
of Runya.
They had a
long road ahead but at least he’d seen what they had to defend, and more
importantly, he had a plan. Then an idea popped into his head and he turned
towards the palace. He was going to need the queen’s help for it to work, and
it would be best to put that part into motion first.
Braon’s pace
quickened as more and more thoughts came into mind of things that needed
immediate attention. Sighing, he worked to list them in order of priority and
forced himself to slow his gait. As he began fleshing out his strategies with
the critical details, he checked for gaps or holes that would bring them down.
With the magnitude of this battle, the slightest opening could make the
difference, and it was up to him to
concern. It is a highway to flank us and will be the easiest to attack. First
we will knock down the wall next to the lake to make the road more dangerous.
Then we need to build several walls along its length. Each needs to be thick,
strong, and high. The construction needs to begin immediately.”
Deiran was
nodding as he spoke and reached for another scrap of parchment to begin making
notes. Braon paused and waited while he scribbled the orders. When the general
finished and looked at him he added.
“The Lake Road,
The Deep, and Azertorn, are most likely to be attacked, and therefore must be
the most fortified. If possible, the Deep needs to have a wall built high
enough to reach the rest of the cliff. When the wall falls, and it will, we will
need to have pitch or tar prepared. I am hoping when the dwarves come they can use
their fire magic to prepare fire traps that will ignite the tar as it drains
down.”
Deiran was now
grinning as Braon spoke but didn’t stop writing.
“Last we have
Azertorn. We are truly lucky to have it constructed so well—but, if its gates
are breached, it will only be a matter of time. For that reason, we must do
everything possible to draw attention away from the gates. I believe they will
use a battering ram almost immediately, and continuously. At some point they
will damage the wood of the gates enough to see that stone is behind them and
they will look for secondary gates. When they find them—.”
“Don’t you
mean if they find them?” Deiran interrupted but Braon was already
shaking his head.
“If they
number so many —,” Braon couldn’t help but shiver at the thought of such
an enemy , “— as the Oracle stated, they will find the secret
entrance. Once they enter the city, the First Hall will be overrun in hours,
likewise the Second Hall, and the rest of the city will be destroyed soon
after. The Oracle told us the best we can hope to last is seven days, and if
darkness falls on the seventh day, it will be permanent. Because of this I
believe we must hold the gates at least until the end of the sixth day. If they
breach the city before then . . .” He let the implication hang until Deiran
nodded, his expression grim.
Deiran then sighed
and looked away. “Do we have a chance?” For the first time since he’d called Braon
commander, the general spoke with respect.
Relief washed
over him as Braon realized he'd passed his first hurdle. “I believe we do, general,
or at least I hope we do—and we will certainly do everything possible to
succeed. I, for one, am not going to lie to down and be killed.”
Deiran snorted
and stood. “And neither shall I! I will get these orders sent out immediately.”
“Excellent.
As soon as you are done, I need to learn more about the city and make plans for
the arrival of allies. I believe the refugees from the eastern kingdom will
arrive first since we already know they are on the way. Send word to the elven
settlements to direct them here so we can begin their integration into our defenses.”
Deiran nodded
and escorted him out of the office. Leaving him speaking to one of his
captains, Braon slipped out of the command center and headed back to the House
of Runya.
They had a
long road ahead but at least he’d seen what they had to defend, and more
importantly, he had a plan. Then an idea popped into his head and he turned
towards the palace. He was going to need the queen’s help for it to work, and
it would be best to put that part into motion first.
Braon’s pace
quickened as more and more thoughts came into mind of things that needed
immediate attention. Sighing, he worked to list them in order of priority and
forced himself to slow his gait. As he began fleshing out his strategies with
the critical details, he checked for gaps or holes that would bring them down.
With the magnitude of this battle, the slightest opening could make the
difference, and it was up to him to
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