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The walk back to the town – Carrick – was slow but satisfying. Naturally, I had my character sheet before me:553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qteYEtdOO
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCngpnRRX4
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBE0cgVKh5
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Fighter, Level 2 HP 16 AC 0553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7L2mMiGc7u
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNZ1Tbdn5a
Str 7553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jfrcL6EOG
Dex 4553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JiJeG2Vhv
Con 8553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPOlwpop8l
Int 16553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRyHHlryrb
Wis 16553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLS4mh8p2X
Cha 4553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhX4djCilj
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7RFwGke2g
Skills553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7M2eYMvZeU
Lunge 5553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkN2J1C9xh
Parry 5553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6mhXWM7bv
Wield Shortbow 3553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvd6L9JNO6C
Wield Rapier 5553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJ2LvGPyyj
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1WpGTRGL7
You have 1 attribute point to assign.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzFJ1p45wk
You have 5 skill points to assign.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYn68tYHZ7
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XP 110/200
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I was heartened that the system awarded a new attribute point on levelling: one that further justified my risky decision to be a Fighter. The immediate question was not what attribute to increase but whether to spend it at all. If it proved relatively easy to get attributes to move up from very low scores, but very hard to say, train Strength from 17 to 18, then I should save all my level points until I'd achieved as much as I could from exercise.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejPE02ryrk
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlQn06OFeN
Then there was the question of skill points. From the speed at which skills increased, I might have made a mistake in my Min-Max approach. I tapped Carlena on the back and asked that she wait with me while I took a breather. The cleric, however, I gestured to continue towards the town walls, which were less than a mile away.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡue3AaMFFLW
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZQa6CRKkJ
'Can you tell me about how to improve skills?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAj2zEY0k7
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLq2FCRs6Ea
'I don't have access to the menus that you do, so anything I can tell you is conjecture.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncnCIa3FRe
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'I understand.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Dp16lGQ17
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'I believe that every time where you are in a situation where you have a chance to use a skill in earnest, there's the possibility you will increase your expertise in it. But you have to use a skill many times before you will be successful.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5hjVO131J
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'Mine seemed to go up fairly rapidly.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccRKZTM73N
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Carlena looked at me thoughtfully. 'Tell me my stats.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFH0mCbvET8
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKdy60yO34
It took a moment to find the right menu, then I reported them to her: 'Strength five; Dexterity eleven; Constitution nine; Intelligence seventeen; Wisdom seven; Charisma eight.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryAq0M7wMz
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ewAKg24rh
'Much as I thought. Although my Intelligence is slightly disappointing. Now, what are yours?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkYZxsHgV7
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSa5ZSubcmM
Although I felt reluctant to share this information for some reason, I reminded myself she was on my side after all. 'Strength seven; Dexterity four; Constitution eight; Intelligence sixteen; Wisdom sixteen; Charisma four.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaICQ6t93s
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlsZGgbk92
'By Miya's breath! Sixteen Intelligence and Wisdom? I never would have believed it!' Then she laughed. 'No offence, Sean, but I see the body of King Carlos and I see a very slow-witted man. It affects my perception of you.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0r3ie4wAWm
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kIKA5Dknv
'None taken,' I smiled. It was the first time I'd seen the sorceress laugh and it all of a sudden, my doubts about her retreated.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzLtTowF5w
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiLHZiXiDT
'That's the explanation: you will learn fast with those two attributes so high. They are extraordinary, I doubt there are more than a handful of people in the world with both Intelligence and Wisdom over fifteen.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6HM3ClSBo
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Pqs0D8XQB
'What's the maximum an attribute can be at?553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9VNvfZsta
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'Again, this is conjecture, but I think for a human, twenty.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprpcHPpuM0
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1nEtLMkgo
I resumed my slow walk back to the safety of the town walls. It was hard to force my thick legs into motion, but my morale was high and the aches didn't trouble me. If I could get my core fighting attributes to increase, to at least to around eleven or twelve, then I could bump them up with my level gains. Meanwhile, I had a very advantageous situation in regard to skills. Obviously, I should spread my points widely, trusting to my Intelligence and Wisdom to bring them up fast. In time, I would be a very versatile warrior, capable of using a wide variety of weapons and actions at a high level, instead of a specialist in just one or two.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnn5BaDNbLv
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmzCft62Ba
I put a skill point into each of Bash, Block, Deflect, Defensive Stance and Dodge, which would get me started in those. And I saved my attribute point for now.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnx8aUM9uq
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EtfcURezN
By the time we reached the eastern gate of the town (a large metal portcullis that was already mostly down, I had to duck to go through), nearly four hours had passed. I hadn't forgotten the fact that the smithy was turning out pickaxes and as soon as the iron was all used up and I had twenty-four new pickaxes, I assigned them to the miners.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviwmePMUn2
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The Cleric was just beyond the gate, waiting for us. My instinct was to thank her, but conscious of the looks of the guards and the townspeople, I simply said, 'be ready to do the same tomorrow.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0diyZV5CR
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'Yes, sire.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7ppg76nDN
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With a promise she would join me for dinner, Carlena bid me farewell soon after and set off towards her tower, the one I had arrived at just two days ago (though it felt like I'd been here a week at least).553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50qTwMIoq4
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78jiCAQ9mK
As I entered the keep, my thoughts were entirely on a bath and even a nap before dinner, when they were jolted into focus by the presence of Chancellor Parrin. My scout had been waiting in one of several chairs that were set outside of the solar for that purpose. My heart leapt. So much depended on his report. What did his face convey? Bad news, I thought, there was unease in the way his eyes caught mine.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp68P8bcR6
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5WpbXW3TT
After taking my throne and ordering the servants to leave, I called the chancellor close.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbyZ1Sj9lI
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'Well?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RdJxrDSg5
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'They are moving an army towards us.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtut1SfyjOx
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'How many troops?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjRedkDwU1
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'Sixty spearmen, twenty axemen, forty archers, thirty light cavalry, ten heavy cavalry…' he paused, 'with them are two commanders, one from each faction, and a Shaman with a sabre-tooth tiger pet, I couldn't determine their levels.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBo4nDsAvfI
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They had about twice the number of troops we did. And strangely that gave me some hope. Given Greyland's tiny army, it could have been a lot worse.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYn9xMrW66
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'How long have we got?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2fVxWgIA5
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'They will arrive at Three-Ways tomorrow, probably near enough to noon.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRbzgm6Q6g
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This was happening too fast. If I could have even had just a couple more personal levels, I could make a real difference to what happened in the melee. It was unfortunate too that the tower machicolations wouldn't be in place for this battle, one day and eighteen hours remained on that timer.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RtPEeJcI4
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Perhaps I was looking worried, because Parrin asked, 'can we stop them?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6Gr3hiybR
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I smiled. 'Of course we can. In fact, I think they've made a mistake. They didn't bring their full army?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJR5gyMulJ
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'No, this is about half.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QtAlMuZVj
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That really did feel like a mistake. If they had risked everything on overwhelming us, that would have been far more dangerous. Perhaps they were worried about losing control of our farmland in the event of being thrown back. Or perhaps the two rulers were not entirely of the same mind. Whatever the reason, the encouragement I offered the chancellor was not at all bluster. 'A lot will depend on how you, Lord Arval and Carlena perform, but this will be a battle we can win. We have a ballista, they don't have anything with the same range?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuVoNRO0PP
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'No.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWUmdCFKRQ
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'Because of that, they won't be able to mass their archers to eliminate ours and then drive us from the walls. They will have to come on fast and try to storm the fort while we are on top of them. And that's a big advantage to us.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLe62Wyvk7
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'True enough sire.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkuLZx8NoL
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'Send a messenger on a fast horse with those figures to Lord Arval and tell him I'm coming; order a horse and cart big enough to carry me; let Carlena know to meet us at the fort tomorrow, early, and the cleric too, and any of the archers in the hospital able to fire a bow.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdufhaTZnt
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5P3iXhMuAm
We shared a look – for my part I tried to convey confidence and determination – and then he was striding out of the hall, his rapid footsteps echoing in the empty room. One day I would lead my armies from the front. If we survived this attack. But even if I couldn't fight in a battle effectively, I could be there to encourage the soldiers and give orders.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qSF7KjJZZ
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbT2nZMDPq
After a wash and change and a meal (fish again) I went outside the keep to where a man sat on a long cart, which was drawn by two horses. I was going to have to travel through an uncomfortable night on those bare planks and over a bumpy road.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpMWzOxURx
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvnIUCVdXS
It really was a painful journey, several times I was jolted so badly even my bulky body rose off the planks. As best I could, I distracted myself by reading up on the game menus, giving particular attention to the stats on the soldiers. It was possible to get details on each soldier type, so our 33 archers, for example, read as follows:553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeQB8eNTwW
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Greyland Archer553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICmIo0QqTY
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Fighter level 0553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuecW03kj4L
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Ranged attack: 15553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHg7OeS6RH
Melee attack: 8553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRlcFrpa1Y
Armour Class: 2553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO6GlEDCUj
Hit Points: 5553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwNOD9LiyW
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Skills:553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UyeQVoFuX
Wield Longbow variable, according to experience553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUyt4D6Cth
Wield Shortsword variable, according to experience553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbFrWsQOTT
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Monthly Upkeep: 4sp
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I had also been keeping an eye on the town menu and just after dawn, 4 iron ingots appeared in the resources area. That was excellent, it showed that applying steel pickaxes to mining really was an effective way to increase production. I allocated the ingots to the smithy, meaning I would have 48 new pickaxes in due course. Assuming we survived the day ahead.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Qa9gV1eyg
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Lively birdsong accompanied the spread of grey light across the sky. Because we were making our way down a valley, I didn't see the rising sun, only a pink glow that became a bright yellow sun by the time it rose high enough to cross the shadows of the horizon. It was a beautiful day and I was struck by the realisation that it might be my last. Unlike a game, this could be the end for me. I was placing myself in proximity to 160 or so enemy soldiers who wouldn't hesitate to kill me if they could. And there was no possibility of escape if it all went wrong, not with this body.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5uAIVbW38
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Did every soldier feel the same, the morning before battle? A heightening of all the senses? An appreciation of the sky, the breeze, the birdsong? Even of the breaths I was taking. Yes, I felt a certain amount of fear, but it was very much in the background. I had to do what I had to do.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ndrGsQwGa
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Three Ways was the area at meeting of two valleys at the confluence of two small mountain rivers with a bridge over the emerging river. The fort was a wooden tower on a rocky outcrop to my right, the river I was following was on my left. Extending from the tower and all the way to the riverbank where there was another, much smaller, tower was a wooden palisade. There was a gate where the road passed through the wall.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pkeiUMvSp
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My first impression was positive. We had control of the main route up towards Carrick. In theory, you could march along the other side of the river, in the narrow strip of rocky ground before the hill began to rise steeply. That would let you bypass the fort, but it would be slow going and we could harass the enemy from our side of the river. The walls of the hillside were even steeper near the main fort tower, including slaps of sheer rock in places. There was no way an army could skirt around us.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHmZJiqCQk
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A picket of a dozen light infantry called on the cart to stop and as soon as they saw me, they stiffened to attention. With some difficulty I got myself out of the cart and over to the soldiers who looked at me with solemn expressions.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBag5iFYoE5
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'Show me to Lord Arval.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pGa7OQTqp
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A guard saluted and led the way towards the main fort tower; before we were half way there, a cluster of soldiers came out of it, Lord Arval at their head, body armour shining silver in the morning light.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMJ0iqS0nt
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'Well met, sir, well met!' Lord Arval offered his hand and shook mine earnestly. 'I have made my dispositions, but I'm glad you are here to check them and lead us in the battle.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrJwnkwiJa
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdpvzrUiS3
'Thank you, Lord Arval. I don't suppose this world has invented coffee? No. Some hot water then if you can, while you explain your set up.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9wMbNUCrg
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'Certainly sire.' He gestured an aide to obtain my drink, then began his account. 'Our light cavalry, twenty-four of them, are scouting further down the road. They will bring us word of the enemy advance.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTeGqQ2zp2
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I nodded.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvZ4W0ePbt
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'The ballista is on top of the main tower.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEBlCqXuqT
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'What's the maximum range for it?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynHZFoToOR
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'I can show you, if you'll come up to the palisade walkway.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9dUpw0yyr
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXxdmiFIpt
It took some effort, and I nearly had to ask for a push from behind, but I got up a narrow wooden staircase and stood with the Paladin above the gate. Ahead of me, the road turned left to cross the bridge and then follow the river downstream on its left bank. That valley was where our opponents would arrive from. From here I could see the other stream and the mouth of the other valley, which was around the corner to the right of our main tower, with the stream running across the ground ahead of us to the main river about four hundred yards from where I was standing.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoRwz1iBE8
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'See that reddish rock beyond the bridge?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZBwQv4PVB
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'Yes?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTo8y6kAgo9
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'The ballista can hit that. I know, I had them fire at it.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwwXEkEn1D
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2KXeQM5ta
While it was good that we could be shooting at the enemy as they crossed the bridge, I wasn't sure about placing the ballista crew in a position where they could be fired upon once the enemy was over the crossing. Not at all.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOMJgnTwn2
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsK43kI772
'All along the palisade will be our light infantry. They have been hauling rocks up ever since we heard the news. Also about half the archers. Only fifteen can fit alongside the ballista crew on the top of the tower.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EldIEWzNn
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARB7hTDNaF
Lord Arval looked at me and then continued.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjf0fn14VmF
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'I was thinking that the twelve heavy infantry and four heavy cavalry should be there on that rise, as our reserve.' He pointed back the way I had come from.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14PdxhhiT4
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'And what about you and the Sorceress?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTII9I69Dh
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarZe0NYrDY
'It seems to me, she should be on the small tower, nearest the bridge, and myself with the reserve.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydoUn8kklX
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkFMyWD1pK
For a while I studied the position and everyone waited silently, the only sound that of our flags flapping in a light breeze.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBJlbP7Uu3
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'Suppose you were their general, what would you do?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WTRY0duwx
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Lord Arval looked thoughtful and rubbed his bald head slowly as he considered the ground ahead of us. 'I'd probably rush my archers to the main tower and try to silence the ballista, maybe having prepared screens first, so as to protect from incoming arrows from the walls. If I succeeded, I'd clear the palisade next, as much as I could.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiah9YcuM4
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'I think the same. So would you consider putting our ballista with the reserve? Too far for their arrows to reach but within range of them?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXRlGQLMqL
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa03uyRITcR
'We'd lose the opportunity to fire when they are crowding the bridge.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbr6KIHc245
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'If they are smart, they will cross in single file.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70tVkCXVJn
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'What if they stand close to our walls? We might not have the elevation for the ballista to see them?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUksx4fQesn
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'We could put Carlena here, she has a fire dart spell that would do a great deal of damage or drive them off if they come close.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd8nOfW7Hd
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6n4ZMezZD
'Aye.' He had a distant look, probably I did too. We were trying to imagine what the battle might look like. Though as any writer on warfare would tell you, no plan survives contact with the enemy. 'Aye,' he said again, more decisively, 'I think you are right.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwFtTdNlC0
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'And the advantage of my idea is that we keep everyone under cover for the duel between ballista and their archers. Your way, we might win, but are likely to lose a lot of troops.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8javZavyY
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3qLajW8UI
'Very good sire. Shall I order it moved now, we need time.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPRMllSegY
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'Go ahead.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvULY35hmv
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It took over an hour before the ballista was set up on the rise behind the palisade, even with a pulley to lower the equipment down the side of the tower. Not long afterwards Carlena arrived with Chancellor Parrin, the Cleric and two more archers, who had recovered enough in the hospital to participate.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnrw7mD61q
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The Cleric was put in the reserve and then the four of us: Arval, Parrin, Carlena and myself went to the small tower while we talked over the plan. In short, it was to win the artillery duel and therefore be able to have the infantry throw rocks and spears from the palisade without fearing incoming arrows.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vfwfRlM31
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKe0SUjhxfF
Time moves slowly before battle. It was still early in the morning and I wondered if it was worth feeding our soldiers in the near future or not. I asked Lord Arval.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdta61vmMm
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'Does a soldier fight better on an empty or full stomach?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtSOeWgnkw
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'No one knows sire. There is a story of an emperor who had the same question. So he took two groups of twelve soldiers and had them fight. One group did so after a hearty meal, the others with no food inside them.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWkPPQT20q
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OMzNThgy3
'And?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXssa08P3hX
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'Inconclusive, sire, I believe the no-food side won, but only by a man. Personally, I find a small amount of food, especially fruit, optimum.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcHpZHlhzK
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DkCPCTUhF
'Very good, distribute it now, in case the enemy are making good speed.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHZRhssZXu
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVlg1I6gAl
Our opponents did not, however, arrive until after a long, long wait, the sun well past midday. Then time began to move rapidly, beginning with the return of our light cavalry: a distant dust rising into the clear blue sky, then the sounds of their hooves and finally the sight of them clattering across the bridge.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60GFwuWKKe
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When they were drawn up beside the four heavy cavalrymen, Lord Arval had the gates closed and barred.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qU6Hy33G8
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'Ready sire?'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdHKT3KOzR
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'Not quite, gather the soldiers, I'll speak to them.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CXvHxq5DS
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygLRsqKarX
Lord Arval nodded approvingly, while Chancellor Parrin's long, bearded face was inscrutable. He probably had years of practice at hiding his feelings from Carlos. Carlena, however, was clearly sceptical.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiYTBLm3HD
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From a rock on the rise, with a good view of the cavalry to my left and the infantry below, whose faces were tipped up towards me, I tried to remember some of the rousing speeches I'd heard in films.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02xw4ftXej
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'What day is it?' I asked Chancellor Parrin in a low voice.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vYHKGCEAN
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'Twenty-fourth of the month of Abya.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7TT5rgWGk
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'Soldiers of Greyland!' I began, my big body proving good for this purpose, with my voice strong and echoing from the rocks. The men looked at me with hopeful expressions. 'This day, the twenty-fourth of the month of Abya, is forever going to be remembered in the history of our realm. For it is on this day that we will turn the course of this war.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBozJU8ZgP
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGoeGNi2qa
Lord Arval gave a roar and shook a spear, which encouraged many of the men to do the same.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ5EQBYwdh
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'And you are the lucky ones. There will come a time when vast armies under my command will conquer the twenty-five kingdoms. And they will all know that it began here, with just a few of us, a lucky few. A band of warring brothers.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcywu59ge0H
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt76wIlDrl
'You will be able to say, with pride, I was there that day. With King Carlos, with Lord Arval, Chancellor Parrin and Sorceress Carlena, when we smashed the army that tried to invade our mountains and sent them fleeing back down the valley.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOhcLG49cM
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'It will be a tough battle, they have more soldiers; but we have much the better position and the advantage of the ballista. Let no one think of retreat. Either we hold this fort or the enemy capture Carrick and enslave your families.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mBR4n9n0y
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUBimY6tdg
'This is where we make our stand. This is where they will break. Fight for yourself, your comrades, and your families at home.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtHRkogbOy
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'Those recruits in years to come who were not here will think themselves cursed. And listen in silence when any of you speak. You who fought at the battle of Three Ways!'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVNNWllNbd
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Lord Arval gave another roar and this time there was a really satisfying response, one that resounded all around us.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jkXSt8qGd
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'Positions!' Our Paladin, now on his horse, led the troops back to the palisade.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlnqBSUcL2
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Before she left, I called Carlena over. 'I think today might be the day for your potion.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1SEDZmnDV
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'You might be right.' She looked at me with an expression I'd never seen before from her: respect. 'You spoke well.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1pskhuoTB
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCE51MKG90
Passing me a small bottle of turquoise liquid, she said, 'just drink and name the creature. Make it one around your size or it might fail. You will have eight minutes.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VoHUQm0pD
553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJg949D9vO
'Good luck.'553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BrVJlcsy3
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'And to you.' She walked towards the gate and her position.553Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8ZNYdrDh8
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Before Lord Arval had returned, a new sound came from the valley beyond the bridge, an ominous deep series of thuds. The enemy were coming, marching to drums of war.
