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The walk back to the town – Carrick – was slow but satisfying. Naturally, I had my character sheet before me:389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWzkys5zFb
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYkFrUNVvS
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aPTiEV77t
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Fighter, Level 2 HP 16 AC 0389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKX7oPXhOV
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Str 7389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sm2Djv0W4
Dex 4389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXikDI80Ru
Con 8389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtHeHPPiLH
Int 16389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerT9pdwZtc
Wis 16389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneZBXh9PPY
Cha 4389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiaUUGdlCg
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTuhZhlzdT
Skills389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIBtJpN84J
Lunge 5389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBSF4UOsMe
Parry 5389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2A7Xe2mPz
Wield Shortbow 3389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyo27XdPZPM
Wield Rapier 5389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BIKs9QlVV
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You have 1 attribute point to assign.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18GcsUGebd
You have 5 skill points to assign.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1NQBTRIhQ
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7feOU74I1
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqEnR4qnr8
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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPimikRHNlP
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'Can you tell me about how to improve skills?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5a12CptHD
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20qm5l9J5Y
'I don't have access to the menus that you do, so anything I can tell you is conjecture.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0U9dWNm5H2
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'I understand.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnn9HExpK2i
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3cobLFinv
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'Mine seemed to go up fairly rapidly.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSTRKSr15D
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Carlena looked at me thoughtfully. 'Tell me my stats.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17twT9d5me
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsj7woDCGR
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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mrSbzb9Xu
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SOMxwuGsu
'Much as I thought. Although my Intelligence is slightly disappointing. Now, what are yours?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYJR5bsNfu
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEX5SIVLbXZ
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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwQmQM7iCN
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTLdo2iJWb
'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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGGuDh7qHO
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0ZcPHedry
'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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5zeJJcWtR
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7PAtaGPeq
'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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxscLQY5Yp
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB8kH2ISsA
'What's the maximum an attribute can be at?389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtyWF6UYWv
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'Again, this is conjecture, but I think for a human, twenty.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmzVr15tAT
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfkj7Szn4X
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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgdWBd6slK
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCw12Bqzoex
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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNORkYvrOT
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sNxvTA6mJ
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMDK78nc8W
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'Yes, sire.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hSxG4Pqpm
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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).389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWslmDv4wAD
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VNmAzES6O
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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Q6gg9gOlU
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlv97xMXoyG
After taking my throne and ordering the servants to leave, I called the chancellor close.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bItfD4uck
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'Well?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGK89C0r6Kr
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'They are moving an army towards us.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUiml8IRtOJ
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'How many troops?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiyTS1xJw7
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7BKxId9VP
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHrEv0DhbA
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'How long have we got?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8804ippL9
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'They will arrive at Three-Ways tomorrow, probably near enough to noon.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7O9hgaWi6D
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6e9LK2dlHE
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Perhaps I was looking worried, because Parrin asked, 'can we stop them?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDdUSvuEHp
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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?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgk8UNTA18
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'No, this is about half.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6LcFCypjm
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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?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpd1jexqQ2
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'No.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteAqfBGxdK
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16ls4dUWCZ
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'True enough sire.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqM2u4tcXqb
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05F3d3sgrW
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfL1950izk
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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6j5U9KW5U
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVs7nrFAVd
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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:389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEchTIbAMfD
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Greyland Archer389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJBbZ4rVos
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Fighter level 0389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXqLjg5L69
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Ranged attack: 15389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYdkm5eEtJ
Melee attack: 8389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZKlrroAED
Armour Class: 2389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9dVQPeNGp
Hit Points: 5389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xRiLrkhfh
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZBVKvh97N
Skills:389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH07FlxAWWQ
Wield Longbow variable, according to experience389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjou0AlgF4h
Wield Shortsword variable, according to experience389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBLty1RQ3h
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9uu23s1Uz
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCh1BmbvXrG
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnV54nrb8E
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTrEWUUT3K
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSpVXvujKJ
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOdAGvkFJt
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'Show me to Lord Arval.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYM7tnoE9Ij
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cYnwgD9RL
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1o1nEGebeY
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'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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAexmszyNa4
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DhdC1fbdq
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I nodded.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaEEsV7rrJ
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'The ballista is on top of the main tower.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6VA3h1MHs
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'What's the maximum range for it?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshuXe8rGum
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'I can show you, if you'll come up to the palisade walkway.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXO36IKRoqU
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaOXikRNaS
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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNG1bj2mYNj
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'See that reddish rock beyond the bridge?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzdTxvy3fW
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'Yes?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ4JKMFfI8
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'The ballista can hit that. I know, I had them fire at it.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxkX0QXgGN
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnczXcmoRkR
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'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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wFTKmL4L3
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwSI7OPRKb
Lord Arval looked at me and then continued.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Esl4Vl5gF
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6R87OZESpO
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'And what about you and the Sorceress?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVg6sqrYg6
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'It seems to me, she should be on the small tower, nearest the bridge, and myself with the reserve.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0Am8OEcBS
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFuCYKHZEm
For a while I studied the position and everyone waited silently, the only sound that of our flags flapping in a light breeze.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfm5eAW6Vx
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'Suppose you were their general, what would you do?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9qHIahQjB
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuglibfoZyO
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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivSFG317Vj
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPfTDcfIe6
'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?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2M0GACwmgS
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'We'd lose the opportunity to fire when they are crowding the bridge.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshyb40jzdd
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CyP6xcp79
'If they are smart, they will cross in single file.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkj59xlK0fO
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRl7BV9IMp
'What if they stand close to our walls? We might not have the elevation for the ballista to see them?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5I1CbCnRN
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEkCl2jU6S
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSzWMZ8xMy
'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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhmJIbYVYQ
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisuNJFkJF9
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeH8znjo5iW
'Very good sire. Shall I order it moved now, we need time.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzBKQ67hQR
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMomD5WqErt
'Go ahead.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyn5Labc2K
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBKbniyhmy
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDT21aaDNm
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjq8LsiN0ZF
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'Does a soldier fight better on an empty or full stomach?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaAdjZT5nL
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOqS4pMYP1
'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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvoTUOGuyG
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjgv955lZd
'And?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSnUVQQHa3
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZt3gmblA8
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMipOQ80BOg
'Very good, distribute it now, in case the enemy are making good speed.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGWHKvu5Up
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUgh7IZQH1
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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJ6bDF6orc
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When they were drawn up beside the four heavy cavalrymen, Lord Arval had the gates closed and barred.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NCc88dF3C
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'Ready sire?'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKSvP13Hax
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'Not quite, gather the soldiers, I'll speak to them.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGbnDHXgAy
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqvEomZF9O
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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdImKZDRg3v
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLs1ijo4Orf
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbqOLbam1a
'What day is it?' I asked Chancellor Parrin in a low voice.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvlkQsWyXS
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'Twenty-fourth of the month of Abya.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLM4u27W5Ja
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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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzaN3yxrro
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDbFyTCiik
Lord Arval gave a roar and shook a spear, which encouraged many of the men to do the same.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpMAevzbXq
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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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATMq0Pv6TE
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdp2lfqWvpr
'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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsXGYiUp8c
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSr02o47EFg
'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.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwG0sxxwabn
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDpV9sy1Fb
'This is where we make our stand. This is where they will break. Fight for yourself, your comrades, and your families at home.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPiruCcYLL
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUxiRrxMF3
'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!'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfkyU9B92s
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Lord Arval gave another roar and this time there was a really satisfying response, one that resounded all around us.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70dgcP1nJe
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'Positions!' Our Paladin, now on his horse, led the troops back to the palisade.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrec3Ha1Wqx
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Before she left, I called Carlena over. 'I think today might be the day for your potion.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡah23kvJU4T
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCApkNuequb
'You might be right.' She looked at me with an expression I'd never seen before from her: respect. 'You spoke well.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxsT4Y1bcE
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Q4xe3OOwr
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.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsn6WHxwO95
389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsQdIWLYMO
'Good luck.'389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMorMePzP3e
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'And to you.' She walked towards the gate and her position.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPie0XbreD
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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.
