Ch 14 - The true nature of the mortal races

In the northern border of the Jade forest, three small brigades of two hundred and fifty soldiers were following their respective leader groups, formed by six graduating students each.

The teams were camping waiting for the night to end, a total of about 760 men some doing rounds some sleeping and inside the 3 big tents some were engaging in meetings.

It took us two months to get here, a month faster than what we expected thanks to Gatriel’s idea to cut through the Jade forest instead of running around its border.

We are resting here prior to engaging the enemy.

Gatriel’s group, my group, was nominated for the vanguard group as we boasted the highest attack potential.

Gat and the rest were planning their own strategy on our tent, while the other two groups were coordinating with me.

Who am I? I’m Sir Azer Garnotin, strategist of Gatriel’s party.

After some discussion with our leader she ordered me to organize the reinforcements and flanking attack with the other 2 parties.

I am not too happy about it but, when the general gives an order, is the job of those who follow to obey, and in our group, Gatriel’s word are law.

She knows about strategy, war tactics, geography, calculations, scouting, war history and beyond all that she is scary strong.

What I mean is, that is one hell of a frightening woman I’m glad I joined her team.

A long time ago, when we formed the party, Aliyah told me that Gatriel was the strongest fighter in the kingdom and I thought she was just full of shit, I mean I knew she was strong, but ‘strongest fighter in the kingdom...’ but then mission after mission, fight after fight, training after training, finally I got to understand her strength!

She is different than us, they both are.

If you were to ask me on how to describe them in one word regarding to war potential, I think the simplest most basic word I can come up with is ‘annihilators’.

They move at speeds that are impossible to follow with the naked eye, Gatriel’s swings can sometimes go as far as to tear the ground itself.

And Aliyah’s ability to blend with her surroundings and simply disappear from your range of perception is ‘SCARY’.

Well enough of that, I am here because they want to protect me, I know, and I’m thankful for their thoughts.

I don't like killing.

Don’t get me wrong, is not like I’m against doing my job, I just don't like killing with my own hands. It scares me and keeps me up at night.

I dont have the strength to kill my opponents with one strike, which always leads me to hear their pleas or groans and screams, and then every night after the act, for days those voices haunt me, taking my hours of valuable rest.

Does that makes me a coward? Well so be it, Gatriel says is fine for me to stay behind and if she say so then it’s true, her words, to me, are more valuable than anyone’s.

I remember when Gat fought that arrogant prick Grant, I asked her if she was going to use it, and she looked at me with a somewhat perplexed expression and answered ‘What do you mean by ‘it’ Azer?’. I told her about that strange strength she showed us several times and she laughed, saying he wasn’t worthy of her ‘energy’ or something like that.

Whatever does that mean only those two cousins know.

But I’ve seen it and I’m certain she does indeed uses some sort of technique that we don’t know about.

I’ve discussed it with Dan, Julius and Gali and there is no doubt those two are special!

Oh well I keep getting distracted, let me back to my stuff here.

The plan is fairly straightforward and achievable, there are no blind spots after I offered a couple of modifications to the overall plan.

So the plan is.

My squad, I mean, Squad 1, lead by Gat will storm the fortress from the south entrance and make sure the enemy either confronts them or attempt to flee through the east entrypoint while waiting for the reinforcers of Squad 3 from the west.

Squad 2, lead by team Mitchell will hide in the small forest east of the fortress. If any enemy attempts to escape that way they will attack and eliminate them, then storm the fortress.

Squad 3, lead by Bertie will flank from the Kishoy Wastes, and storm the fortress from the west side, that way ensuring that both access points of the fortress, south and west, are covered. Leaving only the east entrypoint to attempt their escape. And as told, there they will meet their end at the hands of squad 2.

I’m staying here in the forest with a small contingent of 50 soldiers to guard me as ordered by Gatriel.

I will rest for a couple of hours prior to the vanguard’s leaving.

It will take 3 days for them to arrive to the Fortress, one full day of battle if all goes as expected, and another 3 days for the battalions to return, so all in all it’s just a week I have to spend here waiting.

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“Ok he went to sleep, let’s move to the other tent quickly and discuss this whole thing properly”

We nodded and exited the tent where Azer was sleeping soundly.

Just a couple of steps and we entered the other free tent and started our discussion in in whispers.

“So how long do we wait until storming the ruins?”

“How about until the nighttime?? The chances that the first squad will be annihilated will increase, and if they are still fighting we take advantage of the confusion and kill them ourselves”

“Guys I think this is a bad plan”

“Shut up Bryan, you just follow what Bertie and I plan and everything will be fine”

“Y, Yes captain, sorry”

“*hmph* ok, so we then wait until it’s nighttime and storm the Fortress from both east and west, clean up anything that is still moving, gather the evidence that Squad 1 was defeated by the bandits and return victorious. Then we just have to pose as avengers of those arrogant pricks of squad 1”

“I’m not so sure of this plan Mitchell, you have seen that demon fight, are you sure that if she is still alive when we get there we will be able to take her down?”

“We have 250 soldiers with us Bertie, is not like she can fight 500 men on her own”

“And you really think those soldiers will follow us into killing a promising knight graduate? Do you really hate her that much? To to such lengths? You can be labeled as a traitor and if worse comes to worse, executed!”

“Bertie, listen to me carefully, they have to obey our orders that’s their job, and yes I hate that bitch, she humiliated my brother and my family along with him. What if brother Grant forgave her? I don’t care, I want to see her dead. And if you dare betray me don’t forget the might of the Rawkin noble family! You are a commoner and your family eats thanks to mine! Don’t you ever forget that.”

“. . .”

“Thats it, thats how it is obey me, follow me and it will be ok.”

-----------------------

I have to write this letter quickly, now that Mitchell is asleep, I don’t care if he gets angry at me, but if I plead to Gatriel and tell her the truth, that I was forced into this plan, she may forgive me and spare my family.

I can’t do this atrocious thing, it’s plain wrong.

I’ll follow Azer’s plan and wait for Mitchell to appear at nightfall and learn that I betrayed him.

*scribe scribe scribe, scratch scratch, scribe scribe*

Ok, this is good enough I’ll drop it quietly into squad 1 tent...

*swish*

*drip*

*shiver*

W, ww. W. . . cold, who's there?

How did someone get into my tent without me noticing? This is impossible, did bandits snuck in while I went to Mitchell's tent?

Fuck I’m scared, what’s with this blade on my neck? I’m bleeding you know? Uh? There is another in my left ribs!!!, - I went stiff - if I move I’m a dead man.

“~tehe~ such a wise man Bertie, smart choice!”

Uh? I’ve never heard a whisper this frightening in my life, she knows my name, who is it?

I’m afraid to move . . .

*shiver*

“~nee nee~ I’ve read it already so how about you let me take the letter to Gat for you? I promise you will be protected o~k~e~y~ ~pyon~”

Uh? Aliyah? How did she get in? I was sure she was in squad 1 tent! whats going on here?

“W, w, will you forgive me? I’m sorry I’m sorry really sorry --smpmbmp--”

My mouth got covered by Aliyah’s left hand, and noticed there was no knife in my left ribs, I just nodded.

“~ehehe~ that’s how it is, keep silent and rest. I assure you the general will talk to her father and you’ll be saved, so follow Azer’s plan ~kay?~”

I nodded and the blade was removed from from my throat, I feel the small drip of blood falling down.

How can someone have such delicate and precise usage of knifes?

I gather all my courage I turn around to face her and again tell her how sorry I am.

Huh? Eh? Nothing! No one was there.

What? Hows that even possible? She was just behind me, that’s a fact, not only did she managed to cut me, she spoke to me in whispers.

I look again at the table and the letter...... is gone! What? What’s this? How did she do that? Is that what they are taught in the Shadow art’s course?.

I couldn’t sleep at all I was too afraid to close my eyes, one bad move last night and my life could have been forfeited!

Who are those people! 1st squad! Are all of them monsters? Just like those three? Are Dan, Julius and Galiene scary people too?.

Azer strategic thinking is in a whole different level than our strategy, Gatriel’s fighting style and strength is recognized even among the deans of the Academy and that’s no easy feat. and Aliyah’s display of prowess last night was just godlike.

As the sun came up I exit the tent after washing my face, setting up my armor and there they are! Gatriel, Aliyah, Dan, Julius, Galiene, not a speck of fear in any one of them!

Yes they are monsters -I thought right there-

“~puu~ We’ll be going first ~kay~? Let’s get along well and return victorious ~pyon~”

Uh? That chick is a weirdo how can she behave like a kid after what happened last night? Or was that a warning? I don’t understand them at all, how can they be so calm when they are going to fight to the death a band of brigands in their headquarters?

Could it be that I’m just a coward?

“Well see you there Squad 1, Bertie’s Squad 3 and my squad 2 will perform as planned, see you there”

Thats one wicked smile Mitchell you are telegraphing your intention, calm down!. The members of squad 1 bowed their heads lightly and ordered their soldiers to sortie, following suit I ordered my squad to sortie and not long after Mitchell’s squad marched behind us.

I will time my attack and storm the fortress at the same time as Squad 1, I hope this ends well and nothing wrong happens!

Thanks for reading my fiction! I hope to get your comments and help from now and in future issues.

Give and Take you know undefined, you help me, I help you! isn't that the main reason why most of us gather here in RRL? to learn from each otner?

Cheers.