Chapter 46: 46
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All eyes were on Leilatha. Nobody blinked and some forgot to breathe as they waited for her to explain further.
Qinam was hoping he misheard her words. His confused brain was hoping she meant the army of fiends they were already engaging within the city. He took a steadying breath, "My Lady, I think my old ears have heard you wrong. Did you say something about another army of beasts?"
Leilatha swallowed and coughed because her throat was dry, "Yes, there was another army the home guard had repulsed at the eastern border." Leilatha closed her eyes as if her head was swimming, "I don't know what happened to them, but if the fire fiends didn't destroy them, then they are probably on their way again."
"My Lady, please drink this to help recover your strength." One of her attendants offered Leilatha a drink and helped her hold it up to her lips.
Qinam looked around for a seat because his legs were suddenly feeling very weak. One of the other attendants noticed where Qinam's eyes rested and promptly took a chair over to him and politely helped him be seated. It wasn't a grand chair by any measure but it was something.
As Leilatha siped her tea, Qinam was trying to organize all the thoughts in his head. [If another army is coming, does that mean they were working together?] At this thought, he had to ask Leilatha if she knew the answer. "My Lady, are you suggesting that the two armies are working together?"
Leilatha was still siping the tea when she started to cough again. The attendant quickly took the drink away and another gingerly wiped the spilled fluid from her chin. Leilatha spoke when she had recovered her voice, "I believe the fire fiends arrival from the same direction is more than a mere coincidence. I don't know what happened to the home guard or the reinforcements I sent them." She took a few steadying breaths, "You must have heard the massive explosion earlier?"
Qinam nodded with rapt attention, "I was wondering about that. What exactly was that?"
Leilatha lowered her head and very slightly shook it from side to side, "I sent scouts to find out but the fiends stormed the city before any returned. From what the tree seers said, I believe it is all connected." A warm, salty tear ran down to her chin, "My evacuation order still stands."
"My lady?" Qinam leaned forward and his chair creaked ominously.
Leilatha lifted her face and fixed Qinam with a strong gaze, "We must get away." She started speaking with more determination and energy than she'd had the entire meeting, "Do you think I would sacrifice my tree and my people for no reason? Do you think I'd just run if I thought I could fight and win?"
Qinam looked down, "No My Lady, but I-"
Leilatha interrupted him, "If it was just these two armies I might have stood my ground. But what if there is a greater force behind them? Where have all these refugees come from? After I saw them set my tree on fire I no longer thought the rumors from the refugees were exaggerated." Leilatha was breathing hard between each sentence and was almost heaving at this point. Her attendants and guards all had worried looks on their faces and were poised to catch her if she fainted.
Qinam chose not to speak over her and held his tongue in deference to the effort she was making to tell him all this. As he gazed into her wet, strained, and fiery eyes which were still locked on his, he noticed a feeling welling up in his gut that he hadn't felt in ages. It was disquiet and fear.
Leilatha continued, "If I had defeated the enemy, it would have cost us dearly. I would be in no shape-" Leilatha almost fell over but was caught by the steadying hands of her attendants, "If yet another powerful foe had appeared, we would lose everything." Rivers of tears were streaming down her face and her sobs only waited long enough for her to finish speaking.
Qinam noticed Leilatha's face wasn't the only one wet with tears as he glanced at her attendants and guards. This was their home she was talking about abandoning. He wasn't surprised to feel a few of his own make their way down the folds of his face.
Leilatha began speaking with a much fainter voice as she leaned back into the pillows. She was mostly supported by her attendants, who held her so she could continue sitting up. "Save as many of our people as you can Qinam. Please-" Her voice was so weak when she said please that Qinam would have missed it had he not already been straining to hear her every word.
An attendant lost her composure as Leilatha passed out, "My lady!" They carefully lowered her head and back onto the pillows to let her rest as before.
Aeson wiped the tears from his face as he watched and then rounded on Qinam. "Time is of the essence. We must get Lady Leilatha to safety!"
Qinam hardly paid Aeson's words any attention as he stared at Leilatha. Never in all the years that he'd known her had he ever seen her in such a state. [The situation is far more serious than any of us realized.]
"Elder Qinam! Didn't you hear what she said?" Aeson was losing his temper at Qinam's lack of response. Aeson would order the troops to provide escort himself if he had the authority.
Qinam's gaze lingered on Leilatha a bit longer before it turned to Aeson, "Gather my messengers immediately and call my lieutenants for me." He tried to stand up but fell back onto the creaking chair. His legs were too feeble to hold his weight at that moment, "I'd go myself but I'm not as young as I used to be, you brat."
Aeson glared at him for a moment before Qinam's words got through his frustration. "Will they listen to me?"
"Why not? Ah, whatever." Qinam began fishing for something in his robes, "Here take this as a symbol that you're my messenger. And just go already!" He barked out. He lowered his face as Aeson left when he realized he'd yelled in front of the sleeping Leilatha.
Qinam sat there organizing the priorities in his head. There were many things he'd need to get done as soon as possible. He needed to warn the other elders immediately. His thoughts settled on Urifir and Falar as he realized how much danger they were putting themselves in. He'd have to warn them with all possible speed, but with how much time it would take, it was unlikely they'd be able to withdraw unharmed. [At the very least those old badgers will serve as a distraction for a time.]
If their enemy was really more powerful than the fiend they'd already fought, the two elders probably didn't stand a chance. There was still hope if the other elders entered the city and joined up with them, but that was a big unknown at this point. He'd send the fastest wind runners to warn Urifir and Falar, but he also needed to use wind runners to warn the other elders as soon as possible.
Qinam sat back in his chair with wide eyes at the sudden realization that he'd need to send swift messengers to all the towns and cities in the kingdom too. He didn't have enough wind runners let alone other capable messengers among his forces. It would take far too long to use his slower couriers to send out the news.
Qinam began talking to himself, "Maybe I should have someone use the communication crystals despite the risks."
The guards and attendants all looked over at him as he continued. "There's just no way I can do all this myself." He rubbed his forehead, "What a disaster."
One of Leilatha's wind runner guards spoke up, "Let me do it."
Qinam looked at him, "What?"
"Let me take a crystal. I'll head deep into the woods, far enough away from here and I'll warn the other settlements."
Qinam spent a moment trying to find a better method as he weighed the obvious risks. Then he nodded, "Alright, I don't know where Urifir keeps his crystals, but mine are kept in the basement of the guards' post at the edge of my estate." Qinam took out another messenger's token with his crest on it and handed it to the wind runner. "Have my steward guide you to them when you arrive."
The wind runner received the token with respect and left the tent.
Qinam looked over at one of the other wind runner guards, "My lieutenants aren't here yet and time is of the essence. You'll have all the escorts I can provide as I take the rest of the wounded with us."
"What if that's too slow? The wounded can only move so fast and if we're attacked-"
"Then my men and the wounded will serve as a distraction while you spirit Lady Leilatha away again." Qinam interrupted. "Now start getting this tent ready to move at once." Qinam tried to stand again but gave up with a sigh, "First, we head south to my estate." He rubbed his forehead again, "What should I do about the wounded already sent to Urifir's place?"
...
Urifir concentrated on the wall of rain blocking his view of the enemy from across the market square. He could still smell the stench of burned flesh his scouts had left when they'd first stumbled over the large pack of fiends. He was more careful with subsequent probing as his men tried to discover the enemy's strength and disposition.
With a few more sacrifices, they were able to figure out everything he'd told Falar of in his message. In the time since he'd sent word, he'd strategized and organized his troops. His forces would take the lead and be directly supported by Falar's forces. It wasn't that he didn't have confidence in his own people but he was cautious after fighting the powerful fiend at the gate.
None of the monsters they'd slain as they advanced along the streets were as powerful as that one fiend was, but in no way were they weak. They were all about the same strength as the monsters that his forces had fought outside the city walls. When they'd first arrived, Urifir's men had disposed of monsters that were trying to keep the civilians from escaping the city. Those few fiends were strong and he'd lost a few of his men as they rushed to save the people, but his troops learned how the enemy fought from that first encounter.
This allowed his lieutenants to devise and demonstrate new tactics to combat the invaders. As long as they could separate and surround the enemy, they could take each one down with a minimum of loss. Which meant, the more troops he had to fight the enemy, the better. He couldn't take the time to pull more of his own forces from his estate and other lands so he waited on Falar to join him. At the very least, Falar's lower quality troops could fill in any gaps that formed during the fight.
Urifir didn't have to wait much longer before a messenger ran up to him.
The messenger quickly saluted and relayed the news, "My Lord, Falar comes with his best divisions. The first of them are already arriving."
Urifir smiled and nodded, "Good," Urifir signaled to his nearby lieutenants, "Have their lieutenants follow and file their troops in behind ours. When Falar arrives, guide him to me so we can finalize our plans of attack."
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All eyes were on Leilatha. Nobody blinked and some forgot to breathe as they waited for her to explain further.
Qinam was hoping he misheard her words. His confused brain was hoping she meant the army of fiends they were already engaging within the city. He took a steadying breath, "My Lady, I think my old ears have heard you wrong. Did you say something about another army of beasts?"
Leilatha swallowed and coughed because her throat was dry, "Yes, there was another army the home guard had repulsed at the eastern border." Leilatha closed her eyes as if her head was swimming, "I don't know what happened to them, but if the fire fiends didn't destroy them, then they are probably on their way again."
"My Lady, please drink this to help recover your strength." One of her attendants offered Leilatha a drink and helped her hold it up to her lips.
Qinam looked around for a seat because his legs were suddenly feeling very weak. One of the other attendants noticed where Qinam's eyes rested and promptly took a chair over to him and politely helped him be seated. It wasn't a grand chair by any measure but it was something.
As Leilatha siped her tea, Qinam was trying to organize all the thoughts in his head. [If another army is coming, does that mean they were working together?] At this thought, he had to ask Leilatha if she knew the answer. "My Lady, are you suggesting that the two armies are working together?"
Leilatha was still siping the tea when she started to cough again. The attendant quickly took the drink away and another gingerly wiped the spilled fluid from her chin. Leilatha spoke when she had recovered her voice, "I believe the fire fiends arrival from the same direction is more than a mere coincidence. I don't know what happened to the home guard or the reinforcements I sent them." She took a few steadying breaths, "You must have heard the massive explosion earlier?"
Qinam nodded with rapt attention, "I was wondering about that. What exactly was that?"
Leilatha lowered her head and very slightly shook it from side to side, "I sent scouts to find out but the fiends stormed the city before any returned. From what the tree seers said, I believe it is all connected." A warm, salty tear ran down to her chin, "My evacuation order still stands."
"My lady?" Qinam leaned forward and his chair creaked ominously.
Leilatha lifted her face and fixed Qinam with a strong gaze, "We must get away." She started speaking with more determination and energy than she'd had the entire meeting, "Do you think I would sacrifice my tree and my people for no reason? Do you think I'd just run if I thought I could fight and win?"
Qinam looked down, "No My Lady, but I-"
Leilatha interrupted him, "If it was just these two armies I might have stood my ground. But what if there is a greater force behind them? Where have all these refugees come from? After I saw them set my tree on fire I no longer thought the rumors from the refugees were exaggerated." Leilatha was breathing hard between each sentence and was almost heaving at this point. Her attendants and guards all had worried looks on their faces and were poised to catch her if she fainted.
Qinam chose not to speak over her and held his tongue in deference to the effort she was making to tell him all this. As he gazed into her wet, strained, and fiery eyes which were still locked on his, he noticed a feeling welling up in his gut that he hadn't felt in ages. It was disquiet and fear.
Leilatha continued, "If I had defeated the enemy, it would have cost us dearly. I would be in no shape-" Leilatha almost fell over but was caught by the steadying hands of her attendants, "If yet another powerful foe had appeared, we would lose everything." Rivers of tears were streaming down her face and her sobs only waited long enough for her to finish speaking.
Qinam noticed Leilatha's face wasn't the only one wet with tears as he glanced at her attendants and guards. This was their home she was talking about abandoning. He wasn't surprised to feel a few of his own make their way down the folds of his face.
Leilatha began speaking with a much fainter voice as she leaned back into the pillows. She was mostly supported by her attendants, who held her so she could continue sitting up. "Save as many of our people as you can Qinam. Please-" Her voice was so weak when she said please that Qinam would have missed it had he not already been straining to hear her every word.
An attendant lost her composure as Leilatha passed out, "My lady!" They carefully lowered her head and back onto the pillows to let her rest as before.
Aeson wiped the tears from his face as he watched and then rounded on Qinam. "Time is of the essence. We must get Lady Leilatha to safety!"
Qinam hardly paid Aeson's words any attention as he stared at Leilatha. Never in all the years that he'd known her had he ever seen her in such a state. [The situation is far more serious than any of us realized.]
"Elder Qinam! Didn't you hear what she said?" Aeson was losing his temper at Qinam's lack of response. Aeson would order the troops to provide escort himself if he had the authority.
Qinam's gaze lingered on Leilatha a bit longer before it turned to Aeson, "Gather my messengers immediately and call my lieutenants for me." He tried to stand up but fell back onto the creaking chair. His legs were too feeble to hold his weight at that moment, "I'd go myself but I'm not as young as I used to be, you brat."
Aeson glared at him for a moment before Qinam's words got through his frustration. "Will they listen to me?"
"Why not? Ah, whatever." Qinam began fishing for something in his robes, "Here take this as a symbol that you're my messenger. And just go already!" He barked out. He lowered his face as Aeson left when he realized he'd yelled in front of the sleeping Leilatha.
Qinam sat there organizing the priorities in his head. There were many things he'd need to get done as soon as possible. He needed to warn the other elders immediately. His thoughts settled on Urifir and Falar as he realized how much danger they were putting themselves in. He'd have to warn them with all possible speed, but with how much time it would take, it was unlikely they'd be able to withdraw unharmed. [At the very least those old badgers will serve as a distraction for a time.]
If their enemy was really more powerful than the fiend they'd already fought, the two elders probably didn't stand a chance. There was still hope if the other elders entered the city and joined up with them, but that was a big unknown at this point. He'd send the fastest wind runners to warn Urifir and Falar, but he also needed to use wind runners to warn the other elders as soon as possible.
Qinam sat back in his chair with wide eyes at the sudden realization that he'd need to send swift messengers to all the towns and cities in the kingdom too. He didn't have enough wind runners let alone other capable messengers among his forces. It would take far too long to use his slower couriers to send out the news.
Qinam began talking to himself, "Maybe I should have someone use the communication crystals despite the risks."
The guards and attendants all looked over at him as he continued. "There's just no way I can do all this myself." He rubbed his forehead, "What a disaster."
One of Leilatha's wind runner guards spoke up, "Let me do it."
Qinam looked at him, "What?"
"Let me take a crystal. I'll head deep into the woods, far enough away from here and I'll warn the other settlements."
Qinam spent a moment trying to find a better method as he weighed the obvious risks. Then he nodded, "Alright, I don't know where Urifir keeps his crystals, but mine are kept in the basement of the guards' post at the edge of my estate." Qinam took out another messenger's token with his crest on it and handed it to the wind runner. "Have my steward guide you to them when you arrive."
The wind runner received the token with respect and left the tent.
Qinam looked over at one of the other wind runner guards, "My lieutenants aren't here yet and time is of the essence. You'll have all the escorts I can provide as I take the rest of the wounded with us."
"What if that's too slow? The wounded can only move so fast and if we're attacked-"
"Then my men and the wounded will serve as a distraction while you spirit Lady Leilatha away again." Qinam interrupted. "Now start getting this tent ready to move at once." Qinam tried to stand again but gave up with a sigh, "First, we head south to my estate." He rubbed his forehead again, "What should I do about the wounded already sent to Urifir's place?"
...
Urifir concentrated on the wall of rain blocking his view of the enemy from across the market square. He could still smell the stench of burned flesh his scouts had left when they'd first stumbled over the large pack of fiends. He was more careful with subsequent probing as his men tried to discover the enemy's strength and disposition.
With a few more sacrifices, they were able to figure out everything he'd told Falar of in his message. In the time since he'd sent word, he'd strategized and organized his troops. His forces would take the lead and be directly supported by Falar's forces. It wasn't that he didn't have confidence in his own people but he was cautious after fighting the powerful fiend at the gate.
None of the monsters they'd slain as they advanced along the streets were as powerful as that one fiend was, but in no way were they weak. They were all about the same strength as the monsters that his forces had fought outside the city walls. When they'd first arrived, Urifir's men had disposed of monsters that were trying to keep the civilians from escaping the city. Those few fiends were strong and he'd lost a few of his men as they rushed to save the people, but his troops learned how the enemy fought from that first encounter.
This allowed his lieutenants to devise and demonstrate new tactics to combat the invaders. As long as they could separate and surround the enemy, they could take each one down with a minimum of loss. Which meant, the more troops he had to fight the enemy, the better. He couldn't take the time to pull more of his own forces from his estate and other lands so he waited on Falar to join him. At the very least, Falar's lower quality troops could fill in any gaps that formed during the fight.
Urifir didn't have to wait much longer before a messenger ran up to him.
The messenger quickly saluted and relayed the news, "My Lord, Falar comes with his best divisions. The first of them are already arriving."
Urifir smiled and nodded, "Good," Urifir signaled to his nearby lieutenants, "Have their lieutenants follow and file their troops in behind ours. When Falar arrives, guide him to me so we can finalize our plans of attack."
All eyes were on Leilatha. Nobody blinked and some forgot to breathe as they waited for her to explain further.Qinam was hoping he misheard her words. His confused brain was hoping she meant the army of fiends they were already engaging within the city. He took a steadying breath, "My Lady, I think my old ears have heard you wrong. Did you say something about another army of beasts?"Leilatha swallowed and coughed because her throat was dry, "Yes, there was another army the home guard had repulsed at the eastern border." Leilatha closed her eyes as if her head was swimming, "I don't know what happened to them, but if the fire fiends didn't destroy them, then they are probably on their way again.""My Lady, please drink this to help recover your strength." One of her attendants offered Leilatha a drink and helped her hold it up to her lips.Qinam looked around for a seat because his legs were suddenly feeling very weak. One of the other attendants noticed where Qinam's eyes rested and promptly took a chair over to him and politely helped him be seated. It wasn't a grand chair by any measure but it was something.As Leilatha siped her tea, Qinam was trying to organize all the thoughts in his head. If another army is coming, does that mean they were working together? At this thought, he had to ask Leilatha if she knew the answer. "My Lady, are you suggesting that the two armies are working together?"Leilatha was still siping the tea when she started to cough again. The attendant quickly took the drink away and another gingerly wiped the spilled fluid from her chin. Leilatha spoke when she had recovered her voice, "I believe the fire fiends arrival from the same direction is more than a mere coincidence. I don't know what happened to the home guard or the reinforcements I sent them." She took a few steadying breaths, "You must have heard the massive explosion earlier?"Qinam nodded with rapt attention, "I was wondering about that. What exactly was that?"Leilatha lowered her head and very slightly shook it from side to side, "I sent scouts to find out but the fiends stormed the city before any returned. From what the tree seers said, I believe it is all connected." A warm, salty tear ran down to her chin, "My evacuation order still stands.""My lady?" Qinam leaned forward and his chair creaked ominously.Leilatha lifted her face and fixed Qinam with a strong gaze, "We must get away." She started speaking with more determination and energy than she'd had the entire meeting, "Do you think I would sacrifice my tree and my people for no reason? Do you think I'd just run if I thought I could fight and win?"Qinam looked down, "No My Lady, but I-"Leilatha interrupted him, "If it was just these two armies I might have stood my ground. But what if there is a greater force behind them? Where have all these refugees come from? After I saw them set my tree on fire I no longer thought the rumors from the refugees were exaggerated." Leilatha was breathing hard between each sentence and was almost heaving at this point. Her attendants and guards all had worried looks on their faces and were poised to catch her if she fainted.Qinam chose not to speak over her and held his tongue in deference to the effort she was making to tell him all this. As he gazed into her wet, strained, and fiery eyes which were still locked on his, he noticed a feeling welling up in his gut that he hadn't felt in ages. It was disquiet and fear.Leilatha continued, "If I had defeated the enemy, it would have cost us dearly. I would be in no shape-" Leilatha almost fell over but was caught by the steadying hands of her attendants, "If yet another powerful foe had appeared, we would lose everything." Rivers of tears were streaming down her face and her sobs only waited long enough for her to finish speaking.Qinam noticed Leilatha's face wasn't the only one wet with tears as he glanced at her attendants and guards. This was their home she was talking about abandoning. He wasn't surprised to feel a few of his own make their way down the folds of his face.Leilatha began speaking with a much fainter voice as she leaned back into the pillows. She was mostly supported by her attendants, who held her so she could continue sitting up. "Save as many of our people as you can Qinam. Please-" Her voice was so weak when she said please that Qinam would have missed it had he not already been straining to hear her every word.An attendant lost her composure as Leilatha passed out, "My lady!" They carefully lowered her head and back onto the pillows to let her rest as before.Aeson wiped the tears from his face as he watched and then rounded on Qinam. "Time is of the essence. We must get Lady Leilatha to safety!"Qinam hardly paid Aeson's words any attention as he stared at Leilatha. Never in all the years that he'd known her had he ever seen her in such a state. The situation is far more serious than any of us realized."Elder Qinam! Didn't you hear what she said?" Aeson was losing his temper at Qinam's lack of response. Aeson would order the troops to provide escort himself if he had the authority.Qinam's gaze lingered on Leilatha a bit longer before it turned to Aeson, "Gather my messengers immediately and call my lieutenants for me." He tried to stand up but fell back onto the creaking chair. His legs were too feeble to hold his weight at that moment, "I'd go myself but I'm not as young as I used to be, you brat."Aeson glared at him for a moment before Qinam's words got through his frustration. "Will they listen to me?""Why not? Ah, whatever." Qinam began fishing for something in his robes, "Here take this as a symbol that you're my messenger. And just go already!" He barked out. He lowered his face as Aeson left when he realized he'd yelled in front of the sleeping Leilatha.Qinam sat there organizing the priorities in his head. There were many things he'd need to get done as soon as possible. He needed to warn the other elders immediately. His thoughts settled on Urifir and Falar as he realized how much danger they were putting themselves in. He'd have to warn them with all possible speed, but with how much time it would take, it was unlikely they'd be able to withdraw unharmed. At the very least those old badgers will serve as a distraction for a time.If their enemy was really more powerful than the fiend they'd already fought, the two elders probably didn't stand a chance. There was still hope if the other elders entered the city and joined up with them, but that was a big unknown at this point. He'd send the fastest wind runners to warn Urifir and Falar, but he also needed to use wind runners to warn the other elders as soon as possible.Qinam sat back in his chair with wide eyes at the sudden realization that he'd need to send swift messengers to all the towns and cities in the kingdom too. He didn't have enough wind runners let alone other capable messengers among his forces. It would take far too long to use his slower couriers to send out the news.Qinam began talking to himself, "Maybe I should have someone use the communication crystals despite the risks."The guards and attendants all looked over at him as he continued. "There's just no way I can do all this myself." He rubbed his forehead, "What a disaster."One of Leilatha's wind runner guards spoke up, "Let me do it."Qinam looked at him, "What?""Let me take a crystal. I'll head deep into the woods, far enough away from here and I'll warn the other settlements."Qinam spent a moment trying to find a better method as he weighed the obvious risks. Then he nodded, "Alright, I don't know where Urifir keeps his crystals, but mine are kept in the basement of the guards' post at the edge of my estate." Qinam took out another messenger's token with his crest on it and handed it to the wind runner. "Have my steward guide you to them when you arrive."The wind runner received the token with respect and left the tent.Qinam looked over at one of the other wind runner guards, "My lieutenants aren't here yet and time is of the essence. You'll have all the escorts I can provide as I take the rest of the wounded with us.""What if that's too slow? The wounded can only move so fast and if we're attacked-""Then my men and the wounded will serve as a distraction while you spirit Lady Leilatha away again." Qinam interrupted. "Now start getting this tent ready to move at once." Qinam tried to stand again but gave up with a sigh, "First, we head south to my estate." He rubbed his forehead again, "What should I do about the wounded already sent to Urifir's place?"...Urifir concentrated on the wall of rain blocking his view of the enemy from across the market square. He could still smell the stench of burned flesh his scouts had left when they'd first stumbled over the large pack of fiends. He was more careful with subsequent probing as his men tried to discover the enemy's strength and disposition.With a few more sacrifices, they were able to figure out everything he'd told Falar of in his message. In the time since he'd sent word, he'd strategized and organized his troops. His forces would take the lead and be directly supported by Falar's forces. It wasn't that he didn't have confidence in his own people but he was cautious after fighting the powerful fiend at the gate.None of the monsters they'd slain as they advanced along the streets were as powerful as that one fiend was, but in no way were they weak. They were all about the same strength as the monsters that his forces had fought outside the city walls. When they'd first arrived, Urifir's men had disposed of monsters that were trying to keep the civilians from escaping the city. Those few fiends were strong and he'd lost a few of his men as they rushed to save the people, but his troops learned how the enemy fought from that first encounter.This allowed his lieutenants to devise and demonstrate new tactics to combat the invaders. As long as they could separate and surround the enemy, they could take each one down with a minimum of loss. Which meant, the more troops he had to fight the enemy, the better. He couldn't take the time to pull more of his own forces from his estate and other lands so he waited on Falar to join him. At the very least, Falar's lower quality troops could fill in any gaps that formed during the fight.Urifir didn't have to wait much longer before a messenger ran up to him.The messenger quickly saluted and relayed the news, "My Lord, Falar comes with his best divisions. The first of them are already arriving."Urifir smiled and nodded, "Good," Urifir signaled to his nearby lieutenants, "Have their lieutenants follow and file their troops in behind ours. When Falar arrives, guide him to me so we can finalize our plans of attack."
