“They will be enough,” answered Colonel Wu-sang. “There will be no confusion as to the choices open to the Federation soldiers.”
“And the black-cloaks?” asked Rut-ki. “Have you stressed the importance of killing them quickly?”
“Very much so,” frowned the colonel. “We have no defenses against their magic. They are the primary targets for every archer along the banks of the river. I have stressed over and over again that if a single one of them survives, we might all die. While I cannot guarantee their deaths, I feel very confident that none of them will survive.”
“I will also be looking for them,” promised Rut-ki, “and I will have an excellent view of the river. Very well then, Colonel, when your men are done with the morning meal, I suggest you get a fifth of them across the river. The attack will begin at high sun.”
* * * *
The four heroes of the Mage gathered in the king’s study to discuss their plans for the day over the morning meal. They had just finished eating when there was a knock on the door. The door opened and a Red Sword stuck his head in and announced that Balamor was waiting outside the room. The king gave permission for the gaunt, red-headed mage from Pog to enter.
“Balamor,” smiled Jenneva, “come join us. Would you care for something to eat?”
“I am not hungry,” replied Balamor as he approached the table and sat down. “I understand that a plague infests the city. How can I help?”
“We need all the healing mages we can get,” answered Queen Tanya, “but I think we also need your skills in another area. King Arik needs to address the citizens of Tagaret, but Alex feels that there is danger waiting for Arik in the city.”
“A Claw of Alutar to be specific,” interjected Alex. “We know that one of those demonkin remain, but we can not be positive that he is already in the city. My gut just screams every time someone mentions the king addressing the people.”
“I have heard about the Claws of Alutar,” frowned Balamor. “They are not to be taken lightly. I suppose you wish me to create an illusion?”
“We think it would be the safest way for me to speak to the people,” replied King Arik. “I feel foolish for even asking this of you, but I learned long ago not to question Alex’s feelings when he has them.”
“Never feel foolish for expecting treachery from your enemies,” Balamor smiled sympathetically. “If there is a Claw of Alutar in this city, I can make him believe that you are standing before him. It is a simple task.”
“Perhaps not so simple,” retorted Jenneva. “The king is not known for traveling the city streets alone. In fact, the Red Swords have become so protective lately that they usually insist on a large number of soldiers accompanying the king. The illusion would not be believable otherwise. We thought about using large numbers of fairies to accomplish the task, but we have discarded such plans. Most of the fairies are already tasked elsewhere, and we think the illusion should be moving rather than stationary.”
Balamor nodded in understanding. The type of illusion required to manipulate so many moving objects would be extremely complex. The fairies would be incapable of doing it.
“Why must the illusion be moving?” asked Balamor.
“We do not know where in the city the demonkin might be,” answered Alex, “and if we announce beforehand where the king will speak, we give the enemy too much time to plan the assassination and escape routes. We want the demonkin to have to act in haste.”
Balamor frowned and pressed his lips tightly together. For several moments, he did not speak. Everyone waited patiently.
“If I were the assassin,” Balamor eventually said, “I would simply wait for the location of the speech to be announced. Why take the risk of acting in haste?”
“The location of the speech will become crowded within minutes after it is announced,” answered Alex. “Even if the demonkin races to the location, he will stand no better chance of getting close than any other citizen.”
“And he will stand almost no chance of getting away unnoticed,” added Queen Tanya. “The citizens will shout and point him out. They will even attack him, not understanding his powers.”
“And this demonkin has orders to kill all four of us,” interjected Jenneva. “He cannot afford to be discovered while only killing one of us. Unless we are all killed together, he has to remain undiscovered to complete his task.”
“I can see that you have devoted some thinking to this problem,” stated Balamor. “Can I have a day to view the city and the routes you anticipate using?”
King Arik frowned at the delay, but he nodded in agreement. “You shall have everything you require,” he promised. “I will notify my staff to cooperate fully with you.”
“Excellent,” Balamor responded as he rose to leave. “I will let you know when I am ready to hear your speech.”
* * * *
Colonel Rotti glanced at the meager flow of the Chi River as he rode alongside the column heading towards the vanguard. It was much less of a river than what he remembered from his journey last fall, but it was still beautiful. The thought of the crude dam blocking the flow of the river bothered him. He stared at the farmland across the river and shook his head in wonder. The Lanoirians had flooded excellent farmland upstream to create the lake, and the farmland below the dam seemed starved for water. It made no sense to him why they would do such a thing.
“Are you planning to lead this army, Rotti?” scowled General Franz.
The colonel tore his eyes away from the river and turned towards the column. In his admiration of the river, he had not been paying attention. He had passed the leader of Team Chi and was almost riding point. He slowed his horse and fell in alongside General Franz.
“What are you doing up here, Rotti?” asked the general.
“I was told that you wished to speak to me,” replied the colonel.
“I asked for General Somma to come forward,” scowled the general.
“I am acting on behalf of General Somma,” retorted Colonel Rotti. “The general is feeling a bit under the weather today. What did you need to discuss?”
Colonel Rotti knew that General Franz had summoned General Somma to further humiliate him, but the colonel was not going to let that happen if he could prevent it.
“Have you officially relieved Somma of command of the 18th Corps?” snarled General Franz.
“I have not,” admitted the colonel. “As I am sure that you are aware, until we leave the war zone, only you have the authority to elevate me to command the 18th Corps, and you have not done so.”
“Then my orders are being disobeyed,” snapped General Franz. “I specifically asked for General Somma to come forward.”
“My apologies,” Colonel Rotti smiled thinly. “I will return to the rear and explain my impudence to General Somma. I will notify him that you require him in the vanguard for a purpose that I cannot fulfill.”
General Franz glared at the colonel. He knew right then that Rotti fully understood the true purpose for calling Somma forward.
“Do not toy with me, Colonel,” snapped the general. “I can break men like you quicker than a Spino mare.”
“I would never toy with another officer,” replied the colonel, “especially in enemy territory when the column might be attacked at any moment. That would be nothing short of foolhardiness.”
The general’s face reddened with rage, and his hand went for his sword. The colonel’s horse faltered for some reason, and the colonel quickly resumed his place alongside the general, but a pace further away, just out of reach of the general’s sword.
“Get out of my sight, Colonel,” scowled the general, “before I do something we might both regret.”
Colonel Rotti saluted the general and turned his horse towards the rear of the column. A moment later, Colonel Kerk appeared at his side.
“That was a very foolish thing to do, Rotti,” warned the Baroukan colonel. “General Franz is not the man to make an enemy of. He never forgets a slight, and you have given him every reason to target you instead of General Somma.”