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The walk back to the town – Carrick – was slow but satisfying. Naturally, I had my character sheet before me:515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmznZEnqfHl
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbuFAGw8qd
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Fighter, Level 2 HP 16 AC 0515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRI0kuV5cD
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Str 7515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQoeMQMFMe
Dex 4515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDxPQboyp4
Con 8515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8gbPArgJs
Int 16515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZsXgsz1ic
Wis 16515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDmfuHLW9k
Cha 4515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddvRdCTz3k
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Skills515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMu3uDXgBYy
Lunge 5515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhbxFZ6pP6
Parry 5515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKi0jhuNUs
Wield Shortbow 3515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8MOWXvmTU
Wield Rapier 5515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4HeqGX8AZ
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You have 1 attribute point to assign.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8UU5pF7Im
You have 5 skill points to assign.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeoUpvzR88
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHjYxUeNwD
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFqu8JLWKg
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'Can you tell me about how to improve skills?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDroO2Z2Jxu
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'I don't have access to the menus that you do, so anything I can tell you is conjecture.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmIqz06ug1
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'I understand.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfLzt6rAip
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAQ010L7PV
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'Mine seemed to go up fairly rapidly.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRk0QWhodT
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Carlena looked at me thoughtfully. 'Tell me my stats.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKuVI5l8L1
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWDq8QAUrg
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'Much as I thought. Although my Intelligence is slightly disappointing. Now, what are yours?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0krMsv5Lg
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdRbSKNcCX
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'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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxjOrCcXVy
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'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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6zWuBqjCX
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'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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPV2sfWpUyV
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'What's the maximum an attribute can be at?515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxw27rSJ5S
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'Again, this is conjecture, but I think for a human, twenty.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpHw2zgqck
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNplRKssZw
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8fndjIsDk
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sJd2mwctw
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWmxtK4LLn
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'Yes, sire.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYc6QsTFrHu
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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).515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3P2bQL22i
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG07zUmdkk6
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After taking my throne and ordering the servants to leave, I called the chancellor close.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxaf1pif3y
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'Well?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Wxi52c6ah
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'They are moving an army towards us.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGjLGwKZ4J
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'How many troops?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWE3WRZ8PFc
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ETInJNZFO
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tDOKk1yP8
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'How long have we got?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KfjVc4n6Z
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'They will arrive at Three-Ways tomorrow, probably near enough to noon.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbF34H22YOZ
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxE94kw3tG
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Perhaps I was looking worried, because Parrin asked, 'can we stop them?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9u3jE6suIK
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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?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop7OJ2mnee
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'No, this is about half.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkmrqscAKd
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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?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnROa0oo2V
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'No.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuMHpoFKzE
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDnyHZYk1b
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'True enough sire.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRwg6xzh84
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7UKuAZafX
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDl053GTbq
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iYvAXttZA
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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:515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojuAnVes91
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Greyland Archer515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFEV5aKJG3
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Fighter level 0515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKpzqF2mC5
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Ranged attack: 15515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7GnurCvBJ
Melee attack: 8515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzNPmUlN0g
Armour Class: 2515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMhN7wRWeA
Hit Points: 5515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUBNuJmt6A
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Skills:515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwt5JXE6aY
Wield Longbow variable, according to experience515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1P8DLOaW5V
Wield Shortsword variable, according to experience515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tpIhzU5hn
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbuu3oXiKM
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDraSRsciwp
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBeAJicrFT
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfnQgUnsM8
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrtLHk0di8
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7jPtkC3Tf
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'Show me to Lord Arval.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOQVk423ww
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmlveTsibT
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzR5UT4l5jm
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94QM2K1ua8
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5PWakZK1Q
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I nodded.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0hXy0XEg2
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'The ballista is on top of the main tower.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aQiC0uxxw
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'What's the maximum range for it?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWQ03oL7Nr
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'I can show you, if you'll come up to the palisade walkway.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYc5zIpu3k
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpyQgTYiSF
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'See that reddish rock beyond the bridge?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjZ6TNbXKb
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'Yes?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXZIlBRQU8
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'The ballista can hit that. I know, I had them fire at it.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlfekArjoK
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVq9gEzNS9I
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuq9RCKB46E
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Lord Arval looked at me and then continued.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5qr5T9KDx
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSIgpDKNHs
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'And what about you and the Sorceress?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeX946ryZC
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'It seems to me, she should be on the small tower, nearest the bridge, and myself with the reserve.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRaCodKxfq
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For a while I studied the position and everyone waited silently, the only sound that of our flags flapping in a light breeze.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7MtgFllyq
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'Suppose you were their general, what would you do?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3uoF3rNh8
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rcyxUu9W0
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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?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT3ftYqq2H
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'We'd lose the opportunity to fire when they are crowding the bridge.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6bRE354SB
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'If they are smart, they will cross in single file.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3EwKAwXJI
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'What if they stand close to our walls? We might not have the elevation for the ballista to see them?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHaXmPuyRo
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiFcKQaTtM
515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoz7zSeqQQ
'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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtbEVKUDYM
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3ChjcG6xk
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'Very good sire. Shall I order it moved now, we need time.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHG0Op9D7fg
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'Go ahead.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOP0YFzk0R
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Mniqa4MTM
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dgyMXPMNH
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgSi4vr8Gs
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'Does a soldier fight better on an empty or full stomach?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8VgreJRRN
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoR1ZXofdp8
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'And?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNALT5WkhsI
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MCtbJU0S9
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'Very good, distribute it now, in case the enemy are making good speed.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyNj300K33
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCE9msl1yi
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When they were drawn up beside the four heavy cavalrymen, Lord Arval had the gates closed and barred.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklQmMSuXEK
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'Ready sire?'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2i3lwjT3d
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'Not quite, gather the soldiers, I'll speak to them.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91r4wnFk7V
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdXVg3w5J9
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKY4ZgcaNFX
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'What day is it?' I asked Chancellor Parrin in a low voice.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3idlKgogwz
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'Twenty-fourth of the month of Abya.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU38RT4JEWa
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9HzB61mGl
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Lord Arval gave a roar and shook a spear, which encouraged many of the men to do the same.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuY6Cg3O57
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBH3TFkC2h
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'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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILllFRNaWm
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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.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fTZDezPpf
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'This is where we make our stand. This is where they will break. Fight for yourself, your comrades, and your families at home.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXLumTocvS
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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!'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6F3a8AYSE
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Lord Arval gave another roar and this time there was a really satisfying response, one that resounded all around us.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXHAWiZ2U3
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'Positions!' Our Paladin, now on his horse, led the troops back to the palisade.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrgsUHYsuh
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Before she left, I called Carlena over. 'I think today might be the day for your potion.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamL1XMMOj6
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQoi3EDNvQ
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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.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVBKwqkd1g
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'Good luck.'515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTLKaJTh1H
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'And to you.' She walked towards the gate and her position.515Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBKYD6CBGd
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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.
