A Warrior's Redemption (The Warrior Kind)

The other council members in the room excitedly left following after Thaddeus to see what would be revealed. Romnan paused in the room until the others had left the room and the door had closed.

General Sanjo spoke up, "Romnan you can't possibly think that what Councilmen Oswald is proposing is a sound battle plan given the direness of the situation?"

"Of course not, but that is what we are going to let him believe is going to happen. Councilmen Oswald is a traitor; of this we are positive. It was him that leaked knowledge of the ships after he found reference to them in some old misplaced documents. It was him that put Lent forward as our agent to be sent to meet with Roric as well."

"Why has he been allowed to live?" General Santaran exclaimed.

"He is more useful to us this way at least for now, but that may soon change. Gentlemen I leave you with Roric. He will share with you the battle plan that I, Thaddeus and Roric have put together. It is also my wish that you would view Roric as your superior commander for the entire campaign."

My jaw dropped open at the councilman's statement. The generals didn't seem overly surprised by the order and only nodded their heads in acceptance of his wish. After the head councilman was gone I met the focused gazes of the three generals.

General Nadero had a slight smile on his face as he said, "A great responsibility has been placed on your strong young shoulders, one that is fully merited in my opinion!"

The other two generals nodded in agreement with him. I accepted their vote of confidence, while inside I was still in shock at the honor and responsibility that had just been placed on me.

"Generals let me show you the plan. It all starts here."

I pointed to Kingdome Pass and they leaned over the table all seriousness again. "What is the greatest weakness that a strong fortress faces?"I asked.

"The belief that it cannot fail." Rejoined General Sanjo.

"Exactly! They have found our great fortresses' weakness. It cannot be defended from both sides. Fighting the Attorgrons in the mountains would be a foolish loss of our soldiers. We would likely win, but the cost of victory would be high and we can't afford to lose too many of our troops to early. Besides the Attorgron army is not what it seems. Of its two hundred thousand men only fifty thousand of them are regular soldiers. The remaining hundred and fifty thousand are slave warriors composed mainly of spearmen and archers. The Attorgrons did not want to be involved in this war, but they have been pressured into joining it. They know that after we have been eliminated that they are likely the next candidate for extinction after the Tranquil Islanders. They have kept the bulk of their most loyal and experienced troops at home. The fifty thousand regular troops are all cavalry. They are little better than paid actors dressed to play the part of soldiers. The slave warriors offer us our greatest chance for final victory. My great uncle entered into secret talks with the slave commanders. They reached an agreement of sorts. If the slave warriors see that by throwing in with us that victory can be obtained over the Zoarinian Empire in a final decisive battle they will do so. In return they ask for their freedom and the right to live in the Valley Lands among us with their families, which we will pressure the Attorgrons to release to us after the war."