The storm howled its glee, as it descended upon us only to shatter like black glass that reflected back the condition of its fallen nature that had failed to overcome my Master. The storm was gone as our foundation was sure and we found life in the words of our Master, which were enough to sustain us through the length of the day and past the terror of the night.
Now as I thought back upon the dream and the good feelings and the hope that it had inspired, it all seemed to fade away, as I saw so many of the enemy gathered before us poised for the killing strike.
Rolf who had been by my side all night through the heat of the action, as usual, asked a question sounding puzzled by the answer he was coming up with in his own mind, "Why do they just stand there? Why not just finish us and be done with it! I'm tired of this lying around!"
"You know the answer to that one Rolf." I said quietly as my eye was drawn toward something else.
Were those sails out there?
"Rolf look over there and tell me whose ships those are!"
Rolf had the eyes of an eagle and if anyone could tell the identity of the ships it would be him. The small burst of hope died in my chest, as I realized the answer for myself. The horizon was now liberally dotted with sails. Too many ships to be our friends the Tranquil Islanders coming to our aid.
"They look to be of Zoarinian construction Roric." I nodded sourly. There went that part of the plan. Really it had been a wild chance of receiving any help from the island people, but still I had been hoping. If the enemies navy was off coast then that meant our friends had at least tried to come to our aid and had broken through the blockade around their islands. On the other hand perhaps they had failed and were even now all dead. It was a possibility to be considered, but all that really mattered in the here and now was that they weren't here to help us.
The western shore was the only place along this part of the coast where troops could either be landed or boarded. I looked past the Shrine at our backs, at the small north eastern bay, that lay situated between two rocky headlands.
It was through this little bay that the mythical ships of our ancestors had supposedly journeyed through, but I did not see how. The bay itself was a perfectly good harbor. It was even somewhat sheltered from the vicious storms that raged up and down this coast at times as it was shielded by the rocky headlands to either side of it.