"But what of Morlock's army?" asked Celedhan.
Akaru shrugged. "Ideally, if you chop off the head of a snake, the body dies. But if you cannot strike off its head directly, you can strive to keep the head preoccupied, while at the same time inflicting damage upon its body.
"Remember, the purpose of your assault upon Morlock's castle is to draw his attention away from the initial vanguard he will send forth. If sufficiently provoked, he will unleash his remaining forces, leaving his stronghold emptied and vulnerable. That, too, would weigh heavily upon his mind.
"Your remaining force would, of course, be dwarfed by the sheer size and might of Morlock's forces, and from the outset would be in full retreat. But a retreating army, as you well know, can by its nature inflict far more severe casualties than that of an attacking force, which is ever seeking to establish itself over unfamiliar territory.
"That said, an empty stronghold would be too a sore temptation, I think, for the Demon King to resist."
"But that would leave none but ourselves to face Him, should He prevail!" Celedhan protested. "For myself, I would prefer to do battle with any number of gnomes, goblins and trolls, rather than contemplate the feral might of a host of dragons and Demons! Even if by some miracle we should beat Him back, who among us is capable of dealing with Him, once and for all, in direct confrontation? You, Belloc? Are you a match for the Demon King, now that you bear the crown of