The Dragon's Consortium

35 - Preparations For Battle

Soterios - POV;

"Bang!" I slammed my fist against the table, capturing the attention of everyone in the room. I looked around at my audience. Representatives from the three Kingdoms had gathered under the accommodation of Oakhevia to discuss to approaching threat.

"We still have three weeks before the Draconic Army arrives at our doorstep. Currently they are still in a preparation phase and we will use this time to gather our resources and set up a counter!" I explained.

I stood at the Oakhevian corner of the table and with me stood Csilla as well as the Oakhevian King himself. At the Crethian corner, the hooded warrior listened attentively alongside Amelia Cawthorn and the Crethian Queen. On the Dropavean end, Olmic Barbedbreaker tapped his foot impatiently with the Dropavean King and another master smith, Murnin Orebow, looking on.

"I say we carry our army to their door steps and assault them during their preparation stage. They won't see it coming and the confusion would give us an edge," Olmic proposed. The warrior shook his head in agreement.

"No. If we go into their land, they will hold the advantage. Draedian is riddled with tunnels created my the Draconic beasts and would allow them to hide and sneakily destroy our marching men," I protested.

"Hmm," the warrior thought aloud,"Perhaps we should wait out at the centre of the continent and confront them there. The flatlands would provide no hiding place for the approaching monsters and we can also keep the fight away from the citizens."

"The beasts would still hold advantage. They can tunnel under our feet and use the open skies to rain havoc on our men," I reasoned.

"Then what do you propose?" the Crethian Queen asked.

"We set up at Crimson Hollow and face their army at that point," I replied immediately. Gasps came from all parties.

"Are you kidding me? That would endanger our people and compromise the integrity of the kingdom," our King protested.

"Hear me out," I pleaded with a demanding tone,"there are two Castle Towns at either side of the Capital meant to protect it. The Heart of Oakhevia, our capital, can support all of the residents of Crimson Hollow if we relocate them. Being a Castle Town, Crimson Hollo is full of defences, both physical and magical, to hold off against threats. These can prove vital in turning the tide of battle."

"What of the towns and villages before Crimson Hollow?" Csilla inquired.

"Crimson Hollow lies at a point such that it is the first town that the Draconic Army will approach if they travel from the western edge of Draedian. If we lead the Draconic army there using me as bait then they will completely avoid the other establishments," I explained.

"But won't the beasts be able to take advantage of the skies here as well?" Murnin asked.

"Crimson Hollow is surrounded by high mountainous ranges making the area sheltered. We can cause a turbulence in the skies that will prevent the draconic beasts from ascending too high, forcing them to stay closer to the ground and they would have to filter in from the front where the land is flat as the ranges will ascend to the height of our barriers. Magic at this scale is only possible with the help of the Tower of Magic," I explained.

"What of the tunneling beasts?" Amelia inquired.

"Long ago a poison resevoir was created deep under Crimson Hollow but it has never been used. In the years it was active a huge amount of the fatal liquid was stored. If we can reroute the huge network of pipelines below Crimson Hollow and environs to pull from the poison rather than the water dam, then we can force the pipes to burst with a build up of pressure thus spilling the poison and allowing it to soak into the land. If it doesn't kill the beasts it would atleast slow them down," I told her.

After hearing my carefully thought out strategy the vote was unanimous and all parties shook their head in agreement.

*******

Within the next week the Crethian Army and the Dropavean Army had stationed themselves alongside the Oakhevian Army in Crimson Hollow. Powerful mages were summoned from across the land to develop a barrier powerful enough to cover the entire sky in the area. Trebuchets, catapults and the various war machines were set up all along the town and the smiths worked in overdrive to prepare equipment for the Tridom Consortium, the name given to the Alliance between the three armies.

"Commander!" the small statured, brunette girl saluted as she found me on the Tower of Magic, overlooking the town below.

"What is it?" I interrogated her.

"Sir, the smiths demand more pay for their tireless efforts and they threaten riots if their requirements are not met," she replied.

"What?! In a time like this they think of money and selfish gain?!" I shouted. The girl's eyes widened and she began to shake in her boots.

"Tell me where they are!" I demanded.

"S-sir! Yes sir!" she whimpered.

*******

"We won't stand for these conditions any longer. I quit!" One of the protesting smiths demanded.

"Oh do you?!" I boomed as I landed with a smash on the ground. I had come down with my blade pointed downwards and it pierced the earth, causing a depression to form and cracks to appear. I rushed at the protestor and grabbing him by the neck, I raised him above my head. The dwarf smith struggled against my grip, choking as he tried to escape.

"Do you wanna quit? Then I'll make it yhat you're so broken that you can't even move a finger to forge a weapon," I growled. Spinning around I threw the smith into a building with such force that his body broke through the wall. Wielding Dark Matter I walk up to him and drive the sword into his shoulder. Using the weapon as a handle I swung him around and into a metal beam.

I turned to face the group of protesters. "Anyone else intrested in leaving?" I questioned. Immediately they hurried back to their work forgetting their disagreement.

"This is too much," Csilla said as I walked past her on my way up the Tower of Magic.

"Too much? It was too little. Now is a critical time for the entire land of Uradora and these people are wasting time over stupidity like this. They need motivation and someone to fear is perfect," I replied to her.

The time before the arrival was nearing. We had sent out an armed platoon out to draw the Draconic Army towards the western edge of Draedian and then downwards to our battle zone. One of the soldiers returned and burst into my headquarters.

"They are upon us!" he announced.

Standing at the top of the Tower of Magic, I look to the approaching army.

"It has begun!"