Free Delver Magic: Book 06 - Pure Choice by Jeff Inlo

unrelated,
but I'm going to hedge that bet."
    He briefly scanned a map of the
town.
    "If there's another wave
waiting to hit us, it's going to come from the west... from the forest, not
from the north or east. Last we heard, Ryson took care of the two rogues in the
north and had headed east."
    With a practical plan forming in
his mind, he called to the signal guard on the roof.
    "Send a message to be relayed
by all towers. Guards in the western section of the town remain at their posts.
Send the cavalry forces to the western gate as well. Signal all foot patrols in
the north to move immediately toward the south gate. Tell them to cut directly through
the center of town. I'm going to risk that Ryson can handle the third rogue to
the east and that there aren't any more inside the wall."
    The signal guard on the roof
relayed some welcome news in response.
    "Message from the towers,
sir. Third rogue secure in the east. The delver is about to complete his scout
of the town."
    The report slightly altered Sy's
plans.
    "Signal back to the eastern
patrols. Tell them to divide in two. Half stay at their posts, half move to the
south."
    The captain took one pause to
consider the forces he was deploying. He then issued his tactical decisions for
dealing with the goblins directly.
    "Order archers on the
southern walls and towers to remain at their posts. They are not to force
engagement. Foot patrols are to form secure lines. Containing the raiding party
to the south is top priority. Limited engagement and only when necessary to
contain."
    Sy looked to the messenger. He
explained his decision out loud in order to gauge the reaction of his soldier.
An expression of doubt or confusion would offer him a chance to reassess his
tactics.
    "Eastern section is highly
residential. I don't want to leave it totally unprotected, but if we can
contain the raid, it's worth sending more soldiers to the south. The little
cretins are fast and hard to see, especially in this storm. I don't want to be
fighting them all over the place. We hold them to the south and then we push
them back outside the wall."
    The messenger showed not the
slightest distress over the plan, and Sy believed he had utilized his forces
without an oversight. He left the northern section of town vulnerable and cut
his eastern forces in half, but he believed the tactic necessary. He could
dispatch his cavalry fairly quickly from the west if a need arose to the north,
and he doubted additional attacks would come from the farmlands to the east.
    His priority centered on securing
the town. For the first time in a very long while, goblins had succeeded in
breaking his defenses. He wouldn't hide behind excuses. Yes, the rogues and the
rains played a part, but allowing goblins to breach the wall was a monumental
failure in his mind. If his troops were distracted, then he had not prepared
them properly. He was determined to rectify that mistake, and to see to the
battle personally.
    Before he ventured out into the
heavy downpour, he made one last call to the signal guard on the roof.
    "Relay to all towers that
command is heading to the south gate. Signal Sergeant Klusac to report to HQ.
Then you can come off that roof, but stay by a window to keep track of all
tower messages. It's getting harder to see the signals in all this rain."
    "Yes, sir."
    Sy turned to the messenger.
    "I'm going to the south gate.
I want you to go directly to headquarters at the town center and wait for
Klusac. Tell him he's in charge of communications until I send a message
differently."
    The soldier nodded and headed off.
    Sy watched him only for a moment
and then hurried off to the south. He had to shield his eyes with a hand at his
forehead to see through the pouring rain. He frowned at the poor visibility. It
was bad, no doubt about it. He almost forgave the mistakes that allowed goblins
to enter his town.
    Almost.
    Then he thought about the harm
that goblins could cause. People might die that night because his